Julia Marlowe / Portsmouth Shoe-Steels / The Portsmouth Spartans / The Greyhound Bus Station, 1941

Julia Marlowe, also, Portsmouth Shoe-Steels, also, The Portsmouth Spartans, also, The Greyhound Bus Station, 1941. Floodwall Murals, 2000 Feet of History/2000 Feet of Art. Julia Marlowe. Julia Marlowe was a world renowned Shakespearian actress during the late 1800's and early 1900's. She was born in England in 1865 and lived three years of her childhood in Portsmouth in the Front Street townhouse shown in the mural. The townhouse has been restored and in recent years occupied by Tom Russell Glass and Mirror Company. Many of Julia Marlowe's costumes are on display at the 1810 House Museum. Go to www.1810house.org for more information/tours. If you look over your right shoulder, you can still see the house where Julia Marlowe lived.

Portsmouth Shoe-Steels. Semi-professional football began in Portsmouth in 1910. At least five different semi-pro teams were organized over the next 20 years. The Portsmouth Norfolk and Western team competed in 1919. In 1920, it became known as the Portsmouth Smoke-House, (changing ownership from a railroad to a local tobacco store). In 1926, the team was purchased and became known as the Portsmouth Presidents, and then sold again in 1927 and renamed the Portsmouth Shoe-Steels. The Portsmouth Shoe-Steels was the last in the succession of semi-professional football teams in the Portsmouth area. Jim Thorpe, world famous amateur and professional athlete, was player coach in 1927.

The Portsmouth Spartans. The Portsmouth Spartans were members of the National Football League from 1930 - 1933. The action depicted was taken from the Columbus Ohio State Journal in 1932. It shows Glenn "Press” Presnell, an All-American from the University of Nebraska and former star of the Ironton Tanks, scoring a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers at Portsmouth's Universal Stadium (now called Spartan Stadium) located at the end of James Street, Portsmouth. The Spartans were victorious in that game by a score of 19-0. It became known as "The Iron Man Game,” when Spartan coach George "Potsy” Clark refused to use a substitute to protest Green Bay being named champions of the NFL in 1931 in a disputed ruling by NFL President Joe Carr. In 1934 the team was sold and became the Detroit Lions.

The Greyhound Bus Station, 1941. The Greyhound Bus Station was built in 1941 and served Portsmouth for 45 years. Aside from showing one of the earliest examples of art deco in the Portsmouth area, the bus station served as a sign of the time. Note the poster on the telephone pole in front of the station advertising that Clyde McCoy will be appearing in Portsmouth. McCoy was a local orchestra leader in the 1930's and 40's who enjoyed national fame. Gas rationing during World War II forced many people to travel by bus and since this station was in the center of town it was the popular place to be.