Strawbery Banke Presents
HISTORIC PORTSMOUTH #234

Look familiar? Here four ghostly figures (and a ghostly dog) examine the ice storm destruction on Richards Avenue on January 29, 1886. Local photographers rushed to capture pictures that sold briskly at 35 cents apiece. (Continued with bonus details below) 

HISTORIC PHOTOS of the Greater Portsmouth Area appear here week

Davis Bros Souvenir Photo of January 1886

These images collected by the Portsmouth Athenaeum focus on the damage to the "big and thrifty" maples, elms and horse chestnut trees that lined Middle, South, Pleasant, State, Daniel, Elm, Islington and Linden streets. Many fruit trees in gardens were wholly destroyed and the sidewalks, according to the Portsmouth Chronicle, were "as slippery as greased glass". (Courtesy Portsmouth Athenaeum)

For Much More INfo
ICE STORM OF 1886

BONUS CLOSE-UPS