Long before New Hampshire existed, this continent was home to several hundred tribes and numerous linguistic groups. Sadly, many people are under the impression that with the founding of New Hampshire and the United States, 250 years ago, Indigenous Peoples disappeared. Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum was founded 35 years ago to dispel that erroneous myth.

Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum is the only museum in New Hampshire that is solely focused on educating the public about artistic expression, traditional values, and contributions from past and contemporary Native life. Explore seven galleries, arranged geographically, spanning the continent. Gain a better understanding of Indigenous life before, during, and after the impacts of colonial expansion forever changed the world.

Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum celebrates 13,000 years of Indigenous history and lifeways. Visitors will gain an appreciation of the diversity of Native peoples and how they continue to coexist with their environments. Additionally, the museum celebrates an awareness that Native peoples continue to practice traditional skills, arts and lifestyles today.

In the final months of World War II, young American soldiers crossed the Rhine River in small wooden boats, trusting their lives to vessels built with urgency, precision, and quiet bravery. Among them was the Correct Craft Storm Boat, a 16 foot powerhouse that carried men, gear, and hope across a river that had long stood as Germany’s last great line of defense. These boats were launched under fire, guided by soldiers who knew that every crossing brought the Allies one step closer to ending the war. Their bravery, and the craftsmanship that carried them, helped turn the tide in 1945.

Today, the New Hampshire Boat Museum is honoring that legacy in the most tangible way possible: by rebuilding a Storm Boat exactly as it was made in 1945. This project is deeply meaningful not only because of its wartime history, but because of its New Hampshire roots. The Meloon family—founders of Correct Craft—first arrived in Portsmouth, later moved to Ossipee, and eventually settled in Florida, where they launched the company that would build the original Storm Boats. Yet through all those moves, the family continued to return to Ossipee every summer. Their connection to New Hampshire’s lakes shaped their love of boating and craftsmanship long before Correct Craft became a national leader in marine innovation. In many ways, this boat’s story begins on our waters.

This work is strengthened by extraordinary partners: The Wright Museum of World War II, whose historical insight ensures accuracy and reverence, and the Antique Outboard Motor Club, whose technical expertise brings the boat’s heart—its engine—back to life. Together, we are not simply recreating a vessel. We are preserving a story of courage, craftsmanship, and New Hampshire heritage. This Storm Boat will stand as a living tribute to the people who built it, the soldiers who trusted it, and the generations who will learn from it.

Exhibit planned for Summer 2026

The USS Albacore was designed and built for speed, and proved it! Built at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, this experimental craft set the submerged speed record as early as 1956, and held that record with improved speeds in the following years. Albacore’s speed records were first surpassed by USS Skipjack (SSN-585) which was built in Groton, Connecticut in 1959. Then in the summer of 1965 Albacore conducted tests for steering, stability control, noise reduction, and speed. During those tests she beat Skipjack’s record and was again the holder of the speed record through 1967.

We don’t know the exact speeds of all those records because at the time they were kept secret. We do know that in 1966 her record was 34.8 knots, or about 40 miles per hour. Crew recollections on speed attribute her success to the silver-zinc batteries installed in 1962. The batteries could have generated even more speed, but they became so hot they started causing electrical problems. Lieutenant Heinz, engineering officer, best described the submarine: “Albacore was like a thoroughbred, the faster it went, the smoother the ride.”

USS Albacore is now the main feature of Albacore Park, in Portsmouth, NH.

John Stavers, who came to Portsmouth from England, built the Earl of Halifax Tavern in 1766, later renamed Pitt Tavern. It was more than a place for food and lodging; its third floor was designed specifically as a meeting place for the St. John’s chapter of the Masons, and it was a terminus for the Flying Coach stageline, which Stavers’ brother, Bartholomew, operated.

During the American Revolution, Stavers’ loyalty to the colonial cause was questioned. Fears of him being a Tory were exacerbated by the fact that Bartholomew returned to England rather than support independence. The Masons moved their meetings to a different location, and stories of mobs attacking the tavern have since entered local folklore. Most notoriously, Mark Noble, in protest of Stavers’ supposed loyalties (or was it Noble’s own unpaid tavern bill?) attempted to chop down the tavern sign. Stavers sent his enslaved man, James, to stop the destruction, which James did by hitting Mark Noble over the head with an ax handle, injuring him non-fatally. Since James was considered nothing more than a piece of property without his own agency, Stavers was held responsible for his actions and was thrown in jail for a short time.