HISTORY: John Paul Jones House Free Admission Day
Date and Time
Tuesday Nov 11, 2025
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM EST
Tuesday, November 11 (Veterans Day)
10am – 3 pm
Fees/Admission
FREE
Description
Opening Our Doors on Veterans Day
Portsmouth's John Paul Jones House will open for one final time in 2026 on Veterans Day. The historic property will be open 10am-3pm, free of charge.
About the John Paul Jones House:
The building known today as the John Paul Jones House was built in 1758 for Gregory Purcell, a sea captain and merchant. When built, the house was considered to be at the edge of downtown and was amongst only a handful of stately three story homes in the city. The house changed hands several times during the nineteenth century. Owners included Woodbury Langdon, Henry and Alexander Ladd who rented the home to Senator John F. Parrott, and Samuel Lord.
The house has been known as the John Paul Jones House for several generations. Jones (1747-92), the celebrated naval hero of the American Revolution, spent time in Portsmouth in 1777 and again in 1781-82. He is believed to have rented a room in this house during 1777, when the widow of Gregory Purcell was operating a boarding house here.
