Visitors to the Historic Pennsylvania House are greeted

Visitors to the Historic Pennsylvania House are greeted by members of the Tidewater Officer’s Spouses Association’s (TOSA) Holiday Homes Tour aboard Naval Station Norfolk. Pennsylvania House was originally an exhibit hall that was built for the 1907 Jamestown Exposition, and was a smaller scale replica of the original Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The exposition homes and surrounding areas known as Sewells Point were eventually purchased and incorporated into what was to become Naval Station Norfolk shortly after World War One. During the tour of the homes, Darcy Sink, Volunteer Coordinator with the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, coordinated volunteer docents from the museum; and the museum’s Registrar, Katherine Renfrew, provided historical information about the homes to aid in meaningful interpretation and provided educational booklets for distribution. Pennsylvania House served as a staging point, with refreshments and craft and unique gifts for sale via TOSA’s Tidewater Collection. Proceeds from sales are donated to charitable organizations that support military families. TOSA is dedicated to providing morale, friendship and community service opportunities to all officer spouses in the Hampton Roads Region of Virginia. The Hampton Roads Naval Museum is one of several museums that are operated by the Naval History and Heritage Command. (US Navy Photo by Max Lonzanida/Released).