A mermaid has been the signature symbol of the City of Norfolk since 2002. The idea of a “Mermaid Parade” came up in 1999, and was implemented with local bronze sculptor Kevin Gallup mass-producing 130 mermaid castings for local businesses, artists and homeowners to sponsor and decorate.
The result was mermaids all over the city, and enthusiastic support for the city adopting the mermaid as its symbol. At least 80 mermaids have been customized and placed around the city.
To this day the mermaid is the symbol of the city, and is part of the official city logo, its website and social media sites, and it now has this much larger mermaid fountain in Town Point Park on the edge of Elizabeth River, next to the Nauticus maritime museum. map
Norfolk has joined the list of cities with a mermaid as its symbol or icon.
Here are some of the many mermaids scattered around the city. You can of course explore the city to find these, or you can use this map provided by a local enthusiast.
References:
● https://www.norfolk.gov/1952/Norfolk-Mermaids
● https://www.visitnorfolk.com/articles/post/yourguidetothenorfolkmermaids/
● The Mermaids of Earth coffee-table book: See page 142 in the book about this sculpture.
