A New England Summer: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Until 2024, I had not experienced a New England summer — its clear blue, massive skies, rocky coastline, and bustling waters — but had seen many paintings of the area, particularly Maine, by admired regional artists as Adele Lemm and internationally acclaimed artists as Edward Hopper. I grew up in the Mississippi Delta and attended Ole Miss. It wasn’t until my mid twenties while living in New York City that I heard the term, “summering.” In Manhattan that term, among my peers, meant a shared summer house in the Hamptons. When I moved to Charleston “summering” reemerged and meant long week stays in the North Carolina mountains or in a quaint port town along the New England coastline, most easily accessible by sailboats from the Charleston harbor.
Like trains to Europe, sailboats are quick and efficient transportation to travel to clustered port cities along the East Coast. But we flew into Providence, Rhode Island, rented a car and made our way throughout New England with temperatures in the 70s, lush green highways, and the clearest blue skies one can imagine.
Rebekah Jacob, New England, August
PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Under two hours by car, one can travel from the Providence, Rhode Island airport to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a stone’s throw from Kittery, Maine. A historic town, founded in 1653 by Captain John Mason and Sire Ferdinando Gorges (yes, settled even before Charelston), it is a coastal city known for its history, culture, and outdoor activities. Early settlers dubbed Portsmouth “Strawberry Banke” because of the wild strawberries along the Piscataqua River, which is accessible by public and private walkways and piers.
Historic architecture feans will be in heaven among Portsmouths’ cobblestone streets and Colonial structures, some built by early settlers in the 17th century. The Strawbery Banke Museum is located at the site of Portsmouth’s original settlement in 1630 and they operate nearly 40 period homes, covering 400 years of local history. Also, thankfully, historic preservationists spearheaded the Portsmouth Historic House Associates, which is a “consortium of 11 historic sites in Portsmouth, NH, that work together to promote and preserve Portsmouth's rich and varied history. My personal favorite National Historic Landmark is the Langdon House, an exceptional Georgian mansion which George Washington “esteemed the first” in Portsmouth. Its reception rooms are of a grand scale suited to ceremonial occasions and are ornamented by elaborate wood carving in the Rococo style.
Historic Governor John Langdon House, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
John Langdon was a merchant and shipbuilder. A three-term governor of New Hampshire, Langdon was also a Revolutionary leader, a signer of the United States Constitution, and a friend of George Washington, who visited the house in 1789. It was also the home of the Black freedman Cyrus Bruce, a paid servant who was well known around Portsmouth. The Langdons were also connected to Ona Judge, who was enslaved by George and Martha Washington, escaped to freedom, was never caught, and spent much of her free life around the Portsmouth area. At the end of the nineteenth century, Langdon descendants purchased the house and restored it to its eighteenth-century appearance. They added a substantial wing designed by the architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White to house modern necessities. The house tells the story of the early colony of New Hampshire, Portsmouth’s mercantile boom, and the Colonial Revival movement.
Historical settings and contemporary experiences converge at Portsmouth’s Music Hall, which has hosted acclaimed talent — such as Thomas Edison, Mark Twain, Tony Bennett, and lucky for us, Ryan Adams. First built as a Vaudeville theatre, the space has 895 seats and a horseshoe balcony. Before the crew cuts the lights and the show begins, take a visual note of the theatre’s historic and preserved decorative moldings, historic dome ceiling murals and proscenium arch. If you are lucky to go backstage of this Seacoast jewel, one will notice the town's first purpose-built theater’s backstage rigging system, built like a ship’s.
Music Hall, Portsmouth, New Hampshire ; Ryan Adams
Before experiencing the theatre — or any other time — delve into fresh seafood from local waters. Row 34, a personal buzzing favorite , is located a few blocks away from Portsmouth’s famed Decks. The restaurant sources the best oysters from local fishermen and pick it up fresh from the Fish Pier. Surf Seafood Restaurant also source the best quality seafood locally and daily. Their “standards of excellence start with the selection of the top of the catch each day and often our daily specials are sourced from local fishermen who know where to send the best fish of the day.” Waiters and waitresses are connoisseurs on local seafood, so ask a lot of questions.
ROUTE 1A - a scenic drive that hugs the coast
Windows down, radio up …. An amazing New England summer drive along the New Hampshire seacoast is only 13 miles long, meaning this drive can be as short or as long as you want with many photo-ops. The passing of milage and time are interludes between sweet New England towns along this stretch of sand and rock, including the bustling Hampton Beach. If you choose to head down to Hampton Beach, there is a full boardwalk experience where you can enjoy a wide sandy beach, arcades, restaurants and shopping. If you want to avoid crowds, access Jenness or Wallis Sands in Rye. If the sand isn’t your friend, but you still want to witness breathtaking ocean views, the trails of Odiorne Point State Park and its onsite Seacoast Science Center provide an outlet to stroll along the rocky Atlantic coast. Make a day of the 13 mile stretch. Gaze out on the Isles of Shoals. Enjoy a picnic on the shore. If you dare, swim in the Atlantic. No margin for error in finding your way: simply follow the signs for Route 1A and, if in doubt, hug the coast.
Summertime was as different thing growing in the Mississippi Delta. It was a critical season for local farmers tending to their crops and we high school cheerleaders were supporting the football team with gatorade during two day practices in the unbearable heat. When I moved to the East Coast (Washington, DC then New York City then Charleston) in my adulthood and heard the word “summering,” the term implied a long getaway to a cooler and quieter spot. But in time, “summering” has become something different for me: a short, weeklong experience out of the Charleston heat and to someplace ‘cool’ I have yet been — and may want to go again.
