Portsmouth's Strawbery Banke museum

Located on the site of the town’s original seaport, known as Puddle Dock, Strawbery Banke (the original 1600s name for the settlement, it’s not a typo for “Strawberry Bank”) is an indoor-outdoor living history museum depicting local life from the late 1600s until the 1950s.

Strawbery Banke museum

Strawbery Banke Museum map of Portsmouth, NH

Strawbery Bank museum.  That's the earliest home built and still standing (center, dark) by Henry's son John Sherburne in 1695. Portsmouth, NH.

 The Shapley Drisco house was brought to the site, and refurbished in its more modern style of apartments of the 1950s on one side, but back to the 1790's on the other side!

 Sherburne House exterior

Sherburne House interior

Sherburne House (c.1695-1703), is dedicated to teaching. It's the sole existing building from that time period remaining at the Puddle Dock site. Built at a time when the influence of late 16th century English architectural style was being blended with new American innovations, it sticks out with its Salem-esque tiny windows.

Inside, you’ll find information, diagrams, and actual examples of the architectural bones required to build houses like these. Source: New England TOday

There is also an old cemetery somewhere in the original area of Prescot Park in Portsmouth, called Point of Graves where at least one cousin ancestor is buried (who I'll be talking about in a few days.)