Fort Monroe NM Visitor Use Rapid Assessment - North Beach/Area 4

The presidential proclamation establishing Fort Monroe National Monument in 2011 looked forward to recreational uses throughout the monument, including the North Beach area. North Beach consists of the northern portion of Old Point Comfort Peninsula, most of which is owned by the National Park Service and included within the monument boundaries. North Beach is an indigenous cultural landscape, "providing modern-day visitors a sense of what earlier people saw when they arrived in the new world."

Currently under the control of the United States Army, North Beach Area 4 includes sections that require site remediation before the area could be added to the national park system. This area is currently not a part of Fort Monroe National Monument. It was formerly used for waste disposal and remaining contamination has kept it closed off to the public. The National Park Service is coordinating with the Army to clean up this contamination with the goal of transferring land to the National Park Service to be used as a recreation area. Before a land transfer can occur and any public use reestablished, the Army must address contamination and safety concerns.

The National Park Service is conducting a rapid assessment of potential visitor uses for North Beach Area 4, which will be used to determine the level of cleanup needed at the site. Public input will be incorporated into discussions with the Army regarding management of North Beach Area 4, with the goal of remediating environmental contaminants, transferring ownership of this site to the Fort Monroe National Monument, and opening North Beach Area 4 to the public.

Contact Information

Eola Dance, Superintendent
Fort Monroe National Monument
41 Bernard Road
Fort Monroe, VA 23651

Phone: (757) 722-FORT (3678)