Portsmouth, New Hampshire is a popular summer attraction, built on its firm setting in American history. The city began as the humble Strawbery Banke settlement but its location as a port city soon grew because of the fishing, lumber and shipbuilding industries there. To showcase the lives of these early settlers, the Strawbery Banke Museum was founded on a 10-acre piece of land in historic downtown Portsmouth. The museum is also the focus of ongoing archaeological research and over 700,000 artifacts, made from ceramic, glass, metal, wood, bone, shell, and leather, have been recovered. It is noteworthy to mention that the neighborhood where Strawbery Banke is located has been occupied for over 375 years, the longest period of time on record for an outdoor museum. Visitors can enjoy stories of the lives of the early settlers, complete with history tours and roleplaying craft people eager to share their knowledge.
The city has been claimed to be the site of the American Revolution's first skirmish, making it a draw for any history buff. It started when Paul Revere rode from Boston to Portsmouth one day in December of 1774 to warn the colonists of British forces' intention to reinforce Fort William and Mary and gain complete control over the city's port. Thanks to Revere's warning, the colonists were able to storm the fort and take much needed supplies and ammunition, which would be valuable in later campaigns such as the Battle of Bunker Hill. This occurred months before the April 19, 1775 battle of Lexington and Concord.
One of the raid's leaders was John Langdon, a successful merchant and shipbuilder in the area. History fans might better recognize John Langdon's name as being a Founding Father, a signer of the United States Constitution or governor of New Hampshire. Interested parties can see his grand Georgian mansion, remarked by George Washington to be "esteemed the first" built in Portsmouth in 1784.
Architecture is another attraction that tourists might find interesting and one can see the historic Colonial, Federal and Georgian styles throughout the downtown. The wealth generated by the citizens who owned the busy port industry tended to display their wealth in architecture, a good deal being Georgian mansions. Downtown Portsmouth, on the other hand, is composed of largely brick stores and townhouses in the Federalist style, built to better withstand destruction from fire in the nineteenth century.
Tourists can also visit these other Georgian mansions open to the public: the Wentworth-Gardner House (1760), the Moffatt-Ladd House (1763) and the Tobias Lear House (1740). The Tobias Lear House is notable as it was the home to the shipbuilder of John Paul Jones' ship The Ranger.
The John Paul Jones House in Portsmouth is named in honor of Jones. Constructed in 1758 for sea captain Gregory Purcell, the house was constructed by the African American housewright Wentworth Cheswell. The house was dedicated to Jones when the legendary naval hero came to stay in the house in 1781. Jones' The Ranger was being built on nearby Badger Island and he stayed at Purcell's home while supervising its construction. The house received status as a National Historic Landmark and now is operated as the center of the Portsmouth Historical Society Museum.
The venerated Captain Isaac Hull also stayed in Portsmouth during 1813. Hull had been the commander of the USS Constitution in 1812, when it landed a serious blow against the British navy and earned the nickname "Old Ironsides." Hull's assignment placed him in charge of overseeing the construction of the American navy's largest warship and protecting it from the British navy. The USS Washington would not be launched until 1814, but its size was impressive. The only similar project undertaken by the navy was likely the 1782 sloop built for John Paul Jones, named America. Both of the mammoth ships took longer than intended in construction, with America taking over four years to be completed. Tourists interested in learning more about Portsmouth's maritime history should visit the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the USS Albacore (a decommissioned navy submarine) Museum and Park.
The arts in Portsmouth present more attractions for tourists. Known around Portsmouth for being the oldest operating theater in New England, the Music Hall is a 900-seat theater built in 1878. The theater has been restored a
The city has been claimed to be the site of the American Revolution's first skirmish, making it a draw for any history buff. It started when Paul Revere rode from Boston to Portsmouth one day in December of 1774 to warn the colonists of British forces' intention to reinforce Fort William and Mary and gain complete control over the city's port. Thanks to Revere's warning, the colonists were able to storm the fort and take much needed supplies and ammunition, which would be valuable in later campaigns such as the Battle of Bunker Hill. This occurred months before the April 19, 1775 battle of Lexington and Concord.
One of the raid's leaders was John Langdon, a successful merchant and shipbuilder in the area. History fans might better recognize John Langdon's name as being a Founding Father, a signer of the United States Constitution or governor of New Hampshire. Interested parties can see his grand Georgian mansion, remarked by George Washington to be "esteemed the first" built in Portsmouth in 1784.
Architecture is another attraction that tourists might find interesting and one can see the historic Colonial, Federal and Georgian styles throughout the downtown. The wealth generated by the citizens who owned the busy port industry tended to display their wealth in architecture, a good deal being Georgian mansions. Downtown Portsmouth, on the other hand, is composed of largely brick stores and townhouses in the Federalist style, built to better withstand destruction from fire in the nineteenth century.
Tourists can also visit these other Georgian mansions open to the public: the Wentworth-Gardner House (1760), the Moffatt-Ladd House (1763) and the Tobias Lear House (1740). The Tobias Lear House is notable as it was the home to the shipbuilder of John Paul Jones' ship The Ranger.
The John Paul Jones House in Portsmouth is named in honor of Jones. Constructed in 1758 for sea captain Gregory Purcell, the house was constructed by the African American housewright Wentworth Cheswell. The house was dedicated to Jones when the legendary naval hero came to stay in the house in 1781. Jones' The Ranger was being built on nearby Badger Island and he stayed at Purcell's home while supervising its construction. The house received status as a National Historic Landmark and now is operated as the center of the Portsmouth Historical Society Museum.
The venerated Captain Isaac Hull also stayed in Portsmouth during 1813. Hull had been the commander of the USS Constitution in 1812, when it landed a serious blow against the British navy and earned the nickname "Old Ironsides." Hull's assignment placed him in charge of overseeing the construction of the American navy's largest warship and protecting it from the British navy. The USS Washington would not be launched until 1814, but its size was impressive. The only similar project undertaken by the navy was likely the 1782 sloop built for John Paul Jones, named America. Both of the mammoth ships took longer than intended in construction, with America taking over four years to be completed. Tourists interested in learning more about Portsmouth's maritime history should visit the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the USS Albacore (a decommissioned navy submarine) Museum and Park.
The arts in Portsmouth present more attractions for tourists. Known around Portsmouth for being the oldest operating theater in New England, the Music Hall is a 900-seat theater built in 1878. The theater has been restored a