Portsmouth Community Library
Why it's listed
Built in 1945 at 804 South Street, this small brick library served Portsmouth's African American residents at a time when the city's public library excluded them. Black residents raised money for the land, and the city agreed to pay for construction and upkeep. The one-story Colonial Revival building has a hipped slate roof, 8/8 wood windows and a classical entrance, with bookshelves lining the reading room. Students from nearby I. C. Norcom High School, which lacked its own library, used it often, and Bertha W. Edwards served as librarian. In 1959 two local dentists sued to integrate the public library, and the suit led to this library's closure. Facing demolition, it was moved to a church parking lot on Effingham Street, then in 2007 to Elm Avenue, where a historical society hoped to create a museum. Few changes have been made apart from a lowered chimney, a ramp and a new foundation. Its significance rests on its role in local Black heritage and social history.
Significance in brief: It was the first freestanding library building in Portsmouth to serve African Americans, staffed by African American librarians, during the segregation era. It was the centerpiece of a late-1950s federal civil rights lawsuit that led to integration of the public library. It is eligible at the local level under Criterion A for Ethnic Heritage (Black) and Social History, with Criterion Consideration B for its moves.
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 10000544, listed August 12, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 904 Elm St, Portsmouth |
|---|---|
| County | Portsmouth |
| Listed | August 12, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000544 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1945 to 1962 |
| Architect / builder | Van Leeuwen, George (architect); Lucas, E.W. (builder) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals/Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Social History, Entertainment/Recreation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as vacant after the library closed following the lawsuit; later moved to the church lot, then relocated in 2007 for a possible black history museum. Current function is listed as work in progress. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.83234, -76.31392 (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 10000544.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16898714
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.