NEW CASTLE
New Hampshire's Smallest, Oldest & Only Island Town
NEW CASTLE is a tiny island town, just one square mile, with a far-reaching history. Once the provincial heart of New Hampshire, its forts stood sentinel over the Piscataqua River for three centuries. Part sleepy scenic village, part trendy tourist resort, it is best known for a famous peace treaty, a rock-throwing devil, and the first shots of the American Revolution, when Paul Revere sparked the gunpower raid at Fort William and Mary. Others point to the treaty deligates, who, while staying at Wentworth by the Sea hotel, ended the bloody Russo-Japanese War in 1905. "Great Island" has been home to fishermen and farmers, painters and poets, soldiers and sailors, millionaires, and just plain folk. Here are their stories.
READERS REACT
"I'm captivated by the way the author weaves European history into this definitive story of New Castle, giving us a much fuller and richer picture of the times. Now I want to go on a road trip to revisit the town."--Judith Pitchforth, educator, Arundel, Maine
"Peppercorns, powder kegs, and the Piscataqua! Once again, J. Dennis Robinson brings Seacoast history to life. You'll never look at New Castle the same way. I loved this book!"
--Alexandra Martin, archaeologist, Strawbery Banke Museum
NONFICTION
240 Pages/color/ 200 illustrations
New Castle Historical society & Harbortown Press
Hardcover
AUTHOR NOTES
What a project this turned out to be, and what a lovely book!
NEW CASTLE was a seven-year project of research, writing, page design, and more. The last published history of GREAT ISLAND came from my hero John Albee, a poet, teacher, and gentleman farmer. His book, underwritten by ale tycoon Frank Jones, appeared in 1884. So I had a lot of catching up to do.
I was assisted along the way by New Castle Historical society members Carol White and Jim Cerny and our years of emails would fill a medium-sized pickup truck. Designer Grace Peirce took my sketches and turned them into this truly gorgeous volume.. It's a lively, up-to-date, and deeply researched volume disguised as a coffee table/gift book. We've already sold out more than half the press run, so get your copy while they last.
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