Portsmouth homeowners invited to learn about and apply for historic plaques

PORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth homeowners are being invited to apply for a historic plaque to place on their homes to identify a prominent owner and the date the house was built. Emma Stratton, executive director of Portsmouth Historical Society, spoke about the Portsmouth Plaque Program, as it prepares for its first event “How to Research Your Historic Property”Wednesday, July 31, from 5:30-6:30 p.m., at the Portsmouth Athenaeum at 9 Market Square.

Stratton said, “The Plaque Program was initiated by Portsmouth Advocates in the 1980s, and revived multiple times over the years. Last year, a volunteer committee in collaboration with PortsmouthNH400 and the Portsmouth Athenaeum revitalized the program. This year, the Society - which is merged with Portsmouth Advocates - stepped in to work alongside the committee. We could not be happier to take the baton from PortsmouthNH400 and provide a permanent home for this important program.”

'How to Research Your Historic Property' event information

The July 31 event will give residents interested in preserving the history of their homes an opportunity to learn more about the Portsmouth Plaque Program, and how to use the resources at the Portsmouth Athenaeum. Attendees will dive into records, maps, surveys, and more.

Information: portsmouthhistory.org/event/plaque-research

A second “How to Research Your Historic Property”event will be held Sunday, Oct. 6, at  5:30 p.m. at the Portsmouth Public Library , focusing on on showing attendees how to use the library’s resources.

Portsmouth Athenaeum member Talia Sperduto, who is leading the Portsmouth Plaque Program, said, “Any building owner in town will have the opportunity to purchase a hand-hewn plaque highlighting their home’s construction date and an owner of interest.” She urges residents to attend the July 31 event. “This is your opportunity to engage with your home’s architectural and human history and become a part of the story yourself with a commemorative plaque. These plaques are an enduring, visual reminder of the individuals and families that have shaped our city’s rich history”

Sperduto is working with volunteers Margaret Hodges, Mary Thomas, and Elaine Apatang-Butts.

Plaque details

The owners of any house, no matter the age or location in Portsmouth, can research the origins of their home and complete the application for approval to install a plaque that has been pre-approved by the city’s Historic District Commission. The signs are primed and painted white with black lettering on red cedar. A small plaque (9 x 11.25 inches)  is $250 and a large plaque (11.25 x 16 inches) is $275.

About the accreditation process

To certify accuracy, according to Sperduto, “Research your home’s construction date and former owners. We have seminars, and research guides and will do it for you if you don’t have time. Our team of professional genealogists and architectural historians at the Portsmouth Athenaeum will check your research and certify accuracy. Plaques are a wonderful way to enrich our architectural landscape, but only if we ensure their accuracy. Once we confirm your date and previous owner of choice, volunteers will create your plaque and drop it off at your residence, ready for you to hang it up — with HDC approval already confirmed.”

For more information about the Plaque Program https://portsmouthhistory.org/advocates/plaque-program/

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth homeowners invited to learn about and apply for historic plaques