Over here in Germany we've got a thing going on called "Germany's hardest riddle" by some big newspaper. One question asks for details on the first and original painting of Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze "Washington Crossing the Delaware" destroyed in WW II especially details on the size.
Thanx in advance
Tom from Vienna

Editor's Reply: Yes. We think the one African-American in that painting may be Prince Whipple of Portsmouth. Few people know that the first version of Leutze's giant history painting was produced in Dusseldorf in the mid 1800s. The original version was actually destroyed in 1942 by Allied bombs in Germany during WWII. The original painting measured 144 x 244 in (348 x 616 cm). The second "Washington Crossing the Delaware," the one we all know best is a bit larger at 149 x 255 inches. It now hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC from which we got this info. (JDR)

Just saw your great website on the Smuttynose Murder. Very interesting. Where could I find a copy of the trial transcript? Is it at the Portsmouth library?
Judith

Editor's Reply: Yes, ask Sara in Special Collections or anyone at the reference desk. It is, I believe, an item that stays in the library since only a Xerox of the 178-page transcript is on file. Fascinating reading for real Smuttynose addicts. (JDR)

I found the Wentworth story very interesting and would like to know more. Is the Wentworth mansion still standing? Is it in use? Are pictures available?
Thank you
G. Kenna

Editor's Reply: There are at least three historic Wentworth houses in Portsmouth, a testament to the lasting power of this family of British royal governors. You appear to be referring to the 50-room Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion for which we have not yet created a web page. Yes, tours are available. The Wentworth-Gardner house is on-line. The Mark Wentworth home on Pleasant Street has been adapted into elderly housing. The Wentworth Hotel built in the mid-1870s, a century after the royal governors were gone, is now being reconstructed. For more info, check our A-Z Alphabetical Guide. (JDR)

Related sites:
• Historic Houses
• Wentworth Family

I was a young girl of 9 yrs old, when my Air Force dad came home one day to our house in New Hampshire on Shawnee Lane. The year was 1968. Dad said we were to be stationed in [town deleted] ....HELP! I've been stuck down here since 1968, but I still can remember the times we would go to Mt. Bluejob (I'm not sure if this was dad's nickname for another mountain there) but we would pick wild blueberries and grapes to enjoy, during the spring.
Anonymous NH Lover

Just wanted to tell you what an excellent site this is. I'm gonna tell everyone I know about it!
C. Jones

Just want to let you guys know that this is by far the best site I've ever seen. I've been turning other folks onto this. Libraries love having access to this. It's a great resource that goes beyond general NH seacoast information.
J. Landroche

Marilla Ricker is an obvious oversight [in Seacoast Women history theme site]
Representative Robert \"Renny\" Cushing" NH House of Representatives

Editor's Reply: That's one more for our waiting list of important Seacoast women. We aim to please, hindered only by our two-man all volunteer staff. Now all we need is a little government grant to get started! (JDR)

To John Paul Jones House:
When I attended the fourth BHR reunion in Bremerton, Washington, the Navy opened up the ship and let us onboard. Once on the flight deck, we saw a frigate in mothballs, JOHN PAUL JONES. I thought it was rather ironic to have her there as well as the Bon Homme.
W. Schumacher

Editor's Reply: Just wait until you see the JPJ addition coming up in October! Really spooky stuff. (JDR)

Visited your site for the first time today. Looks great! Do you have a place to post The Women Supporting Women Center's programs somewhere? Let me know!
Claire Houston, Director
The Women Supporting Women Center
111 Water Street
Exeter, NH 03833
(603) 772-0799

Webmaster Replies: Note yet. Look for community listings in Phase II of our web site next year. (TD)

We were looking at your [Black History] site and found it very interesting. We suggest that you take a look at our African American book listings at: http://www.scry.com/ayer/afro-am/title00.htm
S. Gauntt

PORT CITY ORIGIN

I would like to know when Portsmouth was founded.
Kim

Editor's Reply: That's always a tricky question since "Portsmouth" was part of the seacoast area inhabited by Native Americans for at least 12,000 years before European contact. The first "settlers" from Europe did not really settle, but fished and traded. For textbook purposes, the founding dates of Rye and Dover, the towns on either side of Portsmouth, were both likely settled in 1623. Strawbery Banke, Portsmouth's first known permanent settlement, is usually listed as 1630. (JDR)

Who discovered the Isles of Shoals?
A. Conway

Editor's Reply: Same rules apply as to Kim's question above. American history tends only to award prizes to European discoverers who published their findings. Captain John Smith gets the credit. Whether he was really talking about our nine rocky little islands when he named them after himself is disputable. Read the whole story in our History of the Isles of Shoals article. Always question such facts and write to us if you have new evidence. History is much more flexible than your teachers may wish to admit. (JDR)

Looking for real estate rental property in Rochester. Close to Spaulding High. Would like three bedrooms and a yard. Have one dog. In the area of $600.00 to $700.00 a month.
Mr and Mrs Childs

Editors Reply: The real estate questions pour in from around the planet. This is just a sample of the ones we receive. Currently we can only refer such detailed questions to local agents. But we're working on cyber solutions to your queries. Have faith. (JDR)

Can you tell us who voted Portsmouth the 5th most desirable place to live this spring? This is a great web site, didn't know it existed till lately.
S. Spiegle-Hoey

Editor's Reply: How quickly they forget. Click here to read about the now legendary article in Money Magazine. You can read an on-line feature about the article in the new Union Leader web site. (JDR)

Hey, Guys, In Liverpool Harbour on 19 July this year I visited HMS Endeavour, the replica of Cook's famous ship, and got some touristy video of the exterior; it was too late in the day to go aboard, but I'm glad to read that might be possible right here next year. Two things surprised me: the bow is quite blunt, a bit barge-like; and there is radar equipment visible in the rigging, which is to be expected but still seemed a bit anachronistic. I was told she would be setting off for a recreation of her most famous voyage the following week, also surprising when one sees how small she seems. She is painted in surprisingly bright and varied colors, which I was told are authentic. Glad to see your site is still the best around!
J. W. Whipple

Editor's Reply: Thanks for the scouting report on Endeavour, scheduled to visit our area in exactly one year. Stay tuned. (JDR)

Is there a web site that will have a listing of things to do in the Hampton Beach area (i.e. I understand there is a museum for kids in Portsmouth.) I am going up there on Thursday and it will be raining so I am looking for places to take the kids.
Dan

Editor's Reply: There's no consistently updated site we know that is focused just on Hampton. For planning trips to the Seacoast, best to try our detailed MAPS and 101 Highlights sections that include the Children's Museum link. Other good links are our Portfolio Events Calendar, Port City Online and Foster's Showcase. (JDR)

Your hotlink to the "Bartlett Genealogy Foundation" under Read Our Mail Archives does not work.
S. Pedi

Webmaster's Reply: You win a refrigerator magnet which goes to the first reader who finds any dropped link. We've tracked down the Bartlett address which had moved. Click here for new connection. (TD)

I'll be out there in October, and I want to get to the Isles of Shoals -- ideally to Smuttynose. Steamer says it runs into Oct.--Star Island says it doesn't. Can you help. Are private charters available in Oct. to take folks to the Shoals? Anyone I can contact? Any idea of the expense?
R. E. Brown

Editor's Reply: Sure, all kinds of boats go out to the Isles. It is a mere 10 miles, 6 miles from Portsmouth Harbor. The Thomas Laighton (see Isles of Shoals Hotlinks) leaves regularly for the Isles and you can spend the day on Star. Other cruise boats in the area go to the Isles, but cannot drop passengers. Visitors can take boats to the area, but there is docking only at Star and with permission, so call the Star Island Hotel first. (JDR)

I read about Portsmouth in the July issue of Money magazine. But they did not discuss the weather - such as how cold? How much snow? What's the humidity like? For us here in the San Francisco Bay area, those statistics are important!
E. Rasbury

Editor's Reply: If predictable weather is your thing, this place is not for you. Remember, we got only a 7 from the Money Magazine rating in the Weather category, one of the worst scores going. Our webmaster has a local weather link for you, but check back every four or five minutes, just to be certain. (JDR)

Webmaster Reply: There is an excellent weather report with 5 day forecast at The Weather Channel. Click here for the Portsmouth, NH page link.