Historic Portsmouth: The moving memorial to Ensign Charles Hovey

It’s sometimes hard to remember that Memorial Day is a holiday set aside, not for hot dogs and hibachis, but a day to reflect on Americans in the military who made the “ultimate sacrifice” to defend the nation. Since the late 1800s, the dedicated spot for such observations in Portsmouth has been the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Goodwin Park on Islington Street. Saved from collapsing in on itself, the beautifully restored park is the ideal place to visit.