Portsmouth in Scioto County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Alexandria ⎯⎯⎯ Alexandria Flood ⎯⎯⎯ Stone House ⎯⎯⎯ Court Street Gateway
Floodwall Murals, 2000 Feet of History/2000 Feet of Art
Photographed by Craig Doda, January 7, 2021
1. Alexandria / Alexandria Flood / Stone House / Court Street Gateway Marker
Inscription.
Alexandria, also, Alexandria Flood, also, Stone House, also, Court Street Gateway. Floodwall Murals, 2000 Feet of History/2000 Feet of Art.
Alexandria. The community of Alexandria was founded approximately two miles west of today's floodwall murals, in an area known as Carey's Run. It was settled in the late 1700's by pioneers who came down the Ohio River on flat boats. The original settlers had hopes the village would become a very influential city, seeing potential in economic opportunities. The town became the county seat of Scioto County in 1803 after Ohio became a state. Because of frequent, devastating floods in the area, the village was unable to survive and by 1814 most inhabitants had moved to higher ground in Portsmouth.
Alexandria Flood/Stone House. The only house remaining from the Alexandria era is the Phillip Moore, Jr. Stone House, shown in the last panel during a raging storm. The original deed to the property states it was located on an outlot of Alexandria. It stands today on Route 239 in West Portsmouth and has been restored to its original appearance. The Stone House is known as "The Cradle of Methodism" because the frontier "circuit riders" formulated plans for the church's future while gathering around the home's massive hearth.
Court Street Gateway. This mural was painted to provide an illusion. Look closely or you may believe you are looking through the floodwall at the Ohio River, with the Kentucky hills in the background. Shown in the mural is a cyclist from an annual event, the Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRV). The tour begins near Columbus, Ohio where cyclists take the 105-mile ride to Portsmouth and head back the following morning. For more information about this 210-mile round trip, visit: www.tosrv.org.
Alexandria
The community of Alexandria was founded approximately two miles west of today's
floodwall murals, in an area known as Carey's Run. It was settled in the late 1700's by pioneers who came down the Ohio River on flat boats. The original settlers had hopes the village would become a very influential city, seeing potential in economic opportunities. The town became the county seat of Scioto County in 1803 after Ohio became a state. Because of frequent, devastating floods in the area, the village was unable to survive and by 1814 most inhabitants had moved to higher ground in Portsmouth.
Alexandria Flood/Stone House
The only house remaining from the Alexandria era is the Phillip Moore, Jr. Stone House, shown in the last panel during a raging storm. The original deed to the property states it was located on an outlot of Alexandria. It stands today on Route 239 in West Portsmouth and has been restored to its original appearance. The Stone House is known as "The Cradle of Methodism" because the frontier "circuit riders" formulated plans for the church's future while gathering around the home's massive hearth.
Court Street Gateway
This mural was painted to provide an illusion. Look closely or you may believe you
are looking through the floodwall
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at the Ohio River, with the Kentucky hills in the background. Shown in the mural is a cyclist from an annual event, the Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRV). The tour begins near Columbus, Ohio where cyclists take the 105-mile ride to Portsmouth and head back the following morning. For more information about this 210-mile round trip, visit: www.tosrv.org. (Marker Number 2.)
Location. 38° 43.844′ N, 83° 0.025′ W. Marker is in Portsmouth, Ohio, in Scioto County. It is on Front Street just east of Court Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 613 Front St, Portsmouth OH 45662, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southern Ohio Hill Country. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Ohio River Valley, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
(was about 700 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Photographed by Craig Doda, January 7, 2021
4. Alexandria Flood / Stone House Mural
Photographed by Craig Doda, January 7, 2021
5. Court Street Gateway mural
Photographed by Craig Doda, January 7, 2021
6. Additional mural
Credits. This page was last revised on February 5, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 4, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 475 times since then and 37 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on February 4, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
