a proud & fascinating history Sailors visiting the Isles of Shoals gave Star Island its name because the island’s points stretch in all directions like the flashes of a distant star. For more information about conference attendance, Discover personal retreats or day trips, visit our website 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 Star Island and neighboring Appledore Island operated mainly as a Star Island Corporation 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. Legend has it that Blackbeard the Pirate landed here and www.starisland.org · [email protected] buried treasure. The murder that inspired Anita Shreve’s (603) 430-6272 novel The Weight of Water took place on neighboring Smuttynose. Brochure copy courtesy Deb Weiner Soule and others. On Star, you will see starfish and sea anemones in tidal pools and you might spot the rare Scarlet Pimpernel Photos courtesy Sean Elliot, Christopher Lielasus, flower tucked among rocks. You can fish to your heart’s 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, A Gem off the New Hampshire Seacoast Victorian-style steamship. www.islesofshoals.com or call As a nonprofit, the Star Island Corporation’s (800) 441-4620. spend a day mission since 1915 is to hold and administer Island Cruises, Inc.: Sail from Rye Harbor on the Uncle stay a week Star Island and other properties we own for educational, religious, and kindred purposes. Oscar - comfortable panoramic seating for 20 passengers. www.uncleoscar.com or call (603) 964-6446 remember for a lifetime 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 conferences, 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 photography or painting Star Island — A source of renewal • Explore indigenous flowers, birds and marine life and inspiration for people of all ages. • Savor a lobster roll and a World-Famous Lime Day visit: Take a morning cruise out of Portsmouth or Rickey at the snack bar Rye, explore the island’s rich history, enjoy the view of • Enjoy wonderful meals served family style remember for a lifetime Gosport Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean from a rock- • Visit the Vaughn-Thaxter Memorial Cottage ing chair on the porch of the Oceanic Hotel and have Museum and learn Shoals history Star Island becomes a lifelong tradition for many folks lunch in the Oceanic’s snack bar or dining room. • Explore the Rutledge Marine Laboratory who come back year after year to experience the island • Row across Gosport Harbor and visit a magic with their families, generation to generation. Enroll in a conference: Whether for a full week, a Once you’ve come, you’ll remember Star for a lifetime. few days or over a weekend, give yourself time to study neighboring island • Browse the bookstore or buy a souvenir in the The cry of the gulls, the pristine beauty and the history art, religion, music, world affairs, science, photography, will stay with you long after you return home. dance or yoga—to name just a few of the many offerings gift shop of conferences for adults, families, and youth groups • Play a game of tennis, softball or bocce To learn more about conferences, personal retreats and held from mid-June through mid-September. It is also • Watch the sun rise from East Rock and the sun day trips, visit our website at starisland.org today. possible to try a conference for one or two days. set from the Summerhouse • Make new friends Personal Retreats: Your get-away to Star Island for • Attend a candlelight service in the 210-year-old one, two, or many nights of retreat and personal time. stone chapel Plan a family reunion, gather up a group of friends or come on your own.