The Town of
Kittery
Kittery,
Maine
Date of
Visit: April 25, 2013
I visited the bustling metropolis of
Kittery. It is the southernmost town in the State of Maine. It is also the
first town in the State, founded on October 20, 1647. According to the official
Kittery web site, Kittery, like many towns was named after an area in England
and the first settlers were mostly fisherman, woodsman, hunters and trappers.
The town of Kittery sits along the Piscataqua River and is
the first town you enter as you come north from New Hampshire. There are three
bridges connecting Kittery with Portsmouth, NH (only one is currently open) and
is the home of the Portsmouth Naval Ship Yard which is used for remodeling and repairing US Navy
submarines.
According to the Navy, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is the
oldest continuously-operating shipyard in the United States Navy. It is the
shipyard that commissioned the first British war ship in 1690 and it has a rich
history of ship building with many famous ships being built and repaired, the
most famous was the refurbishing of the USS Constitution. The yard started
building submarines for World War I and continued to build them through World
War II and launched its last in 1969. Unfortunately, under current conditions,
taking pictures of the Ship Yard is not allowed, but as you drive through the
area evidence of its history is shown in its buildings.
John Paul Jones Park is located in the middle of US Route 1
just after crossing into Maine. In this park sits a monument to the Soldiers
and Sailors of Maine and has been placed on the National Register of Historical
Places.
As you walk or drive through the
“Downtown” Kittery, there are still many old buildings. Kittery has become a
large tourist area with multiple outlet stores and one of my favorite places,
The Kittery Trading Post. The town has a history as a trading area dating back
to its establishment and will continue for the unforeseen future. Kittery is a
beautiful Maine town which everyone should visit and explore.
