Wender·Vista
Portsmouth Memorial Bridge over the Piscataqua
shown on ceramic, 12-inch tileNew Hampshire
over the Piscataqua, between Portsmouth and Kittery

Portsmouth Memorial Bridge over the Piscataqua

— — the steel that lifts to let the river through.

— Where it lives

Not only on a wall.

A small tile on the nightstand catching the morning. A larger one above the fire. Yours, wherever you spend the slow hours.
— On the nightstand, a 6-inch on a walnut stand
— Among the books, a 6-inch leaning into the spines
— Beside the kettle, a 12-inch propped
— Down a quiet hall, an 18-inch floating off the wall
— Above the fire, the 24-inch in a walnut surround
— a note from the studio

“A green-painted lift span between New Hampshire and Maine, carrying US Route 1 over the tidal Piscataqua. The current here runs hard, one of the fastest navigable rivers on the East Coast. When a ship needs to pass, the centre tower lifts and traffic waits. Pedestrians lean on the rail and watch. From the studio.

from the studio
Portsmouth Memorial Bridge over the Piscataqua
— bring it home

Portsmouth Memorial Bridge over the Piscataqua, on ceramic.

Each tile is finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. Artwork is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, and rests beneath a thin glossy finish. The colour lives in the surface, not on top of it.

What kind of piece?
One tile — square or rectangle.
How big?
the popular one — counter, shelf, nightstand
6 × 6 in · 15 cm · 1.6 lb
Surface finish
A clear glossy finish — the artwork reads as if under resin. Ideal for show-pieces and framed wall art.
How it sits
A hidden cleat — sits ¼″ proud of the wall.
$58
Hand-finished and shipped from our studio at the foot of the Smokies. On your wall in about ten days.
— size
6 × 6 in
15 cm
— weighs
1.6 lb
solid in the hand
— surface
ceramic, hand-finished
art rests beneath a thin glossy finish
— from
Knoxville, TN
our family studio, at the foot of the Smokies
— start a Coaster Set

Pick any four 4-inch tiles — National Parks you've been to, a Smokies set, the four seasons of one place. $ for a set of , cork-backed, ready to live on the table.

— about Portsmouth Memorial Bridge over the Piscataqua

The place, in three passes.

A little of what's known, in case you fall down the rabbit hole — or want to go see it yourself.
— the place

The Memorial Bridge is a vertical-lift through-truss carrying US Route 1 across the Piscataqua River between Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery, Maine. The original span opened in 1923 as a memorial to New Hampshire sailors and soldiers of the First World War. The current bridge, designed by HNTB and built by Archer Western, opened on August 8, 2013, with a 300-foot lift span and pedestrian and bicycle lanes along both sides.

— informed by Wikipedia, NHDOT
— the water

The Piscataqua is a short tidal river formed where the Salmon Falls and Cocheco meet, running about twelve miles to the Atlantic between Portsmouth and Kittery. Tidal currents under the bridge regularly exceed four knots, which is why mariners list it among the fastest navigable rivers on the East Coast. The lift span opens on request for ships moving to and from the working port and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard upriver on Seavey Island.

— informed by Wikipedia
— the visit

The bridge is open to vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists at all hours. Sidewalks on both sides run from Market Street in Portsmouth to Government Street in Kittery, a walk of about a quarter mile. The lift is operated by the New Hampshire Department of Transportation on marine demand; openings are most common in the warmer months when commercial and recreational traffic on the river picks up. There is metered parking near Prescott Park on the Portsmouth side.

— informed by NHDOT bridge info
— where
United States · Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
— position
43.0805° N · 70.7517° W
— the neighborhood

What's nearby.

A handful of named places within an hour's walk or short drive. Some we've already painted; some we will.
at the lake
Prescott Park
waterfront park
1 km S
Strawbery Banke
historic district
2 km E
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
naval yard
1 km N
Kittery, Maine
town
N
Portsmouth Memorial Bridge over the Piscataqua
Prescott Park
Strawbery Banke
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Kittery, Maine
— common questions

What people ask.

A few questions we get about Portsmouth Memorial Bridge over the Piscataqua — and about bringing the piece home.
— about the place

The Piscataqua River, a tidal river between Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery, Maine. The current under the bridge can exceed four knots, making it one of the fastest navigable rivers on the East Coast.

The current Memorial Bridge opened on August 8, 2013, replacing the 1923 original. It is a vertical-lift through-truss with a 300-foot centre span and walkways on both sides.

The 1923 bridge was dedicated to New Hampshire sailors and soldiers of the First World War. The 2013 replacement carries the dedication forward and keeps the original name.

Yes. Sidewalks run on both sides between Portsmouth and Kittery, a walk of about a quarter mile. The bridge is open at all hours except during a lift.

Lifts run on marine demand, mostly in warmer months when river traffic is higher. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation operates the lift for commercial vessels and larger pleasure craft.

The town of Kittery, Maine, including the outlet shops along US Route 1 and the western edge of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey Island in the river.

— about the piece in your home

Yes. The Memorial Bridge is the daily landmark of the Portsmouth-Kittery commute and a memory most Seacoast residents carry. A Small or Medium with a handwritten studio note travels well to anyone who knows that view.

Coastal-modern, New England traditional, and industrial-loft interiors all hold the green steel and tidal blues. The piece sits well in a study, an entry, or above a sideboard.

It reads as coastal without leaning beachy. The working-river palette pairs with linen, oak, and brushed brass rather than driftwood and rope, which suits a more grown-up coastal-modern direction.

Above a standard sofa, a single Large or a four-tile Mural. Above a console, a Medium reads at eye height. For a stair landing or open hall, a nine-tile Mural carries the span of the bridge across the wall.

Yes. Choose the Dura Satin or Matte finish for steam-prone rooms and splash zones. Both are scratch-resistant and clean with a microfibre cloth and water.

A soft microfibre cloth with plain water. No abrasives, no ammonia cleaners. The colour lives in the ceramic surface, so light cleaning keeps the piece reading clearly for decades.

Yes. Wender Studios is a single family studio in Knoxville, Tennessee. Every WenderVista piece is original to the studio and is not licensed from any third party.

— if this one stayed with you

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