Treasures from the Isles of Shoals Discussed Monday

On Monday, Jan. 12, at 7 p.m., the Stratham Historical Society and Stratham’s Wiggin Memorial Library will jointly sponsor a program by the NH Humanities Council titled, “Treasures from the Isles of Shoals: How New Archaeology is Changing Old History,” presented by J. Dennis Robinson.

Robinson is a longtime Smuttynose steward and has published over 1,000 articles on New Hampshire history and culture.

There is treasure here but not the pirate kind. Scientific “digs” on Smuttynose Island are changing New England history. Archaeologist Nathan Hamilton has unearthed 300,000 artifacts to date on this largely uninhabited rock at the Isles of Shoals. Evidence proves prehistoric Native Americans hunted New Hampshire’s only offshore islands 6,000 years ago and European fisherman fished here from the 1620’s.

Thomas Leighton struck tourist gold when his family took over the region’s first hotel on Smuttynose and his daughter Celia Thaxter spun poetic tales of ghosts and pirates. Robinson explores the truth behind the romantic legends of Gosport Harbor in a colorful show-and-tell presentation.

The program will be held at the Stratham Fire Department, Morgera Community Room, which is Located at 4 Winnicutt Road, (corner of Portsmouth Avenue and Winnicutt Road). A business meeting of SHS will be held at 6:30 p.m. The presentation, scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m., is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. There is ample parking and light refreshments will be served.

For more information on the program, please call: 772-4346 (Tricia or Pam), or visit Library.strathamnh.gov. SNOW DATE will be Jan. 19.