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Points of Interest in Portsmouth
Portsmouth New Hampshire is the second oldest town on the Seacoast, and the most historic. With homes dating from the days of sail, to a submarine which was constructed at the dawn of the atomic age, there is something in Portsmouth to delight one of any age. Listed here are but a handful of the many attractions found in Portsmouth.
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Children's Museum
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| South Meeting House, 280 Marcy Street, Portsmouth near Strawbery Banke. Open all year. Hands-on exhibits about human anatomy, sound and music, earthquakes, multicultural masks, lobstering and space travel. Special activity area geared for age 4 and under. |
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| Summer hours are Mon-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5 Admission $4. (603) 436-3853. |
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Portsmouth Maritime Museum and Albacore Park
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| Market Street, Portsmouth. The USS Albacore submarine, built at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in 1952 was the Navy's primary experimental submarine for the next twenty years. Among the Albacore's ground-breaking innovations was its teardrop hull, which all later submarine designs adopted. Visitors aboard at the Visitor's Center view video and have an escorted tour of the sub. |
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| Open daily 9:30-5:30 (hours may vary). Admission. (603) 436-3680 |
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Prescott Park & Arts Festival
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| Located on Marcy Street. A free city park operated by the Prescott Park Trustees. Many historic areas are included in the Park area, notably the Liberty Pole-dating from 1766; Point of Graves, Portsmouth's oldest burying ground; and the Sheafe Warehouse (1705) where John Paul Jones outfitted the USS Ranger. During the summer months, the gundalow, a large water craft unique to the region is docked alongside the park which overlooks the Piscataqua River. |
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| A large formal garden with fountains provides a mecca for flower lovers. Home of the Prescott Parks Art Festival, the oldest and largest summer-long arts festival in New England, featuring daily arts and cultural activities and performances. |
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| Open dawn to dusk. Performances are generally held in the evening. Donations are requested. For schedule: call 436-2848. |
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Strawbery Banke
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| Marcy Street, Portsmouth. Open mid-April to October, daily, 10-5 p.m. Taking a cue from Portsmouth's past, Strawbery Banke takes its name from the city's original name. On its grounds are some of the oldest buildings in the city which have been preserved and provide visitors a window into the the region's history, highlighting not only the Colonial period, but also maintaining structures in the condition they would have appeared in during more recent times. |
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| Of interest are the 1770 William Pitt Tavern, the boyhood home of Thomas Bailey Aldrich, author of "The Story of a Bad Boy", as well as homes funished to reflect different periods over the city's 375 year history. Recent additions include a home and grocery store reflecting the home front of World War II and a house portraying the 1950's era. Artisans, including potters, boatbuilders and woodworkers demonstrate their trade. |
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| Open May 1-Oct 31 full time and November-April for tours on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Only closed January. Admission. 433-1100 |
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Portsmouth's Market Square
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| The historic center of the city is edged by unique shops of every kind, and is an excellent point to start from if exploring the city by foot. A municipal parking garage is nearby on Hanover Street. |
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| Dominating the square is the North Congregational Church of Portsmouth, upon which site President Washington and other notables took part in church services (open Sunday Morning for Worship). |
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| Across the street is the Portsmouth Atheneum, the city's original library and mini-museum, containing artifacts from the region's shipbuilding and seafaring era (open Thursdays and Saturdays). |
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| From this central point you can walk about three blocks up Market Street itself to visit the Moffatt-Ladd House. This impressive blue and white house was built in 1763, this is one of the few wooden structures to have survived the fires which ravaged the city in the early 19th century, and urban redevelopment which took many neighborhoods in the 1950's and 60's. Once home to a successful merchant, it was also the residence of William Whipple, a signer of the Declaration of independence. The house is open to the public and also has period gardens. The area in front of the house is clear, and provides views of the Piscataqua River and tugboats. |
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| A stroll three blocks up Daniel Street from Market Square will bring you to the Warner House, the only surviving brick mansion in this part of Portsmouth, and considered one of the finest in the region. Built between 1716-1718, it was owned by the same family for nearly 200 years, and contains the earliest known painted murals in the United States, as well as many Portsmouth artifacts. Sitting on the hill above it is St. John's Church, and nearby is Bow Street, which offers impressive views of the Piscataqua River. |
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| A walk down Pleasant Street will take you to the Governor John Langdon House and Garden, an imposing white house set somewhat back from the street. Built 1783-1785, it was home to patriot leader John Langdon, who was a Delegate to the 1787 Constitutional Convention, and later served as the governor of New Hampshire for three terms. |
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| Follow the traffic up Congress street to the second set of traffic lights, take a left and proceed two more blocks to visit the John Paul Jones House, an impressive yellow house where the noted captain stayed while he awaited the outfitting of the USS Ranger during the Revolutionary War. Home to the Portsmouth Historical Society, the house contains a large and varied collection of Portsmouth's historical artifacts, including a pen used in the signing of the Russo-Japanese Peace Treaty, models of Revolutionary War sailing vessels, unique souvineers brought back by Portsmouth's sailors, and other local furnishings. |
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The Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion
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| Located off Sagamore Road on Little Harbor Road, the mansion was home to Benning Wentworth, the first Royal Governor of New Hampshire (1741-1766) who established about 60% of the state's towns. |
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| Open Tues, Thurs, Sat 10-3, Sun 1-6 from Memorial Day to Mid-October. Admission $2.50. (603) 436-6607. |
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Urban Forestry Center
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| Located off Lafayette Road (Route 1) on Elwyn Rd, the Urban Forestry Center offers trails along forests and salt marsh meadows. Programs about forestry and natural resources are offered. |
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| Open 7am-Dusk daily. Free. (603) 431-6774. |
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Portsmouth's Heritage Trail
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| For an excellent walking tour guide to Portsmouth, be sure to pick up a copy of the Portsmouth Harbor Trail booklet, available at the Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce or at one of the points of interest mentioned above, so you may explore the city even further. |
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