Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 07/21/1981
NRHP Listing Date 10/29/1981
NRHP Reference Number 81000674
Old Norfolk City Hall, with its fine stonework, classical decoration, and grand formality, is a skillful rendition of the stately Neo-Palladian Revival that was popular at the end of the 19th century, especially in Great Britain. Designed in 1898 as the U.S. Post Office and Courts Building by the Baltimore firm of Wyatt and Nolting, this downtown Norfolk building illustrates the high standard of architectural civility found in works commissioned by the federal government in this period. Converted into a city hall in 1937 but abandoned in the 1960s with the construction of a modern city hall, the Old Norfolk City Hall building has since been sensitively restored for private offices. An exceptional feature of the interior is the large central court surrounded by splendidly ornamented arcades.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: May 10, 2022
