"Strawbery" and Ice Cream

Monday, June 19

Sherburne House (1695)

Back south over the river to visit Strawbery Banke, a section of Portsmouth (NH) that includes homes dating back to 1695. Unlike Williamsburg, however, these buildings have been restored to various dates (one as recent as the 1950s) relevant to their most significant use or owner. We spent a couple hours there (could have spent more, but it was quite hot) and learned a lot about how quickly these early colonial cities grew and prospered. American really was the promised land for a great many folks. One middle-aged couple emigrated from England, and the husband died just a few years later. Because they had no children, his wife inherited the house and helped 9 of her nieces and nephews relocate here. 

When restoration began on the Sherburne House, they quickly realized that the inner walls were too far gone to save. So the outside was completed, and the inside used to display original construction and explain how restoration is done.

Various explanations of original
construction and restoration process.

Original lath & plaster and
later layers of coverings.

During WW2, part of this home was converted into
a store where ration coupons could be exchanged.
 We were amazed at how many items look just the same as today.

After lunch, we drove back to York Beach and the Nubble Light (apparently the most photographed lighthouse in America). Brief history of this icon…

     1874:  Pres Rutherford Hayes authorizes funds for lighthouse on this “nub” of land

     1879:  Construction completed.

     1939:  Maintenance transferred to U.S. Coast Guard, who rename it Cape Neddick Lightstation.

     1987:  Light automated.

     1997:  Town of York, Maine, named permanent guardian 

Nubble Light Reigns

Picknickers

Power... Beauty...  Awesomeness.

Last stop of the day is at Dunne’s Ice Cream, just a stone’s throw from the lighthouse parking lot. There are tons of ice cream shops around here, but our camp host said Dunne’s is “the one” to try. The ice cream is wonderful, but the serving process is ridiculous. I’d been on the phone and Greg already has his cone, so I go to the window and order a small, in a cup, assuming roughly one scoop. Then I watch the gal try to cram 3 scoops into a small cup. Obviously this doesn’t work. She looks at me: “Do you want a bigger cup?” Yeah. So I get the overloaded small cup w/ a spoon stuck in it and an empty larger cup. By the time I get to Greg I have ice cream dripping all over my hand. Moving 2 big scoops with a small plastic spoon creates more mess. Greg eventually brings me a small wet towel so I can clean off all the melted mess. The picture below is of what we ended up throwing away. 

Maine Sea Salt Caramel Truffle
(and 2 of the many, many napkins we wasted)

Fisherman near Nubble Light
(I could have stayed here all day.)