John Paul Jones House Opening Day
We are thrilled to once again open the John Paul Jones House to visitors!
Visit highlights include:
- items from the museum’s collection
- the room John Paul Jones is said to have rented while in Portsmouth, NH during the American Revolution
- “Revolutionary Portsmouth” exhibition
- “An Uncommon Commitment to Peace: Portsmouth Peace Treaty 1905” exhibition by the Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum
2026 Operating Hours:
- Thursday-Monday, 10 am – 4 pm
- Tuesday & Wednesday by appointment only
Revolutionary Portsmouth
In the 1760s and 1770s, residents of the American colonies, including Portsmouth, were forced to make a serious choice between democracy or monarchy, between being a Patriot or a Loyalist. Despite the Patriot’s emphasis on asserting longstanding English liberties, what did the Revolution actually mean for local African Americans, Native Americans, or women? What was life on the homefront like? What did the town look like at this time, in terms of its architecture and material life?
Lessons from the Preservation Trades
Learn about the crafts that are central to the future of our built heritage
About the Presenter
Judy Hayward is executive director of Historic Windsor, Inc., and the Preservation Education Institute in Windsor, Vermont. She is the education director for the Traditional Building Conference Series and develops and moderates its distance education programs as well. She served on Historic New England’s Advisory Council. Judy sits on Windsor’s Design Review Commission, a Certified Local Government. She currently serves on the board of the New England Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art. For more than 40 years, she has developed preservation skills training programs for building professionals and written specialized curricula and learning materials on topics including fire safety and historic preservation and accessibility for people with disabilities and historic preservation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Valparaiso University, a master’s degree in public administration from the University of New Hampshire and a Certificate in Educational Technology from Marlboro College Graduate and Professional School. She writes a blog and a column, Materials and Methods, periodically for Traditional Building.
Portsmouth Historical Society Invites Portsmouth Homeowners to Learn About + Apply for Portsmouth Plaque Program
Calling all Portsmouth homeowners! Apply for a historic plaque, to place proudly on your home, identifying a prominent owner and the date the house was built. Emma Stratton, Executive Director of Portsmouth Historical Society, spoke about the Portsmouth Plaque Program, now under the auspices of the Society, as it prepares for its first event “How to Research Your Historic Property” Wednesday July 31, 2024 5:30-6:30 at the Portsmouth Athenaeum.
Stratton said, “The Plaque Program was initiated by Portsmouth Advocates in the 1980s, and revived multiple times over the years. Last year, a volunteer committee in collaboration with PortsmouthNH400 and the Portsmouth Athenaeum revitalized the program. This year, the Society – which is merged with Portsmouth Advocates – stepped in to work alongside the committee. We could not be happier to take the baton from PortsmouthNH400 and provide a permanent home for this important program.”
Valerie Rochon, outgoing Managing Director for PortsmouthNH400, is thrilled with this development, saying, “During the 2023 400th Anniversary celebrations, Portsmouth NH 400 (PNH400), the Friends of the South End (FOSE), the Citywide Neighborhood Committee (CNC), and the Portsmouth Athenaeum (P.A.) collaborated to re-institute an Historic House Plaque Program. The Portsmouth History Plaque Committee (PHPC) with representatives from FOSE, the CNC, and P.A., will continue to offer the Historic Plaque program in 2024. This is exactly the kind of legacy program that we had hoped would come about from this important milestone in Portsmouth history.”
Event Information
The Historical Society’s first event, How to Research Your Historic Property, is slated for Wednesday, July 31, 2024 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, at the Portsmouth Athenaeum, 9 Market Square in Portsmouth. Residents interested in preserving the unique history of their homes will learn more about the Portsmouth Plaque Program, and how to use the resources at the Portsmouth Athenaeum. Attendees will dive into records, maps, surveys, and more. Who knows what you can discover about your home and its previous inhabitants! For more information please visit: https://portsmouthhistory.org/event/plaque-research/
A second How to Research Your History Property event on Sunday October 6, 2024 at 5:30 pm at the Portsmouth Public Library will focus on showing attendees how to use the Library’s resources.
According to Portsmouth Athenaeum member Talia Sperduto, who is leading the Portsmouth Plaque Program, “Any building owner in town will have the opportunity to purchase a hand-hewn plaque highlighting their home’s construction date and an owner of interest.” She urges residents to attend the July 31 event, “This is your opportunity to engage with your home’s architectural and human history and become a part of the story yourself with a commemorative plaque. These plaques are an enduring, visual reminder of the individuals and families that have shaped our city’s rich history. Join us in celebrating and preserving Portsmouth’s heritage!”
Sperduto and volunteers Margaret Hodges, Mary Thomas, and Elaine Apatang-Butts have transitioned along with the plaques program from the PNH400 to the Portsmouth Historical Society and are as enthusiastic as ever to serve our community.
Plaque details
The owners of any house, no matter the age or location in Portsmouth, can research the origins of their home and complete the application for approval to install a plaque that has been pre-approved by the City’s Historic District Commission. The signs are primed and painted white with black lettering on red cedar. A small plaque (9” x 11.25”) is $250 and a large plaque (11.25” x 16”) is $275.
About the accreditation process
To certify accuracy, according to Talia Sperduto, “Research your home’s construction date and former owners. We have seminars, and research guides and will do it for you if you don’t have time. Our team of professional genealogists and architectural historians at the Portsmouth Athenaeum will check your research and certify accuracy. Plaques are a wonderful way to enrich our architectural landscape, but only if we ensure their accuracy. Once we confirm your date and previous owner of choice, volunteers will create your plaque and drop it off at your residence, ready for you to hang it up— with HDC approval already confirmed.”
For more information about the Plaque Program visit https://portsmouthhistory.org/advocates/plaque-program/
Portsmouth Plaque Program
Make your home a part of history!
Enter the exciting world of house history research and celebrate your house’s past with a commemorative plaque. This program highlights the historical and architectural significance of Portsmouth’s buildings and cityscape. These plaques are an enduring, visual reminder of the individuals and families that have shaped our city’s rich history. Join us in celebrating and preserving Portsmouth’s heritage!
APPLICATION PROCESS
- Start. Fill out our “Get Started” form.
- Research. Use the resources linked below, attend one of our workshops, or get in touch with our historian.
- Select. Determine the year and resident you would like to feature on your plaque.
- Submit. Send in your three documents supporting your chosen resident.
- Approval. Our historian will review and confirm your research.
- Receive your plaque! Congratulations, your plaque supports historic advocacy.
FAQ
Who can get a plaque?
Any Portsmouth resident who owns their property can get a historic plaque. Both residential and business addresses are eligible for this program.
How old is "Historic"?
Even new houses will be historic someday! This program is open to all buildings in Portsmouth, regardless of their age. Get your plaque today and share your building’s history with future generations.
What documentation do I need?
To apply for the program you need to provide THREE of the following types of documents:
- Deed History (click here to download a template)
- Historic Maps
- Written Narrative
- Citizen Records
- Historic Property Survey
How do I start researching?
You’re in luck! We have a resources section where you can begin searching for the historical records associated with your property.
Overwhelmed? Check out our events calendar to attend the next Portsmouth Plaques event. We collaborate with the Portsmouth Athenaeum and the Portsmouth Public Library to bring house history research resources and programs to the community. These programs happen every few months and help you get the research process started.
Is there a fee to get my plaque?
Yes. The cost for a plaque is
$250 for a Small Plaque 9″ X 11.25″
$275 for a Large Plaque 11.25″ X 16″
We require a $50 non-refundable deposit at the time of application.
How long does it take to make my plaque?
Once your plaque application has been approved by our historian and you’ve confirmed the text for your plaque, production takes about a month. We intend to provide progress updates along the way.
What are the plaques made of?
All the plaques are hand crafted from 5/4″ clear red cedar painted white with black hand-painted lettering.
Is there a way to have the research done for me?
Yes! Our historian can do the research for you after an initial consultation. There is an hourly charge. Please reach out to advocates@portsmouthhistory.org to learn more about this service.
Get started on your historic house research with our Help Sheet and the resources linked below.
Resources
Maps
About the Plaque Program
The Historic House Plaque Program, first initiated by Portsmouth Advocates in the 1980s, was revived multiple times over the years. For Portsmouth’s 400th anniversary in 2023, the program was revitalized by a volunteer committee in collaboration with PortsmouthNH400 and the Portsmouth Athenaeum. After the anniversary celebrations, the Portsmouth Historical Society, now merged with Portsmouth Advocates, stepped in to work alongside the volunteer committee.