1938 Swamp Clearance Basin (30 ac)
220 Workers Memorial Walk
$50M Glasshouse Biomes & Chihuly
Modern 175-Acre Canopy Perimeter
1938 & 2026 Reckoning Zone
The 220 Workers Memorial Walk
Historical Labor & Segregation Context
Under Works Progress Administration (WPA) Project #4732 in 1938, 200 Black women cleared dense snake-infested briars and swamp water by hand, hauling mud in buckets, to plant the first 4,000 azaleas. Due to strict Virginia Jim Crow segregation laws, these laborers were prohibited from returning to enjoy the blossoms they cultivated.
220
Hand-Laborers
4,000+
Original Azaleas
$50M
Conservatory Expansion
Today, the Memorial Walk acts as the spiritual heart of Norfolk Botanical Garden. Bronze tribute steles etched with the recovered names of the female and male workers align along the southern azalea ridge leading directly to the newly unveiled $50 million glass conservatory featuring a central Dale Chihuly glass botanical sculpture.
WPA Labor Roll Archive
Recovered records of the 200 African American women and 20 African American men employed under WPA Project #4732 (1938–1940).
Commemorative Reflection Route
Sequence your garden pilgrimage from the 1938 swamp clearance trenches to the $50M glass biomes and Chihuly installation.
Curated Itinerary Metrics:
4 Waypoints Selected • Est. 1.3 Miles • 45 Min Pilgrimage
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