Visit #2: Exploring Historic Portsmouth, NH and Dog Fun

Today's blog is the second about our friend Maureen's visit, where we took her to historic Portsmouth, New Hampshire and had some dog time! 

(Photo: Tom, Rob and Maureen outside the building that housed the first printing press in Portsmouth, NH... Why is Rob the only one not making a funny face?) 

FIRST PRINTING HOUSE IN THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE!! New Hampshire's first printing house was established in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1756 by printer Daniel Fowle. Daniel Fowle relocated to Portsmouth from Massachusetts in 1756 to escape persecution. Along with official provincial laws and pamphlets, his shop printed the colony's first book, Good News From a Far Country, in 1759.

It is famously known for printing The New Hampshire Gazette, which began publication on October 7, 1756, and remains the oldest newspaper in the United States.In fact, we still read it today, and it's a progressive, forward thinking, educated newspaper!

ORIGINAL BUILDING REPLACED - The printing house was initially located in a wooden building on the corner of Pleasant, Washington, and Howard Streets. The original wooden building was torn down in 1877 and replaced with a brick home. However, the City of Portsmouth, NH maintains a designated Historic Marker in the grassy area at the corner of Howard and Pleasant Streets. *

(Photo: Maureen and Tom around the corner from the Marcy Pettigrew Shipyard site) 

WHAT IS THE MARCY PETTIGREW SHIPYARD? The Marcy-Pettigrew Shipyard was a prominent 19th-century shipbuilding business located in the South End of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Established in the mid-1850s by Daniel Marcy and William Pettigrew, it became famous for constructing some of the finest merchant vessels on the Piscataqua River, including the 1,800-ton Granite. The shipyard was situated on a grassy area near the convergence of Marcy Street, Pleasant Street, and South Mill Street, near the modern-day Strawbery Banke area.

The launch of the merchant ship Sarah E. Pettigrew in the 1850s marked the start of a bustling era of large commercial ship construction in the city's South End. Sadly, operations at the shipyard—like many others along the coast—were abruptly halted with the outbreak of the Civil War.

YOU CAN'T VISIT WITHOUT A MEXICAN DINNER - Our favorite Mexican restaurant is located in Somersworth, NH, and we bring all of our visitors there so they can enjoy authentic Mexican food, a great, efficient, friendly staff and the very handsome and flirtatous manager. Well, at least he flirts with us.   (Photo: Eating out at our favorite Mexican restaurant. ) 

DOG TIME!  - Since we adopted the 2 Chiweenie (Chihuahua/Dachshund mix) four year old brothers, Jimmy and Joey, on March 28th, they've really become very comfortable. They love people and Maureen was no exception. They jumped on her, sat with her, and paid her a lot of attention. 

The boys were good for posing for pictures, too. Maureen held Jimmy and I held Joey for one set. Then Tom held Joey and I held Jimmy. The boys are very good about paying attention to everyone!

(Photo: Maureen had to get a picture on the recliner with Joey, who is so comfy he's yawning and Jimmy)