That exact photo of the Greyhound Bus Station is my wallpaper! And thankfully, none of the places in the end have been torn down, and the floodwall has been turned into artwork with lots of murals.
Grew up at dreamland pool. And went to Martings with my aunt. We also got sweets downstairs. The treasures of Portsmouth are gone. The only nice thing we have left is the library.
I wish Portsmouth could have invested more into historic preservation. Go to Madison Indiana and they still have a majority of there old buildings and embrace preservation. It’s like walking back in time and I wish Portsmouth had done the same decades ago! There was no reason to replace PHS it was a solid building and could have been modernized and still have the vintage feel to it.
What a terrible shame. I grew up in here in the 1960s. Portsmouth has (had) some impressive architecture to tear down. Imagine the character the city/town would have if someone, anyone, had a bid of forethought.
Wow,I don't even remember some of those places at all. Some I think may have been out of business and torn down just when I was born in portsmouth. I miss Martings,it was a damn good department store back then. I miss the old portsmouth a lot. Thanks for the video.
The world is about change. Why God even gave us seasons that change. Change is good. The people who run/ran Portsmouth didn't want change. They could have allowed a casino down on the river 10 years ago which would have helped with growth and created more jobs and tourism, but they didn't. They could have created a beautiful riverwalk, after all the Ohio River has always been there, but they didn't. They could have made a dying city updated and vibrant again. It only takes one person with ideas to get it started. One person, leads to two, two leads to three and so forth. Sometimes you just can't sit back and do nothing. Sometimes you are the change and change is good. Just a thought. My family was from that area. My grandfather worked in that steel mill his entire life. I never lived there, I am from Columbus. God Bless all of you.
Terrific video. Great collection of images from the Portsmouth even I grew up in during the 60's and 70's. I left Portsmouth after high school in '76 and have only been back a handful of times. I didn't even realize until now that Holy Redeemer was gone. I went to church and grade school. I think the saddest though was the demolition of PHS. What a classic structure of a building, only to replaced with a generic box type school as is the norm here in Las Vegas. Very sad to look back on.
Portsmouth failed in the late 80's when the Rich hierarchy, refused to allow new business's in the City.............They did not want the competition for the $$$
Some of these are still there. My dad works at Norfolf Western. Portsmouth used to be so nice. I wish it was still like that. Now its just a town run over with drugs =/
frank, its pronounced: porch-miff. LOL i suppose porchpouth'll do too. i rememb er thos bldgs. growing up too. the steel mill was a great old mainstay down towards new boston. my grandpa worked there. b tw river vices is good readin'. would make ol' mark twain chuckle and nod.
farewell ancient edifices. new h.s.? well i liked the old one. steel mill and railroad? many families liked them. who's your daddy portsmouth? tragic story. the end.
I want to move there and help my mom who lives outside of it, but I wanted to be in civilization, but scared to live there. I would love to start a community group of anyone who wanted to participate to go to these areas and clean it up, without an agenda just clean it the hell up. Make more of the outside something that doesnt depress the folks 24 seven and that can help. Your enviorment effects you completely. If you live in shit you live it. But the things I noticed from living by there in lucasville, are as many have said there is a very small group of rich folks that hold a strangle hold on the development part, and there is a small group of trash that rules the poor and middle areas with drugs and crime. Noone see's a chance noone, you have churchs that are only for profit look at me im righteous buildings, you have so many folks who are trying to just live and survive they cant move as it cost to much. If an outsider comes in and tries to make it better, or change any flow of any money from the way things are run they wont last long. Its not safe for folks who are gay who want to contribute to the community and be apart of it, so you loose a ton of folks that would give a damn about property look. The worse part is most have apathy, they are beaten and feel like noone really can change it, actually it can be changed it would just take alot of the folks there stopping for the minute and saying ok what do we want, what do we as a community want to live in? What will we tolerate as far as crime and abuse, the medical industry is the number one thing there because folks are so sick, so it is profit to keep you sick. Be realistic know that there is always going to be drugs, junkies, crime, and assorted folks that you may look up or down on, but its not about that its about what do you actually want for not just yourself but your kids? I do think if a person can just go to each church, each community group, each public housing council, the city council and yes even the gangs that run many parts and come up with a plan to say listen we cant change it without you loosing a small bit of resource, or people, we know we cant get rid of you, all these groupings are part of it to much for now, but without improving then the long route plan for then to twenty years is mute. You will loose your people and incomes anyways, as the demand will die out because your root base is dead. The younger ones are leaving and the seniors, the majority property tax folks are leaving. You if you try to go to another community and start a church, your drugs, your hospitals and all the above will be impossible and you will loose even more there as the other areas that already have a copy of you and yours wont share. So its either fix your shit and clean it up or die out.
Well the are moving up now. Painting the old buildings and putting little shops in and coffee shops. I was born in 1979 and I have yet to have seen true improvement. Would love to see this town as my parents and grandparents describe/described it. Where the Old Dayton Walters was seems they are storing old tires and now as of a few days ago seen what looked to be Train containers stacked there. Granted not sure I would use the land for much more other than Steel mill.
Thanks for posting this video.. Yep many of the old buildings are now gone, and I miss them, but that's what they call progress I guess. I've been in the portsmouth rail yard many, many times, having worked there for 23 years.. It's nothing but a whistle stop now since they don't make up trains anymore. Now I see that the WPAY Radio station, including the property has been sold, and the new owners are going to turn it into a public radio station, (not a commercial station). Too bad.
I grew up in Portsmouth from 63 to 77. I went to Lincoln, Roosevelt, McKinley and HS at West. It really doesn't matter where you grew up, there were good times during those years and many fond memories. I moved to California in 77 with my family and visited Portsmouth a few time after that and glad I got out when I did. Portsmouth began to die in the late 60's and never really stopped. Manufacturing companies realized decades ago that you can't do business there without the unions trying to price you out of the market. What happened in Portsmouth is pretty much what happened to thousands of cities and towns throughout the midwest. All of those great union jobs that created the middle class after WWII priced the US out of the world market. We turned from a country of producers into a country consumers who produce almost nothing. I went to high school with people who lived in the hollows of the west side that had been living on welfare or disability for many years, and that mentality has changed little in the nearly 40 years since I left. Thanks for the video and the pictures Frankhunter12. I loved growing up in Portsmouth and will always look back with a smile, but I'm glad I got out and joined the real world.
Not everyone looks at these buildings like the older generation does. When they were fist built they were "New" and exciting state of the art structures, but how can you look at PHS new school and long for the old delapadated buildings that it replaced. The Video starts out with the Grant Bridge, which had lived out it's usefulness. I am sure 50 - 75 years from now, the old timers will moan when the current bridge and Highschool come down, but that is called progress & that is one thing we lack!
You have a few people in Portsmouth that are big fish in a little pond. If Portsmouth were to become a successful place, these big fish would be little fish in a big pond. These people are not going to let that happen. Portsmouth was a nice place to live. Not anymore.
That exact photo of the Greyhound Bus Station is my wallpaper! And thankfully, none of the places in the end have been torn down, and the floodwall has been turned into artwork with lots of murals.
Grew up at dreamland pool. And went to Martings with my aunt. We also got sweets downstairs. The treasures of Portsmouth are gone. The only nice thing we have left is the library.
I wish Portsmouth could have invested more into historic preservation. Go to Madison Indiana and they still have a majority of there old buildings and embrace preservation. It’s like walking back in time and I wish Portsmouth had done the same decades ago! There was no reason to replace PHS it was a solid building and could have been modernized and still have the vintage feel to it.
What a terrible shame. I grew up in here in the 1960s. Portsmouth has (had) some impressive architecture to tear down. Imagine the character the city/town would have if someone, anyone, had a bid of forethought.
I am from South Shore, was born in Portsmouth is '65. Grew up there in the 70s. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. It was a wonderful time.
Wow,I don't even remember some of those places at all. Some I think may have been out of business and torn down just when I was born in portsmouth.
I miss Martings,it was a damn good department store back then. I miss the old portsmouth a lot. Thanks for the video.
The world is about change. Why God even gave us seasons that change. Change is good. The people who run/ran Portsmouth didn't want change. They could have allowed a casino down on the river 10 years ago which would have helped with growth and created more jobs and tourism, but they didn't. They could have created a beautiful riverwalk, after all the Ohio River has always been there, but they didn't. They could have made a dying city updated and vibrant again. It only takes one person with ideas to get it started. One person, leads to two, two leads to three and so forth. Sometimes you just can't sit back and do nothing. Sometimes you are the change and change is good. Just a thought. My family was from that area. My grandfather worked in that steel mill his entire life. I never lived there, I am from Columbus. God Bless all of you.
Terrific video. Great collection of images from the Portsmouth even I grew up in during the 60's and 70's. I left Portsmouth after high school in '76 and have only been back a handful of times. I didn't even realize until now that Holy Redeemer was gone. I went to church and grade school. I think the saddest though was the demolition of PHS. What a classic structure of a building, only to replaced with a generic box type school as is the norm here in Las Vegas. Very sad to look back on.
Hey neighbor, in Vegas since '98, from Sciotoville.
Holy Redeemer Church is still standing. The Methodist church next door was torn down and they built a bigger one.
love seeing the old building again thank you
I am from Portsmouth. I guess it's time to start saying I "was" from Portsmouth. Too painful to be there these days...
born and raised
Woodrow Wilson wildcats are forever, lead blanket nuke strike drills are going to make a comeback it seems.
Where did you find that pic of Lincoln Elementary? That was my old school.
I dont Know I agree but some of it is off in Left field
Portsmouth failed in the late 80's when the Rich hierarchy, refused to allow new business's in the City.............They did not want the competition for the $$$
Some of these are still there.
My dad works at Norfolf Western.
Portsmouth used to be so nice.
I wish it was still like that.
Now its just a town run over with drugs =/
Child hood memories 👍
2 of those aren't even destroyed, they're still there.
And a lot of those have been replaced by newer and better things.
Maybe do another one now .. A decade later?
i boarded a bus at the old bus station going to louisville for my induction into the army a long time ago. gives you a lump in your throat.
holy redeemer is still there. it was the church next to it that was knocked down
holy redeemer is still there and the icehouce wasnt torn down.....it was knocked down in a windstorm.....
I think he had the wrong pic up...Trinity Methodist was torn down not Holy Redeemer.
frank, its pronounced: porch-miff. LOL i suppose porchpouth'll do too. i rememb er thos bldgs. growing up too. the steel mill was a great old mainstay down towards new boston. my grandpa worked there. b tw river vices is good readin'. would make ol' mark twain chuckle and nod.
farewell ancient edifices. new h.s.? well i liked the old one. steel mill and railroad? many families liked them. who's your daddy portsmouth? tragic story. the end.
ah should have read this one as well
I want to move there and help my mom who lives outside of it, but I wanted to be in civilization, but scared to live there. I would love to start a community group of anyone who wanted to participate to go to these areas and clean it up, without an agenda just clean it the hell up. Make more of the outside something that doesnt depress the folks 24 seven and that can help. Your enviorment effects you completely. If you live in shit you live it. But the things I noticed from living by there in lucasville, are as many have said there is a very small group of rich folks that hold a strangle hold on the development part, and there is a small group of trash that rules the poor and middle areas with drugs and crime. Noone see's a chance noone, you have churchs that are only for profit look at me im righteous buildings, you have so many folks who are trying to just live and survive they cant move as it cost to much. If an outsider comes in and tries to make it better, or change any flow of any money from the way things are run they wont last long. Its not safe for folks who are gay who want to contribute to the community and be apart of it, so you loose a ton of folks that would give a damn about property look. The worse part is most have apathy, they are beaten and feel like noone really can change it, actually it can be changed it would just take alot of the folks there stopping for the minute and saying ok what do we want, what do we as a community want to live in? What will we tolerate as far as crime and abuse, the medical industry is the number one thing there because folks are so sick, so it is profit to keep you sick. Be realistic know that there is always going to be drugs, junkies, crime, and assorted folks that you may look up or down on, but its not about that its about what do you actually want for not just yourself but your kids? I do think if a person can just go to each church, each community group, each public housing council, the city council and yes even the gangs that run many parts and come up with a plan to say listen we cant change it without you loosing a small bit of resource, or people, we know we cant get rid of you, all these groupings are part of it to much for now, but without improving then the long route plan for then to twenty years is mute. You will loose your people and incomes anyways, as the demand will die out because your root base is dead. The younger ones are leaving and the seniors, the majority property tax folks are leaving. You if you try to go to another community and start a church, your drugs, your hospitals and all the above will be impossible and you will loose even more there as the other areas that already have a copy of you and yours wont share. So its either fix your shit and clean it up or die out.
skwcw2001 I am totally on board.
i went to wilson!!! it was shit
Well the are moving up now. Painting the old buildings and putting little shops in and coffee shops. I was born in 1979 and I have yet to have seen true improvement. Would love to see this town as my parents and grandparents describe/described it. Where the Old Dayton Walters was seems they are storing old tires and now as of a few days ago seen what looked to be Train containers stacked there. Granted not sure I would use the land for much more other than Steel mill.
These small towns don't realise that once their historic buildings are all destroyed there will be nothing left worthwhile in these towns at all.
That was sad to watch. I miss most of those places.
I drove here about a month ago from Cincinnati and it looks dead, almost like a waste land
with the recent murder that young mr staker bought his way out of portsmouth is past the point of no return.
Thanks for posting this video.. Yep many of the old buildings are now gone, and I miss them, but that's what
they call progress I guess. I've been in the portsmouth rail yard many, many times, having worked there for
23 years.. It's nothing but a whistle stop now since they don't make up trains anymore. Now I see that the
WPAY Radio station, including the property has been sold, and the new owners are going to turn it into a
public radio station, (not a commercial station). Too bad.
And all the old schools gone. Now all the kids packed in one. Sad.
I grew up in Portsmouth from 63 to 77. I went to Lincoln, Roosevelt, McKinley and HS at West. It really doesn't matter where you grew up, there were good times during those years and many fond memories.
I moved to California in 77 with my family and visited Portsmouth a few time after that and glad I got out when I did. Portsmouth began to die in the late 60's and never really stopped. Manufacturing companies realized decades ago that you can't do business there without the unions trying to price you out of the market. What happened in Portsmouth is pretty much what happened to thousands of cities and towns throughout the midwest. All of those great union jobs that created the middle class after WWII priced the US out of the world market. We turned from a country of producers into a country consumers who produce almost nothing. I went to high school with people who lived in the hollows of the west side that had been living on welfare or disability for many years, and that mentality has changed little in the nearly 40 years since I left.
Thanks for the video and the pictures Frankhunter12. I loved growing up in Portsmouth and will always look back with a smile, but I'm glad I got out and joined the real world.
The most important building remains .... the Portsmouth Brewing Company
Really sad.
I certainly miss all these old treasures.
Not everyone looks at these buildings like the older generation does. When they were fist built they were "New" and exciting state of the art structures, but how can you look at PHS new school and long for the old delapadated buildings that it replaced. The Video starts out with the Grant Bridge, which had lived out it's usefulness. I am sure 50 - 75 years from now, the old timers will moan when the current bridge and Highschool come down, but that is called progress & that is one thing we lack!
@strangedoctorweird I went to Trinity for years. I couldn't believe they tore that beautiful church down.
Someone Please Save Us ...Before You Know It Town Won't Exist.But There Will be a Mural On Every Street Where Our Family's and Houses Used to Be.
I grew up in rubyville and McDermott near Portsmouth. We never really went to Portsmouth unless we had to lol
Holy Redeemer is still there. Trinity Church (next door) was torn down.
Hey not so fast! I go to Holy Redeemer. I was there Sunday and it's still there!!!!
You have a few people in Portsmouth that are big fish in a little pond. If Portsmouth were to become a successful place, these big fish would be little fish in a big pond. These people are not going to let that happen. Portsmouth was a nice place to live. Not anymore.
I got away years ago
Grant and McKinley were middle schools. I lived across from dreamland when I was a kid. Loved the summer back then
I think at one point, McKinley WAS an elementary school.
I went to wilson elementery in first grade as a child! Thanks for the memories!
I went to wilson grew up right on the corner of 6th and boundary