Portsmouth, New Hampshire is one of the oldest communities in the United States. Commercial fishermen established a base on the shores of the Piscataqua River only three years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. The area soon became a center for shipbuilding and foreign trade, playing a prominent role in colonial America and the American Revolution.The Historic Portsmouth, NH Walking Tour meanders down shady streets lined by stately mansions that reflect the wealth and influence of Portsmouth's most successful forefathers. It passes rows of brick commercial buildings that mark the paths of three catastrophic infernos the city suffered during the early 1800s. With nine route maps and detailed directions, this tour navigates walkers past four buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, five National Historic Landmarks, and one American Treasure.