Category Archives: Travel Blog

Portsmouth Lighthouse New Hampshire

Portsmouth Lighthouse New Hampshire

History, Isles of Schoals, lighthouse, New Hampshire, Paul Revere, Portsmouth, Portsmouth Lighthouse, Travel Blog, Whaleback, , , , ,

Portsmouth Lighthouse New Hampshire was my next stop after leaving Marblehead. I drove to Portsmouth Harbor and found this beautiful old Lighthouse. It sits near a Coast Guard Station. Through my reading I have found that the lighthouse has always been near military post of some type. The commander of the post often bore the responsibilities of lighthouse keeper.

Portsmouth Lighthouse New Hampshire
Portsmouth Lighthouse New Hampshire

the Lighthouse was first constructed in 1771 and was built beside a fort. In reading, I found an interesting thing. Paul Revere made a ride before his famous midnight ride. Four months before the well known ride Revere rode north warning the colonists that the English army was seizing all stores of gun powder.

Portsmouth Lighthouse New Hampshire Historical Marker

The next day John Langdon recruited several hundred men and attacked the fort. No one was killed in the battle but Langdon did leave with over one hundred barrels of gun powder. This make Portsmouth the first English fortification to surrender to colonial forces.

From the Portsmouth Lighthouse, I could see two other Lighthouses out in the harbor. The first was the Isles of Shoals, located on White Island.

Portsmouth Lighthouse White Island

 

The other I found was the Whaleback Lighthouse. It is in Portsmouth Harbor but is on the Maine side of the boundary.

Portsmouth Lighthouse Whaleback

Lexington Concord and Walden Pond

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Leaving Boston we traveled to Lexington Concord to see the place the first shots were fired in our war for independence.  The drive to Lexington Concord from Boston is really a short one.  You can choose to either travel by four lane most of the way or you can take the longer but more scenic two lane drive.

No matter which you choose you will see some beautiful colonial homes in both of the towns.

Colonial Home in Concord
Colonial Home in Concord

The Park Service has a welcome center set up in an old colonial farmhouse which overlooks the muster field and bridge.  Outside the welcome center are signs and displays outlining the events which took place.

Muster Field where 400 citizen soldiers decided to march on the British
Muster Field where 400 citizen soldiers decided to march on the British
Battle of North Bridge
Battle of North Bridge

The walk from the farmhouse to the old North Bridge is very nice and the fields are surrounded by beautiful old trees.  At the bridge you will see the minute man statue where the colonial forces made there stand.  Walking across the bridge you will the graves of two British soldiers who die in the fight.  Lexington Concord are great areas to visit and they offer tours which are very informative.

Tree at the edge of the Muster Field
Tree at the edge of the Muster Field

When we left Lexington Concord, we drove a short distance to Walden Pond.  We wanted to see the Pond and to be able to walk where Henry David Thoreau walked and lived.

Walden Pond
Walden Pond

The Pond is a beautiful area and you can see how it would have inspired Thoreau in his writing.