Fort Monroe National Historic Landmark District

National Historic Landmarks are nationally significant historic places designated by the Secretary of the Interior because they possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States. Today, fewer than 2,500 historic places bear this national distinction.

Statement of Significance (as of designation - December 19, 1960)

Constructed between 1819 and 1834, Fort Monroe was one of the country's major military posts from the time of its establishment; Robert E. Lee, then a lieutenant, played a prominent role in the final stages of its construction. During the Civil War, the fort was a staging area for Union land and naval expeditions. On March 9, 1862, thousands of spectators stood on the ramparts of Fort Monroe to watch the momentous battle between USS MONITOR and CSS VIRGINIA, the first battle in history between ironclad vessels. From May 1865 to May 1867, the fort was the site for the imprisonment of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.

National Park Service, National Historic Landmarks Program