Strawbery Banke Museum announces renaming of historic house to honor Irish immigrant family

PORTSMOUTH — At a special reception on Sept. 25 attended by community leaders and key supporters, Strawbery Banke Museum announced the renaming of the Yeaton-Walsh House to the Yeaton-Welch House.

The new name honors Michael and Mary Welch, Irish immigrants who made their home at 4 Mast St. in Portsmouth’s Puddle Dock neighborhood from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century. After leaving Ireland during the Potato Famine in the 1840s, the Welches built a life in Portsmouth while facing hardships, health crises, and loss. Their perseverance and resilience reflect the experiences of countless immigrants who shaped the city and the nation.

“The story of the Welch family is both deeply personal and profoundly universal,” said Linnea Grim, president and CEO, Thomas W. Haas Endowed Chair. “By renaming the house in their honor, we recognize the courage it took for immigrants to start anew, and the ways in which their struggles and triumphs still resonate today. This is not just about preserving one family’s story, it’s about honoring the human drive to seek belonging, community, and a better future.”

When completed, the Yeaton-Welch House exhibit will feature a new immersive exhibition exploring the immigrant experience through the family’s story. Authentic recreations of rooms from the 1860s and early 1900s will highlight both struggle and resilience, while artifacts uncovered on-site will connect the Welches’ journey to Portsmouth’s broader immigrant past. Exhibits will also explore anti-Irish sentiment of the times, social and sanitary reforms, and the impact of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, where Michael Welch found steady work.

Originally built in 1803 by Thales Yeaton, the Federal-style duplex housed generations of immigrant families. The house has long been known as the Yeaton-Walsh House, a name that originated from errors in the historic records where the Welch family name was mistakenly written as Walsh. Research into the property has since clarified the family’s true identity and detailed their occupation of the house.The restored first floor will showcase two kitchens, one from the 1860s and one from the early 1900s, illustrating how the Welch family’s story evolved from that of tenants to established homeowners and respected community members.

“Preservation is not about the past. It’s about preserving for the future,” said Marcia Cronin, Strawbery Banke trustee. “We have a responsibility to honor the people, stories, and voices that came before us. This is the unfolding of history.”

With exterior restoration complete, the Museum will now begin fundraising for interior restoration and exhibition design. The Yeaton-Welch House is set to become a cornerstone of Strawbery Banke’s efforts to highlight the multitude of stories that make up the American experience.

The Yeaton-Welch House restoration and exhibit has been funded in part by Samuel P. Hunt Foundation, Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation, Malcolm E. Smith Jr. Foundation, Granite State Development Corporation, McIninch Foundation, the Ann DeNicola Trust, Arthur Getz Trust, and Marcia and Bill Cronin. 

For more information, visit StrawberyBanke.org.

About Strawbery Banke Museum

Strawbery Banke Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is a nearly 10-acre history museum in downtown Portsmouth, NH, interpreting over 350 years of history—from Indigenous peoples to the present day. The Museum features historic houses on their original sites, heirloom gardens, traditional crafts, and costumed roleplayers sharing stories of Puddle Dock residents. Strawbery Banke welcomes visitors, members, schoolchildren, and volunteers year-round for daily programs, exhibits, skating, and signature events. Funding is provided in part by the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation; the Institute of Museum and Library Services; the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy Demands Wisdom; and the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program.