Portsmouth was founded as a town in 1752 on 65 acres of land on the shores of the Elizabeth River. The town was founded by William Crawford, a wealthy merchant and ship owner. The 65 acres were part of Colonel Crawford’s extensive plantation and were constituted as a town by an enabling act of the General Assembly of Virginia. The town was named after the English naval port of the same name, and many of the streets of the new town reflected the English heritage.
One of our favorite stops is the Bier Garden at 438 High St. featuring home-cooked German cuisine and over 400 beers from around the world. Eat inside or in the enclosed garden (757-393-6022). If you need more distractions, the Elizabeth River Pedestrian Ferry connects downtown Portsmouth across the Elizabeth River to the Norfolk waterfront. The 150-passenger ferry leaves from 1 High St. and from 6 Crawford St. (North Landing) and runs every 30 minutes (757-222-6100).
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