United States lightship Portsmouth (LV-101)

Infobox_nrhp | name =LIGHTSHIP No. 101, PORTSMOUTH
nrhp_type = nhl


caption =
location= Portsmouth, Virginia
lat_degrees = 36
lat_minutes = 50
lat_seconds = 19
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 76
long_minutes = 17
long_seconds = 55
long_direction = W
locmapin = Virginia
area =
built =1916
architect= Pusey & Jones Lightship; US Lighthouse Establishment
architecture=
designated= May 05, 1989cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=2054&ResourceType=Structure
title=LIGHTSHIP NO. 101 "PORTSMOUTH" |accessdate=2008-06-26|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = May 05, 1989
governing_body = Local
refnum=89001080cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2008-04-15|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service] The United States lightship "Portsmouth" (LV-101) was first stationed at Cape Charles, Virginia. Today the vessel is at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum in Portsmouth, Virginia. Portsmouth never had a lightship station, however when the vessel was dry docked there as a museum, it took on the pseudo-name, "Portsmouth".

History

Lightship Portsmouth (LV-101) was built in 1915 by Pusey & Jones. It first served as the "Charles" in the Chesapeake Bay outside of Cape Charles, VA in 1916. It was then moved to Overfalls, DE, where it was station from 1926 to 1951 as the "Overfalls". In 1939 when the United States Lighthouse Service was absorbed into the United States Coast Guard it became WAL 524, but still kept a station name on its hull. During World War II the vessel was not armed, however many other lightships were. In 1951 LV-101/WAL 524 was reassigned to Stonehorse Shoal, MA, where it served until decommissioned in 1963. The lightship then sat in harbor at Portland, Maine, until its fate had been decided. On September 3, 1964 LV-101 was donated to the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, and became a part of Naval Shipyard Museum. The vessel was dry docked at the London Pier in Portsmouth. Today LV-101 is named "Portsmouth", although it was never stationed there it has taken on the city's name. In 1989, the Lightship was designated a National Historic Landmark and can still be visited today. It is $3 to go into the hull of the vessel and on the same ticket visit the Naval Shipyard Museum a block down the road.

Name and Station Assignments

* "Charles", Cape Charles, VA (1916–24)
* "Relief", Relief 5th District (1925–26)
* "Overfalls", Overfalls, DE (1926–51)
* "Stonehorse Shoal", Stonehorse Shoal, MA (1951–63)

Official Website

[http://www.portsnavalmuseums.com/about_lightship.html Lightship Portsmouth]

[http://www.portsnavalmuseums.com/about_naval.html Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum]

Other Lightships Of The Chesapeake Bay

Lightship Chesapeake

[http://www.overfalls.org/ Lighship Overfalls]

References