For 10 years, long ago, there was an elk outside my bedroom window. It never moved. The life-sized bronze statue stood on a pedestal in front of the Elks Lodge in downtown Portsmouth. I lived across from 93 Pleasant St. I was so fascinated by the giant metal deer that I never paid much attention to the three-story brick building that loomed behind.
I didn’t know it had been a private home and a hotel, and I didn’t believe the rumor that George Washington slept there. Until last week, I didn’t know its official name is the Treadwell-Jenness House. When I read about a proposal to convert the structure into a series of affordable “micro apartments,” I wanted to know more. Here’s a quick overview of what I found.
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Portsmouth Herald
Feb. 24 – To the Editor:
My grandparents emigrated to Portsmouth in 1900. My grandmother, Julia Brennan, was from Ireland and my grandfather, Joseph Martineau, was from Princeville, Quebec. They met here in Portsmouth, were married at the Immaculate Conception Church. For their honeymoon, they took the train from Portsmouth train station up country through Island Pond, Vermont, and on into Quebec. On their return, they moved into their new home at 64 Pine Street in the infamous Creek Neighborhood. The Creek (pronounced “Crick”) was about 90% Irish Catholic and a few of them weren t happy to have a mixed marriage such as my grandparents in the neighborhood. My grandmother gave birth to their four children in their home.
PORTSMOUTH Anticipating the springtime signing-on of prospective tenants, Strawbery Banke Museum is renovating two houses on its historic campus for residential use as part of the Heritage House Program.
The Banke’s Patch House and Webster House are joining 11 other houses holding tenants, which has become a major income driver for Strawbery Banke since COVID-19 has limited operations.
The difference between the current state of the two houses is night and day, said Rodney Rowland, the museum s director of facilities and special projects.
“Webster is in fantastic condition and easy to convert,” he said. “Patch House is in really bad condition and takes longer to convert.”
Portsmouth Athenaeum receives Charles DeGrandpre bequest
Portsmouth Herald
PORTSMOUTH Longtime proprietor and well-known New Hampshire attorney Charles DeGrandpre has left a bequest in his will to the Portsmouth Athenaeum in the amount of $10,000. His daughter, Libby Giordano, presented the check to the Athenaeum on Dec. 15.
Pictured are Bradley M. Lown, president, Portsmouth Athenaeum; Tom Hardiman, Athenaeum Keeper; Jeff Keefe, treasurer, Portsmouth Athenaeum; and Libby Giordano. DeGrandpre along with Eleonore Sanderson established the Portsmouth Athenaeum Legacy Society to encourage and facilitate bequests to the Athenaeum.
The Portsmouth Athenaeum was founded in 1817, is located in the middle of Market Square, and is a resource center for local history. The Athenaeum houses 40,000 books and has over 400 proprietors.