Olde Towne in Portsmouth, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
John Luke Porter
(19 Sept. 1813 – 14 Dec. 1893)
Photographed By Scott Rollins, June 1, 2009
1. John Luke Porter Marker
Inscription.
John Luke Porter, first president of the Portsmouth common council, was born just two blocks south of here. An accomplished naval constructor, commissioned first by the United States and later by the Confederacy, Porter supervised, at the Norfolk Navy Yard, the conversion of the frigate Merrimac to the ironclad CSS Virginia. On 8 March 1862, the Virginia rammed and sank USS Cumberland and destroyed USS Congress at Newport News. The next day Virginia fought a historic but inconclusive battle with USS Monitor in nearby Hampton Roads, in the world’s first naval combat between ironclads. Porter later became chief naval constructor for the Confederacy, designing 21 ironclads. He died in Portsmouth.
John Luke Porter, first president of the Portsmouth common council, was born just two blocks south of here. An accomplished naval constructor, commissioned first by the United States and later by the Confederacy, Porter supervised, at the Norfolk Navy Yard, the conversion of the frigate Merrimac to the ironclad CSS Virginia. On 8 March 1862, the Virginia rammed and sank USS Cumberland and destroyed USS Congress at Newport News. The next day Virginia fought a historic but inconclusive battle with USS Monitor in nearby Hampton Roads, in the world’s first naval combat between ironclads. Porter later became chief naval constructor for the Confederacy, designing 21 ironclads. He died in Portsmouth.
Erected 1997 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number Q8-s.)
Location. 36° 50.124′ N, 76° 17.833′ W. Marker is in Portsmouth, Virginia. It is in Olde Towne. Marker is on High Street west of Water Street, in the median. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Portsmouth VA 23704, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are
The Home Site of William Crawford marker is on the median in the same block.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 2, 2009, by Kristin Rollins of Portsmouth, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,039 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on July 2, 2009, by Kristin Rollins of Portsmouth, Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
