There is no better way to see America than on foot. And there is no better way to appreciate what you are looking at than with a walking tour. Whether you are preparing for a road trip or just out to look at your own town in a new way, a downloadable walking tour is ready to explore when you are.
Each walking tour describes historical and architectural landmarks and provides pictures to help out when those pesky street addresses are missing. Every tour also includes a quick primer on identifying architectural styles seen on American streets.
If you Google “Portsmouth” the Virginia town at the mouth of the Elizabeth River comes up first. But while both towns were named for the port in England, the colony of the Province of New Hampshire was actually founded (although he never actually made it this far south from his landing in Newfoundland) by the captain of the English port, John Mason. In fact, Portsmouth, New Hampshire was settled (1630) and fortified more than 100 years before its Virginia counterpart.
The natural harbor formed by the Piscataqua River has been compared to San Francisco for its advantages, save for a nasty current, and the early residents wasted no time in exploiting the location. Shipbuilding and trade made Portsmouth a favorite stop in Colonial times. And after America won its independence Portsmouth continued to be an important player in the young nation’s affairs. Portsmouth native John Langdon functioned as Acting President of the United States before giving the oath of office to George Washington. Portsmouth was generally considered the wealthiest city in New England and in the first census in 1790 it was the 14th most populous city in the country. Portsmouth would not drop out of the Top 20 until 1830.
The sea captains and merchants plowed their profits into their houses. As one observer noted, “The builders of Portsmouth had an eye for style. Tall, square, and many with hip roof, the mansions were the work of builders who were ever attentive to the molding of chimney caps, to the sweep and proportion of granite steps and coping, and to the detail of iron posts and hand-wrought designs on the railings. Topping many a house is the white-railed captain’s walk, from which the merchant could look into the bay and eagerly watch his ships slip home. Not so ornate as the houses of Salem, or so imposing as the Colonial mansions of Virginia, these dwellings show a delicacy of design that larger houses often lack.”
Fire was the enemy of these early American showplaces and Portsmouth suffered more than most. A 1781 blaze lay waste to important swaths of downtown. A Christmas night fire in 1802 completely destroyed entire blocks of Market Street and another in 1806 crippled Bow Street. Finally a conflagration in 1813 burned across 15 acres of the city and claimed nearly 300 structures. After that the New Hampshire legislature passed the Brick Act that forbade the erection of any wooden building higher than 12 feet, which displeased plenty of folks. Wood was cheaper than stone and brick and not everyone was rich. And the town was chock-full of skilled tradesmen who made their living shaping wood.
The result is two historic Portsmouths, one built of wood and the other built of brick. To launch our explorations of the “Old Town by the Sea” we will begin at the center of the downtown core in a sea of bricks before fanning out into the wood...
Each walking tour describes historical and architectural landmarks and provides pictures to help out when those pesky street addresses are missing. Every tour also includes a quick primer on identifying architectural styles seen on American streets.
If you Google “Portsmouth” the Virginia town at the mouth of the Elizabeth River comes up first. But while both towns were named for the port in England, the colony of the Province of New Hampshire was actually founded (although he never actually made it this far south from his landing in Newfoundland) by the captain of the English port, John Mason. In fact, Portsmouth, New Hampshire was settled (1630) and fortified more than 100 years before its Virginia counterpart.
The natural harbor formed by the Piscataqua River has been compared to San Francisco for its advantages, save for a nasty current, and the early residents wasted no time in exploiting the location. Shipbuilding and trade made Portsmouth a favorite stop in Colonial times. And after America won its independence Portsmouth continued to be an important player in the young nation’s affairs. Portsmouth native John Langdon functioned as Acting President of the United States before giving the oath of office to George Washington. Portsmouth was generally considered the wealthiest city in New England and in the first census in 1790 it was the 14th most populous city in the country. Portsmouth would not drop out of the Top 20 until 1830.
The sea captains and merchants plowed their profits into their houses. As one observer noted, “The builders of Portsmouth had an eye for style. Tall, square, and many with hip roof, the mansions were the work of builders who were ever attentive to the molding of chimney caps, to the sweep and proportion of granite steps and coping, and to the detail of iron posts and hand-wrought designs on the railings. Topping many a house is the white-railed captain’s walk, from which the merchant could look into the bay and eagerly watch his ships slip home. Not so ornate as the houses of Salem, or so imposing as the Colonial mansions of Virginia, these dwellings show a delicacy of design that larger houses often lack.”
Fire was the enemy of these early American showplaces and Portsmouth suffered more than most. A 1781 blaze lay waste to important swaths of downtown. A Christmas night fire in 1802 completely destroyed entire blocks of Market Street and another in 1806 crippled Bow Street. Finally a conflagration in 1813 burned across 15 acres of the city and claimed nearly 300 structures. After that the New Hampshire legislature passed the Brick Act that forbade the erection of any wooden building higher than 12 feet, which displeased plenty of folks. Wood was cheaper than stone and brick and not everyone was rich. And the town was chock-full of skilled tradesmen who made their living shaping wood.
The result is two historic Portsmouths, one built of wood and the other built of brick. To launch our explorations of the “Old Town by the Sea” we will begin at the center of the downtown core in a sea of bricks before fanning out into the wood...
