#Farmington Hay Day 2018- #Museum of #FarmingtonNH #History

 

It's that time of year again! Farmington Hay Day is this Saturday the 18th. Click this link to see a schedule of the entire weekend, from start to finish. The Museum of Farmington History will be open 9am-10am and then 11:30-3pm on Saturday 18, 2018 for Hay Day.

So many people said they wanted to attend the Historical Society presentation from the spring, that in the end did not get to attend, I've decided to present it again on Saturday during Hay Day from ten to eleven in the morning. I'll close the museum for the presentation and then open it back up to the public.The museum will be open for people to mill about for the rest of Hay Day on Saturday. The presentation is exactly the same as the one in March of 2018.

Here is our press release for the presentation:

What do stuffed birds, scary dolls, a blowfish, and acorns carved into baskets have in common?  They are all in the Museum of Farmington History! If you are curious about what else is in the collection, mark your calendars and come to the Museum of Farmington History, on the lower level of the Goodwin Library. Listen to Farmington Historical Society member, Kyle Leach, who has been the Museum Curator since 2012, as he takes you through a tour of selected items of special interest in our archives.  The collection houses some curiosities and oddities that are tied to the rich history of Farmington. Kyle, and other volunteers,  have spent countless hours sifting through the contents in the museum trying to organize and make sense of the treasures that have been donated and collected over the years.  More recently, he has established a growing online presence for the Society by developing and maintaining our online museum, a feature only few New Hampshire museums have the resources to do. The Historical Society invites you join us for this presentation, take an interest in our history, our museum.

We will have our logo hats and t-shirts for sale as well as both Farmington history books. It is also a great time to think about becoming a member of the society or making a donation. Memberships dues are only $5 per year. Donations and dues go toward our online museum, our annual scholarship, maintenance of the artifacts, and sometimes allow us to make acquisitions for the collection.

 I hope to see you in the museum that day. Enjoy your Hay Day weekend!

Kyle Leach, Curator
Farmington NH Historical Society
Museum of Farmington History
http://farmingtonnhhistory.omeka.net

 

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#FarmingtonNH Historical Society Receives Donation: Seeks Other #School Items for #Preservation

Recently, the Farmington Historical Society received yet another priceless gift from a community member. Long time, local resident and active community volunteer, Dottie Bean gave a varied collection of Farmington Town Reports and Farmington School District Reports.

The town reports in the gift lot range from the mid-fifties to current years, the very decades the collection currently needs to acquire to have a complete set from the 1870’s through the early 21^st century. Even if we come up short on more than a few years, this moves us much closer to that goal. Also, though fewer in number, the donated Farmington School District Reports are greatly appreciated as the society has so few representations in the collection.

This donation will add to the museum exhibits for culture, schools, buildings, businesses, and notable persons, as well as providing some information on births, deaths, and town statistics which can be invaluable for genealogy work. The donated items are in very good condition, which even if duplicated, will allow us to choose the best copies for archiving in the collection for posterity.

It is with donations like this that the society is able to continue to build and diversify documentation for the historical record and further develop understanding of our town and those who lived in it before us. We are extremely thankful for this gift from Dottie and welcome the opportunity to protect these historical treasures.

Members of the community have been so generous this year I hate to ask for anything else, but this is an important plea. Class photo cards and year books are terribly important markers for not only the people in them, but as representations for each generation and for the decade they are created in. We don’t have many class photo cards or yearbooks in the museum collection. As people pass on they are often thrown away or stored, never to be seen again. Every one we get has tremendous cultural value and increases what we know about our community.. If you can part with them we would love to have them as part of the permanent museum collection.

Kyle Leach, Curator
Farmington NH Historical Society
Museum of Farmington History
http://farmingtonnhhistory.omeka.net

 

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#Farmington Historical Society- Lorraine Meyer Gift- #FarmingtonNH #History

Recently, the Farmington Historical Society received yet another large gift from a community remember. Long time, local resident and businesswoman, Lorraine Meyer donated a varied collection of general documents, programs, photographs, postcards, news clippings, and business memorabilia, all related to Farmington.

In all, the collection contains hundreds of items, many which the society does not already have in the museum collection. When sorted, documented, and placed in the museum system, the donation will add to the museum exhibits for culture, schools, buildings, businesses, and notable persons. It contains several dozen Farmington postcards, many which are rare or difficult to find. The donated items are in exceptional condition considering some of them date as far back as the very beginning of the 20th century.

It is with gifts like this that the society is able to continue to build and diversify documentation for the historical record and further develop understanding of our town and those who lived in it before us. We are extremely grateful for this gift from Lorraine and welcome the opportunity to protect these historical treasures.

Kyle Leach, Curator
Farmington NH Historical Society
Museum of Farmington History
http://farmingtonnhhistory.omeka.net

 

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#FarmingtonNH Historical Society #Antiques Appraisal Event Recap

The Antiques Appraisal Event earlier this season was as successful as we hoped it would be!

We had over forty people come to the event to get their items looked at by Caroline French, of Caroline French antiques. Items ranged from books to glassware, ceramics, small collectables and musical instruments, all the way to fine art. One of the most interesting items was a small Dutch oil painting a local couple brought in. I was able to talk with several people about the museum collection and we were able to secure a few new members.

The Society wants to thank the Farmington Woman's Club and Happiness Tree Decor for sponsoring and we want to thank all the volunteers who helped with the event and making the delicious home baked food for sale. The Society would also like to thank the Friends of Farmington for allowing us to advertise in their display window when another group didn't need to use it. It looks like we will have this event again in the future, so keep a lookout in spring for an announcement for the event. Again, we thank the community for supporting our mission and supporting our organization.

Kyle Leach, Curator
Farmington NH Historical Society
Museum of Farmington History
http://farmingtonnhhistory.omeka.net

 

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Two Sides of the Coin: Native American & Early Colonists Cultural Clashed

 From NH Humanities:

Two Sides of the Coin: Native American & Early Colonists Cultural Clashed

But what about the "other side of the coin"?

Recently scholars have taken Indian voices more seriously, resulting in a more nuanced picture of New England’s past. Who were the Native peoples who made this land their home? How did they respond to the problematic presence of Europeans in the region? Why did White settlers view this region to be vacant wilderness? And what efforts were made by people on all sides to promote cultural understanding and come to some mutual agreement?

Inspired by these questions, the Horatio Colony Museum and New Hampshire Humanities offer a series of 2018 programs to help us view Blake’s complex story of capture and release in a new light. The upcoming "Two Sides of the Coin" project is designed to broaden public awareness about the roles of Native indigenous people in our region’s history, and paint a clearer picture of war, captivity, and Native resistance.

Our Beloved Kin: A New History of King Philip’s War

Author and Amherst College professor Dr. Lisa Brooks tells the multi-faceted story of this area, giving a deeper understanding of Native history and place, focusing on the area around Ashuelot, an important space in King Philip’s War and in Mary Rowlandson’s captivity narrative.
Thursday, June 7, 7:00 pm, Cheshire County Court House, 33 Winter Street, Keene

Alnobak: Wearing Our Heritage

Abenaki master artist Vera Longtoe Sheehan, director of the Vermont Abenaki Artist Association and archivist/tribal secretary for the Elnu Abenaki Tribe, presents a gallery talk and introduces an exhibit of Abenaki tribal garments.
Saturday, September 8, 4:30-6:00 pm Horatio Colony House Museum, 199 Main Street, Keene

For more information about these programs and the ongoing exhibit, visit www.horatiocolonymuseum.org.

 

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Too Long in the Shadows: African American History in Rural New Hampshire

From NH Humanities:

Too Long in the Shadows

African American History in Rural New Hampshire

 Why is understanding African American history in rural New Hampshire relevant to all of the state’s inhabitants, not just people of color? To support a conversation about race, local history, and social equity, New Hampshire Humanities is funding "Too Long in the Shadows: African American History in Rural New Hampshire," a series organized by the Fells Historic Estate and Gardens, on Tuesday, June 1 in Warner and Sunday, June 10 in Newbury.

What are the challenges facing historians researching local history of African Americans? What does this study reveal about the way early local historians interpreted the African American presence in rural New Hampshire? Are similar attitudes still present in the way African Americans are portrayed in contemporary society?

 

Shadows Fall North Documentary & DiscussionTuesday, June 1, 7:00 pm, Warner Town Hall, 5 E. Main Street, Warner

A documentary focusing on the efforts of two dedicated historic preservationists and activists, Valerie Cunningham of Portsmouth and JerriAnne Boggis of Milford, to recover the stories of people who have been rendered nearly invisible in the historical record.

Too Long in the Shadows, A Talk by Lynn Clark and Rebecca CourserSunday, June 10, 4:00-5:30 pm, Fells Main House, 456 Rte. 103A, Newbury

A talk by Lynn Clark and Rebecca Courser about their research on rural, free-black settlement in post-Revolutionary New Hampshire, documenting stories of many African American inhabitants in five towns in the Kearsarge-Lake Sunapee region. While the histories of these individuals are important in their own right, what they reveal about the attitudes and prejudices of the early local historians is perhaps more relevant.

For information: 763-4789 or email info@thefells.org, or visit www.thefells.org.

 

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Rochester Historical Society -That Reminds Me of A Story by Rebecca Rule-May 10th

The Rochester Historical Society has received a grant from New Hampshire Humanities to present That Reminds Me of a Story by RebeccaRule on Thursday, May 10, at 7 PM at the Rochester Historical Society Museum at 58 Hanson Street in downtown Rochester.  Stories speak to us of community. They hold our history and reflect our identity.  Becky has made it her mission over the last 20 years to collect stories of New Hampshire, especially those that reflect what's special about this rocky old place. She'll tell some of those stories, her favorites are the funny ones, and invite audience members to contribute a few stories of their own. From Pittsburg to Peterborough (Peeta-burah), Becky is out and about telling and gathering stories with a strong dose of good old-fashioned Yankee humor (humah). She loves to laugh and to get others laughing, too.

Becky is a full-time writer, humorist, and storyteller.  She hasn't visited every town in the Granite State, but pretty close — speaking at libraries, historical societies, rotaries, clubs, church groups, and charitable organizations. Some of her talks are sponsored by the NH Humanities Council, which named her one of 40 Over 40, that is, one of 40 NH folks who over the past 40 years of the Council's existence "have demonstrated what it means to create, teach, lead, assist, and encourage human understanding."

She is the author of eleven books, including N is for New Hampshire. Her other titles include: Headin’ for the Rhubarb: a NH Dictionary (well kinda) and Moved and Seconded: Town Meeting in New Hampshire as well as the children’s picture book, The Iciest Diciest Scariest Sled Ride Ever. For ten years she hosted "The New Hampshire Authors Series" on NHPTV. She currently hosts "Our Hometown" also on NHPTV.

This program is free and open to the public.  Refreshments will follow the meeting.

New Hampshire Humanities nurtures the joy of learning and inspires community engagement by bringing life-enhancing ideas from the humanities to the people of New Hampshire.  They connect people with ideas.  Learn more at www.NHHumanities.org.

For more information, contact the Rochester Historical Society at 603 330-3099 or rochesterhistorical@metrocast.net.

Martha Fowler

President

Rochester Historical Society

 

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