Lessons from Trip to Portsmouth
Portsmouth has been a crucible of preservation activity for generations. The City boasts robust historic resources and a long-held understanding of heritage as part of its identity and economy. Portsmouth also sits at the mouth of the Piscataqua River, making the city’s many old buildings especially vulnerable to rising sea levels.
Seasoned and new preservation leaders are championing more inclusive story telling and leading the way with addressing the intersection of climate change and preservation. Here are some thoughts from a recent board and staff visit with guests:
Portsmouth’s African Burial Ground Memorial Park offers a national model of the power of history, place, and collaborative effort in honoring a forgotten chapter of the city’s past.
Many heritage organizations are incorporating the stories of lesser-known citizens and uncomfortable aspects of our history into their narratives. The mission of the Black Heritage Trail of NH is to raise awareness of the state’s Black history by fostering dialogues about race, diversity, and inclusion. Jerrianne Boggis, executive director, emphasized the complexity and importance of perspectives and points of origin. At our recent gathering, she said that the murder of George Floyd was a powerful catalyst for their organization’s efforts, adding that researching Black history is a challenge since so much of it was not recorded. But through their educational programs, historic markers, and tours, they are helping to “change the way we understand human dignity when free of historical stereotypes.” Larry Yerdon, president of Strawbery Banke said the museum is using its buildings and collections to interpret the lives of all citizens of Portsmouth. Their exhibits and tours showcase tradespeople, a Jewish family, servants, and enslaved people.
If your gutters are not working, clean, adjust or replace them. Heavier rainstorms may require larger gutters, downspouts, and connectors. Strawbery Banke is currently doing this work at the Goodwin Mansion, pictured here. Does water drain away from your building? If not, correct the drainage by adding extensions on your downspouts, regrading to divert water away from your foundation, and removing vegetation that is restricting water flow.
Extreme weather events and sea level rise pose an urgent threat to historic properties in the seacoast and beyond. In 2016 seacoast historic sites joined the Alliance’s Seven to Save list and the threats have only increased as our climate changes. The situation is complicated but there are mitigation measures that can be done, starting with observing how water moves around your building and infiltrates it. Strawbery Banke is actively pursuing projects on and off their 10-acre campus to address current and anticipated impacts. Stay tuned for more information about the “Keeping History Above Water” conference in Portsmouth in 2023.
Planning is an invaluable investment for capital projects at historic properties. Sequencing repairs to avoid repeat damage is part of this process—like fixing your gutters before you replace a sill or interior plaster. Scheduling phases of the rehabilitation process is another strategy that works well, especially if there are several expensive items. Breaking a job into smaller components provides more time to raise funds and demonstrates progress.
The Player’s Ring in Portsmouth, located in a former Marine Railway building on Marcy Street, is a significant remnant of Portsmouth’s maritime history. Board leaders there talked about a planning report funded in part by the N.H. Preservation Alliance and LCHIP that helped them prioritize and then address exterior envelope issues — doors, windows, and brick pointing. Leaders of the Black Heritage Trail of NH are also working with a UNH sustainability fellow and a preservation consultant to develop a rehabilitation plan for their headquarters on Court Street that will include mitigating water infiltration.
Innovative models are increasingly used to care for historic properties. In several instances in Portsmouth over the past generation, leases and easements provide “win-win” techniques for unused or surplus buildings.
An important African American heritage landmark, the Pearl of Portsmouth, was rehabilitated using funds secured by a preservation easement. Owned and used by business interests, the sanctuary and other elements are protected for the future.
The former City library was transformed into the Discover Portsmouth Center with the Portsmouth Historical Society leading the on-going stewardship. A lease from the City and collaboration with other non-profits were ingredients of this successful model that raised over $1.3 million to rehabilitate the facility that has two federal houses as its core.
The Heritage House Program at Strawbery Banke turned under-utilized historic houses into income-producing properties by offering residential, office and retail space. The program includes protections for the buildings, helps fund on-going preservation, and provides additional vitality in and around the museum campus.
In a related way, the 1730s Tobias Lear House has been restored by a new owner for use by overnight visitors after purchasing the easement-protected property from the Wentworth-Gardner Historic House Association.
Many thanks to Strawbery Banke Museum and the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire for their tremendous work and their time with our group.
We know there is MUCH more to learn from Portsmouth’s preservation activity through the years. Send us your thoughts on these or other subjects.