The Norwegian Lady

As you walk the Virginia Beach boardwalk, you have got to be wondering why the flag of Norway is here. It’s out of place, isn’t it? Yep, it is. And here’s why it’s here.
On March 28 1891, the Norwegian vessel Dictator was caught in a storm and ran aground on a sandbar 300 yards offshore. Local residents from a nearby hotel and men from the US Lifesaving Services (you know them today as the Coast Guard) braved the storm and tried to rescue the ship’s crew. Sadly, only 8 of the 17 could be rescued.
The female figurehead from the Dictator washed ashore and was positioned here over the boardwalk. However it was damaged during a hurricane in 1953 and was replaced by one of two statues. The other is in Moss Norway, Virginia Beach’s sister city from this incident. They face each other, across the Atlantic Ocean.
What’s really cool is that in 1995, on an official state visit, Queen Sonja of Norway visited the Virginia Beach Norwegian Lady and placed flowers as tribute.
«I am the Norwegian Lady. I stand here, as my sister before me, to wish all men of the sea safe return home.»
And that’s review number 4600 overall, number 384 for 2015.