Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Norfolk (Virginia)

​NORFOLK, a city and port of entry in Norfolk co., Va., on the Elizabeth ​river, and on the Seaboard Air Line, the Atlantic Coast Line, the Chesapeake and Ohio, Southern, Norfolk and Western, and Virginia railroads; 18 miles from Fort Virginia. Here are a United States Naval Hospital, United States custom house, Norfolk Academy, Old St. Paul's Church, Confederate Monument, libraries, hospitals, parks, clubs, and churches. The city has electric street railroads, gas and electric lights, a good sewerage system, waterworks, several National banks, and a number of daily and weekly newspapers. During the World War the navy yards at Norfolk and Portsmouth were enormously developed. The Government spent over $500,000,000 in the naval district of which Norfolk was the headquarters. The navy yard has an area of 400 acres. It was also an army supply base during the war. A large export trade is carried on in canned goods, early fruits and vegetables, cotton, coal, oysters, and peanuts; for the latter Norfolk is the largest market in the world. The commerce of the port in 1919 was valued at $3,039,023,886 and the local industries include lumber, knit goods, iron, wire fence, guano, and fertilizing establishments, etc. Pop. (1910) 67,452; (1920) 115,777.