Land Acknowledgement 

Rye Town Museum is located on N’dakinna, which is the traditional ancestral homeland of the Abenaki, Pennacook and Wabanaki Peoples past and present. We acknowledge and honor with gratitude the land and waterways and the alnobak (people) who have stewarded N’dakinna throughout the generations.

Learn more about the indigenous life on the NH seacoast before european settlement on any of our iPad kiosks.

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About Rye New Hampshire

Rye is located on the Atlantic Ocean and its eight miles of coast line is the longest in NH. Three magnificent serpentine beaches created by rocky headlands have drawn people to the town for centuries. There are 850 acres of salt marsh and, with all the fresh water marsh, almost two thirds of the town’s 35.5 square miles is water. The four southern-most islands of the Isles of Shoals: Star, Lunging, White and Seavey, which are located six miles off the coast, are also part of Rye. There are several ponds, some lovely open fields, many acres of privately owned forest and a significant amount of public and conservation land gained through donation and conservation easements.

 The land of Rye was originally inhabited by native peoples for over 12,000 years.The first European settlement in 1623 at Odiorne Point was called Pannaway, later nicknamed Sandy Beach until 1726 when it became the parish of Rye and then gained independent town status in 1785. The town’s history is rich in farming, fishing and ocean side resort history. Rye’strategic location has put it in the nexus of change in American history by its proximity to Portsmouth, commerce in all directions and several international connections. The natural beauty of the town and the historical significance of its built environment continue to beckon people.

The population in 2020 was 5,500.  Over 200 residents volunteer to serve on town government boards. Nonprofit organizations such as the Rye Civic League and the Rye Historical Society provide strong community connections. Voters have consistently supported the preservation of open space, wetlands ecology and historic buildings. 

 The Rye Historical Society was founded in 1976 and its museum opened in 2002. Through special exhibits and regular programs and museum hours, the society aims to engage people in the vital aspects of Rye's history so that current issues may be better understood and future plans respect the natural and human history of the town.

record your memories

The Rye Historical Society is interested in preserving the memories of people who have lived in Rye. As new exhibits are curated, we will post a link to a form to collect information to be part of a digital exhibit that ties in with the physical museum exhibit. Our hope is to create threads that connect the past with the present.

1890s Quilt Names and Community

This word cloud image represents the family names stitched on a quilt in our collection. Click here to see the full list.

Have a family story about this person or others from the past that you’d like to share and preserve in our digital archives?