Strawbery Banke Museum
14 Hancock Street
Portsmouth New Hampshire 03801
The Historic Houses :
Strawbery Banke is unique among outdoor history museums in presenting a complete neighborhood’s evolution over 300+ years, with most of the 37 historic buildings on their original foundations. These structures link visitors to the people who lived on the Portsmouth waterfront from 1695 to 1954.
Strawbery Banke Museum began as a “save our history” effort by the citizens of Portsmouth. In the late 1950s, Puddle Dock, an area of dilapidated homes near the Piscataqua River was targeted for urban renewal. All the “substandard” homes in Puddle Dock — some of which dated back to the 1600s — were to to torn down and replaced with modern buildings. That was until city librarian Dorothy Vaughn addressed the Portsmouth Rotary Club one day in 1957.
That day Vaughn “laid it on the line” for the Rotary Club, telling them that every time one of the old houses was torn or an antique piece of Portsmouth furniture shipped out of town, the city was losing its past. The Rotary Club was galvanized into action, and while Puddle Dock did undergo urban renewal, much of it has been saved as a historic museum.
Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond
Location: Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond, 14 Hancock Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
WEATHER DEPENDENT — Check Facebook for updates!
Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond at Strawbery Banke Museum brings people together to enjoy traditional New England outdoor ice skating.
The rink offers daily public skating, adaptive ice time, private rink rentals, skating lessons, and pick-up pond hockey on a professionally maintained ice surface supported by a chilling system and Zamboni.
Ice skate rentals, training aids, and skate sharpening services are also available.
Whether you’re interested in the history of the Puddle Dock neighborhood, the historic houses, or the museum’s gardens and historic landscapes, click on the link below for a virtual tour that will transport you to this historic waterfront neighborhood.
Link for Virtual tour: https://www.strawberybanke.org/virtual-tour.cfm
Video Overview of Strawbery Banke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uAe5CGgk8I&feature=em-upload_owner
Strawbery Banke has a virtual classroom: https://strawberybankemuseum.wordpress.com
Programs for Homeschoolers and Remote Learners: https://strawberybankemuseum.wordpress.com/history-at-home/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_4_3_2020_7_59_COPY_01)&mc_cid=9f038c2719&mc_eid=72c611c719#Homedays
Events: https://www.strawberybanke.org/calendar
Link to the Historic Houses: http://www.strawberybanke.org/houses/historic-houses.cfm
Link to the website: https://www.strawberybanke.org
Image Credits: strawberybanke.org unless otherwise noted