THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, July 6, 1995                 TAG: 9507040132
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS          PAGE: 12   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY JOAN C. STANUS, STAFF WRITER 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   48 lines

WALKING TOUR OF HISTORIC SITES BEING OFFERED THIS SUMMER

Park your car at Nauticus and leave the 20th century behind one Friday this summer for a leisurely stroll through Norfolk's historical past.

Instead of gazing at the city's familiar landmarks through the windshield of your car, you'll finally get a chance to take an up-close peek at that Revolutionary War cannonball embedded in the side of old St. Paul's Church, to visit the site of Norfolk's 19 century city market, to tour the Moses Myers House and to check out the architecture of the city's oldest buildings.

All you need is a comfortable pair of sneakers.

During July and August, the Hampton Roads chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the Norfolk Waterside Marriott are sponsoring two-hour walking tours each Friday morning. Guided tours will leave the Nauticus lobby at 10 a.m. (weather permitting) and head to one of Norfolk's two downtown historic districts. Cost is only $5.

``We're hoping to generate an increased interest in downtown among residents with these tours,'' noted Andrea Burzyk, education specialist for the Chrysler Museum's Historic Houses. ``When you walk through, you see things you might miss if you go by in a car or on the trolley. And it's a good way to get some exercise and learn about the city.''

The routes are divided into two areas of downtown:

The Freemason Street Tour covers the sites along Norfolk's earliest residential neighborhood, dating back to the American Revolution. As walkers stroll along the Elizabeth River, they'll visit the Taiwanese Pavilion, the Seldon House and the Hunter House Victorian Museum. A tour of the Hunter House is included as part of the tour.

The Downtown Tour heads across Waterside Drive and down Main Street to view the World Trade Center, custom's house, Life Savings Bank and the Seldon Arcade. After checking out those sites, tour walkers will swing left onto Commerical Place and then Plume Street for a stop at the MacArthur Memorial; then on to St. Paul's Church, the Willoughby-Baylor House and the Moses Myers House at Cumberland and Bank streets.

The guides will discuss the architecture of the various buildings, the city's planning efforts in the past and for the future, and the history of Norfolk's commerce and trade industries.

For more information about the tours call 664-6283. by CNB