Description
A statue of General Douglas MacArthur stands in front of the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk. Mayor W. Fred Duckworth persuaded MacArthurs mother, a native of Norfolk, to donate her sons personal papers and memorabilia to the city. In 1961 Norfolks city hall was remodeled and turned into a repository for the material. Nine museum galleries were created, as well as a circular crypt in the central rotunda, where MacArthur and his wife are buried. Considered one of Virginias best examples of Classical Revival architecture, the original building was designed by William R. Singleton, a Portsmouth native, with assistance from Thomas U. Walker. The building served as the city hall and courthouse from 1850 until the interior was gutted for the MacArthur Memorial.
