Portsmouth's Historical Places Need Special Care

Portsmouth, we have a special history. Events of statewide and nationwide importance have happened here. The celebration of our 375th Anniversary has brought a renewed interest in our history, and I am hoping we can build on that work.

Last night Rhode Island historian Patrick Conley came to talk to the annual meeting (and 75th birthday celebration) of the Portsmouth Historical Society. His lecture was more about the subjects of books he’s written, but my interest was especially peaked by the responses to the questions at the end. He gave a short but impassioned retelling of the Battle of Rhode Island and then almost pleaded with us to commemorate the battle at Fort Butts. The town owns this site, but it is neglected. This earthen work fort is rare. Although historians disagree about which side won, the battle had significance to the cause of our national independence.

I’m looking forward to the “grand opening” of the improvements to Founders’ Brook on July 21st. Congratulations to the 375th Committee, the Town of Portsmouth, the Anne Hutchinson Society and anyone else involved in this renewal of one of our special places. A new parking lot, signage that helps us locate the site and stone benches to enable us to enjoy the area upgrade the site. The founding of Portsmouth should be recognized and appreciated.

Can we do the same kind of improvements to town owned historical sites elsewhere?

The Glen Manor House is a great example of what we can do. When the town bought the land for the school, some were calling for destruction of the Manor House as an eyesore. The Portsmouth Historical Society and others stepped in. Now the Manor House generates money for the town.

The Glen is a great recreational area, but buildings on our town owned land have real significance to our history. As I have studied Glen history, I have come to appreciate the Glen barns. They were such a marvel when they were built that national magazines wrote articles about Glen Farm and its facilities. I had hoped matching grants would help the town restore the barns. We have lost one opportunity to restore them, but can we continue to look for funding?

Leonard Brown House represents Portsmouth’s farm heritage. The Friends of the Brown House have worked valiantly to rescue this property and make it a community gathering place. What can we do to make this a reality?

There are other “special places” that are town owned and need some care, improvement and recognition. I pray that there is a lasting interest in our town history and historical places beyond this special 375th celebration. The collaborations coming out of the planning for this year’s events are a good start. We need to work together to improve our special places.