Strawbery Banke Presents
HISTORIC PORTSMOUTH #151

Portsmouth’s first house museum opened in 1908 to honor Thomas Bailey Aldrich, author of "The Story of a Bad Boy." Mark Twain gave a dedication speech at the Music Hall. This image shows the parlor as Aldrich described it. In the 1869 book Grampa Nutter reads the "Rivermouth Barnacle" by oil lamp, often setting the newspaper on fire as he dozed off.