Portsmouth’s Waterfront Gateway
Portsmouth,
Virginia is a small seaport that has managed to hold onto its 18th-and
19th-century charm for over 250 years. At the heart of the waterfront
revitalization is Historic Olde Towne with the largest collection of period
homes between Alexandria, VA and Charleston, S.C. The area, located north of
High Street, has been listed as the Olde Towne Historic District and is
primarily residential.
Nineteenth century
Portsmouth relied heavily on shipbuilding. In 1894, the Seaboard Airline came to
town. The passenger rail terminal was located at High Street Landing. For the
next sixty-years, the railroad dominated Portsmouth, giving the city its motto,
“where the rail meets the sea".
Today, High Street Landing has become a symbol of
the rich maritime history of Portsmouth. It features a scenic waterfront and has
become Portsmouth’s Waterfront Gateway. On July 19, 2007, High Street Landing
celebrated its’ 10th anniversary.
You’ll find the Elizabeth River Ferry’s dock adjacent to the
Seaboard Building. The original Seaboard Building is known today as Number
One High Street. It houses the Riverview
Gallery, featuring the work of local and national artists. It is also home to La Tolteca, an authentic Mexican restaurant.
From High Street Landing, you can stroll up High
Street to discover a plethora of antique and boutique shops, museums and art
galleries. You’ll find a number of restaurants from upscale dining to pubs and
outdoor cafes. Two of the “Top 10 Restaurants in Hampton Roads” are located in
Olde Towne. Click here for a map of Historic High Street
provided by the Olde Towne Business
Association.
Ferry Service to High Street Landing
The
Elizabeth River Ferry
travels to High Street Landing in
Portsmouth from downtown Norfolk at The Waterside Marketplace – a ten minute
ride. This system includes three 150-passenger paddle-wheel ferryboats, one of
which is the world’s largest natural gas-powered pedestrian ferry. It’s fast,
economical and offers a panorama harbor view. The ferry operates every
30-minutez, with 15-minute service at peak times and on weekends. The ferry is
wheelchair accessible and allows boarding passengers to walk on with their
bicycles. For more information, contact HRT (Hampton Roads Transit) at
757.222.6100 or
www.gohrt.com.
Water
Taxi Service Available
Locals and visitors can bypass heavy traffic and enjoy the
Elizabeth River while heading toward a Portsmouth-Norfolk destination on a new
water taxi service operated by Squires Marine Services.
Stops on the river include any destination in the Olde Towne
area of Portsmouth or the downtown area of Norfolk, including service to moored
vessels in the Crawford Bay anchorage. See some of the more popular stop’s
including Olde Towne’s High Street Landing and North Landing, along with
Norfolk’s Waterside Marketplace and Harbor Park. Taxi Service is provided to any
destination in the defined zone or a 20-minte guided tour. To call for a
ride or to arrange a charter, call 757.439.TAXI (8294).
Ride "The Downtown Loop" - Shuttle Service
Visitors can now ride “The Downtown Loop” through
Olde Towne.
This new shuttle service is a
convenient way for visitors to travel from the waterfront farther up High
Street, into new eateries and stores downtown, while easing parking problems and
reducing congestion.
Two shuttle buses run by Hampton Roads Transit will circle
downtown Portsmouth, traveling from hotels to marinas to a commuter parking lot
and the Naval Medical Center. Service is
timed to the arrival of the Elizabeth River Ferry at High Street Landing.
From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., the shuttles operate every 15 minutes. From 7 to 10 a.m.
and from 8 p.m. to midnight each day, service will run in 30-minute intervals,
timed to the arrival of the downtown ferry at High Street Landing.
“The Downtown Loop” has been nearly five years in the making. A
$2.4 million federal grant will pay for a pair of low-emission hybrid buses
(among the first of its kind in Virginia) , operating costs and employee
salaries for three years.
Fares are 50 cents per ride or $1.50 for an
all-day pass. HRT also will make weekly and monthly commuter cards available. Located at High Street
Landing across from the Elizabeth River Ferry.
"The Downtown Loop" - Downtown Shuttle Map
Starboards
A
Local Landmark Since 2004.
Starboards features
Seattle’s Best Coffee®,
espresso, latté, and cappuccino – all brewed with natural spring water. The
Signature Iced Coffee is made with regular or decaffeinated
Koffee Kubes™. Non-coffee drinks include
fruit juices, bottled water, soft drinks, specialty iced tea, Tazo® hot teas,
hot chocolate and hot apple cider. Choose from fresh fruit, assorted muffins,
scones, biscotti, gourmet cookies and brownies. Newspapers available. Visitor information
and services include local maps, visitor guides, brochures and restaurant menus
and referrals. Outdoor bistro seating. Open year-round. Summer
Hours: Monday thru Friday 6:30 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Winter Hours:
Monday thru Friday 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.,
Sunday closed for the winter months. Located at High Street
Landing across from the Elizabeth River Ferry. High Street Landing, 101
High Street. 757.478.0056.
info@starboards.biz or
www.starboards.biz.
Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery
New
Location - One High Street, Portsmouth.
Hampton Roads premier marine gallery
featuring an exceptional blend of marine art, maritime antiques, nautical
furnishings & authentic nautical decor. Featuring exceptional works of art from
regional and national contemporary marine artists in a range of media including
Jim Bolland, Michael Goodwin, Richard Moore, Erick Marshall Murray, Patrick
O’Brien, and David Weiss.
Voted one of five Most Popular Hampton Roads Places for
three years running on Hampton Roads.com
Open Tuesday thru Saturday 10:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m., Sunday 12 Noon to 5 p.m. Also by appointment. 757.399.5012. Fax:
757.399.5014.
www.skipjacknauticalwares.com. One High Street, Portsmouth,
VA 23704.
Portsmouth
Naval Shipyard Museum
The
Portsmouth
Naval Shipyard Museum pays tribute to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, a
government-owned shipyard in Portsmouth and the oldest shipyard in the country.
Memorabilia includes uniforms, cannon balls, models of ships and a piece of the
CSS Virginia (the Merrimac). The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum offers a
unique perspective on U.S. history, from Colonial to Civil War times and beyond.
You’ll find beautiful ship models, uniforms, military artifacts and exhibits
portraying life in 18th, 19th and 20th century Portsmouth.
Winter Hours: Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday; open on Mondays that fall on a holiday. Summer Hours: Between Memorial Day and Labor Day; Open 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. 2 High Street,
Portsmouth. 757.393.8591. Admission.
Fresnel
Lens
The Fresnel Lens at High Street Landing. Having begun service in 1896 as part of the Hog Island Light off
the Great Machipongo Inlet on the Eastern Shore, today this first order Fresnel
lens is valued between $750,000 and $1 million. It stands about 10 feet high,
weighs 2,500 pounds and is among the largest and brightest of its kind, with
more than 250 prisms of optical glass.
This type of lens was invented in 1822 by French
physicist Augustin Fresnel. Rather than merely reflecting light, it used
hundreds of prisms to bend and concentrate the light in a powerful beam.
Housed in a 16-foot-wide pavilion, this
lens is the only one displayed outside of a museum setting. Located on the
waterfront at High Street Landing across from La Tolteca, the Mexican
restaurant.
How
does a Fresnel lens work?
Riverview Gallery
Riverview Gallery
offers art
for discerning collectors. The Riverview Gallery features a
collection of original fine crafts and art representing more than 300 North
American artists, exhibited in a waterfront gallery. The collection includes
pottery, raku, blown glass, stained glass, metal sculpture, photography,
jewelry, paintings, fountains, and Judaica.
Local artist Robbie Garrity has her artwork on display at
Riverview Gallery. Her well-known art includes "High Street Landing", a
graphite drawing of a river view of the Elizabeth River Ferry and the old
Seaboard building in Portsmouth.
Print available
online.
Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday thru
Saturday, 11:00 a.m. thru 5:00 p.m. Sunday thru Tuesday. One High
Street, Portsmouth, VA 23704. 757.397.3207.
The
Elizabeth River Project
For too long, the Elizabeth River, a tributary
of the Chesapeake Bay, has been infamous for pollution. Instead of
lamenting the problem, we prefer to take hope from her strengths. From
Great Bridge Lock to the naval base, you can see the importance of the Elizabeth
River every day in Hampton Roads. She gives us our work and our play.
The Elizabeth River Project
is the catalyst for restoring the
environmental health of this great harbor river while affirming her value to our
port economy. Admirals Landing, 475 Water Street, Suite 103A, Portsmouth, VA
23704. Phone: 757.399.7487.
