Although Irish immigrants made up 14% of Portsmouth’s population by 1910, their story has been missing from the Museum’s historical interpretation. Incorporating their history will complement and connect existing narratives of Puddle Dock as a neighborhood of newcomers, weaving together a fuller picture of Portsmouth’s immigrant past.

Michael and Mary Welch emigrated from Ireland in the 1840s during the Potato Famine. After settling in Portsmouth, they raised five children in the house at 4 Mast Street, with Michael supporting the household as a sawyer and occasionally working at the Portsmouth Navy Yard. Following Mary’s death in the early 1860s, Michael married fellow Irish immigrant Bridget Sullivan, and together they had four children. Twin daughters Joanna and Katey died of cholera infantum just one day apart, a reminder of the challenges families faced during this era. Despite hardships, the Welches persevered, ultimately purchasing the property and firmly establishing themselves in the community.

The exhibition will explore themes of becoming American through domestic life, public health and sanitation in an urban setting, and the economic realities facing immigrant families—including the important role of the U.S. Navy as an employer. The first-floor exhibit will recreate the family kitchen across two key moments: one side representing the 1860s and the other the early 1900s. This side-by-side interpretation will allow visitors to witness change over time, from the crowded living conditions and shared furnishings of the family’s early years to the greater stability they achieved as homeowners. Objects featured throughout the kitchens will be informed by the more than 57,000 artifacts uncovered during the site’s archaeological excavation.