NOAA Monitor National Marine Sanctuary

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NOAA Monitor National Marine Sanctuary

America’s First National Marine Sanctuary

Designated Jan. 30, 1975
(1)

06/11/2026

USS MONITOR carried between 58 and 63 men during its service, men from many different backgrounds, including sailors, laborers, immigrants, and young men seeking opportunity during a time of war.

One of them was James Fenwick

James Fenwick a 23-year-old sailor from Scotland, enlisted in Boston, Massachusetts in July 1861 and served as a quarter gunner* on USS MONITOR. On October 13th1862, he married Mary Ann Duffy during a brief leave. He expressed regret in a letter to her after returning early to duty. Sadly, Fenwick was lost at sea when Monitor sank on December 31, 1862.

*A Quarter Gunner was a petty officer responsible for maintaining the ship's artillery and ammunition, and supervising a crew at the guns during battle

06/09/2026

Monitor National Marine Sanctuary attended the Batten School & Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) for Marine Science Day! Visitors explored how USS MONITOR transformed from a Civil War ironclad into a thriving ecosystem, supporting marine life while preserving history beneath the waves. As part of the fun, kids also got hands-on by creating their own colorful coffee filter coral to take home!
Photos:
Kyra Burlingame/NOAA; Anthony Ladikos/NOAA

06/08/2026

The creatures found in Monitor National Marine Sanctuary have a lot to do, good thing this creature made a list! Check out what the Sand Tiger Shark will be doing today!

📸Sand Tiger Shark Photo: NOAA
📸Shipwreck Photo: Monitor Collection

05/29/2026

100 years ago today, the nation honored one of the greatest engineering minds in history.

On May 29, 1926, the John Ericsson Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C., celebrating the inventor behind the revolutionary USS MONITOR. Designed by famed sculptor James Earle Fraser, the memorial features a massive compass-shaped granite base, a perfect tribute to the man who helped change naval warfare forever.

Ericsson may not always be the first name people remember from the Civil War, but his innovations still shape the world around us today. From the screw propeller to the ironclad MONITOR, his ideas transformed technology, engineering, and naval history.

Here’s to 100 years of honoring the visionary who helped steer history in a new direction.

Photo: National Park Service

05/26/2026

From a single revolving turret aboard USS MONITOR to the massive battleships that followed, John Ericsson helped change naval warfare forever.

His innovative turret design inspired generations of warships and became a defining feature of naval engineering for decades to come. As we approach the 100th anniversary of the John Ericsson Memorial in Washington, D.C., we’re reflecting on the lasting legacy of the inventor whose ideas reshaped naval history.

Photos: Naval History and Heritage Command and NOAA

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we remember the brave crew of the USS MONITOR, sailors who served aboard one of the most revolutionary ships in naval history. In December 1862, as MONITOR battled heavy seas off Cape Hatteras, 16 crew members lost their lives in service to their country.

Today, we honor not only their sacrifice, but their courage, innovation, and enduring legacy. More than 160 years later, the story of MONITOR and its crew continues to connect us to the human stories behind history.

05/21/2026

The USS MONITOR carried between 58 and 63 men during its service, men from many different backgrounds, including sailors, laborers, immigrants, and young men seeking opportunity during a time of war.

One of them was Francis A. Riddey
Francis A. Riddey (c. 1827–1898) was a mariner and Civil War sailor who served on USS MONITOR in 1862. Riddey had deserted* MONITOR in 1862, while it was still undergoing sea trials, and later reenlisted in the Navy under an alias (Frank Ryeday). Riddey continued naval service on the USS PRINCETON, another Ericsson-designed warship. The the Navy removed his desertion charge after the war.

*Deserted: when someone quits the service of a vessel without leave and with no intent to return to duty.

05/12/2026

May 1862.

The Confederate ironclad CSS VIRGINIA is destroyed off Craney Island to prevent capture.

A massive explosion left nothing behind, ending the life of the USS MONITOR'S greatest rival before the two could meet again in battle.

The next day, MONITOR'S crew passed the wreckage, some collecting pieces of history as souvenirs.

05/11/2026

At the Tidewater Integrated Combat Symposium (TWICS) STEM Day, students didn’t just learn about innovation, they built it.

Inspired by the rotating turret of the historic USS MONITOR, 5th–8th grade students took on an engineering challenge: use DC motors and gears to rotate their own “turrets.”

Through hands-on problem solving, students explored how simple circuits power movement and engineering decisions impact real-world design. By experimenting, troubleshooting, and refining their builds, they experienced the same kind of thinking that shaped revolutionary technology during the Civil War.

From first spin to final success, this activity connected history, engineering, and innovation, showing how ideas from the past still inspire the technology of today.

Photos: Kyra Burlingame/NOAA

05/07/2026

May 7, 1862.
President Abraham Lincoln boards the USS MONITOR, the revolutionary ironclad he had personally approved.

Photo: Courtesy of The Mariners' Museum

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Website

http://monitor.noaa.gov/

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