Portsmouth, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state
of Ohio
and the county seat
of Scioto County
. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River
and east of the Scioto River
in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.
and the Scioto River
. In 1803, Henry Massie spotted a place to move the town away from the flood plains. He began to plot the new city by distributing the land and mapping the streets. Portsmouth was founded in 1803 and was established as a city in 1815. Alexandria soon disappeared.
Portsmouth quickly grew around an industrial base with the completion of the Ohio and Erie Canal
, and the construction of the N&W
railyards and the B&O
junction. This greatly benefited Boneyfiddle (which is a west-end neighborhood in Portsmouth), where grand buildings were constructed with the wealth from the commerce. As time passed, much of the commerce began to move towards Chillicothe Street, which is still today the main thoroughfare of Portsmouth. While Boneyfiddle is receiving new life, it is a shadow of its former self. Another notable part of Portsmouth's history in the 19th century was its importance on the Underground Railroad
. It was located on a route that continued north to Detroit and into Canada
.
1980 when the steel industry suspended local operations. With a current population of approximately 20,000, the city is not far removed from many small cities along the Ohio River valley, sharing many of the same problems in an era of unskilled labor outsourcing and population migration to more urban areas with the subsequent loss of both skilled and unskilled labor.
cases, drug related deaths, robberies, murder, and an increased incidence of children born addicted to prescription drugs. The most prevalent drug is OxyContin, a synthetic opiate
originally developed as a cancer drug, known colloquially as oxys and hillbilly heroin (because of the drugs association with Appalachian areas of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia). The crisis is blamed on the proliferation of cash-only pain clinics, known as "pill mills" by locals. According to authorities there are as many as eight of the clinics in Scioto County alone, the largest concentration of such operations per capita in any of Ohio's counties. The clinics began opening up in the late 1990s, after state legislators passed a law stating that doctors could not be prosecuted for prescribing painkillers as long as they had examined and documented that a patient was in intractable pain and needed the medication. The slightly more than half a dozen pain clinics dispense nearly 35 million pills a year, or according to 2008 state pharmacy board statistics roughly 460 pills for every resident in a county of 76,000 people. The geographic location has played a role in the size of the problem. Because it sits at the junction of three states and on the routes of several north-south and east-west highways, Portsmouth has become a distribution point for more than just the local area. The separate state jurisdictions do not track prescriptions amongst themselves which makes it harder to tell where the prescriptions are going. Also generations of poverty have helped to create an underground economy which lends itself to the distribution of illegal substances. As of spring 2011 the county has had more than 120 drug related deaths over the preceding decade, and in 2009 had the second-highest death rate in the state from accidental drug overdoses, even though it is sparsely populated compared to the urban population centers of the state. According to Lisa Roberts, a registered nurse with the Portsmouth City Health Department, on top of the high death rates, Southern Ohio also distributes four times as many prescription drugs as Northern Ohio. Local deaths from a lethal drug combination of opiates, sedatives and muscle relaxants are so common that locals have dubbed it the Portsmouth Cocktail. Admissions into rehab facilities for painkiller addictions in the town are five times the national average. Almost one in 10 infants born in Scioto County in recent years has been addicted to prescription drugs. Because of the extent of the problem, the Drug Enforcement Administration
has listed Scioto County on its watch list of the 10 most-significant places in the country for trafficking in prescription drugs. In February 2011 a film crew from NBC Universal was in town filming for the cable television
show Intervention
on A&E
. On April 11, 2011 the show aired as a special episode Intervention In-Depth: Hillbilly Heroin, and dealt with the effects of prescription drug abuse on residents of the town and surrounding area.
In 2007 Paul Volkman, a doctor from Chicago who had worked at a pain clinic in Portsmouth since 2003, was indicted. He went to trial in February 2011 at the federal court
in Cincinnati. Volkman was convicted of 18 counts of illegal prescription drug distribution, and was found guilty in connection with the deaths of four of his patients, although he is suspected of causing almost 20 deaths. He faces from 20 years to life in prison.
In 2011 the DEA and state and local law enforcement agencies began to crack down on the problem in the area. On May 17, 2011 the DEA served Immediate Suspension Orders (suspension of their license to practice medicine
) on 4 local doctors and pharmacy in Scioto County, including Dr. Margy Temponeras. In a press release about the situation, the DEA described Temponeras as one of the largest dispensers of controlled substances in the US.
The DEA also served ISOs on 3 other doctors, John Temponeras, Mark Fantazuzzi, and Michael Dawes and a pharmacy, Prime Pharmacy, located at 902 Fourth Street in Portsmouth. The ISOs were issued by the DEA after a preliminary finding determined that the continued registration of the doctors and pharmacy constituted an imminent danger to public health and safety. They prohibit the parties from possessing or dispensing controlled substances, pending the outcome of ongoing investigations. As a result of the ISO, Dr. John Temponeras resigned from his position at the Southern Ohio Medical Center
.
On May 17, 2011 the Ohio Senate
unanimously (30-0) passed House Bill 93 which deals with the regulation of pain clinics. The legislation calls for a performance analysis of the Ohio Automated Rx Review System, limits the ability of prescribers to personally furnish controlled substances, reforms Medicaid
provisions to improve consumer education, improves licensing and law enforcement issues related to pain-management clinics and calls for the development of a statewide prescription drug "take-back" program. The amended bill was returned to the Ohio House
where the Senates changes were voted upon and the amended bill was signed into law by Governor John Kasich
Friday May 20, 2011.
of 2000, there were 20,909 people, 9,120 households, and 5,216 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,941.4 people per square mile (749.6/km²). There were 10,248 housing units at an average density of 951.5 per square mile
(367.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.50% White, 5.00% African American, 0.63% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races
, and 1.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.93% of the population.
There were 9,120 households out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.9% were married couples
living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.8% were non-families. 37.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city the
population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 83.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,004, and the median income for a family was $31,237. Males had a median income of $31,521 versus $20,896 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,078. About 18.3% of families and 23.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.1% of those under age 18 and 14.5% of those age 65 or over.
of the Ohio
, Scioto
, and Little Scioto
Rivers. Portsmouth is also a midway point between four major cities: Charleston
, Cincinnati
, Lexington
and Columbus
, all of which are approximately ninety miles away (roughly a two hour drive). Much of the terrain is quite hilly due to dissected plateau
around it. However, both rivers carve a river valley, making Portsmouth nestle between the Scioto and Ohio Rivers.
Portsmouth is the county seat for Scioto County. The courthouse is located at the corner of Sixth and Court Streets and was constructed in 1936. The county jail, once located in the courthouse, is now located in a new facility in the same
location where the Norfolk and Western rail depot used to stand near U.S. 23. It was constructed in 2006.
and manufacturing
until the 1970s, when a number of companies closed down their factories over labor issues and foreign influences. Since the closure of these factories, Portsmouth has suffered a loss of jobs and revenue. The city is currently trying to promote service businesses, with the Southern Ohio Medical Center
currently being the biggest employer in the city of Portsmouth. Portsmouth is also home to the newest state university in Ohio, Shawnee State University
. Shawnee State enrolls between 3,300 and 4,000 students, and grants Associate and Baccalaureate degrees. The school also issues a very limited number of Master’s Degrees. Much of the recent economic growth and change is based on service to SOMC and Shawnee State
University.
In November 2002, the Portsmouth Uranium
Enrichment Plant in nearby Piketon, Ohio
was recognized as an ANS
Nuclear Historic Landmark by the American Nuclear Society. It had served a military function from 1952 until the mid-1960s when the mission changed from enriching uranium for nuclear weapons to one focused on producing fuel for commercial nuclear power plants. The Portsmouth Uranium Enrichment Plant ended enriching operations in 2001 and began to support operational and administrative functions and perform external contract work. All uranium enrichment in the area has been taken over by a sister plant located in Paducah, Kentucky
. Uranium enrichment functions had previously been shared by the two plants. USEC interests in the area remain strong with the American Centrifuge Plant under construction in Piketon. This commercial uranium enrichment facility is expected to employ up to 500 people and reach an initial annual production level of 3.8 million SWU by 2012.
Graf Brothers Flooring and Lumber
, the world's largest manufacturer of rift and quartered oak products, has two satellite log yards in Portsmouth, with the company's main office being located across the river in South Shore, Kentucky
. Portsmouth is also the home of Mitchellace Inc., the largest manufacturer of shoelaces
in the world.
. Other significant roads include Ohio State Routes 73
, 104,
139, 140, and 335. The nearest Interstate highway is I-64
.
offers passenger service to the Portsmouth area under the Cardinal route between New York City and Chicago. The passenger station
is located in South Shore, Kentucky
across the Ohio River
. This is an unmanned station so tickets must be purchased online or if the train stops from the conductor.
(PMH) located in Minford, Ohio
, which is approximately 12 miles (19.3 km) northeast of the city on State Route
335.
; however, it moved to Ironton
(Lawrence County
) in the early 1980s. The former Ohio University buildings became home to Shawnee State Community College, which in 1986, through the diligent efforts of then Ohio House Speaker Vern Riffe became Shawnee State University
, Ohio's thirteenth and newest institution.
Portsmouth has one public and one private school system. The Portsmouth
City School District
has served the city since its founding in the 1830s and is the public school in the city. Portsmouth City School District is notable having a storied basketball tradition by winning four OSHAA
State Basketball Championships in 1931, 1961, 1978, and 1988. The Trojan basketball team has made 13 final four appearances, they are 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1931 (1st), 1934 (2nd), 1939, 1941, 1961 (1st), 1978 (1st), 1980 (2nd), 1988 (1st), & 1990 (2nd. The Trojan football team has also produced some notable teams as of late with the an Associated Press Division 3 State Champions in 2000, a regional title, and state semifinal appearance
in 2000, and finishing as regional runner up in both 2001, and 2002. In all the Trojans football team has sent 5 teams to the post season since 2000, as of the start of the 2009 season.
In 2000, Portsmouth voters passed a much needed school bond issue, which helped construct new schools for the district. The new schools opened for the 2006-2007 school year. These schools won the Grand Prize from School Planning & Management's 2007 Education Design Showcase. The award is awarded annually to the K-12 school that displays "excellence in design and functional planning directed toward meeting the needs of the educational program." In addition, the school system plans to build a new $10 million athletic complex.
Portsmouth High School has an award winning Interactive Media program that has won multiple awards for both video and graphic design. The class is under the direction of Chris Cole and the
students run the local cable station TNN CH25.
In 2009 the school system completed construction on a new $10 million athletic complex. The 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) Clark Athletic Complex has a new football field, baseball field, softball field, tennis courts, and track. The complex is named for Clyde and Maycel Clark of the Clark Foundation, major financial contributors
for the construction of the facility. The new complex, situated on the location of the former high school building and across the street from the current high school, also sports three new paintings by mural artist Herb Roe
, a 1992 Portsmouth High School alumni. The murals depict three of the sports played at the new facility, a baseball game, a tennis match, and a football game.
Notre Dame (Catholic) Schools
(formerly Portsmouth Central Catholic HS) have served the city's Roman Catholics and others since 1852. It is also notable for its
football team founded in 1929. It has won two state championships in 1967 and 1970.
Portsmouth High School and various elementary schools. Nevertheless, there are many buildings still standing in the city that date back to the early 19th century. Old churches still stand as a reminder of Portsmouth's past and identity. Along with the Columbia Theater, which was given a major facelift (the building has since been destroyed in a fire), other buildings include the old monastery, which can be seen for miles, Spartan Stadium, and numerous buildings in the Boneyfiddle Historic District
, which is on the National Register of Historic Places
. Also A Notable Landmark Is Patsy's Inn Restaurant which has been In operation On Clay Street since 1948. In 1982, students from Miami University
conducted research on several of Portsmouth's most important historic buildings. This work resulted in an exhibition at the Miami University Art Museum and a book entitled Portsmouth: Architecture in an Ohio River Town.
See also List of Registered Historic Places in Ohio, Scioto County
Portsmouth Public Library
, the city's only public library, was founded in 1879; it has branch libraries throughout Scioto County. The Southern Ohio Museum, founded in 1979, has over sixty exhibits on display including artwork by Clarence Holbrook Carter
and Jesse Stuart
, China
dolls, Native American
artifacts, and works by local artists.
is an eight-ton sandstone
boulder which until recently resided in the bottom of the Ohio River
. The removal of the rock, which is now housed in a Portsmouth municipal building, has led
the states of Kentucky
and Ohio
into a legislative battle to determine its ownership and disposition. The rock has now been returned to the state of Kentucky.
(17th & Hutchins Streets), York Park (riverfront), Spartan Stadium, Tracy Park (Chillicothe & Gay Streets), and
Weghorst Park (Fourth & Jefferson Streets).
Even though the city was on higher ground, it was still prone to flooding. The city had great deal of flooding in 1884, 1913, and 1937. After the flood of 1937
, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed a floodwall protecting the city, which prevented two major floods in 1964 and 1997.
In 1992, the city of Portsmouth began honoring some of the many accomplishments of its area natives by placing a star on the riverside of the floodwall, known as the
Portsmouth Wall of Fame and instituted by then mayor Frank Gerlach. Some of the honorees include Don Gullett, Al Oliver
, and former United States Vice-President Dan Quayle
, who was not a Portsmouth native.
In 1992 a nonprofit group headed by Dr. Louis R. Chaboudy was formed to investigate a mural
based tourist attraction on the floodwall. In the spring of 1993, mural artist Robert Dafford
was commissioned and began painting murals of Portsmouth's history. He hired local art student Herb Roe
as an assistant. Roe subsequently apprenticed to and worked for Dafford for 15 years. The project eventually spanned sixty 20 feet (6.1 m) tall consecutive Portsmouth murals, stretching for over 2,000 feet (610 m). Subjects covered by the murals span the history of the area from the ancient mound building Adena
and Hopewell cultures to modern sporting events and notable natives. These subjects include:
The original mural project was finished in the fall of 2003. Since then several additional panels have been added, including murals honoring Portsmouth's baseball heroes in 2006 and the Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRV), a bicycle tour between Columbus
and Portsmouth in 2007.
1930s, the most notable being the Portsmouth Shoe-Steels, whose roster included player-coach
Jim Thorpe
. From 1929 to 1933, the city was home to the Portsmouth Spartans, which joined the National Football League
in 1930. The Spartans competed in the first professional football night game, against the Brooklyn Dodgers
in 1930. Despite their success, the team could not survive in the NFL's second smallest city in the depths of the Great Depression
; it was sold and moved to Detroit
in 1934, where it survives today as the
Detroit Lions
.
The Portsmouth Explorers were one of the original teams in the Frontier League
, a non-affiliated minor league baseball organization. The Explorers played in the league's first three seasons, from 1993 to 1995. In 1938, Portsmouth was also the home of the Portsmouth Red Birds, a minor league team owned by the St. Louis Cardinals
.
In the late 1990s Portsmouth was home to the Superstar Wrestling Federation before its demise. More recently Revolutionary Championship Wrestling
has made its home in Portsmouth airing on local TV station WQCW. Revolutionary Championship Wrestling in Portsmouth has featured such wrestling stars as Big Van Vader, Jerry "The King" Lawler
, Demolition Ax, "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton, "Wildcat" Chris Harris, and Ivan Koloff.
,
Cincinnati
, and Huntington
-Charleston
markets. There are two local television stations in Portsmouth which are WTZP - The Zone which is an America One affiliate that focuses on adding local programming such as news, local events, high school sports and locally produced shows & WQCW
, a CW
affiliate. Portsmouth is also served by the local PBS station, WPBO, which is a WOSU Columbus extension. Local radio stations WIOI, WNXT
, WNKE, WZZZ
, WOSP-FM and WHRR-LP serve the radio listeners in the city. Portsmouth is also served by three newspaper
s. The Portsmouth Daily Times
is the city's only daily newspaper. The Community Common is a free biweekly newspaper and the Scioto Voice is a weekly newspaper, which is mailed to subscribers. The University Chronicle is the student-led newspaper at Shawnee State University.
Representatives
(1961–1981)
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Scioto County
Scioto County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 79,195 people, 30,871 households, and 21,362 families residing in the county. The population density was 129 people per square mile . There were 34,054 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...
. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
and east of the Scioto River
Scioto River
The Scioto River is a river in central and southern Ohio more than 231 miles in length. It rises in Auglaize County in west central Ohio, flows through Columbus, Ohio, where it collects its largest tributary, the Olentangy River, and meets the Ohio River at Portsmouth...
in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.
Foundation
Portsmouth's roots began in the 1790s when the small town of Alexandria was founded just west of where Portsmouth is today. Alexandria was flooded numerous times by the Ohio RiverOhio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
and the Scioto River
Scioto River
The Scioto River is a river in central and southern Ohio more than 231 miles in length. It rises in Auglaize County in west central Ohio, flows through Columbus, Ohio, where it collects its largest tributary, the Olentangy River, and meets the Ohio River at Portsmouth...
. In 1803, Henry Massie spotted a place to move the town away from the flood plains. He began to plot the new city by distributing the land and mapping the streets. Portsmouth was founded in 1803 and was established as a city in 1815. Alexandria soon disappeared.
Portsmouth quickly grew around an industrial base with the completion of the Ohio and Erie Canal
Ohio and Erie Canal
The Ohio Canal or Ohio and Erie Canal was a canal constructed in the 1820s and early 1830s. It connected Akron, Summit County, with the Cuyahoga River near its mouth on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and a few years later, with the Ohio River near Portsmouth, Scioto County, and then...
, and the construction of the N&W
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
railyards and the B&O
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
junction. This greatly benefited Boneyfiddle (which is a west-end neighborhood in Portsmouth), where grand buildings were constructed with the wealth from the commerce. As time passed, much of the commerce began to move towards Chillicothe Street, which is still today the main thoroughfare of Portsmouth. While Boneyfiddle is receiving new life, it is a shadow of its former self. Another notable part of Portsmouth's history in the 19th century was its importance on the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
. It was located on a route that continued north to Detroit and into Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Decline
By 1950, the population hit its peak of approximately 37,000. Foreign competition eventually caused most of the industry on which Portsmouth's economy was based to move out of the area. A major blow came in1980 when the steel industry suspended local operations. With a current population of approximately 20,000, the city is not far removed from many small cities along the Ohio River valley, sharing many of the same problems in an era of unskilled labor outsourcing and population migration to more urban areas with the subsequent loss of both skilled and unskilled labor.
Prescription drug epidemic
Since the late 1990s an epidemic of prescription drug abuse has swept the town and surrounding areas. It has caused a dramatic increase in Hepatitis CHepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...
cases, drug related deaths, robberies, murder, and an increased incidence of children born addicted to prescription drugs. The most prevalent drug is OxyContin, a synthetic opiate
Opiate
In medicine, the term opiate describes any of the narcotic opioid alkaloids found as natural products in the opium poppy plant.-Overview:Opiates are so named because they are constituents or derivatives of constituents found in opium, which is processed from the latex sap of the opium poppy,...
originally developed as a cancer drug, known colloquially as oxys and hillbilly heroin (because of the drugs association with Appalachian areas of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia). The crisis is blamed on the proliferation of cash-only pain clinics, known as "pill mills" by locals. According to authorities there are as many as eight of the clinics in Scioto County alone, the largest concentration of such operations per capita in any of Ohio's counties. The clinics began opening up in the late 1990s, after state legislators passed a law stating that doctors could not be prosecuted for prescribing painkillers as long as they had examined and documented that a patient was in intractable pain and needed the medication. The slightly more than half a dozen pain clinics dispense nearly 35 million pills a year, or according to 2008 state pharmacy board statistics roughly 460 pills for every resident in a county of 76,000 people. The geographic location has played a role in the size of the problem. Because it sits at the junction of three states and on the routes of several north-south and east-west highways, Portsmouth has become a distribution point for more than just the local area. The separate state jurisdictions do not track prescriptions amongst themselves which makes it harder to tell where the prescriptions are going. Also generations of poverty have helped to create an underground economy which lends itself to the distribution of illegal substances. As of spring 2011 the county has had more than 120 drug related deaths over the preceding decade, and in 2009 had the second-highest death rate in the state from accidental drug overdoses, even though it is sparsely populated compared to the urban population centers of the state. According to Lisa Roberts, a registered nurse with the Portsmouth City Health Department, on top of the high death rates, Southern Ohio also distributes four times as many prescription drugs as Northern Ohio. Local deaths from a lethal drug combination of opiates, sedatives and muscle relaxants are so common that locals have dubbed it the Portsmouth Cocktail. Admissions into rehab facilities for painkiller addictions in the town are five times the national average. Almost one in 10 infants born in Scioto County in recent years has been addicted to prescription drugs. Because of the extent of the problem, the Drug Enforcement Administration
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
has listed Scioto County on its watch list of the 10 most-significant places in the country for trafficking in prescription drugs. In February 2011 a film crew from NBC Universal was in town filming for the cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
show Intervention
Intervention (TV series)
Intervention is an American television program about the realities facing addicts of many kinds.Each program follows one or two participants, each of whom has an addiction or other mentally and/or physically damaging problem and believes that they are being filmed for a documentary on their problem...
on A&E
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
. On April 11, 2011 the show aired as a special episode Intervention In-Depth: Hillbilly Heroin, and dealt with the effects of prescription drug abuse on residents of the town and surrounding area.
In 2007 Paul Volkman, a doctor from Chicago who had worked at a pain clinic in Portsmouth since 2003, was indicted. He went to trial in February 2011 at the federal court
United States federal courts
The United States federal courts make up the judiciary branch of federal government of the United States organized under the United States Constitution and laws of the federal government.-Categories:...
in Cincinnati. Volkman was convicted of 18 counts of illegal prescription drug distribution, and was found guilty in connection with the deaths of four of his patients, although he is suspected of causing almost 20 deaths. He faces from 20 years to life in prison.
In 2011 the DEA and state and local law enforcement agencies began to crack down on the problem in the area. On May 17, 2011 the DEA served Immediate Suspension Orders (suspension of their license to practice medicine
Medical license
In most countries, only persons with a medical license bestowed either by a specified government-approved professional association or a government agency are authorized to practice medicine. Licenses are not granted automatically to all people with medical degrees...
) on 4 local doctors and pharmacy in Scioto County, including Dr. Margy Temponeras. In a press release about the situation, the DEA described Temponeras as one of the largest dispensers of controlled substances in the US.
The DEA also served ISOs on 3 other doctors, John Temponeras, Mark Fantazuzzi, and Michael Dawes and a pharmacy, Prime Pharmacy, located at 902 Fourth Street in Portsmouth. The ISOs were issued by the DEA after a preliminary finding determined that the continued registration of the doctors and pharmacy constituted an imminent danger to public health and safety. They prohibit the parties from possessing or dispensing controlled substances, pending the outcome of ongoing investigations. As a result of the ISO, Dr. John Temponeras resigned from his position at the Southern Ohio Medical Center
Southern Ohio Medical Center
Southern Ohio Medical Center is the local hospitial in Portsmouth, Ohio, United States and surrounding area of Scioto, Adams, and Pike counties. It is a 222 bed hospital which gets about 13,000 patients annually and performs approximately 12,000 surgeries annually....
.
On May 17, 2011 the Ohio Senate
Ohio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
unanimously (30-0) passed House Bill 93 which deals with the regulation of pain clinics. The legislation calls for a performance analysis of the Ohio Automated Rx Review System, limits the ability of prescribers to personally furnish controlled substances, reforms Medicaid
Medicaid
Medicaid is the United States health program for certain people and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. People served by Medicaid are U.S. citizens or legal permanent...
provisions to improve consumer education, improves licensing and law enforcement issues related to pain-management clinics and calls for the development of a statewide prescription drug "take-back" program. The amended bill was returned to the Ohio House
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
where the Senates changes were voted upon and the amended bill was signed into law by Governor John Kasich
John Kasich
John Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
Friday May 20, 2011.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 20,909 people, 9,120 households, and 5,216 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,941.4 people per square mile (749.6/km²). There were 10,248 housing units at an average density of 951.5 per square mile
(367.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.50% White, 5.00% African American, 0.63% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.93% of the population.
There were 9,120 households out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.8% were non-families. 37.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city the
population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 83.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,004, and the median income for a family was $31,237. Males had a median income of $31,521 versus $20,896 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,078. About 18.3% of families and 23.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.1% of those under age 18 and 14.5% of those age 65 or over.
Geography
Portsmouth is at the confluenceConfluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of the Ohio
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
, Scioto
Scioto River
The Scioto River is a river in central and southern Ohio more than 231 miles in length. It rises in Auglaize County in west central Ohio, flows through Columbus, Ohio, where it collects its largest tributary, the Olentangy River, and meets the Ohio River at Portsmouth...
, and Little Scioto
Little Scioto River (Ohio River)
The Little Scioto River is a tributary of the Ohio River, about long, in southern Ohio in the United States. Via the Ohio River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of ....
Rivers. Portsmouth is also a midway point between four major cities: Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
, Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
and Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, all of which are approximately ninety miles away (roughly a two hour drive). Much of the terrain is quite hilly due to dissected plateau
Dissected plateau
A dissected plateau is a plateau area that has been severely eroded so that the relief is sharp. Such an area may be referred to as mountainous, but dissected plateaus are distinguishable from orogenic mountain belts by the lack of folding, metamorphism, extensive faulting, or magmatic activity...
around it. However, both rivers carve a river valley, making Portsmouth nestle between the Scioto and Ohio Rivers.
Neighborhoods
- SciotovilleSciotoville, OhioSciotoville is a populated place in the city of Portsmouth in Scioto County, Ohio. It is located at the intersection of U.S. 52 and State Route 335 between the village of New Boston and Wheelersburg in Scioto County along the northern bank of the Ohio River...
-Located 5 miles (8 km) east of Portsmouth off US 52 at Ohio 335. - Boneyfiddle-Located just a couple blocks west of downtown Portsmouth at the Market St./2nd St. intersection.
- Alexandria-Located at the Scioto River and Ohio River confluence at the Front St./Scioto St. intersection.
- RosemountRosemount, OhioRosemount is a census-designated place in Clay Township, Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,043 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rosemount is located at ....
-Located 5 miles (8 km) north of Portsmouth on US 23 and Old Scioto Trail.
City government
The city charter was originally adopted on November 6, 1928. The city conducts business at their city hall which was constructed in 1935. City council meetings are held during the second and fourth weeks in the month. The city reverted from being run by a city manager to a mayor in 1988. The mayor is elected every four years. There are six wards in the city with elections of the wards every two years. The city also has a long history of recalls for elected officials, such as the mayor recall in 2004. Most recently, the city's first female mayor was recalled on December 7, 2010.| Ward | City Councillor |
|---|---|
| First Ward | Kevin Johnson |
| Second Ward | Rich Saddler |
| Third Ward | Nicholas R. Basham |
| Fourth Ward | Jerrold Albrecht |
| Fifth Ward | John Haas |
| Sixth Ward | Richard Noel |
County government
location where the Norfolk and Western rail depot used to stand near U.S. 23. It was constructed in 2006.
Economy
Portsmouth was a city focused on industryIndustry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
and manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
until the 1970s, when a number of companies closed down their factories over labor issues and foreign influences. Since the closure of these factories, Portsmouth has suffered a loss of jobs and revenue. The city is currently trying to promote service businesses, with the Southern Ohio Medical Center
Southern Ohio Medical Center
Southern Ohio Medical Center is the local hospitial in Portsmouth, Ohio, United States and surrounding area of Scioto, Adams, and Pike counties. It is a 222 bed hospital which gets about 13,000 patients annually and performs approximately 12,000 surgeries annually....
currently being the biggest employer in the city of Portsmouth. Portsmouth is also home to the newest state university in Ohio, Shawnee State University
Shawnee State University
Shawnee State University is a public university in southern Ohio. It is Ohio's newest state-supported university and lies on the north bank of the Ohio River in the city of Portsmouth in Scioto County.Shawnee State University was established in 1986...
. Shawnee State enrolls between 3,300 and 4,000 students, and grants Associate and Baccalaureate degrees. The school also issues a very limited number of Master’s Degrees. Much of the recent economic growth and change is based on service to SOMC and Shawnee State
University.
In November 2002, the Portsmouth Uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
Enrichment Plant in nearby Piketon, Ohio
Piketon, Ohio
Piketon is a village in Pike County, Ohio, United States, along the Scioto River. The village is best known for the uranium enrichment plant located there . The population was 1,907 at the 2000 census...
was recognized as an ANS
American Nuclear Society
The American Nuclear Society is an international, not-for-profit 501 scientific and educational organization with a membership of approximately 11,000 scientists, engineers, educators, students, and other associate members. Approximately 900 members live outside the United States in 40 countries....
Nuclear Historic Landmark by the American Nuclear Society. It had served a military function from 1952 until the mid-1960s when the mission changed from enriching uranium for nuclear weapons to one focused on producing fuel for commercial nuclear power plants. The Portsmouth Uranium Enrichment Plant ended enriching operations in 2001 and began to support operational and administrative functions and perform external contract work. All uranium enrichment in the area has been taken over by a sister plant located in Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, halfway between the metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Missouri, to the west and Nashville,...
. Uranium enrichment functions had previously been shared by the two plants. USEC interests in the area remain strong with the American Centrifuge Plant under construction in Piketon. This commercial uranium enrichment facility is expected to employ up to 500 people and reach an initial annual production level of 3.8 million SWU by 2012.
Graf Brothers Flooring and Lumber
Graf Brothers Flooring and Lumber
Graf Brothers Flooring and Lumber specializes in, and is the world's largest manufacturer of, rift and quarter sawn oak products. Rift & Quartered lumber results from a unique way of sawing that maximizes the yield of lumber with vertical grain. Vertical grain is preferred because of its excellent...
, the world's largest manufacturer of rift and quartered oak products, has two satellite log yards in Portsmouth, with the company's main office being located across the river in South Shore, Kentucky
South Shore, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,226 people, 539 households, and 335 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,916.9 people per square mile . There were 605 housing units at an average density of 945.9 per square mile...
. Portsmouth is also the home of Mitchellace Inc., the largest manufacturer of shoelaces
Shoelaces
Shoelaces, which are also called shoe-strings, shoe laces, or boot laces, are a system commonly used to secure shoes, boots and other footwear. They typically consist of a pair of strings or cords, one for each shoe, finished off at both ends with stiff sections, known as aglets...
in the world.
Transportation
Highways
Portsmouth is served by two major U.S. Routes: 23 and 52U.S. Route 52
U.S. Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern, eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S...
. Other significant roads include Ohio State Routes 73
Ohio State Route 73
State Route 73 is an east–west state highway in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. Its western terminus is on U.S. Route 27 in Oxford. State Route 73’s eastern terminus is in Portsmouth at U.S. Route 23; this is also the southern terminus of State Route 104, and the two state...
, 104,
139, 140, and 335. The nearest Interstate highway is I-64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
.
Rail
Norfolk Southern offers a railyard for long distance shipping and is currently reopening the repair shops. AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
offers passenger service to the Portsmouth area under the Cardinal route between New York City and Chicago. The passenger station
South Portsmouth-South Shore (Amtrak station)
South Portsmouth-South Shore is located at Main Street and US 23 in South Shore, Kentucky. The station is just across the Ohio River from Portsmouth, Ohio....
is located in South Shore, Kentucky
South Shore, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,226 people, 539 households, and 335 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,916.9 people per square mile . There were 605 housing units at an average density of 945.9 per square mile...
across the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. This is an unmanned station so tickets must be purchased online or if the train stops from the conductor.
Air
Portsmouth also offers air services with the Greater Portsmouth Regional AirportGreater Portsmouth Regional Airport
Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport also known as Scioto County Airport is an airport located about a mile south of Minford, Ohio and ten miles northeast of Portsmouth, Ohio...
(PMH) located in Minford, Ohio
Minford, Ohio
Minford is a census-designated place located on the border of Harrison and Madison Townships in northeastern Scioto County, Ohio, United States, about 14 miles northeast of the county seat of Portsmouth.-History:...
, which is approximately 12 miles (19.3 km) northeast of the city on State Route
335.
Public transportation
Public transportation for Portsmouth and its outlying areas is offered through Access Scioto County (ASC).Colleges and universities
Portsmouth used to be home to Ohio University Southern CampusOhio University Southern Campus
Ohio University Southern Campus is located at 1804 Liberty Avenue in Ironton, Ohio. While not as large as the main Ohio University campus located in Athens, Ohio, several degree programs are offered. The Southern Campus also features an extension located in Proctorville, Ohio, a Nature Center, and...
; however, it moved to Ironton
Ironton, Ohio
Ironton is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Lawrence County. The municipality is located in southern Ohio along the Ohio River. The population was 11,211 at the 2000 census. Ironton is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the...
(Lawrence County
Lawrence County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,319 people, 24,732 households, and 17,807 families residing in the county. The population density was 137 people per square mile . There were 27,189 housing units at an average density of 60 per square mile...
) in the early 1980s. The former Ohio University buildings became home to Shawnee State Community College, which in 1986, through the diligent efforts of then Ohio House Speaker Vern Riffe became Shawnee State University
Shawnee State University
Shawnee State University is a public university in southern Ohio. It is Ohio's newest state-supported university and lies on the north bank of the Ohio River in the city of Portsmouth in Scioto County.Shawnee State University was established in 1986...
, Ohio's thirteenth and newest institution.
K-12 schools
City School District
Portsmouth High School (Ohio)
Portsmouth High School is a public high school in Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio, United States. PHS's mascot are the Trojans, and their school colors are red and blue....
has served the city since its founding in the 1830s and is the public school in the city. Portsmouth City School District is notable having a storied basketball tradition by winning four OSHAA
Ohio High School Athletic Association
The Ohio High School Athletic Association is the governing body of athletic programs for junior and senior high schools in the state of Ohio...
State Basketball Championships in 1931, 1961, 1978, and 1988. The Trojan basketball team has made 13 final four appearances, they are 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1931 (1st), 1934 (2nd), 1939, 1941, 1961 (1st), 1978 (1st), 1980 (2nd), 1988 (1st), & 1990 (2nd. The Trojan football team has also produced some notable teams as of late with the an Associated Press Division 3 State Champions in 2000, a regional title, and state semifinal appearance
in 2000, and finishing as regional runner up in both 2001, and 2002. In all the Trojans football team has sent 5 teams to the post season since 2000, as of the start of the 2009 season.
In 2000, Portsmouth voters passed a much needed school bond issue, which helped construct new schools for the district. The new schools opened for the 2006-2007 school year. These schools won the Grand Prize from School Planning & Management's 2007 Education Design Showcase. The award is awarded annually to the K-12 school that displays "excellence in design and functional planning directed toward meeting the needs of the educational program." In addition, the school system plans to build a new $10 million athletic complex.
Portsmouth High School has an award winning Interactive Media program that has won multiple awards for both video and graphic design. The class is under the direction of Chris Cole and the
students run the local cable station TNN CH25.
In 2009 the school system completed construction on a new $10 million athletic complex. The 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) Clark Athletic Complex has a new football field, baseball field, softball field, tennis courts, and track. The complex is named for Clyde and Maycel Clark of the Clark Foundation, major financial contributors
for the construction of the facility. The new complex, situated on the location of the former high school building and across the street from the current high school, also sports three new paintings by mural artist Herb Roe
Herb Roe
Herb Roe is a painter of large scale outdoor murals and classical realist oil paintings. After attending the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio for a short time, he apprenticed to mural artist Robert Dafford. After 15 years with Dafford Murals, he left to pursue his own art...
, a 1992 Portsmouth High School alumni. The murals depict three of the sports played at the new facility, a baseball game, a tennis match, and a football game.
Notre Dame (Catholic) Schools
Notre Dame High School (Portsmouth, Ohio)
Notre Dame High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Portsmouth, Ohio, which is located in Scioto County in Southern Ohio. It is a part of the Diocese of Columbus. Their mascot is the Titans...
(formerly Portsmouth Central Catholic HS) have served the city's Roman Catholics and others since 1852. It is also notable for its
football team founded in 1929. It has won two state championships in 1967 and 1970.
Buildings and landmarks
Many historical buildings in Portsmouth have been demolished because of poor upkeep, other city improvements, or the completion of other buildings that replaced the landmarks. Landmarks that have been demolished include the old Norfolk & Western rail depot, churches dating back to the early 20th century, houses that dated back to the 1850s, Grant Middle School, and currently the oldPortsmouth High School and various elementary schools. Nevertheless, there are many buildings still standing in the city that date back to the early 19th century. Old churches still stand as a reminder of Portsmouth's past and identity. Along with the Columbia Theater, which was given a major facelift (the building has since been destroyed in a fire), other buildings include the old monastery, which can be seen for miles, Spartan Stadium, and numerous buildings in the Boneyfiddle Historic District
Boneyfiddle Commercial District
Boneyfiddle Commercial District is a neighborhood and historic district in Portsmouth, Ohio, United States. Also known as the Historic Boneyfiddle District, it is located at the confluence of the Scioto and Ohio Rivers on Second Street and is bounded roughly by Front, Washington, 3rd and Scioto...
, which is on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Also A Notable Landmark Is Patsy's Inn Restaurant which has been In operation On Clay Street since 1948. In 1982, students from Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
conducted research on several of Portsmouth's most important historic buildings. This work resulted in an exhibition at the Miami University Art Museum and a book entitled Portsmouth: Architecture in an Ohio River Town.
See also List of Registered Historic Places in Ohio, Scioto County
Portsmouth Public Library
Portsmouth Public Library
The Portsmouth Public Library is a public library located near downtown Portsmouth, Ohio, United States. It has served the city since 1879. The library has five branch locations in Scioto County: Lucasville, New Boston, McDermott, South Webster, and Wheelersburg.The main library is located on...
, the city's only public library, was founded in 1879; it has branch libraries throughout Scioto County. The Southern Ohio Museum, founded in 1979, has over sixty exhibits on display including artwork by Clarence Holbrook Carter
Clarence Holbrook Carter
Clarence Holbrook Carter born in Portsmouth, Ohio, was an American artist.Carter studied at the Cleveland School of Art from 1923 to 1927. Following graduation, he studied with Hans Hofmann in Capri, Italy, for the summer of 1927...
and Jesse Stuart
Jesse Stuart
Jesse Hilton Stuart was an American writer who is known for writing short stories, poetry, and novels about Southern Appalachia. Born and raised in Greenup County, Kentucky, Stuart relied heavily on the rural locale of Northeastern Kentucky for his writings. Stuart was named the Poet Laureate of...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
dolls, Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
artifacts, and works by local artists.
Indian Head Rock
The Indian Head RockIndian Head Rock
The Indian Head Rock is an eight-ton sandstone boulder, which until recently resided in the bottom of the Ohio River.-Etymology:The name Indian Head Rock comes from a carving on the bottom of the boulder with the features of a face present...
is an eight-ton sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
boulder which until recently resided in the bottom of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. The removal of the rock, which is now housed in a Portsmouth municipal building, has led
the states of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
into a legislative battle to determine its ownership and disposition. The rock has now been returned to the state of Kentucky.
City parks
Portsmouth has fourteen parks for its residents and community use. These parks include Alexandria Park (Ohio and Scioto River confluence), Bannon Park (near Farley Square), Branch Rickey Park (on Williams Street near levee), Buckeye Park (near Branch Rickey Park), Cyndee Secrest Park (Sciotoville), Dr. Hartlage Park (Rose Street in Sciotoville), Labold Park (near Spartan Stadium), Larry Hisle Park (23rd Street & Thomas Ave.), Mound ParkPortsmouth Earthworks
The Portsmouth Earthworks are a large prehistoric mound complex constructed by the Ohio Hopewell culture mound builder indigenous peoples of eastern North America...
(17th & Hutchins Streets), York Park (riverfront), Spartan Stadium, Tracy Park (Chillicothe & Gay Streets), and
Weghorst Park (Fourth & Jefferson Streets).
Floods and floodwalls
Ohio River flood of 1937
The Ohio River flood of 1937 took place in late January and February 1937. With damage stretching from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois, one million persons were left homeless, with 385 dead and property losses reaching $500 million...
, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed a floodwall protecting the city, which prevented two major floods in 1964 and 1997.
In 1992, the city of Portsmouth began honoring some of the many accomplishments of its area natives by placing a star on the riverside of the floodwall, known as the
Portsmouth Wall of Fame and instituted by then mayor Frank Gerlach. Some of the honorees include Don Gullett, Al Oliver
Al Oliver
Albert Oliver, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. Over the course of his 18-year career, he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Texas Rangers , Montreal Expos , San Francisco Giants , Philadelphia Phillies , Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays...
, and former United States Vice-President Dan Quayle
Dan Quayle
James Danforth "Dan" Quayle served as the 44th Vice President of the United States, serving with President George H. W. Bush . He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Indiana....
, who was not a Portsmouth native.
In 1992 a nonprofit group headed by Dr. Louis R. Chaboudy was formed to investigate a mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
based tourist attraction on the floodwall. In the spring of 1993, mural artist Robert Dafford
Robert Dafford
-Life and work:Robert Dafford is a current resident of Lafayette, Louisiana. Dafford has painted over 300 murals across the United States, Canada, France, Belgium, and England. He has been painting murals, signs and fine art paintings for 35 years...
was commissioned and began painting murals of Portsmouth's history. He hired local art student Herb Roe
Herb Roe
Herb Roe is a painter of large scale outdoor murals and classical realist oil paintings. After attending the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio for a short time, he apprenticed to mural artist Robert Dafford. After 15 years with Dafford Murals, he left to pursue his own art...
as an assistant. Roe subsequently apprenticed to and worked for Dafford for 15 years. The project eventually spanned sixty 20 feet (6.1 m) tall consecutive Portsmouth murals, stretching for over 2,000 feet (610 m). Subjects covered by the murals span the history of the area from the ancient mound building Adena
Adena culture
The Adena culture was a Pre-Columbian Native American culture that existed from 1000 to 200 BC, in a time known as the early Woodland Period. The Adena culture refers to what were probably a number of related Native American societies sharing a burial complex and ceremonial system...
and Hopewell cultures to modern sporting events and notable natives. These subjects include:
- The Portsmouth EarthworksPortsmouth EarthworksThe Portsmouth Earthworks are a large prehistoric mound complex constructed by the Ohio Hopewell culture mound builder indigenous peoples of eastern North America...
, a large mound complex constructed by the Ohio Hopewell culture from 100 BCE to 500 CE. - Lower Shawneetown, a ShawneeShawneeThe Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
village that straddled the Ohio River just downstream during the late 18th century. - The 1749 'Lead Plate Expedition' to advance France's territorial claim on the Ohio Valley, led by Pierre Joseph Céloron de Blainville.
- TecumsehTecumsehTecumseh was a Native American leader of the Shawnee and a large tribal confederacy which opposed the United States during Tecumseh's War and the War of 1812...
, a Native AmericanNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
leader of the Shawnee and a large tribal confederacy that opposed the United States during Tecumseh's WarTecumseh's WarTecumseh's War or Tecumseh's Rebellion are terms sometimes used to describe a conflict in the Old Northwest between the United States and an American Indian confederacy led by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh...
and the War of 1812War of 1812The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. He grew up in the Ohio countryOhio CountryThe Ohio Country was the name used in the 18th century for the regions of North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and in the region of the upper Ohio River south of Lake Erie...
during the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and the Northwest Indian WarNorthwest Indian WarThe Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
. - Henry Massie, a founding father of the town and the surveyor who laid out the original platPlatA plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
in 1803. - A Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
unit from Portsmouth, Battery L, fighting at GettysburgBattle of GettysburgThe Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac... - Jim ThorpeJim ThorpeJacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...
, a Native American athlete who played as the player/coach of the semi professional Portsmouth Shoesteels in the late 1920s. - The Portsmouth Spartans, a charter member of the NFL that later moved to Detroit to become the Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. - Branch RickeyBranch RickeyWesley Branch Rickey was an innovative Major League Baseball executive elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967...
, influential baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
coach, inventor of the farm teamFarm teamIn sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team or nursery club, is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher level at a given point...
system, and the signer of Jackie RobinsonJackie RobinsonJack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
to Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
, which broke the baseball color lineBaseball color lineThe color line in American baseball excluded players of black African descent from Organized Baseball, or the major leagues and affiliated minor leagues, until Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization for the 1946 season...
when Robinson debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. - Clarence Holbrook CarterClarence Holbrook CarterClarence Holbrook Carter born in Portsmouth, Ohio, was an American artist.Carter studied at the Cleveland School of Art from 1923 to 1927. Following graduation, he studied with Hans Hofmann in Capri, Italy, for the summer of 1927...
, an American RegionalistRegionalism (art)Regionalism is an American realist modern art movement that was popular during the 1930s. The artistic focus was from artists who shunned city life, and rapidly developing technological advances, to create scenes of rural life...
and surrealist painter. - Local photographer and historic photo collector Carl Ackerman, from whose collection many of the murals draw their imagery.
- The disastrous Ohio River flood of 1937Ohio River flood of 1937The Ohio River flood of 1937 took place in late January and February 1937. With damage stretching from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois, one million persons were left homeless, with 385 dead and property losses reaching $500 million...
, the major reason for the construction of the floodwall itself. - Transportation - stagecoachs, riverboats, railroads and the Ohio and Erie CanalOhio and Erie CanalThe Ohio Canal or Ohio and Erie Canal was a canal constructed in the 1820s and early 1830s. It connected Akron, Summit County, with the Cuyahoga River near its mouth on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and a few years later, with the Ohio River near Portsmouth, Scioto County, and then...
, which had its terminus just outside of Portsmouth. - Local notables including Roy RogersRoy RogersRoy Rogers, born Leonard Franklin Slye , was an American singer and cowboy actor, one of the most heavily marketed and merchandised stars of his era, as well as being the namesake of the Roy Rogers Restaurants franchised chain...
, Jesse StuartJesse StuartJesse Hilton Stuart was an American writer who is known for writing short stories, poetry, and novels about Southern Appalachia. Born and raised in Greenup County, Kentucky, Stuart relied heavily on the rural locale of Northeastern Kentucky for his writings. Stuart was named the Poet Laureate of...
, Julia MarloweJulia MarloweJulia Marlowe was an English-born American actress known for her interpretations of William Shakespeare.-Life and career:...
, and Vern RiffeVern RiffeVernal G. Riffe Jr. was an American politician of the Democratic party. Riffe served for many years in the Ohio House of Representatives and was the longest serving speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives in the history of that institution, holding that office for 20 years.-Life and political...
. - Other panels explore the local history of education, the first European settlers, industry (including the steel industry, shoe industry, and the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion PlantPortsmouth Gaseous Diffusion PlantThe Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant is a facility located in Scioto Township, Pike County, Ohio, just south of Piketon, Ohio that previously produced enriched uranium, including weapons-grade uranium, for the United States Atomic Energy program and U.S. nuclear weapons program...
), sister cities, the local Carnegie libraryCarnegie libraryA Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
, firemen and police, period genre scenes of old downtown and other localities, and a memorial to area armed forces veterans.
The original mural project was finished in the fall of 2003. Since then several additional panels have been added, including murals honoring Portsmouth's baseball heroes in 2006 and the Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRV), a bicycle tour between Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
and Portsmouth in 2007.
Professional sports
Portsmouth had a series of semi-pro football teams in the 1920s and1930s, the most notable being the Portsmouth Shoe-Steels, whose roster included player-coach
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe
Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...
. From 1929 to 1933, the city was home to the Portsmouth Spartans, which joined the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
in 1930. The Spartans competed in the first professional football night game, against the Brooklyn Dodgers
Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)
The Brooklyn Dodgers were an American football team that played in the National Football League from 1930 to 1943, and in 1944 as the Brooklyn Tigers. The team played its home games at Ebbets Field. In 1945, because of financial difficulties, the team was merged with the Boston Yanks...
in 1930. Despite their success, the team could not survive in the NFL's second smallest city in the depths of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
; it was sold and moved to Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
in 1934, where it survives today as the
Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
.
The Portsmouth Explorers were one of the original teams in the Frontier League
Frontier League
The Frontier League, based in Sauget, Illinois, is a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Midwestern United States, Western Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario. It operates mostly in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either...
, a non-affiliated minor league baseball organization. The Explorers played in the league's first three seasons, from 1993 to 1995. In 1938, Portsmouth was also the home of the Portsmouth Red Birds, a minor league team owned by the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
.
In the late 1990s Portsmouth was home to the Superstar Wrestling Federation before its demise. More recently Revolutionary Championship Wrestling
Revolutionary Championship Wrestling
Revolutionary Championship Wrestling is a Midwestern independent professional wrestling promotion based in Portsmouth, Ohio.-History:It was formed in early 2002 by Dirk Cunningham who had left the Superstar Wrestling Federation , after creative differences with SWF owner Andy Runyon...
has made its home in Portsmouth airing on local TV station WQCW. Revolutionary Championship Wrestling in Portsmouth has featured such wrestling stars as Big Van Vader, Jerry "The King" Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
, Demolition Ax, "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton, "Wildcat" Chris Harris, and Ivan Koloff.
Media
Portsmouth is a dividing line of numerous television markets, which includes the ColumbusColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
,
Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, and Huntington
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
-Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
markets. There are two local television stations in Portsmouth which are WTZP - The Zone which is an America One affiliate that focuses on adding local programming such as news, local events, high school sports and locally produced shows & WQCW
WQCW
WQCW is the CW affiliate for the Huntington/Charleston, West Virginia television market. It is licensed to Portsmouth, Ohio and is the one of two commercial stations in the market licensed outside of West Virginia. Its transmitter is located in West Portsmouth, Ohio...
, a CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
affiliate. Portsmouth is also served by the local PBS station, WPBO, which is a WOSU Columbus extension. Local radio stations WIOI, WNXT
WNXT (AM)
WNXT is a radio station broadcasting a Sports radio format. Licensed to Portsmouth, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Hometown Broadcasting of Portsmouth, Inc. and features programing from ABC Radio and ESPN Radio.-History:...
, WNKE, WZZZ
WZZZ
WZZZ is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Licensed to Portsmouth, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Hometown Broadcasting of Portsmouth 2, Inc. and features programing from Jones Radio Network.-History:...
, WOSP-FM and WHRR-LP serve the radio listeners in the city. Portsmouth is also served by three newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s. The Portsmouth Daily Times
Portsmouth Daily Times
Portsmouth Daily Times is a morning newspaper in Scioto County, Ohio with a print circulation of about 12,000. It first printed in 1852 and today is printed Tuesday through Sunday, and does not print on Christmas Day...
is the city's only daily newspaper. The Community Common is a free biweekly newspaper and the Scioto Voice is a weekly newspaper, which is mailed to subscribers. The University Chronicle is the student-led newspaper at Shawnee State University.
Notable residents
- Dale BandyDale BandyDale Bandy is an American basketball coach. He was head coach of the Ohio Bobcats men's basketball team from the 1974-75 season to the 1979-80 season . He was an assistant under Jim Snyder, who led his teams to 7 NCAA Tournament appearances and one National Invitation Tournament appearance...
- Ohio UniversityOhio UniversityOhio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
basketball coach - Kathleen BattleKathleen BattleKathleen Battle , is an African-American operatic soprano known for her agile and light voice and her silvery, pure tone. Battle initially became known for her work within the concert repertoire through performances with major orchestras during the early and mid 1970s. She made her opera debut in...
- operaOperaOpera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer - Gene Bennett - former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - Al BridwellAl BridwellAlbert Henry Bridwell was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the a number of teams in the early 20th century, most notably the New York Giants, when the team was managed by John McGraw. Bridwell hit the single which caused the crucial "Merkle boner" running error of the...
- former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - Dr. Louis R. Chaboudy - Floodwall Mural Project founder
- Earl Thomas ConleyEarl Thomas ConleyEarl Thomas Conley is an American country music singer-songwriter. Between 1980 and 2003, he recorded ten studio albums, including seven for the RCA Records label. In the 1980s and into the 1990s, Conley also charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which...
- country musicCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer and songwriterSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer... - Martin DillonMartin Dillon (musician)Martin Dillon was a United States born musician, operatic tenor, and professor of music at Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey....
- musicianMusicianA musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and operatic tenorTenorThe tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... - Chuck EaleyChuck EaleyCharles "Chuck" Ealey is a former football player for Notre Dame High School, University of Toledo, and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.-High school and college years:...
- former footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player for University of ToledoUniversity of ToledoThe University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:... - Steve FreeSteve FreeSteve Free is an award-winning Appalachian musician. He was born in Portsmouth, Ohio on September 16, 1950 and is of part Shawnee heritage.-Early career:...
- ASCAP Award Winning Appalachian Musician - Bill HarshaBill HarshaWilliam Howard "Bill" Harsha, Jr. was an American politician who represented Ohio as a Republican in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1961 to January 3, 1981.-Biography:...
- Ohio politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
for the U.S. House of
Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
(1961–1981)
- Larry HisleLarry HisleLarry Eugene Hisle is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played with the Philadelphia Phillies , Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers . He batted and threw right-handed...
- former Major League Baseball player, currently employed with Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
Organization - Jeff MunnJeff MunnJeff Munn is an American public address announcer for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball and the former public address announcer for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association....
- vice president of operations for Harlem GlobetrottersHarlem GlobetrottersThe Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over... - Rocky NelsonRocky NelsonGlenn Richard "Rocky" Nelson was a first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals , Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago White Sox , Brooklyn Dodgers and Cleveland Indians .A native of Portsmouth, Ohio, Nelson batted and threw left-handed...
- former Major League Baseball player - Josh NewmanJosh NewmanJoshua Paul Newman is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He played parts of and for the Colorado Rockies and Kansas City Royals....
- Major League Baseball pitcher - Al OliverAl OliverAlbert Oliver, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. Over the course of his 18-year career, he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Texas Rangers , Montreal Expos , San Francisco Giants , Philadelphia Phillies , Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays...
- former Major League Baseball player - Wally PhillipsWally PhillipsWalter Phillips was an American radio personality best known for hosting WGN's morning radio show from Chicago for 21 years from January 1965 until July 1986, and was number one in the morning slot from 1968 until he left for an afternoon radio slot in 1986.Phillips was a pioneer of the radio...
- former Chicago radio personalityRadio personalityA radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,... - Branch RickeyBranch RickeyWesley Branch Rickey was an innovative Major League Baseball executive elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967...
- baseball executive, signed Jackie RobinsonJackie RobinsonJack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
to the Brooklyn Dodgers - Vern RiffeVern RiffeVernal G. Riffe Jr. was an American politician of the Democratic party. Riffe served for many years in the Ohio House of Representatives and was the longest serving speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives in the history of that institution, holding that office for 20 years.-Life and political...
- Ohio politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
(1959–95), Speaker of the House (1975–94) – Riffe is actually a native of the tiny nearby village of New Boston, OhioNew Boston, OhioNew Boston is a village in Scioto County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,340 at the 2000 census. Apart from its southern boundary on the Ohio River, New Boston is entirely surrounded by the city of Portsmouth. It was platted on February 17, 1891, by James Skelton,...
, which many consider an unofficial part of Portsmouth's population. - Barbara Robinson - American authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
- Herb RoeHerb RoeHerb Roe is a painter of large scale outdoor murals and classical realist oil paintings. After attending the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio for a short time, he apprenticed to mural artist Robert Dafford. After 15 years with Dafford Murals, he left to pursue his own art...
- mural artist - Roy RogersRoy RogersRoy Rogers, born Leonard Franklin Slye , was an American singer and cowboy actor, one of the most heavily marketed and merchandised stars of his era, as well as being the namesake of the Roy Rogers Restaurants franchised chain...
- singer and cowboyCowboyA cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
movie starMovie starA movie star is a celebrity who is well-known, or famous, for his or her starring, or leading, roles in motion pictures. The term may also apply to an actor or actress who is recognized as a marketable commodity and whose name is used to promote a movie in trailers and posters... - Stuff SmithStuff SmithHezekiah Leroy Gordon Smith , better known as Stuff Smith, was a jazz violinist. He is known well for the song "If You're a Viper".-Biography:...
- JazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician - Ted StricklandTed StricklandTheodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....
- Former Ohio governor - Gene TenaceGene TenaceFury Gene Tenace , better known as Gene Tenace, is a former Italian-American professional baseball player and current coach in Major League Baseball. He was a catcher and first baseman from through . Tenace was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics from Valley High School in Lucasville, OH and...
- former Major League Baseball player
Sister cities
| - Great Corby Great Corby Great Corby is a village in northern Cumbria, England, above the eastern bank of a wooded gorge on the River Eden. Directly across the river from Great Corby is the village of Wetheral. The two villages are linked by a railway viaduct... , England, United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... - Orizaba Orizaba Orizaba is a city and municipality in the Mexican state of Veracruz. It is located 20 km west of its sister city Córdoba, and is adjacent to Río Blanco and Ixtaczoquitlán, on Federal Highways 180 and 190. The city had a 2005 census population of 117,273 and is almost coextensive with its small... , Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... - Zittau Zittau Zittau is a city in the south east of the Free State of Saxony, Germany, close to the border tripoint of Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. , there are 28,638 people in the city. It is part of the Görlitz district.... , Sachsen, Germany |