Olde Towne in Portsmouth, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Lightship Portsmouth
101-WAL524
Photographed by Scott Rollins, June 1, 2009
1. Lightship Portsmouth Marker
Lightships were floating lighthouses. They were anchored at the entrances to ports, bays and outer limits to off-lying danger areas such as shoals and reefs. These vessels served as aids to navigation.
Lightships were originally placed where lighthouses could not go or were too expensive to build. They had the advantage of being able to be in deeper waters than a lighthouse, could shift positions and had many types of signals. Disadvantages included that they were expensive to maintain, dangerous in fog and required a crew of 8-15 men who were isolated and exposed to terrible weather.
History of Lightship 101:
1912: Contract for #101 awarded to Pusey and Jones, shipbuilders in Delaware.
1916: #101 was launched and stationed at Smith Island Shoals, Virginia for eight years.
1924: Broke down, was refitted and repaired. Assigned to Overfalls, Delaware.
1939: #101 was changed by the Coast Guard to WAL524.
1951: Withdrawn from duty and overhauled. Assigned to Nantucket Station.
1952: Stationed at Stonehouse Shoals, off the New England coast.
1963: Relief and last duty at Cross Rip Shoals in Nantucket Sound.
1964: Broke down en route to Boston and was retired.
1967: City of Portsmouth placed the vessel on the waterfront as a museum.
1989:
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses, and the National Historic Landmarks series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1912.
Location. 36° 50.207′ N, 76° 17.754′ W. Marker is in Portsmouth, Virginia. It is in Olde Towne. It is at the intersection of Water Street and London Street, on the right when traveling north on Water Street. This marker is along the Elizabeth River seawall at the west end of London Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Portsmouth VA 23704, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Hampton Roads, specifically in Coastal Virginia, and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Lightship Portsmouth (within shouting distance of this marker); U.S. Lightship No. 101 Portsmouth (within shouting distance of this marker); 4 Pounder Cannon (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Coast Guard (about 300 feet away); Cornwallis' Embarkation (about 400 feet away); Revolutionary War at Portsmouth (about 400 feet away); Naval Shipyard Museum (about 500 feet away); Portsmouth Medal of Honor Memorial (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Portsmouth.
More about this marker. This marker is part of the Portsmouth,
Photographed by Scott Rollins, June 1, 2009
2. Lightship Portsmouth and Marker
Regarding Lightship Portsmouth. The Lightship Portsmouth is a National Historic Landmark.
Also see . . .
1. United States lightship Portsmouth (LV-101). Wikipedia entry:
Links to National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (Submitted on August 5, 2024, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. Lightship Portsmouth Museum. Museum website homepage (Submitted on May 31, 2015.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 5, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 1, 2009, by Kristin Rollins of Portsmouth, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,026 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 1, 2009, by Kristin Rollins of Portsmouth, Virginia. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.
