Robin's Great Adventure: Portsmouth New Hampshire...a Walk to Remember

1980's House

I've always found that a walk around a city is the great way to see it, but with an historical town like Portsmouth, it helps to have a guide. I chose Discover Portsmouth. It is a non-profit organization and for two hours and only $15, I got details on Portsmouth's historical sites, personal facts and founders background I wouldn't have been able to know just by walking around myself.

Living in Massachusetts I knew about the puritans and religious freedom, however Portsmouth was founded on capitalism (maritime merchants). Instead of a "tea party" the merchants of Portsmouth had a "rum party." Live Free or Die is the Granite State motto and they mean it. To this day, a New Hampshire resident doesn't need to buckle up, wear helmets riding motorbikes, or drive with insurance on an owned car.

Many of the early residents were wealthy sea merchants bringing in many artifacts and goods from Asia, Africa and Europe. Many had large homes near the harbor but as Portsmouth grew (especially during wartime), the wealthy moved farther out from the harbor. Immigrants then built small row houses and as happens, many brothels sprung up around the harbor. In between Portsmouth and Kittery harbors there is an abandoned "castle" that was used as a military prison. Rumor has it that Humphrey Bogart was responsible for bringing a prisoner to the Castle (check out the film The Last Detail) and that Steve McQueen during his "bad boy" days also was incarcerated during military service.

Prescott Park

The Prescott sisters; Josie and Sarah with an inheritance of $3M decided to tear down the brothels and shacks around the harbor and created a park.

Warner House

Most of the downtown shops and restaurants are family owned, no chains, except for Starbucks (they are everywhere). All the stores are surrounded by historical buildings which are not allowed to change their outside markings or structure. You can see the varying structures throughout the centuries from 1700's to present day. Brick, even though very expensive in the 1800's, was ruled to be used for any structures due to the extensive fires that resulted in the harbor town.

Africans were a large part of the founding of Portsmouth. When several bones of African Americans were found in some renovations, the town decided to create a memorial closing off a side street with a stone plaque. In fact, William Whipple, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, his slave was one of the developers of the African declaration presented to the Continental Congress for Africans brought to the U.S. It was never ratified however.

John Paul Jones 1758

Portsmouth has historical significance in military terms with John Paul Jones as a leader of the Rebel navy, Washington spending time in Portsmouth after the American Revolution and, the military port of Portsmouth was used by Theodore Roosevelt to bring about the "Treaty of Portsmouth" between Russian and Japan.

For a day trip into American history, Portsmouth can't be beat!

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