HISTORICAL MARKERS
There are many commemorative markers honoring the Portsmouth Peace Treaty, historic events and participants, and initiatives to memorialize the Treaty with the Living Memorial Cherry Tree Project.
The first memorial was installed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in 1906 on the first anniversary of the signing of the Treaty. The bronze plaque identifies Building 86 as the site of the formal negotiations and the signing of the Treaty on September 5, 1905. Still a notable feature of this historic building on the Shipyard, it is the focal point of group photographs, especially on the occasions of visit from Portsmouth's Sister City of Nichinan, Japan as well as delegations of Naval officers.
The first memorial was installed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in 1906 on the first anniversary of the signing of the Treaty. The bronze plaque identifies Building 86 as the site of the formal negotiations and the signing of the Treaty on September 5, 1905. Still a notable feature of this historic building on the Shipyard, it is the focal point of group photographs, especially on the occasions of visit from Portsmouth's Sister City of Nichinan, Japan as well as delegations of Naval officers.
JUDGE CALVIN PAGE PLAQUE
In 1951, a bronze plaque in memory of Judge Page was placed on the facade of 15 Pleasant Street on the site of the law offices of Judge Calvin Page who, as executor to the Frank Jones Estate, had made accommodations available to the diplomats at Wentworth By the Sea Hotel. Piscataqua Savings Bank, which now occupies the building has preserved the Page law office with a small exhibit. Former New Hampshire governor John H. Bartlett, who was Page’s son-in-law, erected the plaque. The inscription reads: “This tablet, replacing his ancient law sign, is a merited memorial to Patriot Calvin Page whose emergency cooperation with President Theodore Roosevelt and Gov. John McLane made possible the Portsmouth Peace Treaty of 1905 between Russia and Japan.”
Living memorial cherry tree plaques
In 2012, the Foreign Ministry of Japan arranged for the Japan-America Society to receive a number of cherry trees descended from the Washington trees as part of the distribution of trees across America to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the diplomatic gift. The Society decided to plant those trees at key sites related to the Treaty history, creating a Living Memorial to the Portsmouth Peace Treaty and the citizen diplomacy involved in reaching the successful conclusion. Each tree has a granite plaque explaining its history.
CITY OF PORTSMOUTH HISTORICAL MARKER - PORTSMOUTH PEACE TREATY
Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day 2013 celebrated Citizen Diplomacy with bellringing and the unveiling of a City historic marker in Downtown Portsmouth. The plaque, which details the Treaty history and the role of local people, is located outside Piscataqua Savings Bank on the site of Judge Calvin Page’s law office. Page made it possible for both of the delegations to stay at Wentworth By the Sea Hotel, at no cost, for the 30 day duration of their negotiations. He was a pivotal figure in encouraging the citizen diplomacy that Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day commemorates. In addition to the unveiling, Portsmouth Mayor Eric Spear read the Governor’s Proclamation and bells were rung in other locations around the state, especially where cherry trees are planted as a living memorial to the Treaty. These sites include Wentworth By the Sea, Strawbery Banke Museum, the John Paul Jones House Museum and the public schools of Portsmouth. “The placement of the City of Portsmouth Historic Marker in the middle of downtown Portsmouth near the site of Calvin Page’s memorial emphasizes the role local citizens played, along with NH Governor John McLane, as the official hosts for the peace conference,” said Charles B. Doleac, president of the Japan-America Society of New Hampshire and founder of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum that organized the 100th anniversary celebrations in 2005.
CITY OF PORTSMOUTH HISTORICAL MARKER - SISTER CITIES
In 2018, the City of Portsmouth installed another historical marker celebrating its Sister City relationships on Junkins Avenue, overlooking City Hall and the Living Memorial Cherry Trees that surround South Mill Pond. A delegation from Nichinan Gakuen Junior-Senior High School joined students from Portsmouth High School to unveil the marker.
