John Paul Jones House

08/14/2025

It's been a great summer with so much to do!

It's been a glorious summer at the John Paul Jones House! From our Art in Bloom garden party, numerous visits to the historic house, our weekly Yoga on the Lawn sessions, and the number of picnic lunches we've seen in the garden, we love the different ways that Portsmouth takes advantage of our historic property.

🎟️ Reminder, we are open Thursday–Monday, 10am–4pm for visits (and by appointment on Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Admission is free for members, $5 for discounted groups (like students, residents, and seniors), and $10 general admission.
🌻 The garden is free and open to the public from dawn until dusk. We have a no-pets policy and a carry-in, carry-out policy for trash.
🥂 Did we mention the lawn is also a great place to host your next cocktail hour?

Here's to a great rest of August, September, and October at the John Paul Jones House. https://portsmouthhistory.org/jpj/

07/06/2025

in 1747, American Naval Captain John Paul Jones was born in Arbigland, Scotland. Born John Paul (the Jones got added later), he fled his homeland to Virginia, became friends with revolutionary leaders, and joined the Continental Navy in 1775. He is perhaps best known for his line, "we have not yet begun to fight!"

The captain spent time in Portsmouth while his ships were being built at the Naval Yard, and we have reason to believe that he stayed at the charming yellow boarding house we now call The John Paul Jones House.

Happy Birthday to John Paul Jones 🎉

06/30/2025

We are looking forward to this yearly Family Day on July 12. This is a free drop-in program. We hope to see you there.

Let's hope for sunny skies and pleasant temperatures for our July Family Day: Colonial Field Day on Saturday, July 12.

Step back in time at the John Paul Jones House and join us for a morning of old-fashioned yard games! From classic games like Cup and Ball or Game of Graces to all-out sprints in our Bag Races. We hope you can join us and embrace the simplicity and timeless joy found in playing outside with family and friends.

Thank you to our sponsor Newburyport Bank for making this program FREE for everyone. No registration is required.

06/13/2025

The Art in Bloom Exhibition will continue all weekend long. Stop by and see the florals on Friday & Saturday, open 10am-7pm, and Sunday & Monday, open 10am-4pm. The exhibition is included with admission (free for members, $5 for discount groups, and $10 for general admission).

05/28/2025

These sunny spring days are making us excited for our Art In Bloom Garden Party on June 12. Learn more: https://portsmouthhistory.org/event/art-in-bloom-party/

05/22/2025

We're open! Visit Thursday–Monday, 10 am–4pm, now until the end of October.

Rainy days are great for museum visits. It's the perfect time to visit our John Paul Jones House, now open for the 2025 season!

Tour highlights of our museum collection with our brand-new audio guide. Also, give a warm welcome to our newest employee, Mary Liz, who will be greeting visitors at the house.

05/21/2025

The Gardens are looking lovely in anticipation of our 2025 opening day!
We'll be open Thursday–Monday, 10a.m.–4p.m. until the end of October starting tomorrow,

It's lilac season in Portsmouth! Check out these beautiful shrubs behind our John Paul Jones House. According to legend, the first lilacs planted in America were nearby at the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion Historic Site in the 1750s when Royal Governor Benning Wentworth planted them for his wife.

Celebrate spring and floral design inspired by items in our museum collection at our first Annual Art in Bloom! Learn more about the exhibition and events: https://portsmouthhistory.org/event/art-in-bloom-party/

05/08/2025

We're looking forward to opening day, May 22!

Our John Paul Jones House opens Memorial Day Weekend!

Visit the historic property Thursday–Monday, 10 am–4pm. We've extended the open season this year to run through the end of October.

What else is new? An audio tour to help guide visitors through the museum collection and dive deeper into some of the gems inside.
Plan your visit and learn about our temporary exhibitions on the Treaty of Portsmouth, and accessories through the decades: https://portsmouthhistory.org/jpj/

🌷The garden is open from dawn to dusk and is free to the public. You are welcome to stop by, but please, no pets and remove any trash you might have with you.

04/26/2025

It's been a beautiful few days in Portsmouth, and the cherry blossom is in bloom.

Wondering why there is a cherry blossom behind our historic property? This tree was presented as a living memorial to the Portsmouth Peace Treaty (signed in 1905) and is descended from the original Washington DC trees presented by Japan in 1912.

02/01/2025

Enjoy this brief overview of why some say the John Paul Jones House was built by Hopestill Cheswell.

What we now call the John Paul Jones House was built for Gregory and Sarah Purcell, but who built the home?

Some say it was Hopestill Cheswell of Newmarket, an accomplished carpenter and housewright working in the 18th century. He was able to master his trade despite not being able to apprentice due to his being of mixed race. Several buildings in town were built by him, including Stoodly Tavern and the home of Samuel Langdon. How about the John Paul Jones House? The rumor that he built the home comes from an oral tradition beginning in the 19th century. He was working in the correct area during the time of it's construction, but as of today, there is no source linking Cheswell to the John Paul Jones House or a level of involvement in its construction.

From his work on many buildings in Portsmouth, Cheswell was able to purchase 100 acres of land in Newmarket and lived there with his wife and son, Wentworth.

🖼 Postcard from the collection

01/16/2025

So pleased to have this great project complete!

Watching paint dry has been one of the best things to happen at the John Paul Jones House since the fall, and that’s not because we are closed for the season, but because of how anticipated this much-needed preservation work has been.

Thanks to the Americana Corner Preserving America Grant program and the talented work of Douglas Grant Painting we have reversed damage caused by humidity and the age of the paint, allowing visitors to focus more on our museum collection.

Learn more about the project in our full update: https://portsmouthhistory.org/news/jpj-cieling-preservation/