History of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA

1756 - First Newspaper in New Hampshire
The first [newspaper] in New Hampshire was "The New Hampshire Gazette," printed at Portsmouth in the summer of 1756.

colonialwarsct.org/ 1755.htm

1761 - First regular U.S. stagecoach run is begun, from Boston to Portsmouth, New Hampshire

The World Almanac of the U.S.A, by Allan Carpenter and Carl Provorse, 1996

1774 - December 14 - Portsmouth, New Hampshire militiamen successfully attacked arsenal of Ft William & Mary

historyorb.com

1813 - Devastating fire in Portsmouth

www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ usstates/ nhtimeln.htm

1839 - Portsmouth
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Rockingham county, is the principal town in the state, and the only sea-port which it contains. It is situated in N. lat. 43°4'54", W. lon. 70°45'. Portsmouth is built on a beautiful peninsula, on the south side of the river; and, as seen from the towers of the steeples, the river, harbor, points, islands, and adjacent country, presents a delightful assemblage of objects. In many parts of the town are beautiful gardens. It was settled under the auspices of Sir Ferdinando Gorges and Capt. John Mason, in 1623, and was incorporated by charter in 1633. That part of it which lies round Church hill, extending N. and W., was originally called Strawberry Bank. The first house of which we have any account, erected in what is now the compact part of the town, was built by Humphrey Chadbourne, and according to tradition, stood near the corner of Court and Pond streets.
There are in the harbor a number of islands, the most considerable of which is Great island. The... Read MORE...

1854 - Portsmouth
Portsmouth, a city, port of entry, and semi-capital of Rockingham county, New Hampshire, 54 miles N. by E. from Boston, is situated on the right bank of the Pisca-taqua river, about three miles from the ocean, and at the terminus of the Eastern, the Concord, and the Portland and Saco rail roads, by which it has communication with nearly every section of New England. Lat. 43° 4' 35" N., Lon. 70° 45' 50" W. This city, the commercial metropolis and only seaport of the state, is built on a beautiful peninsula, formed by the Piscataqua, and connected by bridges with Kittery in Maine, and with New castle on Grand Island. The harbor which lies between the town and the mouth of the river is capacious, deep, easy of access, and much frequented by vessels in bad weather : 480 have been counted here at one time ; and it is estimated that 2000 could easily find convenient anchorage. The formation of sandbars or ice is rendered impossible by the rapid tides, which centuries since have carried... Read MORE...

1854 - The Destructive Gale - Its Effects at the East.
...The depot of the Concord Railroad at Portsmouth, N. H., was partly torn down by the wind...
The New York Times
New York, New York
March 21, 1854

1868 - A female financier in Portsmouth, N. H., recently had her trunk robbed in Boston of one hundred and twenty shares of bank stock of nearly $7,000 value,
and knew nothing about it until the stock had been sold in New York.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
June 6, 1868

1870 - A tradesman of Portsmouth, N. H., has advertised in every issue of a paper of that city for the last twenty-two years.

St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
January 8, 1870

1870 - The funeral of Admiral Farrigut, at Portsmouth, N. H., on the 17th, was attended by a larger concourse of people than ever assembled in that State on a similar occasion.


St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
August 27, 1870

1895 - Portsmouth
Portsmouth, a city, a port of entry, and semi-capital of Rockingham co., N.H., 54 miles N. by E. of Boston, is situated on the right bank of the Piscataqua River, about 3 miles from the ocean, and at the terminus of the Eastern, Concord & Portsmouth, Portsmouth & Dover, and Portland & Saco Railroads. Lat. 43°4' 35" N.; Lon. 70° 45' 50" W. This city, the commercial metropolis and only seaport of the state, is built on a beautiful peninsula, formed by the Piscataqua, and connected by bridges with Kittery in Maine and with Newcastle on Grand Island. The harbor, which lies between the town and the mouth of the river, is capacious, deep, easy of access, and much frequented by vessels in bad weather; 480 have been counted here at one time, and it is estimated that 2000 could easily find convenient anchorage. The formation of sand-bars or ice is rendered impossible by the rapid tides, which have carried every earthy substance out to sea, leaving a - rock bottom, with a depth of water varying ... Read MORE...

1898 - Received a Painful Wound
Lewis B. Hanson, who has been employed as a blacksmith at the navy yard, met with a painful accident on Friday. He was hammering a bar of steel when a piece struck him in the forehead, cutting a gash to the skull.
Portsmouth Herald
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
April 4, 1898

1898 - SERIOUS ACCIDENT. William Fernald Felled by a Falling Electric Light Pole
The North end was the scene of another terrible accident this morning when William Fernald of Eliot, received injuries that will likely prove fatal.

He was employed on the bridge gang of the Boston and Maine railroad under foreman Preble and at the time of the accident, was engaged in tearing out the old stationary engine houses and runs at Walker's coal pocket.

A rope had been attached to a lot of staging and the whole mass was to be pulled over into the water. When it commenced to go a big electric light pole on top of the pocket came with it and instead of falling outwards, fell in, striking Mr. Fernald on the head with a terrible force. He was pinned to the floor by the big pole and lay there with a gaping wound in the side of the head. The other workmen rushed to his side and he was carefully carried to the ground and afterwards taken to the Cottage Hospital in one of Walker's coal teams.

Fernald is a man between 65 and 70 years of age and has a wife and family living in ... Read MORE...

1904 - Brewing Company Fire
PORTSMOUTH, N. H., Nov. 17. - The malt house of the Frank Jones Brewing Company's immense plant here was ruined by fire to-day, entailing a loss of $150,000. The fire originated in a kiln room of the malt house. Aid was necessary from Newburyport, Dover, and the Navy Yard at Kittery before the blaze was under control. All the Jones property is protected by a blanket insurance.
The New York Times
New York, New York
November 18, 1904

1906
Portsmouth, a city, port of entry, and semi-capital of Rockingham co., N.H., 58 miles N. by E. of Boston, is situated on the right bank of the Piscataqua River, about 3 miles from the ocean, and on the Boston and Maine R. Lat. 43° 6' N. ; Ion. 70° 45' W. This city, the only seaport of the state, is built on a beautiful peninsula, formed by the Piscataqua River, and has a capacious, deep, and easily accessible harbor. It stands on a gentle acclivity overlooking the harbor and is distinguished for its healthy atmosphere, fine gardens, and profusion of shade-trees. The principal public buildings are the Athenaeum (with a library and museum), custom-house, city building, music hall, and St. John's and other churches. The chief object of interest is the Kittery United States navy-yard, on Continental (or Fernald's) Island, near the E. side of the river and con nected by bridge with the village of Kittery, Me. It con tains 3 immense ship-houses and a large floating balance- dock. The "... Read MORE...

1909 - EDWIN HARNDEN KILLED IN RAILROAD WRECK. NOON PASSENGER TRAIN FROM BOSTON COLLIDES WITH SHIFTER IN YARD. SEVEN MEN SERIOUSLY INJURED AND ALL THE OTHERS WERE SHAKEN UP IN TODAY'S ACCIDENT.
One of the worst train wrecks that has taken place for many years occurred shortly after noon today, in the Boston and Maine railroad yard, at the foot of Langdon steet.

The crash was between passenger train No. 29, which leaves Boston at 10 o'clock, due here at 12:10, and a switching engine, No. 483. The locomotives came together with such a crash that the noise could be heard nearly a mile away. Engine No. 483 of the passenger train was completely wrecked, and the tender of the engine pushed nearly half way through the baggage car. The locomotive of the passenger train tipped over, and immediately started to burn. An alarm was rung in from Box 46, at the corner of Bridge and Hanover streets and chemical engine No. 5 soon had a stream on the wreck.

The switching engine, in charge of a hostler crew from the roundhouse, was just backing up on the inward main line, after coming from the coal shed and was nearly clear of the switch, when the Boston train, running at a fair rate of... Read MORE...

1939 - May 23 - Submarine Squalis sank off Portsmouth NH, 26 die

historyorb.com
May 23, 1939

1953 - USS Albacore was a prototype submarine built at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and commissioned in 1953. At the time she was the fastest submarine ever designed.

www.ereferencedesk.com/ resources/ state-facts/ new-hampshire.html

Here's a list of places to go and things to do in Portsmouth:
Strawbery Banke Museum:
Start your journey through time at Strawbery Banke, an outdoor history museum featuring restored buildings from the 17th to the 19th centuries. It provides a fascinating glimpse into the city's past.

Prescott Park:
Enjoy the beauty of Prescott Park, a waterfront park with stunning gardens, outdoor art installations, and events. In the summer, they host outdoor concerts and theater performances.

Portsmouth Harbor Trail:
Take a stroll along the Portsmouth Harbor Trail. This self-guided walking tour will lead you through the historic and scenic parts of the city, showcasing its maritime heritage.

Isles of Shoals:
Embark on a boat tour to the Isles of Shoals. This group of small islands is rich in history and provides beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean. Some tours even include stops on the islands.

USS Albacore Museum:
For history buffs, the USS Albacore Museum is a must-visit. Explore the inside of a retired U.S. Navy submarine and learn about... Read MORE...