About the Norfolk County Historical Society of Chesapeake
Keeper of a Vanished County's Story
The Norfolk County Historical Society of Chesapeake, Virginia received its charter from the Commonwealth of Virginia on October 10, 1963 — the same year the City of Chesapeake was created through the merger of historic Norfolk County and the City of South Norfolk. That timing was no coincidence: when the 300-year-old county disappeared from the map, the society was formed to make sure its story did not disappear with it. Today the organization is committed to preserving and sharing the history of the City of Chesapeake and the surrounding areas of southeastern Virginia.
The society is headquartered in the Wallace Memorial Room on the second floor of the Chesapeake Central Library at 298 Cedar Road. The room was built as a memorial to William Wallace (1878–1950), funded through a donation by his daughter, Sabine Wallace Drury, and it houses the society's research collections: materials for historical and genealogical research with an emphasis on Chesapeake, southeastern Virginia, and northeastern North Carolina, along with a display of artifacts of local interest. Because the room sits inside the public library, researchers can use it during the library's regular hours throughout the week.
Beyond maintaining the Wallace Room, the society hosts public historical programs, publishes books and pamphlets on local history, sponsors genealogy classes, maintains oral history collections, and supports architectural preservation efforts in the community — a well-rounded program for anyone tracing family lines through the old Norfolk County records or exploring the roots of Virginia's Tidewater region.
Plan Your Visit
The Norfolk County Historical Society's Wallace Memorial Room is located on the second floor of the Chesapeake Central Library at 298 Cedar Road in Chesapeake, Virginia, and is accessible during regular library hours. For programs, publications, and genealogy class schedules, visit norfolkcountyvahistory.org.
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