More than twenty blocks of the Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District overlook the Elizabeth River. Covering one square mile, the district tells more than 250 years of history. Its homes from different eras, historic institutions, and maritime themes give you a variety of ways to discover Portsmouth.
Olde Towne: Homes from Several Eras
In Olde Towne, you’ll encounter homes in the Federal, Greek Revival, and Victorian styles. The different architectural forms make the neighborhood’s historic character tangible: you can view buildings from different styles side by side, rather than tying the city’s history only to individual dates. The Hill House Museum is also part of this long residential tradition. The historic home was built around 1825 by John Thompson and is furnished throughout with family possessions from the 19th and 20th centuries. The items were collected over generations and left in their original places.
The Cradock Historic District offers a different picture of historic urban planning. It was laid out in 1918 as a model community for the influx of workers to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard during World War I. Its layout follows the shape of an anchor. Here, a specific purpose from the World War I era combines with a plan that also reflects the area’s maritime character in its design.
Museums and Maritime City History
Several institutions each offer their own focus. The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum presents the city’s shipbuilding and maritime history. The Lightship Portsmouth is a floating lighthouse converted into a museum and is also a National Historic Landmark. The Old Portsmouth Courthouse now houses a cultural center; its exterior facade has been restored to its original appearance. The range therefore extends from maritime history to a historic courthouse with a cultural use today.
The buildings themselves also tell a story. The Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center is housed in a Greek Revival-style building built in 1846. At the Children’s Museum of Virginia, two full floors of interactive exhibits take center stage. Admission also includes daily shows at the high-tech Beazley Planetarium. The Portsmouth Colored Community Library Museum tells the story of a 900-square-foot Portsmouth Community Library that opened in December 1945 as a resource for the African American community.
Outdoors and at Events
If you’d like to experience nature as well as historic buildings, Paradise Creek Nature Park offers a different focus. The 40-acre park is located on the water and includes restored wetlands; more than two miles of trails wind through the grounds. The waterfront location, restored wetlands, and trails shape the nature experience here, rather than homes and collections taking center stage.
The self-guided Path to History connects Fort Nelson Park at Naval Medical Center with Gosport Park at the Naval Shipyard. Its two endpoints give the walk a clear sense of direction. For an evening of live entertainment, the Portsmouth Pavilion, an outdoor venue, has a capacity of 6,500 and offers programs across all music genres. Portsmouth City Park has an AFGL-certified FootGolf course. The Commodore Theatre, in turn, combines a restored 1945 Art Deco-style movie theater with a restaurant. These different offerings broaden the view beyond the historic neighborhoods, without limiting you to just one way of discovering Portsmouth.
Local Produce and City History to Read
The Olde Towne Farmers Market offers regional and local produce, meat, baked goods, and gifts from local artisans. Offerings may vary. In addition, the Portsmouth Public Library’s special collections make it possible to study birth and death records from the 19th century to the present. Alongside the visible traces in homes, streets, and museums, you’ll also find a way to explore historical records.
Discover more destinations: Portsmouth Va, Manassas, Arlington, Hopewell, Wise County, Loudoun, Scott County, Stafford.
For the main travel overview: Virginia.
