Shelby County - A place to call home. Eleven cities ... one community.

Portsmouth
Map
• Established in 1882
• 2010 population of 195
• Located at the intersection of State Highways 191 and 44

"The Biggest Little Town in the USA"

PORTSMOUTH originally owned by William Williams, who built a log cabin here in the 1860s.  Originally known as "Cologone Settlement" and in 1886 it moved into Portsmouth and was platted on August 17, 1882, by the Milwaukee Land Company. The village was incorporated in 1883, with A. W. Sims as the first mayor. A post office was established in 1882 with George Walters as first postmaster. 

Utility & Telecommunications

Water: Shelby County Rural Water
Gas: MidAmerican Energy Company
Electricity: MidAmerican Energy Company 
Phone: Windstream
Internet: Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company, Windstream 
Cable: None 
Cellular: Cellular One, Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company, and Verizon 
Rail: Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Rail Service 
Recycing: Contact your local hauling service. List of what is eligible for recycle.​

Government
Mayor & City Council 
Hours:
712.743.2044
[email protected]

City Zoning? Yes

Police Protection
Shelby County Sheriff’s Department 
Harrison County Sheriff’s Department

Schools
Harlan Community Schools (PreK-12) 
Shelby County Catholic Schools (PreK-8) 

Shelby County schools are among the State’s leaders in combining a top-quality academic education, with a wide variety of successful extracurricular activities

Top Businesses
Portsmouth is home to a variety of businesses. The largest is Leinen, Inc. a fertilizer and farm chemical company. Others include Shelby County State Bank branch office, G & R Feed & Grain, and Club 191 – a well-known restaurant and supper club.

Community & Tourists Attractions

Churches
St. Mary’s Catholic Church – on the tour of the German Villages.

St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Our Lady of Fatima Shrine
Originally built in 1890 of locally made bricks, it was destroyed by a tornado in 1940. The new church was constructed in Romanesque style in 1951 and included the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine. Construction materials include Ozark stone, Tennessee flagstone, and Carrara marble statues imported from Italy. 

St. Mary’s Parish Picnic
Held annually in June to celebrate the Church and Community.