The population in Norfolk, Portsmouth, and the greater Hampton Roads area greatly increased during World War II. Individuals and families moved to the area for military service or government jobs at the Naval Operating Base, Norfolk Navy Yard, Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Norfolk Naval Hospital, and other federal employment centers.
A Trailer Home at Lewis Park
Crosby, Alexander L, and Carol S Simon. This Is It. Norfolk, Va: Comet Press, 1946.
A Home at Liberty Park
Crosby, Alexander L, and Carol S Simon. This Is It. Norfolk, Va: Comet Press, 1946.
There was a shortage of housing in Norfolk even before the war. Between 1930 and 1940, the population had increased by over 14,000 people but only 2,500 new dwellings had been built. In February 1942, a survey stated that the increase in population paired with the housing shortage caused Norfolk rents to rise by 13.7%. The number of marriages and births doubled between 1941 and 1942. During 1942, government funding for the construction in Norfolk rose from 8.3 million to 69 million. There was also an increase in childcare needed for over 2,760 new children but Norfolk only had three day-nurseries that could accommodate 150 children in 1943. Before the war, the normal number of employees at the Norfolk Navy Yard was around 5,000; during the war the number increased to 38,000. The Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, which mostly constructs ships for the Navy, increased their number of employees to 20,000.
Other concerns with the increased population included health issues, food shortages, lack of transportation, prostitution, gambling, and the cleanliness of public spaces. Allocations of food were based on the population in Norfolk in 1941, before the rush of workers. Some articles expressed concern that one of America’s biggest war centers could potentially turn into the number one epidemic center.
One of the biggest issues remained the lack of housing for the influx of people. Multiple housing programs had to be implemented to provide affordable housing. Without the joint action of the Federal Public Housing Authority and Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, the housing crisis would have been a catastrophe. The two agencies supplied 3,462 dwellings for families and single workers: 1,030 permanent homes, 1,592 temporary dwellings, 540 single dormitory rooms, and 300 trailers.
The executive secretary for the Norfolk Housing Authority made lots of recommendations regarding the issues around the needed influx of workers, including better transportation for workers on streamer ships and railroads to both the Norfolk Base and Navy Yard. Some future-thinking was implemented regarding the surplus of dwellings and real estate values in the post-war era. Many of the housing solutions built or implemented for the war workers and military were designed for removal after the war period.
The Library at Oak Leaf Park
Crosby, Alexander L, and Carol S Simon. This Is It. Norfolk, Va: Comet Press, 1946.
A Kitchen in Roberts Park
Crosby, Alexander L, and Carol S Simon. This Is It. Norfolk, Va: Comet Press, 1946.
The Library of Virginia has a collection of self-published periodicals of housing communities that were built in Norfolk for the flood of war and civil workers. These communities were situated in and around Norfolk, Portsmouth, and the greater Hampton Roads area, including Merrimack Park, Roberts Park and Apartments, Oak Leaf Park, Liberty Park, Lewis Park Trailers and Dormitories, Commonwealth Hotel and Apartments, and Carney Park. The periodicals list the activities in and around the communities, like dances, movie screenings, garden clubs, religious services, and sporting events, along with education and childcare information, recipes, first aid information, and notices of anyone moving in or out. The periodicals provide insight into the everyday lives of people living and working in Norfolk during the war while trying to maintain normalcy after relocating for new jobs or military service.
The creation of new jobs in Norfolk and surrounding areas, mainly for military positions and ship building, produced whole new communities in which people could live. World War II had a great impact, not just on the world and individuals in the military, but also on the homefront in Virginia.
New!
The Library of Virginia received a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant to digitize our 270,000 WWII veteran separation notices.
Separation Notices for the Navy is a new collection that is available for transcription on FromThePage.
The U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army Separation Notices are also available for transcription.
The Virginia World War II War Dead Questionnaires Collection is a new collection that is available for transcription on FromThePage. The three-page questionnaire records personal and military data including birth date and place, date of birth of children, education, date and place of enlistment, branch of service, military honors, circumstances of death, and more.
References
Crosby, Alexander L, and Carol S Simon. This Is It. Norfolk, Va: Comet Press, 1946.
Lankford, G. Wright. “Norfolk Area Still As Year Ends: City Looks on Stormy 1942 and Braces for Hard Work,” 1942. Norfolk Virginia 1944 scrapbook. Correspondence and Data Files. Accession 27544. State Government Records Collection. Library of Virginia. Richmond, Virginia.
Lewis, Al T. “War Housing,” 1943. Norfolk Virginia 1944 scrapbook. Correspondence and Data Files. Accession 27544. State Government Records Collection. Library of Virginia. Richmond, Virginia.
Whitehead, Charles. “Lack of Housing Affecting Work at Navy Yard Here, Admiral Gygax: Tells Congressman Electricity, Sewers, Water and Gas Often Unavailable for New Units,” n.d. Norfolk Virginia 1944 scrapbook. Correspondence and Data Files. Accession 27544. State Government Records Collection. Library of Virginia. Richmond, Virginia.
