HISTORY: Twilight Tours

Description

Portsmouth Historic Sites Associates Twilight Tours Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, 4-8 p.m.

ocated at several historic sites in Portsmouth, NH The Portsmouth Historic Sites Associates (PHSA) proudly announces the return of their annual Twilight Tour on Friday, August 9, 2024, from 4-8 PM. This year’s theme, “Flames of Revolution,” pays homage to the events that led to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which the United States will celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2026. The event will showcase several participating sites, each offering unique insights into the city’s rich history.

Please note this is a self-guided walking tour. Visitors may plan their own route and are responsible for their own transportation.

Tickets: $20/adult; $10/child in advance; $25/$12 day of (after 4 PM on 8/8/24) *any cash purchases MUST start at Warner House to check in and pay To purchase tickets online, visit portsmouthhistoric.org/events. To register ahead and receive the advance pricing, and pay at the door, please email manager@warnerhouse.org. All cash or check sales MUST start at the Warner House, 150 Daniel St.

Highlights of the 2024 Twilight Tour include:
• Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire, 222 Court Street: Explore 'Gordon's Back: Delusions and Context,' an interactive exhibition by Boston artist Nadroj Nina Holmes, debuting in New Hampshire. Holmes's work, rooted in the living history of Black liberation movements, reimagines the historical figure Gordon, also known as Whipped Peter, transforming his image from a symbol of chattel slavery into a thought-provoking representation of present-day discourse.

• The Gundalow Company, Prescott Park on Water Street: Experience a river cruise aboard an 1880s Gundalow reproduction and learn about the region’s maritime heritage. With a Twilight Tour ticket, book any regular Harbor or Sunset Sail on the Gundalow in Portsmouth, NH at half price. (not open on 8/9; ticket used for discount for another scheduled date)

• Historic New England’s Governor John Langdon House, 143 Pleasant Street: Explore the home and learn about the revolutionary spirit and patriotic actions of John Langdon, a three-term governor of New Hampshire, a Revolutionary leader, and a signer of the United States Constitution. • Historic New England’s Rundlet-May House, 364 Middle Street: Tour the first floor and explore the revolutionary technologies and sumptuous decor of the Rundlet-May family’s showhouse.

• Historic New England’s Jackson House, 76 Northwest Street: Explore the oldest surviving English timber frame home in New Hampshire and learn how the site inspired a groundbreaking historic preservation philosophy.

• Moffatt-Ladd House & Garden, 154 Market Street: Visit this Georgian mansion built in 1763 by the Moffatt family, which later became home to a signer of the Declaration of Independence and two signers of the 1779 Petition of Freedom.

• Portsmouth Historical Society’s John Paul Jones House, 43 Middle Street: Tour the John Paul Jones House to explore the crucial decisions American colonists faced regarding liberty, independence, and democracy, with Revolutionary-era artifacts, including those related to Washington, Lafayette, George III, and John Paul Jones, on display.

• Strawbery Banke Museum’s William Pitt Tavern, 14 Hancock Street: Explore the William Pitt Tavern, the colonial tavern built in 1766 by John Stavers, which was a key stop for the Flying Stage Coach between Portsmouth and Boston, and a gathering place for both Patriots and Loyalists. (Pitt Tavern is only SBM building open on 8/9 for Twilight Tour).

• Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion, 375 Little Harbor Road: Discover this mid-eighteenth-century home of Royal Governor Benning Wentworth, where Wentworth’s widow entertained George Washington for tea in 1789. • Wentworth-Gardner House, 50 Mechanic Street: Visit what is considered one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture and the former home of the influential Wentworth Family, including John Wentworth, the colony's last royal governor.

• The Warner House, 150 Daniel Street: Explore the first floor, where tours will highlight the Loyalist side of the American Revolution, offering insights into what Jonathan Warner, a member of the Royal Council, thought about the unrest in Portsmouth in the years leading up to the Revolution.

Each Twilight Tour ticket is valid for one admission to the participating sites on the night of the Twilight Tour. Tickets are valid for the balance of the 2024 season for admission to most of the sites if visitors are unable to tour the night of the event. Each site reserves the right to determine their own discount. Please check with each site for details. Proceeds benefit the member sites of the Portsmouth Historic Sites Associates.