Portsmouth and the United States Navy

Since its early settlement, Portsmouth had been known for shipbuilding. Portsmouth was the site chosen for the construction and outfitting of three of the first twelve ships commissioned for the new Continental Navy. John Paul Jones came to the city to oversee the outfitting of two of these ships, the Ranger and the America.

Shipbuilding at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard continued to play an important role in the in the United States Navy during the nineteenth century. During the Civil War the famed Kearsarge was built in Portsmouth. The Kearsarge gained its notoriety after its victory over the Confederate vessel, Alabama.

Because of the Portsmouth Historical Society's connection to Revolutionary War naval hero, John Paul Jones, visitors will also find among the collections a reproduction of Peale's portrait of John Paul Jones and a model of the Ranger.

The story of Portsmouth and the United States Navy is just one of the stories the Portsmouth Historical Society tells. We also tell the stories of Portsmouth as a seaport and colonial capital, of Portsmouth's role in the American Revolution and of Portsmouth men abroad, of women and everyday life in Portsmouth, and of the Colonial Revival that heightened awareness of our local and national past.

Portsmouth Historical Society
We Tell Portsmouth Stories