Confederate Monument
Also known as: 124-183
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Why it's listed
A granite obelisk on the town square at High and Court Streets in Portsmouth, Virginia, honors the Confederate dead of Portsmouth and Norfolk County. Designed by ex-Confederate engineer Charles E. Cassell, it rises 56 feet from the ground and is built of North Carolina granite donated in part by two railroad companies. Four bronze statues representing the artillery, infantry, navy and cavalry stand on platforms at its base. Work began with a cornerstone laid in 1876, the capstone was set in 1881, and the project was finished in 1893 after nearly 18 years and $9,236.24 in expenditures. The statues were cast by the Monumental Bronze Company and modeled on local men photographed in Portsmouth. The nomination values the monument for its art and for its sailor figure, one of three such statues in the South, which faces the Elizabeth River toward the route of the CSS Virginia. A wrought iron fence encloses the small grassy park around it.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the monument has artistic merit because its four bronze statues were modeled on local men rather than being generic figures. It also argues military significance because the statue of a Confederate sailor is one of three in the South and ties to the Battle of Hampton Roads.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 97000956, listed September 4, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of High and Court Sts., Portsmouth (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Portsmouth |
| Listed | September 4, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000956 |
| Resource type | Object |
| Period of significance | 1876-1893 |
| Architect / builder | Charles E. Cassell |
| Architectural style | Other |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Art |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Stated to be in good condition, in its original location, and unaltered since its 1893 dedication. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Downtown Portsmouth Historic District |
| Coordinates | 36.83528, -76.30091 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 97000956.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5159690
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.