Portsmouth, Ohio, originated in the 1790s, when the town of Alexandria was founded at the junction of the Scioto and Ohio Rivers. A decade later, due to the frequent disastrous floods from both rivers, Alexandria was abandoned and the entire town moved eastward. In 1814, after being platted by Henry Massie, the city of Portsmouth was incorporated. In the years that followed, Portsmouth became an industrial and transportation center, a regional leader in retail and wholesale businesses, and a recreational center that once featured, among many other things, an amusement park and a National Football League team franchise. The nickname Peerless City was a perfect fit.

Jim Detty, David E. Huffman, and Linda Arthur Jennings are all longtime residents of the Portsmouth and Scioto County areas. They have collectively spent many years studying the long and fascinating history of this south-central Ohio region. It is their hope that the history is just beginning.