Norfolk, USA cruise port guide

Norfolk was chartered in 1682 when 10,000 pounds of tobacco was paid to Nicholas Wise for 50 acres of land to lay out the town. In 1736, it became a borough and is the region's oldest city. Originally established as a port city for the purpose of exporting tobacco and importing goods for the colonists, Norfolk has seen extraordinary events during her 320 years of existence. The city was burned by British soldiers during 1776, occupied by Northern troops during the War Between the States, and home to thousands of transient military personnel during World War II. Norfolk experienced a severe overcrowding problem during the postwar years, resulting in one of the first urban renewal programs in the country. During the past two decades, Norfolk has seen the waterfront warehouses replaced by the Waterside Festival Marketplace, elegant condominiums, as well as hotels, parks, additional attractions and new office buildings. Harbor Park baseball stadium and Nauticus, The National Maritime Center now anchor either end of the rejuvenated waterfront. The battleship USS Wisconsin is permanently berthed at Nauticus with the top deck open for touring. The brand new MacArthur Center has brought world-class shopping to downtown Norfolk. With a population of approximately 235,000, Norfolk is Virginia's second-largest city.