Naval Academy, mid-1850s

Historical narrative

The Naval Academy at Annapolis was established as the Naval School by Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft at former Fort Severn on October 10, 1845, with just 50 midshipmen and seven professors. Renamed the United States Naval Academy in 1850, it developed into a four-year institution combining academic study with practical naval training at sea. This painting is based on a 19th-century engraved view of the Academy, offering a fascinating glimpse of its waterfront setting during its early years. Today, the 338-acre campus—known as the “Yard”—is distinguished by its Chesapeake Bay and Severn River setting, historic brick walks, French Renaissance architecture, Bancroft Hall, and the magnificent Naval Academy Chapel. Beneath the chapel lies the crypt of Revolutionary War naval hero John Paul Jones, one of the Academy’s most treasured historic features.

Oil

© Stephen B. Hales — All Rights Reserved