Following the final Portsmouth 375th anniversary event, a noontime polar dive at Island Park Beach on December 31st, a ceremony is planned  to "hand-off" the 375th celebration to Newport as it begins its 375th anniversary year. This will include the presentation of a Portsmouth resolution recognizing the close connections between the two communities. Newport was founded in 1639 by several individuals who had founded Portsmouth the year before, including William Coddington, John Clarke and John Coggeshall.Â
The resolution will be presented to representatives of the Newport 375th Committee during the dive after-party at the Beach House Bar and Grill on Park Avenue.
The Polar Dive is the concluding event of the Portsmouth anniversary year and is open to anyone who wishes to participate. Contact Bob Hamilton, 683-3553, for more information. For those wishing to support the 375th Library History fund, pledge forms are also available at the Portsmouth Public Library, Clements Market and the People's Credit Union.