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This work began with the intent to compile a complete list of the occupants of the officers - and noncommissioned officers - quarters at Fort Monroe from 1819 to 1987. The author’s research led her to records at the National Archives and local resources such as phone books, bank records, and records held by the fort; she also contacted 1,000 retired officers who had served at the fort, asking them to recall the names and residences of their contemporaries. The 850 replies she received contained much more than that: many also recounted fond memories of the fort. Thus, this work evolved from a simple listing of names to a broader history of the fort and the men who lived there. The first part of the volume is arranged as a self-guided tour, presenting a great opportunity for readers, visitors, and historians to take a mile and one-half walk through the small moated fort while visualizing the lives of the military families who lived in the gracious old houses. Reminiscences about and legends associated with various parts of the fort are revealed as each building is visited in turn. This section also includes a historical overview of the development of the fort. The second part of the book is composed of three lists: the occupants of 115 sets of officers’ quarters and ninety sets of noncommissioned officers’ quarters, and artillerymen from the fort who rose to field officer rank or above. More than 8,000 entries are included. Ten appendices provide additional information about life in and around the fort, from the development of utilities and sanitation, to the establishment of the canteen, to the establishment of the nearby Chamberlin and Hygeia hotels.
