Gosport was established on the other side of Crab Creek, mimicking the pattern of Portsmouth/Gosport in England
Source: Library of Congress, Plan of Princess Ann and Norfolk counties (178_?)
Gosport was established on the other side of Crab Creek, mimicking the pattern of Portsmouth/Gosport in England
Source: Library of Congress, Plan of Princess Ann and Norfolk counties (178_?)
during the American Revolution, the British occupied Portsmouth and considered using it as their deepwater base in 1781, before finally choosing the port at Yorktown
Source: Library of Congress, Plan de Portsmouth en Virginie (c.1781)
modern-day Town Point in Norfolk is upstream of Portsmouth and the Gosport Navy Yard
Source: Library of Congress, Map of the city of Norfolk and the town of Portsmouth (1851)
in 1861, the navy yard in Gosport was separated from the rest of Portsmouth by Crab Creek
Source: Library of Congress, Plan of the harbor of Norfolk and Portsmouth, March 1st, 1861
Portsmouth in 1891
Source: Library of Congress, Bird's eye view of Norfolk, Portsmouth and Berkley, Norfolk Co., Va
a pre-World War II postcard shows the western entrance to the Midtown Tunnel beneath the Elizabeth River
Source: Boston Public Library, Portsmouth entrance to Norfolk - Portsmouth, Virginia Tunnel
the Portsmouth and Roanoke Railroad competed with the Petersburg Railroad to draw trade to the Elizabeth River
Source: University of Virginia Library, Plan of the Portsmouth & Roanoke Rail-Road and Trace of the Petersburg Rail Road (by Thos. H. Williamson, c.1835-1840)
in 1873, Portsmouth had two railroads connecting to the waterfront
Source: Library of Congress, Norfolk & Portsmouth, Virginia 1873
Portsmouth in 1873
Source: Library of Congress, Norfolk & Portsmouth, Virginia 1873
Portsmouth in 1781, with the ruins of Norfolk on the opposite side of the Elizabeh River
Source: University of Michigan, William L. Clements Library, Portsmouth
Langley Field biplanes flying over Portsmouth in the 1930's
Source: National Archives, Virginia - Portsmouth