SeacoastNH.com Presents
Historic Portsmouth #263

A front-page article in a recent newspaper featured the proposed 6,000-square foot, two-story expansion for a new yacht club on Sagamore Creek. That reminded us of this building. The original "commodious" Portsmouth Yacht Club (on left) was founded in 1898 and stood near Mechanic Street just down from Point of Graves. (Pictures and close-ups below)

This photo was taken from Peirce Island. To the right, the cluttered waterfront is now Prescott Park. The only surviving buildings are the Shaefe and Shaw warehouses, the last remnants of when Portsmouth was a world trade center. Memorial Bridge was not yet built at the time of this photo and the club building – we think -- was destroyed to make way for the bridge to the island in the 1930s. Anyone who knows more detail on the fate of this building, please send it along. The current Portsmouth Yacht Club is located in New Castle, not to be confused with the Kittery Point Yacht Club, which is located on Goat Island, also in New Castle. (Photo courtesy of Strawbery Banke Museum)

Photo from collection of Strawbery Banke Museum
as seen on SeacoastNH.com