a proud & fascinating history Sailors visiting the Isles of Shoals gave Star Island its discover name because the island’s points stretch in all directions like the flashes of a distant star. For more information about programming, personal retreats or day trips, visit starisland.org or These islands were called “Smith’s Isles” in the 17th cen- call our office open year-round in Portsmouth. tury after Captain John Smith landed here. Star Island tar sland and neighboring Appledore Island operated mainly as a Star Island Corporation S I fishing village until the Grand Hotel Era of the late 1800’s The Morton Benedict House when Star Island attracted such notable artists and writers 30 Middle Street as Childe Hassam, Celia Thaxter, Nathaniel Hawthorne Portsmouth, NH 03801 and John Greenleaf Whittier, among others. starisland.org · [email protected] Legend has it that Blackbeard the Pirate landed here and buried treasure. The murder that inspired Anita Shreve’s f/StarIslandCorp novel The Weight of Water took place on neighboring t/StarIslandCorp Smuttynose. (603) 430-6272 On Star, you will see starfish and sea anemones in tidal Brochure copy courtesy Deb Weiner Soule and others. pools and you might spot the rare Scarlet Pimpernel Photos courtesy Sean Elliot, Maria Getoff, flower tucked among rocks. You can fish to your heart’s Christopher Lielasus, Bob Levine & Jeff Spoor. content, wonder at the multitude of sea and song birds, and in the late summer witness clouds of Monarch but- terflies en route to warmer climates. This place is magic, and it calls to you to experience its wonder.

Boat Service to Star Island Isles of Shoals Steamship Company: Sail from Portsmouth on the M/V Thomas Laighton, a 90-foot, Isles of Shoals, New Hampshire Victorian-style steamship. www.islesofshoals.com or call As a nonprofit, the Star Island Corporation’s (800) 441-4620. vacation mission since 1915 is to hold and administer Island Cruises, Inc.: Sail from Rye Harbor on the Uncle Star Island and other properties we own for with a educational, religious, and kindred purposes. Oscar - comfortable panoramic seating for 20 passengers. www.uncleoscar.com or call (603) 964-6446 purpose SPEND A DAY • COME FOR A NIGHT • OR STAY A WEEK

Step out of your busy life and onto an island with a 100- year tradition of summer programming, recreation and relaxation. Come to Star Island, one of the nine rocky islands in the Isles of Shoals, located ten miles southeast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. All the rush and fuss of mainland life are left behind when you arrive on Star Island. Enter the Oceanic Hotel and step back in time to a simpler, less hectic era. • Capture the island’s rugged beauty through Star Island — A source of renewal photography or painting and inspiration for people of all ages. • Explore indigenous flowers, birds and marine life Day visit: Take a morning cruise out of Portsmouth or • Savor a lobster roll and a World-Famous Lime Rye, explore the island’s rich history, enjoy the view of Rickey at the snack bar Gosport Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean from a rock- • Enjoy wonderful meals served family-style remember for a lifetime ing chair on the porch of the Oceanic Hotel and have • Visit the Vaughn-Thaxter Memorial Cottage Star Island becomes a life-long tradition for many folks lunch in the Oceanic’s snack bar or dining room. Museum and learn Shoals history who come back year after year to experience the island • Explore the Rutledge Marine Laboratory Programming: Whether for a full week, a few days magic with their families, generation to generation. • Row across Gosport Harbor and visit a or over a weekend, give yourself time to study art, reli- Once you’ve come, you’ll remember Star for a lifetime. neighboring island gion, music, world affairs, science, photography, dance The cry of the gulls, the pristine beauty and the history • Play a game of tennis, softball or bocce or yoga—to name just a few of the many offerings of will stay with you long after you return home. enriching programs and theme weeks for adults, fam- • Watch the sun rise from East Rock and the sun set from the Summerhouse To learn more about our enriching programming, per- ilies, and youth groups held from mid-June through sonal retreats and day trips, visit us at starisland.org. mid-September. It is also possible to try a program for • Make new friends one or two days. • Attend a candlelight service in the 210-year-old stone chapel Personal Retreats: Your get-away to Star Island for • Restore your spirit. one, two, or many nights of retreat and personal time. Plan a family reunion, gather up a group of friends or come on your own.