New Castle

New Castle Review

Though it consists of a single square mile of land, the small island of New Castle, 3 mi southeast from downtown via Route 1B, was once known as Great Island. The narrow roads and coastal lanes are lined with pre-Revolutionary houses, making for a beautiful drive or stroll. Wentworth-by-the-Sea (603/422-7322 www.wentworth.com), the last of the state's great seaside resorts, towers over the southern end of New Castle on Route 1B. It was the site of the signing of the Russo-Japanese Treaty in 1905, when Russian and Japanese delegates stayed at the resort and signed an agreement ending the Russo-Japanese War that would win President Theodore Roosevelt a Nobel Peace Prize. The property was vacant for 20 years before it reopened as a luxury resort in 2003.

Ft. Constitution Historic Site. Also on New Castle, Ft. Constitution Historic Site was built in 1631 and then rebuilt in 1666 as Ft. William and Mary, a British stronghold overlooking Portsmouth Harbor. The fort earned its fame in 1774, when patriots raided it in one of Revolutionary America's first overtly defiant acts against King George III. The rebels later used the captured munitions against the British at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Panels explain its history. Park at the dock and walk into the Coast Guard installation to the fort. Wentworth St. off Rte. 1B, at the Coast Guard Station, 03854. 603/436-1552. www.nhstateparks.org. Free. Parking lot 8:30-dusk in summer, park itself is always open.