“After last year’s enthusiastic response, the Portsmouth Historic Sites Associates have brought back Flames of Revolution for this year’s tour,”  said Stephanie Rohwer Hewson, PHSA president and site manager at the Warner House. “As we move closer to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it’s more important than ever to reflect on Portsmouth’s role in the American Revolution. This event invites the community to reconnect with that legacy and consider how the spirit of independence continues to shape our nation today.”

Attendees of the Twilight Tour can explore interiors, gardens, and grounds, and enjoy special programs at each participating site. All proceeds from the event will support ongoing cooperative efforts among PHSA member organizations.

Highlights include:

• Albacore Park, 569 Submarine Way:
  Visit a National Historic Landmark site, home to the experimental submarine USS Albacore (AGSS-569). The park includes a museum, gift shop, memorial garden, and self-guided access through the submarine.
   

• Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire, 222 Court St.:
  Visit the small exhibition "Honoring Ona Judge Staines," which features images, objects, and interpretive panels exploring her life and legacy. Learn about the Trail’s process for designing a new commemorative mural and ongoing efforts to fund its installation.
   

• The Gundalow Company, Prescott Park on Water Street:
  Experience a river cruise aboard an 1880s Gundalow reproduction and learn about the region’s maritime heritage. With a Twilight Tour ticket, book any future Harbor or Sunset Sail on the Gundalow in Portsmouth, NH at half price. Please note the Gundalow Company is not open during the Twilight Tour.
   

• Historic New England’s Langdon House, 143 Pleasant St.:
  Explore the home and learn about the revolutionary spirit and patriotic actions of John Langdon, a three-term governor of New Hampshire, a Revolutionary leader, and a signer of the United States Constitution.
   

• Historic New England’s Rundlet-May House, 364 Middle St.:
  Tour the first floor and explore the revolutionary technologies and sumptuous decor of the Rundlet-May family’s showhouse.
   

• Historic New England’s Jackson House, 76 Northwest St.:
  Explore the oldest surviving English timber frame home in New Hampshire and learn how the site inspired a groundbreaking historic preservation philosophy.
   

• Moffatt-Ladd House & Garden, 154 Market St.:
  Visit this Georgian mansion built in 1763 by the Moffatt family, which later became home to a signer of the Declaration of Independence and two signers of the 1779 Petition of Freedom.
   

• Portsmouth Athenaeum, 9 Market St.:
  Connect with a centuries-old tradition of learning at the Portsmouth Athenæum, a membership library open to all who seek knowledge and community. With over 40,000 volumes, rich local archives, and public programs ranging from exhibitions to lectures, the Athenæum fosters reflection on the past to inspire the present and future.
   

• Portsmouth Historical Society’s John Paul Jones House, 43 Middle St.:
  Tour the John Paul Jones House to explore the crucial decisions American colonists faced regarding liberty, independence, and democracy, with Revolutionary-era artifacts, including those related to Washington, Lafayette, George III, and John Paul Jones, on display.
   

• Strawbery Banke Museum’s William Pitt Tavern, 14 Hancock St.:
  Explore the William Pitt Tavern, the colonial tavern built in 1766 by John Stavers, which was a key stop for the Flying Stage Coach between Portsmouth and Boston, and a gathering place for both Patriots and Loyalists.
   

• Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion, 375 Little Harbor Road:
  Discover this mid-eighteenth-century home of Royal Governor Benning Wentworth, where George Washington stopped briefly in 1789.
   

• Wentworth-Gardner House, 50 Mechanic St.:
  Visit what is considered one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture and home of the influential Wentworth, Nichols, and Gardner Families. See the home's original decorative woodwork come to life under candlelight as it was intended to be seen.
   

• The Warner House, 150 Daniel St.:
  Explore the first floor, where tours will highlight the Loyalist side of the American Revolution, offering insights into what Jonathan Warner, a member of the Royal Council, may have felt about the outbreak of war just to the south, in Massachusetts.  

Each Twilight Tour ticket grants admission to all participating sites on the evening of the event. Tickets remain valid for the remainder of the 2025 season for admission to most sites, allowing flexibility for attendees unable to attend on Aug. 8. Note that Historic New England offers a $1 discount on ticket prices for those who present a Twilight Tour ticket upon arrival to the Langdon, Jackson House, and Rundlet-May Houses through mid-October. 

The self-guided tour permits visits to sites in any order, with most located within walking distance in downtown Portsmouth. Attendees will get a map at the first house they visit. Transportation and parking are the responsibility of ticket holders.

Proceeds from the Twilight Tour support the collaborative programming efforts of PHSA, celebrating its 78th year of promoting public history initiatives.