Lightship #101 was built in 1915 and was first stationed off Cape Charles, VA at the CHARLES light station. She served there until 1924, when she was moved to the OVERFALLS lightstation off the Delaware Bay. She served at that station from 1925 until 1951, when she was moved to several stations in New England until her retirement in 1964. She was later moved to Portsmouth, VA, and made into a landlocked museum. She was renamed the PORTSMOUTH as is the custom to take on the name of the station where "standing duty", even though there has never been an actual PORTSMOUTH aids to navigation lightstation.
The lightship is part of the Portsmouth Museums, and is associated with the Naval Shipyard Museum.
The lightship is located in the heart of the Portsmouth waterfront and is open Tues-Sat from 10AM - 5 PM, Sundays from 1 PM to 5 PM, and is closed on Mondays (Off Season). After Memorial Day they will be open 7 days a week.
Their phone number is (757) 393-8591.
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