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NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2008

Contact:
Parade: Debra White, City Clerk
757-393-8639
Trophy Park: Steve Milner, Public Affairs
757-396-9559
Museums: Nancy Perry, Director of Museums
757-393-8718

Nation’s Oldest Annually Held Memorial Day Parade to take place Monday, May 26
Naval Shipyard’s Trophy Park and a new museum there will be open to the public for two hours as part of Portsmouth’s Memorial Day Remembrance activities

PORTSMOUTH, VA — The nation's oldest annually held parade, Portsmouth’s Memorial Day Parade, has been a tradition in this city since 1884 – and this year is no exception. The city’s 124th parade will begin at 11 a.m. Monday, May 26, in the 1800 block of High Street at I.C. Norcom High School.

The parade will travel east on High Street, turn right on Crawford Street, and end at County Street in the Olde Towne Historic District of Portsmouth. Approximately 65 units will participate.

In honor of Portsmouth’s Memorial Day Remembrance, historic Trophy Park at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth will be open to the public from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Trophy Park, established about 1870, houses a collection of naval weaponry and other artifacts.

The shipyard first opened for business on Nov. 1, 1767, and has operated under four flags: Great Britain, Virginia, the Confederacy and the United States. The last time Trophy Park was open to the public was Memorial Day 2007.

In addition to visiting Trophy Park, the public may see a new museum housed in the nearby Tar House, which dates back to the 1830s. The Tar House, believed to be the oldest building at the shipyard, was used to heat tar during the assembly of wooden ships.

All visitors should enter the shipyard on foot through Gate 3, located at the corner of First and Lincoln streets. Parking will be available outside Gate 3. Adults will be required to show a photo ID for admission. Visitors may bring cameras to Trophy Park and the Tar House museum. For more details about the Trophy Park opening, call the NNSY Public Affairs Office at 757-396-9550.

Additionally, several other events have been planned for Portsmouth’s Memorial Day Remembrance. They include:

  • PortTowne Magic Strings will perform at the Courthouse Galleries, corner of High and Court streets, at the conclusion of the parade.
  • The Tidewater Pipes and Drums will perform at the Naval Shipyard Museum, 2 High St., directly after the parade.
  • Noon to 4 p.m. – The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter SHEARWATER, docked at High Street Landing, will be open to the public at High and Water streets on the Elizabeth River. The SHEARWATER, built at Bollinger Shipyard in Lockport, La., entered service in August 2002. It is the 49th of the newest type of Coast Guard patrol boat, called the “marine protector” class and named for marine animals. The Shearwater is a seabird named for the way it glides over the wave tops, seeming to “shear” or cut the water.
  • Noon to 4 p.m. – Military displays on view in the parking lot used by the U.S. Coast Guard at the corner of High and Crawford Streets.
  • Noon to 4 p.m. – The Tidewater Maritime Living History Associates, a re-enactment and living history group, will be at the Lightship PORTSMOUTH Museum, foot of London Street at Water Street.
  • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Chevra T'helim, a 1917 Colonial Revival style synagogue and cultural center, will be open for tours. In 2001, this abandoned synagogue was acquired and work on its restoration began. It now houses a holocaust Torah scroll on display by the family of two members of the original congregation.
  • 1 to 4 p.m. – The Historic Hill House, 221 North St., will be open for tours. The Hill House is a 4-story 1825 English basement home furnished entirely with original family belongings. It is evident from the furnishings that the Hill family were avid collectors and lived graciously over a period of 150 years. The house remains in its original condition, with limited renovation through the years.

For additional information about events in Portsmouth, visit www.PortsVaEvents.com or call the Portsmouth Visitor Information Center at 757-393-5111.

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