Monitor National Marine Sanctuary

The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary marks the location of the sunken wreck of the famed Civil War ironclad, the USS Monitor. The USS Monitor was immortalized as a result of its four-hour battle with the Confederate ironclad Virginia in Hampton Roads, Virginia, on March 9, 1862. The two great warships fought to a draw that day and it was only a few months later when the USS Monitor succumbed to a furious storm off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The site is a popular destination among shipwreck researchers and the U.S. Navy has been instrumental in several explorations of the wreckage. Below are links that provide information about the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary.