National Register of Historic Places

Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District (Boundary Increase)

Portsmouth (Independent City), Portsmouth County, Virginia
Listed
October 5, 1983
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
83004251

About this property

Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District, is a national historic district located at Portsmouth, Virginia. It encompasses 89 buildings. It is located in the primarily residential section of Portsmouth and includes a notable collection of Federal and Greek Revival style townhouses, known as "basement houses." Other notable buildings include the Watts House (1799), Grice-Neeley House (circa 1820), Ball-Nivison House (1752), Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (1857), St. John's Episcopal Church (1898), Court Street Baptist Church (1901-1903), and Union Machinist Home. Located in the district is the separately listed Monumental Methodist Church. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, with a boundary increase in 1983.

Location

Portsmouth (Independent City), Portsmouth County, Virginia
36.83839, -76.30242

Categories

BLACKARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District (Boundary Increase)

This page lists Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District (Boundary Increase). A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District (Boundary Increase) report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
St. Paul's Catholic Church
Industrial
0.1 mi
Monumental Methodist Church
Industrial
0.2 mi
Downtown Portsmouth Historic District
Colonial
0.2 mi
Portsmouth Courthouse
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Craney Island (Jun 22 1813)
1813Early Republic
1.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District (Boundary Increase) listed on the National Register?

Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District (Boundary Increase) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 5, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District (Boundary Increase)?

Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District (Boundary Increase) is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District (Boundary Increase)?

The period of significance for Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District (Boundary Increase) is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District (Boundary Increase)?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District (Boundary Increase) will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Portsmouth County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Portsmouth County.

Explore PortsmouthCounty ›

More historic places in Virginia

Browse all historic places in Virginia.

View Virginiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Virginia history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Virginiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Portsmouth Olde Towne Historic District (Boundary Increase) will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report