A Convivial Social Feed

Snapshot of the old Glebe Building behind the North Church on a busy Pleasant Street (with two-way traffic👀) in Portsmouth, circa 1951.❤️#throwbackthursday

Businesses included the House of Beauty 💅, Noel's Bootery👢, and the "55" restaurant 🍽.

Before 1800, Daniel Austin built what was later known as the Glebe Building (or Glebe Land Building) at 14-18 Pleasant Street on the site of the Oracle House, which had been moved to Haymarket Square in 1793. (In 1937, the Oracle House was moved to the corner of Marcy & Court streets where it stands today.)

The building's name was taken from the glebe land adjacent to the old North Meeting House (replaced by the North Church in 1854).

Originally, Austin's building was five stories, and reportedly, it was the first three-story store in Portsmouth. A later fire destroyed the upper floors, and a mansard roof was constructed over the remaining structure. Considered one of the oldest downtown buildings, the Glebe was destroyed by a fire in August 1975. The land was purchased by the First National Bank for a parking lot, and today, a new office / commercial building occupies the site.

👋🤓We dated the photograph to 1951 based on the brief time the "55" restaurant existed at 18 Pleasant. According to the local newspaper, the restaurant opened in 1951 under the same ownership as Yoken's restaurant, the Yoken family. The restaurant name came from menu items advertised as 55 cents, and unfortunately, the business never made it to 1955. In 1952, the city directory listed the restaurant with the Wozmak family running it, but in 1953, it was the Porterhouse restaurant when the business was up for auction. In 1955, the city directory listed Western Auto at this location.

#glebebuilding #pleasantstreet #LostPortsmouth #collectpreserveshare📖
#portsmouthnh #nh #Maine #seacoast❤ ...

During the early hours of November 11, 1875, the first Oceanic Hotel on Star Island was struck by lightning, and within the hour, the building was lost to the blaze. #onthisdate

Pictured is the first Oceanic, which was open for only two seasons, circa 1873-1875.

[Isles of Shoals Photograph Collection, P25.1705]

On November 16, 1875, the Boston Globe included an account of the fire:

"The wind was blowing from the northeast and the flames rose and swept over the roof with terrible fury. The heat and cinders were blown directly upon the Robinson, Gosport and Atlantic Houses, the first of which was destroyed, with all its contents.

"The fire spread to the bowling-alley and billiard room, which were destroyed, together with four fine tables. The men who occupied the hotel were aroused from their slumbers by the roar and crackling of the flames, and attempted to escape from the burning building by the main staircase. This was enveloped in flames, which cut off their retreat. They succeeded, however, in escaping by the windows, but had they slept five minutes longer they would have perished."

The wind shifted the fire off-shore, and 15 buildings on Star survived. Some of those buildings were incorporated into the second (and current) Oceanic Hotel.

The hotel proprietor was John Robinson Poor (1818-1903), a Boston businessman and owner of the Stickney & Poor Spice Company.

According to historian J. Dennis Robinson, Poor first stayed at the Appledore House, operated by the Laighton family, on Appledore Island in 1872. While a guest there, Poor secretly started purchasing nearly all the property in the village of Gosport on Star Island.

The 265-foot hotel had "147 sleeping quarters for 300 guests featuring wide corridors, modern conveniences, a fine spacious dining room, a dance hall, and elegant fixtures."

#oceanichotel #StarIsland #IslesofShoals #otd #collectpreserveshare📖 #localhistory #portsmouthnh #nh #maine #seacoast❤ ...

This week in 1789, President George Washington visited Portsmouth for four nights and five days, his only visit to the Port City.

Washington visited extant places like the Lear house, Pitt Tavern & Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion.

And then there are the places now lost such Brewster's tavern, Queen's Chapel, the Assembly Hall, and his grand reception in the middle of the Parade (now Market Square) at the State House, which is the focus of this post.

First arriving downtown on October 31, 1789, Washington was escorted to the State House balcony where he was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd. On a nearby stage, gentlemen performed three odes honoring him. A military parade followed where each officer saluted the President as he passed. Later that evening, thirteen rockets were let off from the balcony of the "beautifully illuminated" State House.🎇

Constructed in stages between 1758-1769, the State House was the seat of government for the provincial colony as Portsmouth served as the capital. In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read from the balcony, and in 1788, the building was illuminated to celebrate the ratification of the US Constitution (the ninth of thirteen).

After the 1802 fire, Portsmouth citizens desired the building moved from the Parade in an effort to reduce fire danger and widen the roads. In 1808, Concord was selected as the new state capital, and the building became a county courthouse as seen on the 1813 map.

In 1836, Capt. Israel Marden bought the building and began stripping it. A portion was converted into a residence at 47 Court Street where it stood until 1969 when the State of NH purchased it and moved it to @strawberybankemuseum Plans were made to restore the State House; however, the funding never happened. Left unused and deteriorated, it was disassembled and moved to storage in Concord in 1990.

From 1836 until urban renewal in the early 1970s, the balcony was affixed to a residence at Deer Street. It is believed to still might be with the family of the home's last owner prior to urban renewal.

#georgewashington #oldstatehouse #marketsquare #collectpreserveshare📖 #localhistory #portsmouthnh #nh #Maine #seacoast❤ ...