Living Waters, Living History: Investigating a 20th Century Mikveh at Puddle Dock

Summary

Over the summer of 2014, Strawbery Banke Museum archaeologists and students excavated at a house site, which oral history suggested was the location of an early 20th century mikveh (Jewish ritual bath).   Research found that the house was once owned by the Portsmouth, NH Hebrew Ladies’ Society, who later sold the house to Temple Israel, just a few blocks away.  By 1935, the mikveh was no longer in use.  This presentation explores the history of Portsmouth’s Jewish immigrant community, who settled at Puddle Dock, an urban neighborhood on the Piscataqua river, around the turn of the 20th century.  The first generation of Jewish immigrants entered new and unfamiliar surroundings.  Bounded by the shared practice of ritual immersion, the many Jewish families in Portsmouth quickly established themselves as a vibrant community.  The congregants of Temple Israel were valuable collaborators on the present research.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2015   •
• Material Culture, Identity, and Practice: Methods, Theories, and Case Studies

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 318