| Happy Birthday John Paul Jones |
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
You’re invited to the party! Come make history with the Portsmouth Historical Society as they celebrate the 267thbirthday of John Paul Jones all day Sunday, July 13. The festival will be held at both the John Paul Jones House and Discover Portsmouth. Admission and tours are free to the public. (Click title for full details)
Events begin at 1PM at the John Paul Jones House with the presentation of colors by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Color Guard followed by atalk by author and historian J. Dennis Robinson on Jones and a children’s pie eating contest with prizes.There will be music, cake and a special appearance by Portsmouth’s notorious Silas Deanne, the Accused Spy from the Portsmouth Underbelly tours.The John Paul Jones House is located at 43 Middle Street in Downtown Portsmouth.Don’t forget to bring a lawn chair!
The all-day festivities continue at2PMwith a signature lecture by author and historian J. Dennis Robinson at Discover Portsmouth. Robinson will presentCollecting John Paul Jones:America's First Action Hero. Everyone knows his name but few know his story.The real John Paul Jones was born in Scotland and spent more than a year in New Hampshire during the American Revolution.A jealous genius, Jones (not his real name) was a complex self-made naval hero on a quest for glory.Author J. Dennis Robinson tells Jones’s story, illustrated with images from his own extensive collection of “Jonesiana.” Robinson shows how America rejected Jones, then used his name and image to sell everything from whiskey to cigarettes, to women’s clothing -- and especially to recruit for the US Navy.
At2PMon the lawn of the John Paul Jones House the kids will be gearing up for the first annual John Paul Jones Pie Eating Contest. Winner is the first to finish three pies – no hands! Kids 7 & under and Youth 8-13 will compete for great prizes and the honorable distinction of going down in history as the first winner of this contest. There is a $5 entrance fee per child. Advanced registration is recommended by calling the Discover Portsmouth Front Desk at(603) 436-8433.
John Paul Jones is considered by many to be the father of the American Navy and was born in the southwest coast of Scotland on July 6, 1747.John Paul Jones was a tenant of the Widow Purcell in this house in 1781 while he supervised the building of the Navy’s shipAmericanearby.His house is now the museum of Portsmouth men, women and children, where their stories live. July 13this a rare opportunity to be entertained and to learn more of the exceptional story of John Paul Jones.