Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion

The Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion is a sprawling clapboard residence at Little Harbor with around forty rooms and multiple construction phases joined into one large waterfront structure. The property includes outbuildings, gardens, and a private landing area that demonstrate its importance as a center of commerce and administration in colonial times.

Governor Benning Wentworth built this residence in 1741 when New Hampshire separated from Massachusetts Bay Colony and needed its own government center. The complex expanded over decades, reflecting the growth of colonial power and prosperity in the region.

The residence contains spaces that reveal how colonial governance functioned in daily practice. The building reflects how political authority and domestic life intertwined in 18th-century New Hampshire.

The grounds open from dawn to dusk and are best explored on foot along the Little Harbor Loop Trail, a 1.5-mile route around the property. The walk passes through woods and along the water, manageable for most visitors without special preparation.

The property grows lilac bushes descended from the first European lilacs brought to North America by the governor centuries ago. These plants show how colonists recreated their homeland gardens in this new setting.

Location: Portsmouth

Address: 375 Little Harbor Road

Website: https://nhstateparks.org/visit/historic-sites/wentworth-coolidge-mansion

GPS coordinates: 43.06167,-70.73889

Latest update: December 11, 2025 18:01