Weather doesn't dull reopening of The Pearl
14.02.2006, 14:02
PORTSMOUTH - The world may seem like Gary Dodds’ oyster, but even he couldn’t control the weather for The Pearl’s grand reopening.
Despite the snow Saturday afternoon and evening, a steady stream of visitors arrived on the former church doorstep to see renovations made by the new owner.
The Pearl, located at 45 Pearl St., is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a stop on the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail.
The only historic African-American church structure in New Hampshire, it was originally built in the 1850s for a Free Will Baptist congregation. It was sold to the People’s Baptist Church in 1915.
In 1952, seminary student Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the church and his future wife, Coretta Scott, sang in the choir.
New Hope Baptist Church, the successor to People’s Baptist, sold the building in 1984, when it became an upscale restaurant. It was later purchased by Margaret Britton, spiritual adviser to the Unity congregation, and used as a church, wedding chapel and function hall. Britton sold the building to Gary Dodds in October for $400,000.
"It’s a great space," Dodds said. "It’s a function hall that can be used for community events."
He envisions using the hall for everything from family reunions to auctions.
In the next few years, he plans to turn the historic Cutts Mansion on Maplewood Avenue into a bed and breakfast - so, potentially, visitors could stay at Cutts and have a wedding reception at The Pearl. This work will be done around his campaign for the 2006 Democratic primary for U.S. Congress.
The Pearl still has its two-story windows, curved staircase, balcony and pressed-tin ceiling. However, after changing hands, cosmetic renovations were made.
"It was a little dingy," said Emily Lusher, manager of The Pearl. "When it was a restaurant, they had painted the ceiling a dark salmon color, which was fine for a restaurant but made the place feel a little gloomy."
Now the ceiling is seashell white. The walls are buckwheat with Russian olive wainscoting. Lighting fixtures have been replaced. The kitchen has been cleaned and the bathrooms made handicapped accessible.
The space Britton used as an apartment on the mezzanine level has been made into a second balcony. Tonight, visitors stand on the balcony eating catered dishes and look across to the other balcony, where musicians from Chronic Jazz Syndrome entertain guests.
Artwork from Seacoast Gallery adorns the walls, including an oil on canvas by Christine Waniak, which greets visitors in the entryway. Lusher said artists are invited to submit work for display.
Marjorie "Marty" Fernald and Regina Maher are both from Portsmouth but had never been in The Pearl before. The artwork drew in Fernald, an oil painter, and she invited Maher to join her.
"I’m delighted to have come," Maher said. "It’s something that should never be destroyed. There are so few things like this, you know. I’m sure they’re going to do very well."
Fred Ross of Dover, president of the Seacoast chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, came to The Pearl with his wife, Freddye, back in the early ’80s when it was New Hope Baptist Church.
"They’ve done tremendous work here," he said.
Freddye agrees, seeing a great future ahead for The Pearl.
"I think it’s fabulous; the work is outstanding," she said. "Gary has really done this place justice. It finally has arrived."