Horatio Alger Society 2010 - local activity and touring information

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There are several places you might want to include in your plans in addition to the city of Portsmouth and the outlet mall in Kittery, Maine. The Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth (and just a few blocks from the hotel) is a wonderful place. This seaport museum has a collection of 42 original buildings, the earliest dating to 1695, some with original furnishings. There are lovely gardens and people dressed in period clothing who will chat with you about the lives of the original inhabitants of the homes. Another attraction is a terrific boat ride out to the Isle of Shoals. The Isle consists of several small islands which were once the site of a grand hotel often visited by famous people like painter Childe Hassam, writer Nathaniel Hawthorne, and President Franklin Pierce. The trip takes 2-3 hours. Just up Route 1 (less than an hour drive) in Wells, Maine is Harding’s Book Store. Harding’s has 14 rooms filled with quality antiquarian books and is a pleasure to visit. Finally, a drive along “Antique Alley” (Route 4), Portsmouth to Epsom, will introduce you to more than 10 antique shops.