Suburban Acres Civic League

Norfolk, VA (July 22, 2011). Norfolk Public Library is pleased to announce the launching of a new database, Norfolk Historical Images. The database offers a digital sampling of the more than 60,000 photographs, drawings, maps and documents housed in the Library’s Sargeant Memorial Collection, chronicling the history of Norfolk and Greater Hampton Roads from colonial times to the present.

The library’s digital project was initially funded in 2000 by a gift from the family of the late Norfolk optometrist Dr. Dudley Cooper. As long-time owner of Norfolk’s Ocean View Amusement Park and Seaside Amusement Park in Virginia Beach, Dr. Cooper realized the importance of preserving local history and local tradition. Sargeant Memorial Collection staff have worked for more than 10 years to scan and research images in the collection in order to make them more widely available to the public.

The online images represent only a small portion of the collection. There are many more images to be scanned and staff is working hard to add them to the new database. Meanwhile, the public is invited to visit the Sargeant Memorial Collection to view the physical photo files of images from Norfolk newspaper photographers Carroll Walker, Harry C. Mann, and others between the years 1920 and 1955.

The Sargeant Memorial Collection (SMC) is the local history and genealogical collection within the Norfolk Public Library system. The SMC opened in 1927 to house a collection of material relating to the history of Norfolk initiated by City Librarian William Henry Sargeant in 1894. The collection currently resides in Norfolk Main Library at 235 E. Plume Street in downtown Norfolk. Please call (757) 664-7485 for more information.  To access the Norfolk Historical Images database, go to http://www.npl.lib.va.us/smrt/dip_website/dip.html.

The Thole Street railroad crossing is scheduled to be closed completely in both directions from Saturday, June 4 (6 a.m.) – Monday, June 6 (2 p.m.) for track replacement.  Thole Street connects Granby to Tidewater and is at the Tidewater Dr I-64 entrance.  The detour is to follow Granby Street to Little Creek Road to Tidewater Drive and a map and detour information is located here:

• During the work the roadway will be fully closed in both directions to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.  It is estimated that each closure will take about 3-6 days depending on weather and other construction issues. 

• On the city’s website on the bottom scroll, there is an icon entitled “Railroad Crossings”. Click to find a map, the list of railroad crossings, scheduled detour routes and contact persons.   The link is attached: Norfolk Southern Railroad Crossings Rehabilitation Project Information.

•  You can also obtain information by calling the Norfolk Information hotline at 664-4010 code 896.
• Communications, Development and Public Works have developed an extensive communication plan and are working with civic leagues, businesses, media and other social media outlets to communicate information about this project. They are also coordinating with  Norfolk Southern on the traffic mitigation plans.