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Portsmouth, New Hampshire

 
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Portsmouth, New Hampshire
 
 
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Portsmouth is a city
City

A city is an urban area with a high population density and a particular administrative, legal, or historical status.Large industrialized cities generally have advanced systems for sanitation, utilities, land usage, house, and transportation and more....
 in Rockingham County
Rockingham County, New Hampshire

Rockingham County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of 2000, the population was 277,359. The county seat is Brentwood, New Hampshire, although Exeter, New Hampshire is the traditional county seat....
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire

New Hampshire is a U.S. state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States United States of America. The state was named after the southern English Counties of England of Hampshire....
 in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
. It is the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 20,784 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000

File:US-Census-2000Logo.svgThe Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the United States Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons Enumeration during the United States Census, 1990....
. A historic seaport and popular summer tourist destination, Portsmouth is served by Pease International Tradeport, a former military base
Pease Air Force Base

Pease Air Force Base was a U.S. Air Force base under the control of the Strategic Air Command until 1991. Portions of the former base now serve as the Pease Air National Guard Base and the Portsmouth International Airport at Pease....
 converted into a civilian airport and office park.

In 2008 Portsmouth was named one of the "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

first known Europe
Europe

Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
an to explore and write about the area was Martin Pring
Martin Pring

Martin Pring was an English explorer from Bristol, England. In 1603, under patronage of the mayor, alderman and merchants of Bristol, Pring sailed to discover the northern parts of the territory known as Virginia in United States....
 in 1603.






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Encyclopedia


Portsmouth is a city
City

A city is an urban area with a high population density and a particular administrative, legal, or historical status.Large industrialized cities generally have advanced systems for sanitation, utilities, land usage, house, and transportation and more....
 in Rockingham County
Rockingham County, New Hampshire

Rockingham County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of 2000, the population was 277,359. The county seat is Brentwood, New Hampshire, although Exeter, New Hampshire is the traditional county seat....
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire

New Hampshire is a U.S. state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States United States of America. The state was named after the southern English Counties of England of Hampshire....
 in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
. It is the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 20,784 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000

File:US-Census-2000Logo.svgThe Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the United States Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons Enumeration during the United States Census, 1990....
. A historic seaport and popular summer tourist destination, Portsmouth is served by Pease International Tradeport, a former military base
Pease Air Force Base

Pease Air Force Base was a U.S. Air Force base under the control of the Strategic Air Command until 1991. Portions of the former base now serve as the Pease Air National Guard Base and the Portsmouth International Airport at Pease....
 converted into a civilian airport and office park.

In 2008 Portsmouth was named one of the "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

History

The first known Europe
Europe

Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
an to explore and write about the area was Martin Pring
Martin Pring

Martin Pring was an English explorer from Bristol, England. In 1603, under patronage of the mayor, alderman and merchants of Bristol, Pring sailed to discover the northern parts of the territory known as Virginia in United States....
 in 1603. The village was settled in 1630 as Piscataqua, then given the name Strawbery Banke
Strawbery Banke

Strawbery Banke is an outdoor history museum located in the South End historic district of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, New Hampshire. It is the oldest neighborhood in New Hampshire to be settled by Europeans, and the earliest neighborhood remaining in the present-day city of Portsmouth....
 because of abundant wild strawberries growing beside the Piscataqua River
Piscataqua River

The Piscataqua River, in the northeastern United States, is a long tidal river estuary formed by the confluence of the Salmon Falls River and Cocheco River rivers....
, a tidal estuary
Estuary

An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
 with a swift current. Strategically located for trade between various upstream industries (particularly logging
Logging

Logging is the process in which certain trees are cut down for forest management and timber....
) and mercantile interests abroad, the port
Port

||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|}A port is a facility for receiving ships and transferring cargo. They are usually found at the edge of an ocean, sea, river, or lake....
 prospered. Fishing
Fishing

Fishing is the activity of catching fish. Fishing techniques include Fish net, Fish trap, Spearfishing, angling and Gathering seafood by hand. The term fishing may be applied to catching other aquatic animals such as different types of shellfish, squid, octopus, turtles, Edible frog and some edible marine invertebrates....
, lumber
Lumber

Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from logging through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
 and shipbuilding
Shipbuilding

Shipbuilding is the construction of ships. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, originally called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history....
 were principal businesses.

At the town's incorporation in 1653, the name Portsmouth was adopted in honor of the colony's founder, John Mason. He had been captain of the port of Portsmouth
Portsmouth

Portsmouth city status in the United Kingdom located in the Counties of England of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is the UK's only island city and is located on Portsea Island....
, England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
, in the county of Hampshire
Hampshire

Hampshire , sometimes historically Southamptonshire, Hamptonshire, , or the County of Southampton, is a Counties of England on the south coast of England....
, for which New Hampshire is named. In 1679, Portsmouth became the colonial capital. It also became a refuge for exiles from Puritan
Puritan

A Puritan of 16th and 17th century England was an associate of any number of religious groups advocating for more "purity" of worship and doctrine, as well as personal and group pietism....
 Massachusetts
Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a U.S. state located in the New England region of the Northeastern United States United States. It borders Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north....
. When Queen Anne's War
Queen Anne's War

Queen Anne's War was the second in a series of four French and Indian Wars fought between France and England . in North America for control of the continent and was the counterpart of the War of the Spanish Succession in Europe....
 ended, the town was selected by Governor Joseph Dudley
Joseph Dudley

Joseph Dudley , colonial governor of Massachusetts from 1702 to 1715, was born and died in Roxbury, Massachusetts. He was the son of the second governor of Massachusetts, Thomas Dudley....
 to host the 1713 Treaty of Portsmouth
Treaty of Portsmouth (1713)

The Treaty of Portsmouth, signed on July 13, 1713, ended hostilities between Eastern Abenakis with the Province of Massachusetts Bay. The agreement renewed a treaty of 1693 the Indians had made with Governor William Phipps, two in a series of attempts to establish peace between Indigenous peoples of the United States and colonists during th...
, which ended hostilities between Eastern Abenaki Indians
Indigenous peoples of the Americas

The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Americas, their descendants, and many ethnic groups who identify with those peoples....
 and English settlements of the Province of Massachusetts Bay
Province of Massachusetts Bay

The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a British overseas territories chartered October 7, 1691 in North America by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland....
 and New Hampshire.

During the Revolution
American Revolution

The American Revolution refers to the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen Colonies of North America overthrew the governance of the British Empire and then rejected the British monarchy to become the sovereign United States of America....
, in 1774, Paul Revere
Paul Revere

Paul Revere was an American silversmith and a Patriot in the American Revolution.He was glorified after his death for his role as a messenger in the battles of Lexington and Concord, and Revere's name and his "midnight ride" are well-known in the United States as a patriotic symbol....
 rode to Portsmouth warning that the British
Great Britain

Great Britain is an island lying to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the List of islands by area, and the largest in Europe. With a population of 58.9 million people it is List of islands by population....
 were coming. Although the harbor was protected by Fort William and Mary
Fort William and Mary

Fort William and Mary was a colonial defensive post at New Castle, New Hampshire, New Hampshire. First fortified in 1632 on the island of New Castle at the mouth of the Piscataqua River estuary, the fort guarded access to the harbor at Portsmouth, New Hampshire....
, the rebel government moved the capital inland to Exeter
Exeter, New Hampshire

Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, New Hampshire, United States. The town's population was 14,058 at the 2000 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood, New Hampshire....
, particularly after Falmouth (now Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine

Portland is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat of Cumberland County, Maine. The city population was 64,249 at the 2000 United States Census....
) was bombarded by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....
 on October 18, 1775. During President Thomas Jefferson's
Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States , the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence , and one of the most influential Founding Fathers of the United States for his promotion of the ideals of republicanism in the United States....
 1807 embargo
Embargo Act of 1807

BackgroundOn June 21, 1807, in an event known as the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair, the American frigate USS Chesapeake was fired upon and was boarded near Norfolk by the British warship HMS Leopard ....
, which withered trade, a number of local fortunes were lost. Others were gained by privateer
Privateer

A privateer was a private warship authorized by a country's government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping. Strictly, a privateer was only entitled by its state to attack and rob enemy vessels during wartime....
ing during the War of 1812
War of 1812

The War of 1812, between the United States of America and the British Empire , was fought from 1812 to 1815.There were several immediate stated causes for the U.S....
. In 1849, Portsmouth incorporated as a city.

Once one of the nation's busiest ports and shipbuilding cities, Portsmouth's wealth was expressed in fine architecture
Architecture

The term architecture can refer to a process, a profession or documentation.As a process, architecture is the activity of designing and construction buildings and other physical structures by a person or a computer, primarily to provide shelter....
. It contains significant examples of Colonial
Colonial house

American colonial architecture includes several building design styles associated with the colonial period of the United States, including First Period English , French Colonial, Spanish Colonial, Dutch Colonial, German Colonial and Georgian architecture....
, Georgian
Georgian architecture

Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking world to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four Monarchy of the United Kingdom of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United Kingdom, and George IV of the...
, and Federal style houses, a selection of which are now museums. Portsmouth's heart contains stately brick Federalist stores and townhouses, built all-of-a-piece after devastating early 19th century fires.

The worst was in 1813 when 244 buildings burned. A fire district was subsequently created which required that all new buildings within the district be constructed of brick with slate
Slate

Slate is a fine-grained, foliation , homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcano ash through low grade regional metamorphism....
 roofs. The city is also noted for producing boldly veneered
Wood veneer

In woodworking, veneer refers to thin slices of wood, usually thinner than 3 millimetre , that are typically glued onto core panels to produce flat panels such as doors, tops and panels for Cabinet , parquetry flooring and parts of furniture....
 Federalist furniture, particularly that by master cabinet maker
Cabinet making

Cabinet making is the practice of utilizing various woodworking skills to create cabinets, shelving and furniture.Cabinet making involves techniques such as creating appropriate Woodworking joints, dado_, bevel, chamfer and shelving systems, the use of finishing tools such as Wood routers to create decorative edgings, and so on....
 Langley Boardman.

The Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, production, and transportation had a profound effect on the socioeconomics and cultural conditions in United Kingdom....
 left Portsmouth in the shadow of New Hampshire mill town
Mill town

A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories ....
s like Dover
Dover, New Hampshire

Dover is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, New Hampshire, in the United States of America. The population was 26,884 at the 2000 census....
, Keene
Keene, New Hampshire

Keene is a city in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 22,955 at the United States Census, 2000. The estimated population was 22,834 in 2007, according to the State Data Center....
, Laconia
Laconia, New Hampshire

Laconia is a city in Belknap County, New Hampshire, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 16,411 at the 2000 census, which makes it the 9th-largest city in the state....
, Manchester
Manchester, New Hampshire

Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire and the largest city of northern New England, an area composed of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine....
, Nashua
Nashua, New Hampshire

Nashua is a city in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2000 census, Nashua had a total population of 86,605, making it the second largest city in the state after Manchester, New Hampshire ....
 and Rochester
Rochester, New Hampshire

Rochester is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 28,461, the largest in New Hampshire's Seacoast region....
. The effect of this economic shift was to preserve old Portsmouth throughout its Victorian
Victorian era

The Victorian Era of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the period of Victoria of the United Kingdom reign from June 1837 to January 1901....
 doldrums, a time described in the works of native son Thomas Bailey Aldrich
Thomas Bailey Aldrich

Thomas Bailey Aldrich was an American poet, novelist, traveler, and editor, born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire....
. Now, with the protection of a Historic District Commission, much of the city's architectural legacy survives -- to the delight of tourists and artist
Artist

The definition of an artist is wide-ranging and covers a broad spectrum of activities to do with creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art....
s, who each summer throng the cafes around Market Square.

Portsmouth shipbuilding history has a long symbiotic relationship with Kittery, Maine
Kittery, Maine

Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 United States Census. The town declares itself to be the "Gateway to Maine." Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes the seaside district of Kittery Point, Maine and part of the Isles of Shoals....
, across the Piscataqua River. Although John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones

John Paul Jones was United States first well-known US Navy fighter in the American Revolutionary War. Although he made enemies among the American ruling class, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to this day....
 boarded at the Portsmouth house which now bears his name, his ship Ranger
USS Ranger (1777)

The first USS Ranger was a sloop-of-war in the Continental Navy and received the first government-sanctioned salute to an American fighting vessel by a foreign power....
 was built on Badger's Island in Kittery. The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard , often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard located in Kittery, Maine on the southern boundary of Maine....
, established in 1800 as the first federal navy yard, is located on Seavey's Island in Kittery. President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt , also known as T.R., and to the public as Teddy, was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States....
 arranged for the base to host negotiations leading to the 1905 Treaty of Portsmouth
Treaty of Portsmouth

The Treaty of Portsmouth formally ended the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War.It was signed on September 5, 1905 after negotiations at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard near Portsmouth, New Hampshire in the United States....
, ending the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War

The Russo-Japanese War or the Manchurian Campaign in some English sources, was a conflict that grew out of the rival imperialism ambitions of the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan over Manchuria and Korea....
.

Notable inhabitants

  • Brooke Astor
    Brooke Astor

    Brooke Astor was an United States philanthropy and socialite who was the chairwoman of the Vincent Astor Foundation, which had been established by her third husband, Vincent Astor, great-great-grandson of the first multi-millionaire John Jacob Astor....
    , socialite & philanthropist
  • Ichabod Bartlett
    Ichabod Bartlett

    Ichabod Bartlett was a United States Representative from New Hampshire. He was born in Salisbury, New Hampshire. He received a classical education and was graduated from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire in 1808....
    , congressman
  • Al Barr
    Al Barr

    Alexander Martin "Al" Barr is the lead singer of the Dropkick Murphys. He was also a founder and lead singer for The Bruisers, which he helped form in 1988 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, New Hampshire....
    , musician
  • Samantha Brown
    Samantha Brown

    Samantha Elizabeth Brown is an American television host, notable for her work as the host of Girl Meets Hawaii, Great Hotels, Passport to Europe, Passport to Latin America, Passport to Great Weekends, and Passport to China, all of which currently air on the Travel Channel....
    , Travel Channel host/tv personality
  • Samuel Cushman
    Samuel Cushman

    Samuel Cushman was a United States Representative from New Hampshire. He was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and attended the common schools....
    , congressman
  • Ronnie James Dio
    Ronnie James Dio

    Ronnie James Dio , is an American heavy metal music vocalist and singer-songwriter who has performed with Elf , Rainbow , Black Sabbath, and his own band Dio....
    , musician
  • James T. Fields
    James Thomas Fields

    James Thomas Fields was an United States publisher and author....
    , publisher & author
  • Betty Hill, UFO abductee
  • Frank Jones
    Frank Jones

    Frank Jones was a United States Representative from New Hampshire representing the New Hampshire's 1st congressional district from 1875 to 1879....
    , businessman, congressman & mayor
  • John Paul Jones
    John Paul Jones

    John Paul Jones was United States first well-known US Navy fighter in the American Revolutionary War. Although he made enemies among the American ruling class, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to this day....
    , "father" of U.S. Navy
  • Jean Kasem
    Jean Kasem

    Jean Thompson Kasem is an American actress. She is best known for playing Loretta Tortelli, the dim-witted wife of Nick Tortelli on Cheers and the short-lived spinoff The Tortellis....
    , actress
  • John Langdon
    John Langdon

    John Langdon was a politician from New Hampshire and one of the first two United States Senators from that state. Langdon was an early supporter of the American Revolutionary War and later served in the Continental Congress....
    , statesman & governor
  • Tobias Lear
    Tobias Lear

    Tobias Lear V was an United States who served as President of the United States George Washington personal secretary. Lear would serve as Washington's secretary from 1784 until Washington's death in 1799....
    , secretary to George Washington
    George Washington

    George Washington was the leader of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States of the United States of Americas ....
  • Daniel Marcy
    Daniel Marcy

    Daniel Marcy was a United States Representative from New Hampshire. He was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire where he attended the common schools....
    , congressman
  • Jim McDermott
    Jim McDermott (illustrator)

    Jim McDermott is a New Hampshire-based artist who has illustrated for animation, magazines and comic books.After graduating in 1982 from Boston's New England School of Art and Design , McDermott headed West where he held a position as the staff illustrator for a publishing firm before entering the animation industry....
    , cartoonist & illustrator
  • Fitz John Porter
    Fitz John Porter

    Fitz John Porter was a career United States Army officer and a Union Army General officer during the American Civil War. He is most known for his performance at the Second Battle of Bull Run and his subsequent Court-martial of Fitz John Porter....
    , general
  • Tom Rush
    Tom Rush

    Tom Rush is a noted folk music and blues music singer, songwriter and recording artist....
    , musician
  • Richard A. Searfoss
    Richard A. Searfoss

    Richard Alan Searfoss , is a retired United States USAF colonel, NASA Astronaut and test pilot....
    , astronaut
  • Benjamin Penhallow Shillaber
    Benjamin Penhallow Shillaber

    Benjamin Penhallow Shillaber was an American humorist.He was born in 1814 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and began work in a printing-office in 1830....
    , humorist
  • Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford
    Benjamin Thompson

    Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford , Fellow of the Royal Society was an English-American physics and inventor whose challenges to established physical theory were part of the 19th century revolution in thermodynamics....
    , physicist & inventor
  • Daniel Webster
    Daniel Webster

    Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman during the nation's antebellum. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests....
    , lawyer & statesman
  • Benning Wentworth
    Benning Wentworth

    Benning Wentworth was the colonial governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766. The son of the John Wentworth who had been Lieutenant Governor, he was born and died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire....
    , royal governor
  • Sir John Wentworth
    John Wentworth (governor)

    Sir John Wentworth was the Kingdom of Great Britain colonial governor of New Hampshire at the time of the American Revolution. A graduate of Harvard College, he earned a BA in 1755 and MA in 1758....
    , last royal governor
  • William Whipple
    William Whipple

    William Whipple, Jr. , was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of New Hampshire.Whipple was born at Kittery, Maine, and educated at a common school studying how to be a merchant, judge, and a soldier until he went off to sea....
    , signer of Declaration of Independence
    Declaration of independence

    This article is about declarations of independence in general. Specific declarations of independence are listed below in alphabetical order. For the painting of this name, see Trumbull's Declaration of Independence....


Geography


According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data....
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water, comprising 7.03% of the town. Portsmouth is drained by Sagamore Creek and the Piscataqua River
Piscataqua River

The Piscataqua River, in the northeastern United States, is a long tidal river estuary formed by the confluence of the Salmon Falls River and Cocheco River rivers....
. The highest point in the city is above sea level
Sea level

Mean sea level is the average height of the sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface. Defining the reference level , however, involves complex measurement, and accurately determining MSL can prove difficult....
, within Pease International Airport.

Demographics

As of the census
Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population....
 of 2000, there were 20,784 people, 9,875 households, and 4,858 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans....
 was 1,331.3 people per square mile (514.1/km²). There were 10,186 housing units at an average density of 652.5/sq mi (251.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.55% White, 2.13% African American, 0.21% Native American, 2.44% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.35% of the population.

There were 9,875 households out of which 20.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% were married couples
Marriage

Marriage is a social, spirituality, or law union of individuals. This union may also be called matrimony, while the ceremony that marks its beginning is usually called a wedding and the married status created is sometimes called wedlock....
 living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.8% were non-families. 38.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.75.

the Rockingham Hotel, Portsmouth, Nh
In the city the population was spread out with 17.2% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 36.2% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $45,195, and the median income for a family was $59,630. Males had a median income of $41,966 versus $29,024 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income

Per capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone....
 for the city was $27,540. About 6.4% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.3% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

Sites of interest

  • Strawbery Banke
    Strawbery Banke

    Strawbery Banke is an outdoor history museum located in the South End historic district of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, New Hampshire. It is the oldest neighborhood in New Hampshire to be settled by Europeans, and the earliest neighborhood remaining in the present-day city of Portsmouth....
     - a neighborhood featuring several dozen restored historic homes in Colonial, Georgian and Federal styles of architecture. The site of one of Portsmouth's earliest settlements.


  • The Music Hall (Portsmouth)
    The Music Hall (Portsmouth)

    The Music Hall is a 906-seat theater located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, New Hampshire, in the United States. Built in 1878, The Music Hall claims to be the oldest operating theater in New Hampshire and the 14th oldest in the United States....
     - a 900-seat theater originally opened in 1878. The theater is now run by a non-profit organization and currently under restoration. The venue hosts musical acts, theater, dance and cinema.
  • - a museum featuring the USS Albacore
    USS Albacore (AGSS-569)

    USS Albacore was a unique research submarine that pioneered the American version of the teardrop hull form of modern submarines. The design was directly influenced by the Type XXI U-boat U-boat submarine, and the Soviets had already gained a lead over the US by producing several of these advanced designs....
    , a U.S. Navy submarine used for testing, which was decommissioned in 1972 and moved to the park in 1985. The submarine is open for tours.


  • Portsmouth Harbor Light
    Portsmouth Harbor Light

    Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse is located within Fort Constitution in New Castle, New Hampshire, New Hampshire, United States.The station was established in 1771 and was the 10th of 11 light stations established prior to the American Revolution....
    house - First established in 1771, the current structure was built in 1878 and is open for monthly tours from May through September.


Historic house museums

  • (1664)
  • (1758)
  • (1784)
  • (1740)
  • (1763)
  • (1807)
  • (1716)
  • (c. 1741)
  • (1760)


Sister cities

Gov
Portsmouth has five sister cities
Town twinning

Town twinning, also known as sister cities, is a concept whereby towns or city in geographically and politically distinct areas are paired, with the goal of fostering human contact and cultural links between their inhabitants....
, as designated by , Inc. (SCI):

Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus

Carrickfergus is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 27,201 people recorded in the United Kingdom Census 2001....
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland

conventional_long_name = Northern Ireland|native_name= Tuaisceart ?ireannNorlin Airlann|motto =|image_map = Europe location N-IRL2.png...
, UK
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 Nichinan, Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
 Pärnu
Pärnu

P?rnu is a city in southwestern Estonia on the coast of P?rnu Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea. It is a popular summer vacation resort with many hotels, restaurants, and large beaches....
, Estonia
Estonia

Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Finland across the Gulf of Finland, to the west by Sweden across the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by the Russia ....
 Severodvinsk
Severodvinsk

Severodvinsk is a types of inhabited localities in Russia in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located in the River delta of the Northern Dvina, west of Arkhangelsk....
, Russia
Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
 Szolnok
Szolnok

Szolnok is the capital of the county of J?sz-Nagykun-Szolnok in central Hungary....
, Hungary
Hungary

Hungary , officially in English the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia....


Friendship city: Portsmouth
Portsmouth

Portsmouth city status in the United Kingdom located in the Counties of England of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is the UK's only island city and is located on Portsea Island....
, England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
, UK
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....


Education

  • Hesser College
    Hesser College

    Hesser College is a for-profit school college with several campuses in New Hampshire. It is owned by Kaplan, Inc....
  • Southern New Hampshire University
    Southern New Hampshire University

    Southern New Hampshire University, also known as SNHU, is a private university in Manchester, New Hampshire. Their athletics name is "The [SNHU] Penmen"....
     - Portsmouth campus
  • Franklin Pierce University - Portsmouth campus


Media

Print
  • The New Hampshire Gazette
    The New Hampshire Gazette

    The New Hampshire Gazette is a non-profit, Alternative newspaper, bi-weekly newspaper published in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, New Hampshire....
  • The Portsmouth Herald
    The Portsmouth Herald

    The Portsmouth Herald is a seven-day daily newspaper serving greater Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Its coverage area also includes the municipalities of Greenland, New Hampshire, New Castle, New Hampshire, Newington, New Hampshire and Rye, New Hampshire; and Eliot, Maine, Kittery, Maine, Kittery Point, Maine and South Berwick, Maine....
Radio
  • WSCA-LP
    WSCA-LP

    WSCA-LP is a radio station The mission of Portsmouth Community Radio is to operate a nonprofit, listener supported, volunteer driven, non-commercial FM community radio station dedicated to serving the greater Portsmouth community....
     Portsmouth Community Radio 106.1 FM
  • WHEB
    WHEB

    WHEB is a radio station licensed to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA, the station serves the Portsmouth, New Hampshire area. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications....
     100.3 FM rock
    Rock music

    Rock music is a loosely defined genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the mid 1950's. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rhythm and blues, country music and other influences....
     formatted
    Radio format

    A radio format or programming format describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve....
  • WMYF
    WMYF

    WMYF is a radio station broadcasting an Adult Standards/MOR format. Licensed to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA, the station serves the Portsmouth area....
     1380 AM adult standards
    Adult standards

    Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on amplitude modulation or class A frequency modulation stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those over 50 years, often considerably older....


External links