Five years after her death in 2004, just shy of her 100^th birthday, former city librarian Dorothy M. Vaughan is largely remembered as our eldest historian. We rarely, if ever, saw images of her earlier days. (Click to continue)

Now her personal photos and documents are archived at the NH Historical Society in Concord. Here in this rarely seen picture, Vaughan strikes a pose in the public library (now the Discover Portsmouth Center) while holding a copy of Glamour magazine. The photo was possibly taken in the late 1940s by the late Kittery photographer Douglas Armsden. Vaughan worked at the library for 53 years. A graduate of Portsmouth High School, she received an honorary degree from UNH in 1968. Contrary to legend, she was not born in Portsmouth, but moved here from Penacook at age 12 with brothers Oscar and Donald. She was among the founders of Strawbery Banke Museum and, in her later years, dedicated her time and funds to the Wentworth-Gardner House. (From the collection of the NH Historical Society)

READ Love Letters of Dorothy Vaughan