Portsmouth’s know for having a tremendous about of history and amazing people who contributed to its success, and in honor of Women’s History Month: Here’s 5 Notable Women From Portsmouth’s Past Ida Barbour Ida Barbour was born around 1878 in Portsmouth, Virginia. She lived with her family in the first free Black section of the …
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5 Notable Women From Portsmouth’s Past
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7 Must-See Museums in Portsmouth Virginia
Portsmouth’s Tour of Museums Portsmouth, VA is home to some of the oldest history in America and with that, it has hundreds of stories to share. When visiting our museums, you’ll discover stories from the first moments Captain John Smith saw an abandoned Native American settlement along the banks for the Elizabeth River up …
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New Exhibit at the Hill House Museum in Portsmouth, VA
Picture This: a Photographic Journey of Portsmouth’s Past through photographic images of Downtown, Lincolnsville, Newtown, and Olde Towne. New Exhibit This photo exhibit will offer a unique glimpse into Portsmouth’s past. Visitors will sightsee through hundreds of photos capturing Portsmouth’s history, while looking at buildings no longer existing, and viewing the diverse past of this …
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Edu-tainers of Portsmouth, VA’s History
History Alive A merry troupe of entertainers, Mary Veale and her clan portray characters from Portsmouth’s past while educating and entertaining with stories, songs, and word origins from the Colonial Era and beyond. Guests enjoy these knowledgeable folks as they bring to life real historic figures. But don’t confuse them with historic re-enactors. On the …
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40th Annual Olde Towne Ghost Walk
Portsmouth’s Olde Towne Ghost Walk Returns! Portsmouth’s Olde Towne Civic League is once again producing the 40th Annual Olde Towne Ghost Walk after a two-year hiatus. On October 28th, come to Olde Towne to hear costumed re-enactors tell local ghosts’ tales of love, loss, murder, and mayhem. This walking tour takes visitors through a 20-square-block, …
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Portsmouth’s Olde Towne Scottish Walk
Portsmouth’s Olde Towne Scottish Walk tradition is modeled after Scotland’s Hogmanay Festival. Hogmanay Festival is a Scottish tradition celebrating the New Year that dates back hundreds of years and is celebrated by millions of people all over the world. The Olde Towne Scottish Walk takes place on December 31st. It begins at the corner of …
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Doggy Fun Day in Portsmouth
 Your dog’s favorite day- Doggy Fun Day in Portsmouth! Looking to travel and spend part of the day with your fur-baby? This “Doggy Fun Day”, discover a new side of Portsmouth, Virginia with an experience in history, nature, and the water. We’ve gathered some research from dog owners. So here’s a few good ideas to …
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Disney’s “The Finest Hours” and the Portsmouth Lightship Museum
I’m Diane L. Cripps, Curator of History, Portsmouth Museums and I hope you will enjoy this write up from Ross Patterson, about Ervin Maske, a Coast Guard seaman on his way to serve aboard our Lightship off Massachusetts in 1952, when a storm intervened. He wound up volunteering for a dangerous rescue mission. If the story sounds familiar, it may be because it was made into a 2016 movie by Walt Disney Pictures called The Finest Hours. The incident has been called the Coast Guard’s most daring rescue.
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NIGHTLIFE
Spirited Revelry for Nearly 300 Years In Portsmouth, even nightlife has a history! High Street is a central part of the Downtown Portsmouth National Historic District.  It represents the town center, commercial core of  what everyone now calls Olde Towne.  If the National Register actually recognized drinking places, then the High Street corridor, along with a …
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First Saturdays at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum
First Saturday’s of each month March-November, 2020, guests may enter the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum for free and enjoy the exhibits, displays, and special programming. March 7 features the Ironclads.
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