Portsmouth, an independent city, is situated on the western side of the Elizabeth River, directly across from Norfolk. The well-known Norfolk Navy Yard is, in fact, in Portsmouth, not Norfolk. It was founded as a town in 1752 by Col. William Crawford, and named in honor of Portsmouth, England. One-third of the population of the area died in the 1855 yellow fever outbreak, and three years later, it became an independent city from Norfolk County.