Olde Towne in Portsmouth, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Yellow Fever of 1855
Path of History
| | Portsmouth, VA | |
On June 19th, 1855, following a twelve day quarantine, the merchant ship Benjamin Franklin arrived from the West Indies and docked at Gosport Shipyard for repairs. While emptying its bilge, mosquitoes carrying yellow fever were released. After learning of a death from yellow fever on July 8, 1855, the Town Council met on Sunday July 9, and quarantined the vessel. Before the epidemic ended, 10 percent of Portsmouth's population had died and countless others had fled town to avoid contracting the disease.
Of those who remained, many volunteered to assist the community during the epidemic. Bob Butt, a slave owned by a Mr. Britton was leased to the town to bury victims in Cedar Grove Cemetery. After the epidemic passed, a collection was taken to buy the slave's freedom in appreciation for his work as a "grave digger".
The house at the end of the park was used as an orphanage during the epidemic.
Erected by City of Portsmouth.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Charity & Public Work • Disasters • Science & Medicine. A significant historical date for this entry is June 19, 1855.
Location. 36° 50.3′ N, 76° 18.133′ W. Marker is in Portsmouth, Virginia. It is in Olde Towne.
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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: Watts House (here, next to this marker); Glasgow Street Park (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Glasgow Street Park (about 300 feet away); Capt. James Hamilton (about 400 feet away); Elks Lodge (about 400 feet away); Founding of the Nation (about 400 feet away); William Porter (about 400 feet away); Pre-Fabricated Houses (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Portsmouth.
Also see . . . Yellow Fever in Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia - 1855. as reported in the Daily Dispatch of Richmond, Virginia. (Submitted on October 14, 2010, by James Thomson of Chesapeake, United States.)
Photographed by James Thomson, October 11, 2010
2. The Yellow Fever of 1855 Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on June 5, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 12, 2010, by James Thomson of Chesapeake, United States. This page has been viewed 1,833 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on June 5, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2. submitted on October 12, 2010, by James Thomson of Chesapeake, United States. 3. submitted on June 5, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
