History Club On Tour
October 2, 2008Twenty seven members of the History Club, along with its advisor Mr. Thomson, visited the Discover Portsmouth Center and the John Paul Jones House Wednesday afternoon. The Center is located in the former Portsmouth Public Library building and is now the home of the Portsmouth Historical Society. The club members viewed photographs of changes in the seacoast area over the last 125 years and a brief video on the history of Portsmouth. Then it was across the street to the house where John Paul Jones boarded twice while waiting for ships to be constructed during the Revolutionary War. Notable among them was the Continental frigate Ranger.
It was this connection with John Paul Jones that actually saved the house from destruction in the early years of the 20th Century. The students also viewed a documents and artifacts associated with the Treaty of Portsmouth ending the Russo-Japanese War in 1905. As is always the case, club members enjoyed home baked treats from Mrs. T’s kitchen on their journey back in time.