To walk the town of Rye’s rocky shoreline, breathe in the salt air and peer out at the shimmering horizon is to understand what drew New Hampshire’s first visitors four centuries ago to this quiet, seaside sanctuary – and what’s drawn them in droves ever since.
Settled at Odiorne Point in 1623 by Scotsman David Thomson, Rye was known first as Pannaway and later Sandy Beach before its incorporation in 1726 as a parish of New Castle. With plentiful farmland and miles of open coastline, Rye thrived for more than a century as a bustling agricultural, fishing and shipping community. The end of the Civil War brought a boon in tourism, as wealthy travelers seeking cool escape from the city’s summer heat discovered Rye’s unspoiled seaboard and began building dozens of large summer homes and luxury hotels.
While the sight of families strolling along Jenness Beach in their Sunday best has long since given way to surfboards and string bikinis, Rye’s relaxed character, rich seafaring tradition, and neighborly devotion to community and land continue today. From Ocean Boulevard’s historic homes and boardwalks flanked by sea roses and sand, to the green calm of Parsons Field and Brown’s Pond, Rye’s landscape remains remarkably sprawl-free.
No visit is complete without a stop at Odiorne Point State Park with its wooded paths, panoramic ocean views, and massive military fortifications installed in the 1940s to safeguard against German attack. While at Odiorne, you’ll want to visit the Seacoast Science Center, an interactive lesson in local lore and aquatic life, complete with an indoor touch tank and 1,000-gallon aquarium. Nearby, you can discover the house where the nation’s first direct transatlantic cable lines came ashore in 1874 – a far cry from cell towers – or board the Uncle Oscar for a daytrip to the Isles of Shoals, and view the shorelines, gardens and wildlife that inspired 19th century poet Celia Thaxter’s writing. For an eye-opening look at the area’s evolution, visit the Rye History Museum, where historian Alex Herlihy tells some of the best stories around and can walk you through an excellent new exhibit detailing Rye’s four centuries: Rye on the Rocks (www.ryenhhistoricalsociety.org).
Town Facts
by Michael DeBlasi
Rye, NH
• Population of 5,174 (est. 2007)
• Captain John Smith arrived at the Isle of Shoals (which he called “Smith’s Isles” in 1614.
• 38 residents of Rye gave their lives in the American Revolutionary War.
• 86 Rye residents served in the Civil War. Rye
• Ocean Boulevard was constructed in 1902 and the first Rye library was erected in 1911.
• Odiorne Point is the largest undeveloped stretch of shore on NH’s eighteen mile coast, offering an extensive array of habitats. On the south end of the park, sheltered tide pools of the Sunken Forest give way to exposed rocky shore. Just north, the shore evolves into a pebble beach which shelters a fresh water marsh. Along the way to Frost Point where a jetty extends into Little Harbor, lies a small sand dune environment. At the end of Little Harbor, Seavey Creek feeds the neighboring salt marsh.
• Notable residents of Rye have included: former NH Governor Craig Benson; Dan Brown, best-selling author of “The Da Vinci Code”; U.S. Senator Judd Gregg: Liv Tyler, actress and daughter of rock star Steven Tyler.
