Thank you for joining us for our past events
We are continuing to build our 2021 schedule so come back often. We will try to be innovative on events as the COVID-19 restrictions change.
See what’s been going on at our News Page
2021
Oct 2 at 2 PM Lawton Valley Cemetery Tour (at the Lawton Valley Reservoir and Raytheon)
Guided by Stephen Luce.
Please join us for a tour and discussion of three cemeteries in Lawton Valley! We will first visit the stone cellar hole. This was the home for many of those interred nearby. From there, we will walk to the oldest cemetery. It is currently unrecorded and contains several unmarked gravestones. We will discuss why they are unmarked. Next, we will walk to the well-preserved Captain Job Lawton Cemetery. It is surrounded by a stone wall and contains several beautifully carved grave markers from the 1700’s. Finally, we will drive across the street to visit the seldom seen Town Asylum/Poor Farm Cemetery. Located on the rim of Lawton Valley and just south of Raytheon, this cemetery is the final resting place for many of the most unfortunate and vulnerable individuals from the 19th century. All the grave markers are uninscribed. However, I will relate some of their names and stories of their time at the Poor Farm including their time in the Asylum dungeon!
Where: Parking will first be along the side of the Lawton Reservoir access road. That is the short dead-end road between the reservoir and Lawton Valley. The entry is just south of the traffic light for Raytheon.
Space limited – Reservations required: email phsinfo@portsmouthhistorical.org .
Want to adopt or do research on a cemetery?.
Want to adopt or do research on a cemetery? See more info on the Town Cemeteries Project. ( https://portsmouthhistorical.org/cemetery-graveyard-project/ ) or find out more about researching cemeteries.
Oct 14, 6:30 PM (at the Museum) – Lecture – “Mother-Daughter Activists of the 19th/20 Centuries: Julia Ward Howe and Maud Howe Elliot”
By Fred Zilian and Nancy Grinnell
Oct 23 (Time TBD) Friends Meeting House Event
Postponed (previous scheduled for Nov 3) Lecture: Life Before the Europeans
by John McNiff
TBD – Trip to Prudence Island (in planning – date TBD)
Sept: Annual Meeting
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2020
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Most Other Events Postponed
We hope to revive them in 2021
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Portsmouth Historical Society Postpones Trivia Contests
The Portsmouth Historical Society is hosting their Fourth Annual Portsmouth History Trivia Nights in March. These entertaining and history-filled nights take place in a historical town settings.
March 18 – Adult History Trivia Night has been postponed.
The Portsmouth RI Historical Society Annual Trivia Night Contest, scheduled for Wednesday March 18th at the Valley Inn Restaurant, has been postponed. Portsmouth Historical Society President, Anne Northup Burns said, “This was a very hard decision, but out of an abundance of caution, and following the guidance of our Governor and CDC recommendations, we have decided that as responsible community members it is in everyone’s best interests to reschedule to a later date once when the current COVID-19 situation improves”. The Historical Society will make a separate decision on whether to postpone or cancel the March 25th Student Trivia Contest as the date gets closer
March 25th – Student Trivia – 6-8 PM at the Gulf Stream Bar and Grille has also been postponed.
April 2020
April 1st – Lecture at Glen Manor postponed
April 8th – Book Club “Mayflower” by N. Philbrick Postponed
Portsmouth Historical Society Book Club “Mayflower”, by Nathaniel Philbrick – Wednesday, April 8. has been postponed
The Portsmouth Historical Society hosts regular book discussions that bring our fascinating local history alive. The event is free and open to the public.
April’s book selection, Mayflower, by the engrossing history writer, Nathaniel Philbrick, is a book you will not want to put down. It recounts the true story of the Pilgrims’ fifty-five-year epic that is at once tragic, heroic, exhilarating and profound. Philbrick has fashioned a compelling portrait of the dawn of American history. Despite tensions between Native People and Pilgrim newcomers–and the stresses among each respective group–friendships and relative peace persisted for fifty-five years.
Copies of Mayflower will be available for checkout at Portsmouth Free Public Library well in advance of the meeting. The objective of our get-together is to read the book in advance then share impressions and opinions in a relaxed and fun environment.
Our April discussion will be led by Anne Wagner, a knowledgeable local historian, engaging raconteur and member of the Portsmouth Historical Society. If you love learning more about our rich local history through books, you have come to the right place! (Others who would just like to listen and participate without reading the book are welcome.)
To ensure the library has on hand sufficient copies of the book, and so we can notify you in the event we have to re-schedule, we recommend that you sign up in advance on the library’s website or by calling the library at 683-9457 .
April 16th – Slavery in Colonial RI lecture
April 18th – Discover Portsmouth Town Pond Walk
A visit to the approximate site of Portsmouth’s original 1638 settlement on a walk around Town Pond guided by members of the Portsmouth Historical Society. More details to follow.
April 16th – Slavery in Colonial RI lecture
April 29th – Lecture at Common Fence Point Hall
May 2020
May 12th – lecture Suffragists National Organization
May 15th – Navy Choristers Concert
May 31st – Portsmouth Suffragist Celebration
June -Oct 2020
June 15th – Annual Meeting
August 2nd – Polo (date changed from July 19th)
Oct 18th – Native American event
Oct 23rd – Beirut Memorial-Dave Duggan
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