From its stately historic houses to its bustling downtown harbor, the Greater Portsmouth area offers an unparalleled variety of professional and recreational opportunities. A progressive business climate, a cultural and social environment rarely found in cities of its size, and proximity to the University of New Hampshire all contribute to the exciting vitality of the area.

First settled in 1630 as Piscataqua, the settlement was soon named Strawberry Banke. The name Portsmouth was adopted in 1653 to honor the colony's founder, John Mason, captain of the port in Portsmouth, England. Portsmouth became the New Hampshire province's capital in 1679. It was home to many famous colonials, such as William Whipple, signer of the Declaration of Independence; Governor John Langdon; and John Paul Jones, naval hero. Portsmouth was incorporated as a city in 1849. Parts of the original Strawberry Banke settlement have been preserved as a museum.

For most of the 17^th and 18th centuries, Portsmouth was a major shipbuilding center.  Much of the activity was centered around the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, which opened in 1800.  In 1905, the city gained international recognition with the signing of the Treaty of Portsmouth, which ended the Russo-Japanese War.  Today, great care has been taken to preserve the historical flavor of the community as it has grown into the region’s largest city, with commercial and cultural activity year-round.  Portsmouth is easily accessible from five major highways including Interstate 95. Portsmouth is fed by the Boston and Maine railroad, is served by several interstate bus lines, and is New Hampshire’s only deep water port, complete with its own Foreign Trade Zone and ready, ice-free access to the Atlantic.

Cosmopolitan Magazine named Portsmouth in its Top 10 list of the best places to live and work in the country. The UTNE Reader named our community in its lineup of the 50 "most enlightened cities" in the country. And finally, Money Magazine rated Portsmouth in their Top 10 best places to live in the country five times over the last 10 years.