Epidemic, The Norfolk and Portsmouth Yellow Fever (1855) – Encyclopedia Virginia
In 1855, Norfolk was a prosperous city of some 16,000 residents with one of the busiest harbors on the East Coast, five large hotels, five newspapers, and eight banks. Ships were often lined up five or six deep at the wharves. Portsmouth, just across the Elizabeth River with a population of 10,000, was similarly flourishing. The region appeared poised for major growth, due in part to Norfolk’s reputation as a healthy southern city, clean and virtually free of yellow fever, which had plagued southern ports sporadically since the late 1700s. On June 7, 1855, the steamer Benjamin Franklin arr...
Source: encyclopediavirginia.org