Platting of Portsmouth, 1803 / The 1810 House / The 1812 Era / Flood Gate House / Early Boneyfiddle

Platting of Portsmouth, 1803, also, The 1810 House, also, The 1812 Era, also, Flood Gate House, also, Early Boneyfiddle. Floodwall Murals, 2000 Feet of History/2000 Feet of Art. , Platting of Portsmouth, 1803 , This mural includes a freehand sketch by Henry Massie and shows Massie at a surveyor's desk drawing the original plat of Portsmouth. The city of Portsmouth, Ohio was not officially founded until 1815, but the original purchase of land and the platting occurred in 1803. Each of the 258 lots sold for $50, while the land outside the plat was only $10 per acre. Many of the original streets carry the same names today. In December of 1814, the Ohio State Legislature passed a statute incorporating Portsmouth as a town. The statute became effective on March 1, 1815.

The 1810 House , The 1810 House was built by Aaron Kinney and originally faced south. In later years, the entrance was changed to face west. The house now serves as a museum for local history and is administered by the Scioto County Historical Society. Located at 1926 Waller Street in Portsmouth, the 1810 House represents the courage of pioneers who cleared, settled and cultivated the wild forest near the mighty Ohio River. Visitors come in close contact with the past, instead of through glass panes and roped-off areas, walking the floors where the home's residents walked for decades. Go to www.1810house.org for more information/tours.

The 1812 Era , Adjacent to the 1810 House is a scene of Brig. General Robert Lucas returning from battle in northern Ohio during the War of 18 12. Robert Lucas joined the state militia to fight the War of 18 12 and returned to Scioto County as a Major General. He was elected Governor of Ohio in 1832. Tecumseh, the great Shawnee warrior, is depicted in the cloud overseeing the migration of his people westward out of the Ohio River Valley.

Flood Gate House , The present-day flood gate house simulates construction of a stone building in early Boneyfiddle. Dafford paints a house under construction. He utilizes a floodwall pumping station that protrudes from the wall. He then "ties” the rafters and the man working on the roof to the top of this new cabin (pumping station).

Note the cat who sits at the bottom of the door. It belonged to one of Robert Dafford's daughters. The mural committee held a contest for the local schools to name the cat. Woodrow Wilson Elementary won and the cat was named Woodrow.

Early Boneyfiddle , Because of its accessibility to the Ohio River. Robert Dafford demonstrates his talent as a muralist as he paints a peaceful 1800's riverfront scene. Several steamboats, a horse and wagon, residents performing their daily chores, and clouds dancing about the sky achieve a serene setting.

Today, you can walk in the Historic Boneyfiddle District and discover numerous unique shops filled with items from antiques and collectibles to food and ice cream!