Why Portsmouth
Portsmouth is an independent city located along the Elizabeth River in southeastern Virginia, positioned directly across the water from Norfolk within the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. Owing to its strategic waterfront geography, the community has maintained a deep, enduring connection with the United States military, particularly the Navy. It is home to the historic and active Norfolk Naval Shipyard, a major facility situated entirely within Portsmouth that remains a central driver of the city's maritime identity.
The site's potential for shipbuilding was first identified in 1620, and the town was officially established in 1752 by Colonel William Crawford, who named it after Portsmouth, England. The adjacent Gosport Shipyard was founded in 1767, eventually coming under federal ownership after the American Revolutionary War. Over the centuries, the city weathered major historical challenges, including a British raid in 1779 and a severe yellow fever epidemic in 1855. Prior to the Civil War, local spaces like the 1857 Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church served as vital stops along the Underground Railroad, providing refuge for freedom seekers fleeing northernward.
Portsmouth played a prominent role in Civil War history when Confederate forces took control of the shipyard and rebuilt the burned hull of the USS Merrimack into the ironclad CSS Virginia, which subsequently fought the USS Monitor in the Battle of Hampton Roads. Following the city's recapture by Union forces, the yard received its current name of Norfolk Naval Shipyard. During the 20th century, the installation expanded rapidly during both World Wars, spurring nearby residential developments such as Cradock and Truxtun, the latter constructed as a historic wartime housing initiative for African American workers.
Visitors to Portsmouth can explore a diverse array of historic architecture, museums, and waterfront sights. High Street is home to the historic Commodore Theatre, while maritime heritage is displayed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum and aboard the donated lightship Portsmouth. Historic landmarks throughout the area include Trinity Episcopal Church, St. Paul's Catholic Church, the Pythian Castle, Hill House, Cedar Grove Cemetery, and the old Norfolk County Courthouse, which houses the Tidewater Children's Museum. The city also preserves important African American history at sites like the former Key Road School.
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