PROPRIETORS PORTSMOUTH ATHENAEUM
9 MARKET SQUARE PO BOX 366, PORTSMOUTH, NH 03802 www.portsmouthathenaeum.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: WE, THE PROPRIETORS OF THE PORTSMOUTH ATHENAEUM, ASSOCIATE TO PROMOTE LEARNING AND ADVANCE USEFUL KNOWLEDGE AMONG OUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY BY FACILITATING CONVIVIAL INTERCHANGE AND INTELLECTUAL DISCOURSE; MAINTAINING OUR HISTORIC BUILDING AND LIBRARY; AND COLLECTING AND PRESERVING MATERIALS RELEVANT TO THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF PORTSMOUTH AND THE PISCATAQUA REGION.

SEE MISSION STATEMENT ON PAGE 2, PART III

IT WAS ANOTHER BUSY YEAR OF PROGRAMMING FOR THE PORTSMOUTH ATHENAEUM IN 2019. WITH INCREASED PARTICIPATION IN GALLERY EXHIBITIONS, LITERARY EVENTS, AND MUSIC PROGRAMS, THE ATHENAEUM IS TRULY AN INTELLECTUAL CENTER OF THE COMMUNITY.NEW AND LONGTIME ATHENAEUM MEMBERS ENJOYED A FULL SOCIAL CALENDAR. THE 200TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PROPRIETORS OF THE PORTSMOUTH ATHENAEUM WAS HELD ON JANUARY 27, FILLING THE SHAW RESEARCH LIBRARY. ON FEBRUARY 7, THE ANNUAL MEMORIAL CONCERT HONORING PROPRIETORS WHO HAD PASSED IN 2018 WAS HELD AT ST. JOHN'S CHURCH. TRADITIONAL NEW MEMBER TEAS AND OPEN HOUSES WERE HELD ON APRIL 16 AND SEPTEMBER 17. A SUMMERTIME FAVORITE, THE ANNUAL PICNIC TOOK PLACE ON AUGUST 20 AT THE SEACOAST SCIENCE CENTER; ATHENAEUM MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ENJOYED A BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON ON THE COAST. TO CLOSE THE YEAR, ATHENAEUM MEMBERS MADE MERRY AT THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY ON DECEMBER 6.THE ATHENAEUM STAFF, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING RESEARCH HELP, WELCOMED LOCAL SCHOOL GROUPS AND BUSINESSES AS WELL AS HUNDREDS OF VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD FOR TOURS OF OUR BEAUTIFUL, HISTORIC BUILDING. OTHER STAFF-LED EVENTS INCLUDED A TRANSCRIBE-A-THON, HELD IN NOVEMBER, TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO THE COLLECTION OF PROLIFIC LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER DOUGLAS J. ARMSDEN. THESE EVENTS BROUGHT AWARENESS TO THE ATHENAEUM'S RICH LOCAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS.GALLERY EXHIBITIONSTHE ATHENAEUM PRESENTED FOUR POPULAR AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING EXHIBITIONS DURING THE YEAR. EACH FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH, THE RANDALL GALLERY WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR ART 'ROUND TOWN TO SHOWCASE THE CURRENT EXHIBITION.ON FEBRUARY 15, AN OPENING RECEPTION WAS HELD FOR THE MANY FACES OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, AN EXHIBITION THAT EXPLORED THE MYRIAD WAYS WASHINGTON HAS BEEN DEPICTED AND MEMORIALIZED OVER TIME. ITEMS ON DISPLAY INCLUDED A FRAGMENT OF THE CAMBRIDGE ELM TREE UNDER WHICH WASHINGTON TOOK COMMAND OF THE AMERICAN ARMY IN 1775 AS WELL AS OBJECTS RELATED TO WASHINGTON'S VISIT TO PORTSMOUTH IN THE FALL OF 1789. SANDRA RUX AND JUDY GROPPA PROVIDED GALLERY TOURS. THE EXHIBITION RAN UNTIL APRIL 13.SPONSORED BY THE SEACOAST LGBT HISTORY PROJECT, WHICH WAS FOUNDED BY TOM KAUFHOLD, SEACOAST LGBT HISTORY: 50 YEARS OF RAINBOW REFLECTIONS OPENED ON MAY 3. MORE THAN 150 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE OPENING RECEPTION. GALLERY TALKS WERE HELD THROUGHOUT MAY AND JUNE, INCLUDING A SHOWING OF VIDEO COLLECTED FOR THE PROJECT BY TOM KAUFHOLD. HOLLY R. CASHMAN, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF SPANISH AND WOMEN'S STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, PRESENTED "COLLECTING OUR LGBTQ+ STORIES," FEATURING EXCERPTS FROM ORAL HISTORIES CONDUCTED WITH THE SEACOAST LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, AND SHE DISCUSSED CONCERNS RELATED TO COLLECTING AND PRESERVING THESE STORIES. ADDITIONAL ITEMS FROM THE ATHENAEUM'S COLLECTIONS WERE ADDED FOR PRIDE MONTH, AND THE GALLERY WAS OPEN FOR EXTENDED HOURS FOR PRIDE DAY ON JUNE 22. THE EXHIBITION CLOSED ON JULY 6.DRAWING A VARIETY OF CURIOUS VISITORS, BY THE BOTTLE OR BARREL: 400 YEARS OF BREWING IN PORTSMOUTH OPENED ON AUGUST 2. THE EXHIBITION INCLUDED AN 1845 PETITION WITH THE NAMES OF NEARLY 900 PORTSMOUTH WOMEN CALLING FOR REFORM DURING THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT; THIS ITEM WAS A NEW ADDITION TO THE ATHENAEUM'S COLLECTIONS. CO-CURATOR SANDRA RUX LED A GALLERY TALK ON AUGUST 17, FOLLOWED BY SEVERAL LECTURES BY LOCAL BREWING HISTORY EXPERTS IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER. TAD BAKER, PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AT SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY, AND BUTCH HEILSHORN, AUTHOR OF AGAINST ALL HOPS, DISCUSSED THE HISTORY OF MAKING GRUIT, A LOST BEER STYLE DATING TO THE MIDDLE AGES. CHERYL PARKER, WHO MANAGES THE BREWING SCIENCE LABORATORY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, PRESENTED ON THE SCIENCE OF BREWING AND THE UNH BREWING PROGRAM. THE FOUNDERS OF GRANITE STATE GROWLER TOURS, DAVID ADAMS AND MARK CHAG, TALKED ABOUT PORTSMOUTH'S MODERN CRAFT BREWING INDUSTRY AND THE HISTORY OF BREWING IN PORTSMOUTH, RESPECTIVELY. THIS EXHIBITION WAS ON VIEW UNTIL NOVEMBER 9.THE ANNUAL PROPRIETORS' ART SHOW OPENED DURING THE ATHENAEUM'S HOLIDAY PARTY ON DECEMBER 6. SUBMISSIONS BY PROPRIETORS, SUBSCRIBERS, AND FRIENDS SHOWCASED THE CREATIVITY OF THE ATHENAEUM FAMILY THROUGH VARIED MEDIA.LITERARY EVENTSTHE PORTSMOUTH ATHENAEUM PROGRAM SERIES 2019, ENTITLED SCRIPTING THE SEACOAST WITH WORDS, BEAUTY, LEARNING, AND LAUGHTER, KICKED OFF ON MARCH 20 WITH MYSTERY WRITER BRENDAN DUBOIS, FOLLOWED BY HUMORIST REBECCA RULE ON APRIL 17. FOOD WRITER RACHEL FORREST DREW A CROWD ON MAY 15. PHOTOGRAPHER ALEXANDRA DE STEIGUER SPOKE ON SEPTEMBER 18, WHILE THE OCTOBER 16 PROGRAM FEATURED MARGUERITE MATTHEWS AND GREGORY GATHERS OF THE PONTINE THEATRE. THE SERIES CONCLUDED ON NOVEMBER 20 WITH SONGWRITER AND POET JOHN PERRAULT.KEEPER TOM HARDIMAN CELEBRATED THE PUBLICATION OF MONEY, REVOLUTION, AND BOOKS: A MULTI-GENERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE PORTSMOUTH ATHENUM'S LIBRARY OF JOHN FISHER OF LONDON, WITH A BOOK LAUNCH HELD AT THE ATHENAEUM ON APRIL 19. THE READING ROOM WAS PACKED, AND ATTENDEES CLAMORED FOR HARDIMAN'S AUTOGRAPH AFTER HIS TALK. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, HE GAVE BOOK TALKS AT OTHER LOCAL LIBRARIES, INCLUDING THE PORTSMOUTH PUBLIC LIBRARY AND YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY.THERE WERE SEVERAL ADDITIONAL BOOK TALKS BY LOCAL AUTHORS. ON MAY 8, JULIE DOBROW DISCUSSED HER CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED BOOK, AFTER EMILY: TWO REMARKABLE WOMEN AND THE LEGACY OF AMERICA'S GREATEST POET, WHICH EXPLORES THE OVERLOOKED HISTORY OF EMILY DICKINSON'S SISTER, LAVINIA, AND MABEL LOOMIS TODD, WHO EDITED AND PROMOTED THE TROVE OF OVER 1,800 POEMS DISCOVERED AFTER DICKINSON'S DEATH.LATER IN MAY, ATHENAEUM PROPRIETOR KEVIN LAFOND HELD A BOOK LAUNCH FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE MERCHANT SCRIP, ALONG WITH A BRIEF HISTORY OF ITS USE AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE MERCHANTS. HIS 400-PAGE VOLUME TRACES HOW NEW HAMPSHIRE MERCHANTS ISSUED THEIR OWN SMALL-DENOMINATION PAPER MONEY IN TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES.ATHENAEUM PROPRIETOR AND PORTSMOUTH POET LAUREATE TAMMI TRUAX GAVE A BOOK TALK ON AUGUST 18 FOR HER NEW RELEASE, FOR TO SEE THE ELEPHANT.ON OCTOBER 29 IN TIME FOR HALLOWEEN, AUTHOR KURT LELAND PRESENTED A LECTURE, "CELIA THAXTER: GHOSTS, GHOULS, AND GURUS." LELAND DISCUSSED THAXTER'S INTEREST IN SPIRITUALISM AND OTHER CREEPY TALES FROM THE ISLES OF SHOALS, SUCH AS THE SMUTTYNOSE MURDERS AND THE HAUNTING OF ONE OF THAXTER'S FRIENDS, A MEDIUM NAMED MARION DICKINSON. HE ALSO ADDRESSED THAXTER'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, INCLUDING A CLASS IN THE BHAGAVAD GITA TAUGHT BY A YOUNG INDIAN MAN IN 1887, ONE OF THE EARLIEST APPEARANCES OF A GURU IN THE UNITED STATES.COSPONSORED BY THE ATHENAEUM, THE PORTSMOUTH PEACE TREATY FORUM CELEBRATED ITS TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY WITH A LECTURE BY JAKE SULLIVAN, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR TO THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION FOR A PROGRAM ON UNITED STATES DIPLOMACY. THE EVENT, HELD IN THE BALLROOM AT THE WENTWORTH BY THE SEA HOTEL IN NEW CASTLE, ALSO RECOGNIZED THE ANNIVERSARY OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR ORCHESTRATING THE PORTSMOUTH PEACE TREATY.ATHENAEUM PROPRIETOR SARAH HAMILL HELD A BOOK TALK ON DECEMBER 10 FOR HER NEW MEMOIR, WHEN I WAS A CHILD IN ENGLAND DURING WORLD WAR II.MUSIC PROGRAMSIN MAY, STUDENT MUSICIANS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE GAVE A WELL-ATTENDED PERFORMANCE AT NORTH CHURCH.THE PORTSMOUTH ATHENAEUM CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES 2019 BEGAN ON JULY 21 WITH A PERFORMANCE BY CELLIST SEBASTIAN BAVERSTAM AND PIANIST CONSTANTINE FINEHOUSE AT ST. JOHN'S CHURCH. ON AUGUST 11, FOUR MUSICIANS FROM A FAR CRY PERFORMED A TRIO AND TWO QUARTETS FOR AN AUDIENCE OF NEARLY 100 PEOPLE AT THE DANCE HALL IN KITTERY. THE OMER STRING QUARTET PERFORMED AT NORTH CHURCH ON SEPTEMBER 22. THE SERIES CONCLUDED AT THE DANCE HALL IN KITTERY ON OCTOBER 27 WITH THE NEAVE TRIO, WHICH PLAYED THE PIANO TRIO IN A MINOR BY NEW HAMPSHIRE COMPOSER AMY BEACH.ON SEPTEMBER 26, A SCREENING OF THE SEVENTEEN-MINUTE FILM TOM HALL - MUSICAL LIFE, MUSICAL COMMUNITY CELEBRATED HOW THE LATE TOM HALL INSPIRED LOCAL SINGERS, SONGWRITERS, AND MUSICAL GROUPS WITH HIS SEA CHANTEY SESSIONS HELD AT THE PRESS ROOM FOR SOME THIRTY YEARS. THE SHORT FILM INCLUDED INTERVIEWS AND MUSICAL INTERLUDES TO DEMONSTRATE THE WAY HALL, AN ORGANIZER OF THE PORTSMOUTH MARITIME FOLK FESTIVAL, SPREAD A PASSION FOR FOLK MUSIC. THE FILM SCREENING TOOK PLACE IN THE RESEARCH LIBRARY ON THE EVE OF THE FESTIVAL'S TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY, ACCOMPANIED BY STORIES AND SONGS FROM A NUMBER OF MUSICIANS WHO KNEW HALL IN THE EARLY DAYS. ON SEPTEMBER 29, CAMEO CONCERTS WERE HELD IN THE ATHENAEUM'S READING ROOM DURING THE FESTIVAL.ON NOVEMBER 3, THE THIRD-ANNUAL PORTSMOUTH ATHENAEUM PRIZE IN THE HUMANITIES WAS AWARDED DURING THE INTERMISSION OF THE PORTSMOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA'S SEASON OPENING CONCERT AT THE MUSIC HALL.THE NOREE CHAMBER SOLOISTS PLAYED AN IN-HOUSE CONCERT FOR ATHENAEUM MEMBERS ON NOVEMBER 17, HELD IN THE READING ROOM AND FEATURING MOZART'S STRING DUO NO. 1 IN G MAJOR,

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