In search of a slice of American history over the holiday season, I traveled to the eastern shores of New Hampshire, landing in the quaint locale of Portsmouth.
Narrow roads wind through downtown, taking you past neatly restored homes and buildings in what was once one of the most developed and important seaports in the new colonies. Driving through the historical part of town, you can’t help but feel you have traveled back in time, passing tightly clustered small homes whose front doors open up nearly onto the narrow streets.
In a quiet corner of Portsmouth I encountered Strawbery Banke, a living history museum of about 40 buildings that have been, or are in the process of, being restored. It is a preservation of urban history of four centuries of inhabitants of Strawbery Banke along the Piscataqua Riverfront.
Through the museum tour I learned that, sadly, under the Portsmouth urban renewal plan in the 1950s to the 70s, over 200 historic houses were razed. The densely-packed alleyways and crowded houses of the old Strawberry Banke are gone. However, over 42 historic buildings from the 16th to 19th century remain and are meticulously restored and preserved in the museum.
A tour guide walked us through a few of the buildings, detailing their history and occupants. The buildings came to life through the creaking floors and decorated hallways. Most of the furnishings were the originals of the households. Those that weren’t originals were good representations of what could be found in the houses during the various time periods.
Narrow roads wind through downtown, taking you past neatly restored homes and buildings in what was once one of the most developed and important seaports in the new colonies. Driving through the historical part of town, you can’t help but feel you have traveled back in time, passing tightly clustered small homes whose front doors open up nearly onto the narrow streets.
In a quiet corner of Portsmouth I encountered Strawbery Banke, a living history museum of about 40 buildings that have been, or are in the process of, being restored. It is a preservation of urban history of four centuries of inhabitants of Strawbery Banke along the Piscataqua Riverfront.
Through the museum tour I learned that, sadly, under the Portsmouth urban renewal plan in the 1950s to the 70s, over 200 historic houses were razed. The densely-packed alleyways and crowded houses of the old Strawberry Banke are gone. However, over 42 historic buildings from the 16th to 19th century remain and are meticulously restored and preserved in the museum.
A tour guide walked us through a few of the buildings, detailing their history and occupants. The buildings came to life through the creaking floors and decorated hallways. Most of the furnishings were the originals of the households. Those that weren’t originals were good representations of what could be found in the houses during the various time periods.
