Portsmouth was the first European settlement in the colony of New Hampshire, and Strawberry Banke was one of the first neighborhoods of that settlement. Today, Strawberry Banke is a living history museum, with homes and businesses, and buildings that date back for almost four centuries.
In 1630, settlers sailed into the Piscataqua River and found a harbor along a cove that they named Puddle Dock. They chose the name Strawberry Banke for the many berries that were growing along the riverfront. Puddle Dock served as one of the hubs of Portsmouth’s maritime industry for many years.
As that industry became more concentrated in the late 1800’s the city decided to fill in the inlet. This helped lead to the decline of this working class area, and in the 1950’s the city planned to tear down the old houses as part of an urban renewal scheme. Luckily, and group of preservationists were able to intercede, and the area was saved as a museum.
Today, the Strawberry Banke Museum encompasses 37 buildings, 17 of which are restored and open to visitors. Many also contain offices for businesses and some even have apartments for those who might want to live among this history.
There are many of the exhibits that you would expect to find at a historic village. For example, the Marden Abbott House is home to the Small Corner Store, where you will find shelves stocked with the goods common during the Second World War.
This is also the Cider Shed, where workers were preparing wooden slats to repair on the the museums many picket fences.
There are also some exhibits that are unique to the area. One is the Thomas Bailey Aldrich Memorial. Aldrich was an author of children’s books during the second half of the 19th century. The house was the home of his grandfather, and Aldrich spent many summers there. He said that his experiences were the inspiration for his book “A Story of a Bad Boy.” When Aldrich died, his wife bought the house in Portsmouth, and created the memorial, restoring the house as it was described in that book, and opened it to the public.
The Yeaton House is dedicated to the maritime history of Portsmouth. It is filled with paintings and models of ships that were either built or stationed in the city.
The Jackson Home has been purposely left in the condition it was in when it was purchased in the 1950’s. It serves as a reminder of the amount of work it has taken to restore the buildings of the museum.
Strawberry Banke is great way to explore the history of Portsmouth, and a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.
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