Portsmouth Historical Society

LGBTQ+ Walking Tour
2024-08-18 14:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
“Gay” Old Times: Stories of Portsmouth’s LGBTQ+ Community
Once a month at 2:30 pmThird Sundays of the monthLearn about the hidden history of LGBT clubs, organizations, and people who impacted the Seacoast of NH on this 90-minute walking tour.

Book your walking tour!

Tour Description:
Tour guide Tom Kaufhold will take you through Portsmouth for this engaging 90-minute tour. You will pass by many beautiful historic sites and learn some important facts about Portsmouth LGBTQ+ people, places and events, including:

How UNH and the NH Supreme Court impacted Portsmouth’s LGBTQ+ community
Where the first gay and women’s bars were in Portsmouth
The restaurant credited with starting Portsmouth’s restaurant renaissance
The church that supported two LGBTQ+ organizations for decades.

Walking Tour Rates:
Tours are $15 for members, $20 for non-members, $15 for discounted groups (Children 5-18, Seniors 62+, Students, Portsmouth Residents), and free for children 5 and under.All tours depart from Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth NH.Online reservations close 30 minutes prior to tour departure. Please call (603) 436-8433 for last minute bookings.Upgrade your ticket for just $5 to also visit our galleries and John Paul Jones House.

Along the Waterfront
2024-08-21 14:30 - 16:30, 2024-08-28 14:30 - 16:30, 2024-09-18 14:30 - 16:30, 2024-09-25 14:30 - 16:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Along the Waterfront
Twice a Month at 2:30 pm
Third and fourth Wednesdays of the month
Stretch your legs on our longest walking tour! This two-hour tour includes Prescott Park, the working waterfront, the tugboats, a bit of beer history and more. Born and bred Portsmouth local, Ron Sher, adds personal anecdotes and depth to this extended tour.

Book your walking tour!

Walking Tour Rates:
Tours are $15 for members, $20 for non-members, $15 for discounted groups (Children 5-18, Seniors 62+, Students, Portsmouth Residents), and free for children 5 and under.All tours depart from Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth NH.Online reservations close 30 minutes prior to tour departure. Please call (603) 436-8433 for last minute bookings.Upgrade your ticket for just $5 to also visit our galleries and John Paul Jones House.

Knit Happens
2024-08-23 14:30 - 15:30, 2024-09-27 14:30 - 15:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Join us for a monthly yarn circle!

Register for Knit Happens

Memories In Blue: Cyanotype Prints
2024-08-24 10:00 - 13:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Get creative with this cyanotype workshop!

Register for Memories in Blue

Through the generous support of our donors, we are able to offer two tickets for this workshop at reduced cost. If cost would be a barrier to your participation, please reach out to Sarah Robbitts-Terry sarah@portsmouthhistory.org for more information.

About the Artist:

Kristy Cavaretta is an artist and mother of three living on the Southern Maine seacoast. She enjoys exploring the minutiae of domestic life through a variety of media.
Cavaretta earned her undergraduate degree in Visual and Media Arts from Boston’s Emerson College and a Graphic Design Certificate from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. In 2012 she moved to the seacoast with her husband after a decade of working in the film industry in Los Angeles. She worked as a graphic designer until she had her first child in 2016 and continued to work as a freelance designer for numerous nonprofit organizations, including the Ogunquit Museum of American Art (2015-2019) and Old York Historical Society (2015-current.) Cavaretta began printmaking in 2014 at Chases Garage in York, Maine in various workshop settings. Since having her children she has leaned into block printing, direct object printing, and collagraph printing for their accessibility and speed. Either the ability to make a piece in a single nap time sitting or chipping away at a larger work little by little over a long period of time.
In 2021 Maine Magazine named Cavaretta one of the years’ artists to watch, in 2023 she held her first solo exhibition at the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts.
Cavaretta teaches printmaking at Chases Garage in York, Maine and is proud to sit on the board of art and wellness non-profit ArtHope ( 2015-present.) In 2024 Cavaretta was honored to become a juried member of the New Hampshire Art Association and the New England Monotype Guild.

Daily Walking Tours (May–October)
2024-09-01 - 2024-09-30, 2024-10-01 - 2024-10-31 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Daily Walking Tours
Walking Through 400 Years of History
Daily at 10:30 am
Saturday and the 2nd and 4th Friday at 2:30 pm
This daily 90-minute walking tour covers the streets, stories, buildings, and architecture of historic downtown Portsmouth.

Book your walking tour!

Tour Description:
Learn why Portsmouth is the hub of the New Hampshire Seacoast! Our downtown is filled with hidden treasures. Our knowledgeable walking tour guides will introduce you to the city’s rich past and lively present—a unique mix of architecture, specialty shops, and bustling streets nestled in a village-like setting. This 90-minute guided walking tour is sure to bring the history of Portsmouth alive!

Walking Tour Rates:
Tours are $15 for members, $20 for non-members, $15 for discounted groups (Children 5-18, Seniors 62+, Students, Portsmouth Residents), and free for children 5 and under.All tours depart from Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth NH.Online reservations close 30 minutes prior to tour departure. Please call (603) 436-8433 for last minute bookings.Upgrade your ticket for just $5 to also visit our galleries and John Paul Jones House.

Portsmouth Peace Treaty Bell Ringing
2024-09-05 15:47 - 16:00 | John Paul Jones House, 43 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 03801, United States
Join us below the cherry tree at the John Paul Jones House to celebrate the Portsmouth Peace Treaty!
This year is the 119th Anniversary of the signing of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty on September 5, 1905. The spirit of the Treaty, the statesmanship of the diplomats and President Roosevelt, and the citizen diplomacy of local people is a legacy that is perhaps more important than ever in these turbulent global times — and is echoed in the themes of the “Diplomats in Portsmouth” exhibit displayed at the John Paul Jones House.
By re-enacting the bellringing that occurred when the Treaty was signed on September 5, 1905, we echo the celebration all around the Seacoast that welcomed the news that the Russo-Japanese War was over and we commemorate the active role local citizens played in helping to achieve that peace. So the sounding of bells around the state at 3:47 pm on September 5th is the historical, and in many ways most meaningful celebration of Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day, an official statewide observance since unanimous legislation was passed in 2010.

Curator Tours
2024-09-06 12:00 - 18:30, 2024-10-04 12:00 - 18:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
A behind-the-scenes look at our current exhibitions
“The Matter of Memory” explores the ways that museums are the vessels of communal and individual memory along with how they consciously or unconsciously shape memory through what types of items are displayed and shared. Walk through the gallery with our museum curator and get a deeper understanding into some of the choices made in museum collections and exhibitions in both the past and present.
“Finishing Touches” highlights items from the collection that would add personality and individuality to the wearer’s outfit as well as demonstrate gender and class. Functional and fashionable, these pieces highlight accessories through the decades. Spend 30 minutes with our exhibition curator and make sure to ask about her “favorite” pieces.
“The Matter of Memory” Tours occur at 12:00 and 5:30 pm at 10 Middle Street.
“Finishing Touches” Tours take place at 2:00 pm and start at the John Paul Jones House.
This is a free tour, no registration required.

Learn more about "The Matter of Memory"

Learn more about "Finishing Touches"

Loyalist to Liberty Walking Tour
2024-09-06 14:30 - 16:00, 2024-09-20 14:30 - 16:00, 2024-10-04 14:30 - 16:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
From Loyalist to Liberty
Semi-Monthly at 2:30 pm
First and third Fridays of the month
This 90-minute walking tour traces the path of Portsmouth during the 1770s. From a hub of British loyalty a series of events in the 1770s fanned the flames of independence and turned Portsmouth into a hotbed of Patriotism.

Book your walking tour!

Tour Description:
Learn about British settlement of the Seacoast and the economic prosperity that made Portsmouth the capital city of the royal colony and then see how the events of the 1770s changed public opinion to that of revolution. During your 90-minute walk, you will visit sites that are related to the American Revolution including: North Church and State House Plaque, Queen’s Chapel, Liberty Pole, Pitt Tavern, and more.

Walking Tour Rates:
Tours are $15 for members, $20 for non-members, $15 for discounted groups (Children 5-18, Seniors 62+, Students, Portsmouth Residents), and free for children 5 and under.All tours depart from Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth NH.Online reservations close 30 minutes prior to tour departure. Please call (603) 436-8433 for last minute bookings.Upgrade your ticket for just $5 to also visit our galleries and John Paul Jones House.

Art Round Town
2024-09-06 17:00 - 20:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
We’ll be open until 8 p.m. on September 6th for Art ‘Round Town!
Free admission all day long.
Visit our most recent exhibition “The Matter of Memory” and view highlights from our permanent collection in our “Past & Present” exhibition.

Learn about free curator tours at 12:00, 2:00, and 5:30 pm

Women of Portsmouth Walking Tour
2024-09-11 14:30 - 16:00, 2024-10-09 14:30 - 16:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Women of Portsmouth Walking Tour
Once a month at 2:30 pmSecond Wednesdays of the monthLearn the untold stories of navigators, preachers, artists, authors, tavern keepers, and madams who defied stereotypes and shaped Portsmouth on this 90 minutes tour.

Book your walking tour!

Tour Description:
For over 400 years women have been shaping the course of Portsmouth’s history. After the 90-minute walking tour, we hope you will walk away surprised by all the ways that women have impacted the fabric of this city. Your tour will cover almost two miles including Prescott Park and the Old Harbor.

Walking Tour Rates:
Tours are $15 for members, $20 for non-members, $15 for discounted groups (Children 5-18, Seniors 62+, Students, Portsmouth Residents), and free for children 5 and under.All tours depart from Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth NH.Online reservations close 30 minutes prior to tour departure. Please call (603) 436-8433 for last minute bookings.Upgrade your ticket for just $5 to also visit our galleries and John Paul Jones House.

Being Black: The Immigrant Experience with SAACC
2024-09-12 17:00 - 18:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Join us and the Seacoast African American Cultural Center for this important roundtable discussion

part of the:

Sign up to attend this Color-filled Conversation

Becky Field

About the Presenter:
Since 2012, photographer Becky Field has documented cultural diversity among immigrants in New Hampshire. Her photography project, Different Roots, Common Dreams: New Hampshire’s Cultural Diversity, has been exhibited throughout the Northeast. She has published two books, Different Roots, Common Dreams: New Hampshire’s Cultural Diversity, and Finding Home: Portraits and Memories of Immigrants. Becky set up the Different Roots,Common Dreams Scholarship Fund at NH Charitable Foundation to help immigrants complete a college degree. She has studied at photography centers throughout the Northeast. In the past she was a research ecologist and university professor. She holds a certificate in photography from the former NH Institute of Art, and a doctoral degree in wildlife ecology. For more information, visit www.DifferentRootsNH.com, or email FieldWorkPhotos@gmail.com.

About the Presenter:
Jozimar Matimano is a fine art painter. He was born in the East Democratic Republic of Congo, Butembo, where he grew up and moved to Uganda at ten. Since he was a boy he has been interested in drawing and illustration.
On October 5, 2016, Matimano moved from Uganda to Manchester New Hampshire as a refugee through the International Institute of New England program. In 2018 he began painting in his free time as a way to express himself He began pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art (BFA) at the Institute of Art at New England College in 2019. He received his Associate in Liberal Arts in 2023.
In the future, he hopes to share his artwork with more people and see the impact that his art can have on other people and society.

Jozimar Matimano

Ali Sekou

About the Presenter:
Ali Sekou is a Concord City Councilor, and the Mayor Pro Temp (Vice Mayor). Sekou, was born and raised in a small, rural village in Niger, West Africa, before immigrated to the United States in 2012. He arrived in the U.S with almost zero English, and he went on to earn his associate degree in hospitality and Tourism Management from the New Hampshire Technical Institute (NHTI), his bachelor’s degree in Tourism Management and Political Science from Plymouth State University and graduated with honors at both schools.
He was elected to the Concord City Council in November 2023 as the youngest member, the first Muslim and Black member of City Council. He is a 40 under 40 Award recipient and a graduate of Leadership New Hampshire.

About the Presenter:
Dr. Sara Withers is a cultural anthropologist who has conducted ethnographic research in Sri Lanka, Mexico, and the U.S. She was Project Manager for the film Uprooted: Heartache and Hope in NH, and since then has presented the film at dozens of venues around NH, facilitating discussions about the experiences and realities of being a refugee—and a New American—in today’s world. Her most recent project was a photovoice project with local community college students who were part of the NHTI’s Multicultural Club. This project, which culminated in a student-curated photography exhibit, focused on ideas of community and cultural identity. As a Principal Lecturer at UNH, Dr. Withers teaches cultural anthropology, where she offers a variety of classes—including ones on Latin America, Migration, and Applied Anthropology.

Sara Withers

Full STEAM Ahead Family Day
2024-09-14 11:00 - 14:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Full STEAM ahead, hands-on model ship constructing

Register for the Full Steam Ahead Family Day

LGBTQ+ Walking Tour
2024-09-15 14:30 - 16:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
“Gay” Old Times: Stories of Portsmouth’s LGBTQ+ Community
Once a month at 2:30 pm
Third Sundays of the month
Learn about the hidden history of LGBT clubs, organizations, and people who impacted the Seacoast of NH on this 90-minute walking tour.

Book your walking tour!

Tour Description:
Tour guide Tom Kaufhold will take you through Portsmouth for this engaging 90-minute tour. You will pass by many beautiful historic sites and learn some important facts about Portsmouth LGBTQ+ people, places and events, including:

How UNH and the NH Supreme Court impacted Portsmouth’s LGBTQ+ community
Where the first gay and women’s bars were in Portsmouth
The restaurant credited with starting Portsmouth’s restaurant renaissance
The church that supported two LGBTQ+ organizations for decades.

Walking Tour Rates:
Tours are $15 for members, $20 for non-members, $15 for discounted groups (Children 5-18, Seniors 62+, Students, Portsmouth Residents), and free for children 5 and under.All tours depart from Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth NH.Online reservations close 30 minutes prior to tour departure. Please call (603) 436-8433 for last minute bookings.Upgrade your ticket for just $5 to also visit our galleries and John Paul Jones House.

Revolutionary Portsmouth: The Raid on Fort William and Mary
2024-09-19 18:00 - 19:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Learn about a significant New Hampshire event that was part of the lead up to the American Revolution

RSVP to the lecture of Fort William and Mary

About the Presenter:

Paul Timmerman is a retired healthcare software executive with a lifelong interest in
history. He serves on the board of the Friends of Fort Constitution, and as president and captain of the
1st NH Regiment. Paul is leading the 250th Raid on Fort William and Mary anniversary event planning
committee, with events planned for December 14th and 15th this year.

Learn more about the Fort William and Mary 250th anniversary event

Read it and Eat!
2024-09-23 18:00 - 19:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Register for Read It and Eat! Fall Flavors

If you cannot attend our events this year (May 20th, July 22nd, September 23rd), you can still submit a recipe for our community cookbook! Email our Programs Coordinator, Sarah Robbitts-Terry at sarah@portsmouthhistory.org to submit your recipe.

FAQs

What is currently in-season?
Apples, beets, blueberries, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, kale, melons, peaches, pears, peppers, pumpkins, raspberries, spinach, squash, tomatoes, zucchini

How many people should my dish serve?
We usually have 15-20 people at each Read It and Eat event, however each of those individuals will all be making a dish! If your recipe serves 4-6, that should be more than enough. People tend to take small portions so they can try everything.

Will alcohol be served? Can I use it in a recipe?
Per the conditions of our liquor license with the city, we do not serve alcohol at these events, and guests cannot bring alcohol to drink. However, dishes with cooked alcohol are perfectly fine to bring.

How are food allergies handled?
We do ask people to provide us with a list of ingredients in their dishes, but this is a potluck-style dinner with dishes all laid out together on a long table and served family-style. Dishes are prepared at individuals’ homes and cross-contamination cannot be ruled out.

Are non-alcoholic drinks provided?
Yes! In addition to water and seltzer, we provide fun mocktails for everyone to enjoy!

Can I plug in my crock pot?
Unfortunately, we do not have enough outlets to accommodate crock pots or other electrical equipment. Dishes must come ready to be served.

Portsmouth History Homeschool Program
2024-09-27 10:00 - 14:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
How did the people of Portsmouth’s past live? Find out at our homeschool programs.

Register for the Homeschool History Program!

Indigenous Life in New England
2024-09-28 11:00 - 15:00 | John Paul Jones House, 43 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 03801, United States
Learn about indigenous life by building a traditional wigwam

Register for the Indigenous Life in New England Family Day

About the Presenter:
Jennifer Lee has been enjoying making bark baskets for 40 years. Her interest began with the study of her Native American ancestors of the Northeast Woodlands. She teaches basket classes and educational programs extensively. The bark roots and branches are wild harvested by her family in the Northern
Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. She’s received awards at the Mohegan Wigwam Festival, Saratoga Native American Festival, Kearsage Indian Museum, Deerfield Craft Show, and North Carolina Basketmakers Association.
***********************
Jennifer Lee is enrolled with the Metis Nation of North America and the Northern Narragansetts. She grew up without knowledge of her Indian Ancestry. She has spent her adult life learning the true history and culture of the Northeast Woodland Indigenous Peoples. She shares what she’s learning at schools,
historic sites, and community events. Often, classes are held in her conical wigwam. She lives in the Northern Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. She spends her time with her Grandkids, gardening, berry picking, maintaining the houses she’s built, making baskets, teaching basketry, and attending as
many powwows as possible. She is grateful to the Creator for being able to follow her heart.

"The Matter of Memory" Closing Reception & Art 'Round Town
2024-10-04 17:00 - 20:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Meet the Artists at this end of exhibition reception!
People’s Choice Awards Announced at 5:45 p.m.
Join Portsmouth Historical Society and New Hampshire Art Association for a closing reception for “The Matter of Memory” during Art Round Town on Friday, October 4 from 5-8 pm. Remarks and the announcement of the People’s Choice winner will be held at 5:45 pm. Light refreshments will be served. Support local artists and your local historical society by purchasing a work prior to the exhibition closing on October 13.

See the NHAA Contemporary response to "The Matter of Memory"

We’ll be open until 8 p.m. on October 4th for Art ‘Round Town!
Free admission all day long.
Visit our most recent exhibition “The Matter of Memory” and view highlights from our permanent collection in our “Past & Present” exhibition.

Learn about free curator tours at 12:00, 2:00, and 5:30 pm

Death in Colonial New England: Cemetery Tour
2024-10-05 16:00 - 17:30 | NH
Take a walk through North Cemetery to learn the meaningful, odd, and sometimes spooky traditions of Portsmouth’s past

Register for out Cemetery Walking Tour

How to Research Your Historic Property
2024-10-06 17:30 - 18:30 | Portsmouth Public Library, 175 Parrot Ave, Portsmouth, NH, 03801, United States
Get started on your historic plaques journey

RSVP to the Portsmouth Plaques Program Library Event

Portsmouth Historic Plaque Program
Learn more about the program and sign up to start your plaque research.

Final Day of the John Paul Jones Season
2024-10-14 | John Paul Jones House, 43 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 03801, United States
