Historical Walking Tour of Exeter, NH

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During my three-day trip of the Portsmouth, New Hampshire area, I walked through nearby Exeter listening to a Historical Walking Tour on izi.TRAVEL, a website and app for self-guided audio tours. This tour is vetted by the Exeter Historical Society and was recorded by local boy scouts and their family members. Additionally, a written transcript beneath the audio player allows Deaf and hearing impaired visitors, or anyone walking through busy downtown Exeter, to enjoy the tour. Stops can be visited in any orders.

A blonde brick, one-story building with a portaco up five steps. In front of the building is a white wooden sign with black text reading EXETER HISTORICAL SOCIETY

My favorite stop was Gale Park. The history of this site is described both on the tour and with signage. The park was named for the Gale family, as Alice Gale Hobson donated the land to the town of Exeter in 1922 as a memorial to her father, Stephen H. Gale. The statue at the center of the park is called “Mother Town and Soldier Son”. It depicts a World War I era soldier beside a woman in neoclassical clothing, who symbolizes the town of Exeter. This sculpture was created by Daniel Chester French, an Exeter native who created the Minuteman sculpture at titular Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Massachusetts, along with the statue of Abraham Lincoln at Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Additionally, the park includes a time capsule “deposited May 30, 1977 by the Exeter Bicentennial Commission to be opened in the year 2076”.

A gray stone plaque set into the grass reading in part TIME CAPSULE DEPOSITED MAY 30, 1977 A white metal sign with green text reading in part 'Gale Park Dedicated July 4th 1922', and then describing the contents of the park A metal life-sized statue of a man wearing a World War I military uniform beside a woman wearing in a neoclassical dress and with a laurel wreath on her head. She stretches out her arms and holding a large battle flag on a flagpole topped by an eagle

The center of Exeter near the Exeter Town Hall boasts a pair of signs from two different times in United States history. The first sign describes the founding of Exeter by a Puritan minister, Rev. John Wheelwright, in 1638 after being exiled from Massachusetts Bay Colony like many other notable colonial figures, such as Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson. The sign also reflects the town’s status as the capital of New Hampshire during the American Revolution. The second sign tells the story of when Abraham Lincoln, who would become the 16th president of the United States, spoke at town hall. Lincoln’s oldest son, Robert, was attending Phillips Exeter Academy at the time.

A green metal sign with white raised text and the seal of the state of New Hampshire. The sign is titled REVOLUTIONARY CAPITAL and describes the founding of the city of Exeter. A green metal sign with white raised text and the seal of the state of New Hampshire. The sign is titled ABRAHAM LINCOLN SPEAKS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE and describes a visit to Exeter by Abraham Lincoln. A tall, two-story red brick building with a white wooden portico and a matching cupala. The building stands across a busy street and parking area.

The tour leads to a paved path running next to the Squamscott River. On the opposite shore is the Powder House, built in 1771. This facility was used to store gun powder during both the American Revolution and the War of 1812. The next time I visit Exeter, I will bring binoculars to get a better view of the historic building.

A sign with an illustration of a river and a map of the nearby waterways titled 'The Place of Two Rivers'. The sign gives information about the ecology of the region. A metal plaque embedded in a rock reading 'ACROSS THE RIVER OLD POWDER HOUSE BUILT 1771' with a depiction of the house and an arrow pointing right. A white metal sign with green text reading in part 'POWDER HOUSE -1771-', then describing the history of the house. On the uper left of the sign is the seal of the Town of Exeter. View across a river, with both banks visible. The tiny red brick Powder House can barely be seen on the opposite shore.

Several churches were included on the tour. The Congregational Church in Exeter, based on a congregation originally founded by the same Rev. Wheelwright who founded the town, is in its fourth building. This structure was built in 1798 and expanded in 1838. Another beautiful building, although it did not make the cut for the tour, was Regeneration Church, which features a large neo-Gothic picture window and houses a Lutheran congregation.

A white wooden church that deviates from the classic New England design due to its square steeple and prominent Neo-Gothic picture window. A sign on the front reads 'I heart emoji my church'. A classic two-story whitewashed New England Congregational church with three bright red doors and manicured shrubs in front of the building.

Another notable stop on the tour includes a plaque dedicated to George Whitefield, the Calvinist itinerant minister who started the First Great Awakening religious revival in the American colonies and contributed to the resentment over lack of separation between church and state in England, and nearby the Thing-Lovery House where Whitefield preached his last sermon. Other stops include Williams-Winslow House, a red brick building once used as a print shop and now a dormitory for students at Phillips Exeter academy; Inn by the Bandstand, a federal-style mansion built in 1809 that serves as a fancy bed and breakfast; and signs describing historic buildings no longer extant.

Omitted from the tour was a lovely blueish-green once belonging to Judge Jeremiah Smith, an Irish-American politician who served on the New Hampshire state legislature, United States House of Representatives, United States Circuit Court, and as temporary governor of New Hampshire between terms of long-time governor, John Langdon of Portsmouth.

Red brick two-and-a-half story federal-style house with three tall chimneys and black shutters. Flowering bushes shroud the foundation. A wood sign with golden letters reading 'INN BY THE BANDSTAND'. On the top of the sign is a portrait of a man with a banner reading '1809'. At the bottom of a sign is a fish. A light bluish green two-story wooden house with a small white portico and nine black shuttered windows. The house stands directly beside the sidewalk. A stone slab with the words 'George Whitefield Here Preached His Last Sermon Sept. 29, 1770' A yellow-painted wooden Georgian style two-story house with a small white portico viewed at a three-quarters angle. A small white plaque is attached beside the nearest first-story window. A green metal sign with white raised text and the seal of the state of New Hampshire. The sign is titled EXETER TOWN HOUSE and describes the adoption of the state constitution. A metal plaque with golden lettering embedded in a granite slab thought to be the foundation of the Rundlett-Boardman House.

The audio tour is thoroughly research, well-written, and has great voice talent. The tour does require a significant amount of walking and may not be suitable for people with low mobility. However, the sidewalks are well maintained, and marked crosswalks are available at all road crossings. I highly recommend anyone visiting Exeter to check out this tour and learn more about the town.


Abby Epplett’s Rating System

Experience: 8/10

Accessibility: 8/10



Location: Exeter, NH 03833, USA