Save Talbot Hall!

Contact: info@savetalbothall.org

Talbot Hall and its surrounding grounds are under threat from development.

This historic site sits squarely in the Lafayette River watershed, a key tributary of the Elizabeth River, and less than 10 miles from the Chesapeake Bay. Not only does this site provide an ideal contemplative home for the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia, it also serves as a rare urban habitat for countless waterfowl, fish, and other marine flora and fauna. The crown jewel of the property is Talbot Hall, the plantation house after which the local neighborhood take its name, completed in 1803 and still largely intact and unchanged since then.

Beyond ecological diversity and aesthetic beauty, Talbot Hall and its grounds also serve as a witness to history. The main plantation house, still standing, served as a hospital during the military occupation of Norfolk by both Union and Confederate forces. It was left standing during the Confederate evacuation of Norfolk and the subsequent Federal occupation. It is thus an enduring reminder of Virginia's proud place at the center of American history. The house and surrounding land was given as a trust to the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia.

Unfortunately, like many non-profit organizations, the Diocese is at a fiscal crossroads. Citing severe economic distress, the Diocese has begun exploring the possibility of selling this piece of land, most likely for residential development. While it is likely that such a sale would ameliorate some of the Diocese's financial distress in the short term, we believe that such a sale, and the resulting development, would be harmful to the delicate ecosystem of the region, remove a beloved fixture from a key Norfolk neighborhood, endanger an important historic site, and do long-term harm to the reputation of the Diocese of Southern Virginia.

In conjunction with local civic and environmental organizations, we urge the Diocese and its members to preserve this fragile and essential part of Norfolk's heritage, and Save Talbot Hall!