Olde Towne in Portsmouth, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

The Coast Guard

Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, April 9, 2026

1. The Coast Guard Marker

Inscription. The City of Portsmouth has had a long history of supporting U.S. Coast Guard operations. Today it serves as a center for Coast Guard regional administration and operational oversight through the Atlantic Area Command headquarters, Fifth District headquarters and the local Integrated Support Center. Portsmouth hosts the Atlantic Area Command headquarters, which administers all Coast Guard districts east of the Rocky Mountains. The Fifth District is one of those districts and it oversees Coast Guard activities in the states of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. Located at nearby Craney Island, the Integrated Support Center serves as a homeport for Coast Guard personnel and watercraft, such as cutters, buoy tenders and patrol boats.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Military • Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 36° 50.219′ N, 76° 17.811′ W. Marker is in Portsmouth, Virginia. It is in Olde Towne. It is at the intersection of Water Street and London Street, on the left when traveling south on Water 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: U.S. Lightship No. 101 Portsmouth (within shouting distance of this marker);

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Lafayette's Tour (within shouting distance of this marker); Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients (within shouting distance of this marker); Shopmates Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Lightship Portsmouth (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Lightship Portsmouth (about 300 feet away); Cornwallis' Embarkation (about 400 feet away); Revolutionary War at Portsmouth (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Portsmouth.

More about this marker. This marker is part of the Portsmouth, VA Path of History.

Photographed by Scott Rollins, June 1, 2009

2. The Coast Guard Marker

Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, April 9, 2026

3. The Coast Guard Marker

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, May 30, 2015

4. The Coast Guard Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on April 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 2, 2009, by Kristin Rollins of Portsmouth, Virginia. This page has been viewed 855 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on April 9, 2026, by C. Ryan Dodson of Danville, Virginia. 2. submitted on July 2, 2009, by Kristin Rollins of Portsmouth, Virginia. 3. submitted on April 9, 2026, by C. Ryan Dodson of Danville, Virginia. 4. submitted on May 31, 2015, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.