Was he the best antidote to the ills of the Civil War or one of the worst presidents in history? One Portsmouth newspaper called Grant "a man of simple honesty and sincerity". Another labeled him "surly, cold and indifferent" and drunk. What people saw as Grant visited NH, was pretty much what they wanted to see.
Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885) was the fourth 19th century president to visit Portsmouth, New Hampshire after James Monroe, James K Polk and NH-born Franklin Pierce. After the Civil War, locals were sharply divided on Grant’s presidency. Was the 18th president a drunken dullard or a capable Reconstructionist leader? That depends on which Portsmouth newspaper one read when Grant breezed through town in a luxurious Pullman car with 200 members of his entourage. A Civil War hero, General Grant had almost been with Lincoln that fateful night at Ford's Theater. Instead he went on to become a two-term president, defeating NH notable Horace Greeley in his second term. Grant's famous tomb in New York City is the largest mausoleum in the country and Grant still has a large devout following among history buffs. Grant's latest fictional incarnation was played by actor Kevin Kline in the movie version of "Wild, Wild, West." The film, like most of Grant's presidency, was not a hit with most critics. -- JDR
PRESIDENT US GRANT IN SEACOAST, NH
October 1871
By Ray Brighton
As is still often the case, presidential visits to Portsmouth, NH are just "whistle stops" as the chief executive moves on into Maine from the nation's capital. President George Bush used Portsmouth's military airfield as his own landing spot for regular visits to nearby Kennebunkport, Maine. And so it was back in 1871 when President Ulysses S. Grant zipped through on his way to Maine.
On October 17th President Grant was heading to the opening ceremonies for the European and North American Railroad. City officials under Mayor Joseph B. Adams gathered at the City Building (site of Bank of America in Market Square today) at 9:30, then headed to the railroad depot. Mrs. Grant, the president's daughter Nellie and more than 200 others were in the official party. The train was made up of two Pullmans, a smoking car, a baggage car and a passenger car. All this was drawn by the "splendid engine America." Surprisingly, neither of the two daily papers, the Chronicle and Portsmouth Times, devoted much space to the event -- and it's from the Journal of October 21 that most of the story comes.
State of the City May 21, 2008 PORTSMOUTH -- The 2009 budget, sustainable practices and new construction in the downtown are just a few of the topics planned for the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce "State of the City" Breakfast Forum, scheduled for 7:30-9 a.m., Wedn...
Be a Herbal Apprentice Course May 21, 2008 CANTERBURY -- Fee: $175, members $160
Drive away the winter blues by delving into herbology. This course provides hands on experiences, making tinctures, soaps and herbal salts, for example, to connect you with the early spring. We will also concentrat...
Music of Astronomy, 875BC - 1790 May 23, 2008 CONCORD -- Harpsichordist, astronomer and historian R.P. Hale presents a special Friday evening event, “Qui Est in Coelis,” his acclaimed program of music spanning over 2,600 years of various cultures celebrating astronomy, the seasons, and the skies. H...
Barbara Walters Live Onstage May 23, 2008 PORTSMOUTH -- The first lady of broadcast journalism – an award-winning journalist known for her talent as a news anchor and for her historic and insightful interviews of leading politicians and celebrities – will discuss her new memoir, Audition. Vouch...
Mother Courage May 23 - 24, 2008 PORTSMOUTH -- Our mainstage season wraps up in May with the Senior Youth Repertory Company production of Bertolt Brecht’s epic masterpiece Mother Courage and Her Children. Through Brecht’s stark vision, the play relentlessly questions the distinctions b...
Whittier Yard Sale May 24, 2008 AMESBURY -- Whittier Home’s Yard, Bake, and Plant Sale Visit Whittier’s garden and buy some quality “junque,” homemade baked goods in the Whittier’s Cafe, and beautiful flowers and plantings for your garden. At the Whittier Home Garden, 86 Friend St., A...
Lighthouse Open House May 24, 2008 NEW CASTLE -- The Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse are holding their first open house of the 2008 season on Saturday, May 24, 2008,
from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. No reservations are needed; tours are on a first come, first served basis. Visitors ...
Lilac Festival May 25, 2008 PORTSMOUTH – Annual Lilac Festival at Little Harbor Road near South Cemetery on Memorial Day weekend, May 25. Please call the Wentworth Coolidge Mansion for details.
TO THE WOMAN WHO CALLED ABOUT LILAC FESTIVAL
My sincere apologies for giving you t...
Mother Courage and Her Children May 25, 2008 PORTSMOUTH -- Our main stage season wraps up in May with the Senior Youth Repertory Company production of Bertolt Brecht’s epic masterpiece Mother Courage and Her Children. Through Brecht’s stark vision, the play relentlessly questions the distinctions ...
Be a Herbal Apprentice Course May 28, 2008 CANTERBURY -- Fee: $175, members $160
Drive away the winter blues by delving into herbology. This course provides hands on experiences, making tinctures, soaps and herbal salts, for example, to connect you with the early spring. We will also concentrat...
As is still often the case, presidential visits to Portsmouth, NH are just "whistle stops" as the chief executive moves on into Maine from the nation's capital. President George Bush used Portsmouth's military airfield as his own landing spot for regular visits to nearby Kennebunkport, Maine. And so it was back in 1871 when President Ulysses S. Grant zipped through on his way to Maine.
