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December 11, 2012
<br />WHEREAS, at roughly the same time during the early days of rock `n roll,
<br />Portsmouth resident Peppy Owens, who grew up in Park View, established and ran one
<br />of the premier concert venues in the nation, known as "The Lighthouse" on Victory
<br />Boulevard, and
<br />WHEREAS, at the time The Lighthouse became Portsmouth's equivalent of the
<br />famed Fillmore West Auditorium in San Francisco and the Fillmore East in New York
<br />City, and
<br />WHEREAS, Owens brought many extraordinary musicians to Portsmouth to play
<br />at The Lighthouse before they achieved national fame, including the Allman Brothers,
<br />the Kingsmen, the Box Tops, Grand Funk Railroad, Deep Purple, Rufus Thomas, the
<br />Four Aces, the Swinging Machine, and Portsmouth's own Bill Deal and the Rhondells,
<br />and many of those musicians, including Greg and Duane Allman, stayed at his house in
<br />Hodges Manor while playing here and have remained his friends for life, and
<br />WHEREAS, The Lighthouse was at the vanguard of breaking down the barriers
<br />of segregation by welcoming black and white young people to attend and enjoy events
<br />there together while many other entertainment facilities were still segregated by race,
<br />and it was a safe and clean haven for young people to have fun, regardless of race or
<br />economic status, and this was an inspiring formative experience to many young
<br />Portsmouth residents during the 1960's and 1970's, and
<br />WHEREAS, one former teenage patron of The Lighthouse, now a successful Las
<br />Vegas entertainer, describes it as "a kind of wonderland, a doorway through which
<br />learned a lot about myself," and
<br />WHEREAS, prior to establishing The Lighthouse, Owens worked at NASA on
<br />space exploration projects, including Mercury and Gemini, and he was the first human
<br />being to see the dark side of the moon from photos taken by a NASA reconnaissance
<br />satellite, and in more recent years he has served his native city by service on multiple
<br />citizen boards and commissions, including the Clean Community Commission
<br />(Chairman), the Portsmouth Fine Arts Commission, the Portsmouth History Commission
<br />(Chairman), the Mayor's Sister City Commission, the Mayor's Military Affairs
<br />Commission, and the West Park View Civic League (President), and
<br />WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that Portsmouth take some official action to
<br />recognize Gene Vincent, the Blue Caps, Tommy Facenda, and Peppy Owens, all of
<br />whom helped create American music as we know it today, and all of whom have
<br />brought honor to Portsmouth:
<br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of
<br />Portsmouth, Virginia:
<br />1. That the block of Harbor Court between Crawford Street and Bill Deal Street
<br />is hereby given the honorary street name "BLUE CAPS STREET."
<br />2. That the block of Water Street between Crawford Street and Bill Deal Street
<br />is hereby given the honorary street name "TOMMY FACENDA STREET."
<br />3. That the private way which is an extension of Glasgow Street between
<br />Crawford Street and Water Street is hereby given the honorary street name "PEPPY
<br />OWENS -THE LIGHTHOUSE STREET."
<br />4. That the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority, which owns a
<br />park-like area adjacent to the North Landing, sometimes referred to as "Portside," is
<br />respectfully requested to rename said property "GENE VINCENT PARK."
<br />5. That the City Manager shall cause to be erected appropriate signage
<br />designating these new names."
<br />Ayes: Edmonds, Heretick, Moody, Randall, Whitehurst, Wright
<br />Nays: None
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