Plan to spend an enchanting evening filled with jazz, drink, fine art, and an amazing array of silent auction items to benefit the John Paul Jones House Museum and Garden and Portsmouth Historical Society on Thursday, September 7, 2017, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Guests will enjoy the smooth tunes of local jazz trio Dry Martini, savor delicious hors d’oeuvres by favorite Seacoast restaurants, our signature Centennial Alecourtesy of Liar’s Bench Beer Company and have the opportunity to bid on 75-plus stellar auction items that will sweep you off your feet with everything from fine art, jewelry, dine-around-town packages, getaways, and experiences such as a Seacoast sightseeing flight and two nights out at the Isles of Shoals. Sponsored by Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank; with additional support by Ashton & Company, PA; and Liar’s Bench Beer Company.
Suggested Donation $25 members/$35 non-members.
Tickets: call 603-436-8433 or visit discoverportsmouth.wufoo.com/forms/xoj9thn1h7x8f7/
Raising funds for 1758 John Paul Jones House
Now celebrating its Centennial year, Portsmouth Historical Society has been hard at work on the renovation and repair of the 1758 John Paul Jones House, a National Historic Landmark, funded in part by this Jubilee event and by grants from LCHIP – Land and Community Heritage Investment Program. During 2016, the organization completed interior and exterior upgrades including new roofs and painting. In 2017, the focus is on repair and repointing of the stone foundations (requiring archaeological work around the perimeter of the house) and repair and repainting of the historic fence and carriage house. Looking ahead to 2018, Portsmouth Painting Company has generously donated its time to repaint the rest of the house. An all-volunteer committee continues to oversee upkeep of both the house and the gardens. Our garden manager, Katherine Sullivan, provided another season of beauty and bloom in the grounds. The Carriage House had a new tenant this last year, Port City Bike Tours, which brought new visitors. Volunteers cleaned, weeded, and mulched the garden and added fresh coats of paint to areas of the fence and house. According to Reagan Ruedig, chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, “We are so happy to have these big maintenance issues tackled with the help of LCHIP grant money and matching donors so that the building and grounds around the John Paul Jones House will be in stable condition for many years to come.”