Notice of Annual Meeting

n accordance with Article 5, Section 1 of the Bylaws of the Portsmouth Historical Society, notice is herewith given to all current Members concerning the date and time of its Annual Meeting, which will take place on Monday, October 19, beginning at 5:30 pm, via online virtual videoconference.

Historical Society members and interested non-members are invited to register by responding HERE. A Zoom link will be sent by email to each registered member.

At the Annual Meeting, Officers and Members of the Board of Trustees will be elected or re-elected, and modifications to the organization’s bylaws will be considered.


Call for Entries

It’s time, once again, to start  the creative juices flowing for our annual Gingerbread House Contest!

This year we’re “taking it to the streets” with a downtown scavenger hunt in addition to the gallery full of sugary goodness at the Discover Portsmouth Welcome Center!

All the details and registration here!
Exhibition opens November 20th, before Thanksgiving!

Mark your calendars and set your oven timers!


Volunteer Spotlight

Paul Caswell began volunteering at the Portsmouth Historical Society in the Discover Portsmouth Welcome Center in 2019, and he came back for the 2020 season. Born and raised on the Seacoast, he studied at the University of New Hampshire with a focus on exercise physiology and psychology. He has been the owner in private practice of Performance Muscular Therapy in Portsmouth since 1991. He enjoys running, cycling, yoga, and mindfulness. Paul is also a coach for the Coastal Athletic Association and was a tour guide for the Isles of Shoal Research and Historical Association during the 2018 and 2019 seasons

Paul is a descendent of the Caswell family that dates back nine generations to his sixth-great-grandfather Caswell who was a settler on the Isles of Shoals. The Caswells were a prominent fishing family in Gosport from the late 1600s to the mid-1800s.

As a Welcome Center docent, Paul enjoys learning more about Portsmouth and regional history. Likewise, he enjoys meeting visitors and sharing this knowledge to enhance their experience. Paul feels that his time as a docent has deepened his connection to Portsmouth, and he hopes to continue learning. For people who might be interested in volunteering at the Welcome Center, Paul says that it enriches one’s appreciation for the history, culture, and community of Greater Portsmouth.

Paul is one of our most reliable and dedicated volunteers. From July through September, Paul has volunteered an astounding 189 hours. He is very well-liked by all, and appreciated by the PHS Welcome Center staff for his willingness to pitch in and help any way he can. We at Portsmouth Historical Society are proud to have Paul Caswell as an outstanding member of our corps of volunteers!


It’s Teatime at the Museum Shop

New in the Discover Portsmouth Museum Shop, fun teas inspired by figures from history and pop culture! MarTEAn Luther King, Jr.; Shakespearmint Tea, and Agatha ChrisTEA, just to name a few! There’s also RBG Tea to celebrate the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Pocket RBG Wisdom is back in stock and available in our online store!


Our sponsors for the 2020 season have made this all possible. We are grateful!


History. Arts. Culture.