Description

In the late 1960s and 1970s, the landscape of Portsmouth moved in new directions. A new generation with fresh ideas and entrepreneurial energy cultivated a vision that diverged from earlier approaches to the community’s growth and embraced both historic preservation and modern development.

Business owners, civil servants, and cultural leaders leveraged the accessibility of the Seacoast offered by I-95, the inheritance of historical architecture, and the availability of federal funds to create an environment that attracted restaurateurs, fine and performing arts, and turned Portsmouth into the destination it is today.

This story is one that still rings true today—how a group of concerned citizens joined together through public and private partnerships to create community. This is a story of civic engagement and a call to action for all.