Confederate Monument (Portsmouth, Virginia) facts for kids
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Confederate Monument
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Confederate Monument
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | Jct. of High and Court Sts., Portsmouth, Virginia |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1876-1881 |
| Architect | Charles E. Cassell |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000956 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 4, 1997 |
The Confederate Monument in Portsmouth, Virginia, was built a long time ago, between 1876 and 1881. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1997. This means it's an important historical site.
The monument is a tall, pointed stone pillar called an obelisk. It stands about 35 feet high and is made of strong North Carolina granite. You can find it in the town square of Portsmouth, at the corner of Court Street and High Street. Other old buildings like the Trinity Episcopal Church (from 1828) and the Portsmouth Courthouse (from 1846) are also in this square. These buildings are also listed on the NRHP.
The monument was put up by the Ladies Memorial Aid Association of Portsmouth. This group started in 1866. Their main goal was to build a monument to remember soldiers from Portsmouth and Norfolk County who fought in the American Civil War. The design for the monument was created by an engineer named Charles E. Cassell.
The first stone of the monument was placed in 1876. The very top stone wasn't added until 1881. The whole monument was finally finished in 1893. Interestingly, this monument was built in a part of Olde Towne where a post used to stand for punishing enslaved people.
Around the main pillar, there are four figures made of cast white bronze. These figures look quite similar to each other. For example, the sailor figure on this monument also appears on a memorial in Wabash, Indiana.
Many men from Portsmouth and Norfolk County fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War. Portsmouth sent 1,242 men, and 199 of them died. Norfolk County sent 1,018 men, and 280 of them died. The city of Norfolk also sent 1,119 men, with 176 deaths.
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Debates About the Monument's Location
Over the years, there have been many discussions about where the Confederate Monument should be. Some people believe it should be moved from its current spot in the town square.
Calls to Move the Monument
In August 2017, after a large protest in Charlottesville, the mayor of Portsmouth, John Rowe, suggested moving the monument. Many groups had protested the removal of other Confederate monuments at that time. Mayor Rowe thought a good new place for the monument would be Cedar Grove Cemetery. Many Confederate soldiers are buried there.
Soon after the mayor's idea, a petition was started online. It quickly became very popular, getting over 30,000 signatures. This petition, started by a local man named Nathan Coflin, suggested replacing the monument with a statue of Portsmouth native and famous rap artist, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott. This idea got a lot of attention from national news groups like Newsweek, CNN, People, and Time magazine.
Events During Protests
On June 10, 2020, during protests, some parts of the Confederate soldier statues were damaged. One statue was pulled down. Police were present during these events.
