Freedom Historical Society Annual Meeting and Presentation on the 2021 Calendar of Remarkable People of Freedom’s Past: Wednesday, October 21

Join us online for the Freedom Historical Society’s Annual Meeting on Wednesday, October 21.  At 6:30 PM our brief Annual Meeting will start with the election of new board members, an update on the Society’s 2020 programs and projects, and plans for next year.

Following this brief business meeting required by our bylaws, there will be a presentation at 7 PM on the 2021 Calendar of Remarkable People of Freedom’s Past.  The presentation will delve into the histories of 12 “Freedomites” who are featured in the new 2021 Calendar.  Speakers Roberta MacCarthy and Anne Gaudette will share some lesser known facts and good stories about the following Freedom residents, who each help to shape Freedom and helped make it the special place it is today: Sarah Mears Maynard, Fred Ellsworth Weed Sr., Fred Godfrey, Henry E. Utter, Edith Jane Miller Lakin, Alexandre de Zaliwski, Eliot Vestner, Avis T. Goss, George Thomas Davidson Jr., Chester W. Jones, William Robert Candy, and Charles H. Watts II.  You are invited to share personal stories, anecdotes and remembrances you might have about these “Remarkable People”.

The meeting and presentation will be held online using Zoom.  Members of the society and the public are invited to register in advance at the following link to receive access information.

Go to:  October 21 FHS Zoom Meeting Registration.

Participants are urged to join the October 21 meeting prior to the 6:30 PM start time.  For additional information, please call 603-733-9307.

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Freedom Historical Society Presents: “Digging into Native History in New Hampshire” on Wednesday, September 16

FHS, in partnership through a grant from the New Hampshire Humanities, is happy to present “Digging into Native History in New Hampshire” by Robert G. Goodby, Ph.D. on Wednesday, September 16 at 7 PM.  This program is free and open to the public.

The presentation is a virtual program which will be held online using ZOOM.  Members of the society and the public are invited to register in advance at the following link to receive access information.

Go to:  September 16 FHS Zoom Meeting Registration.

Abenaki history has been reduced to near invisibility due to conquest by a conquering culture that placed little value on the Indian experience.  This lead to a strategy of self-preservation requiring many Abenaki to go “underground”, concealing their true identities for generations, thus avoiding discrimination and persecution.  This program reveals archaeological evidence just inches below the earth’s surface, showing the Abenakis’ deep presence here (with particular focus on the Lakes Region and Mount Washington Valley.)

Robert G. Goodby is a Professor of Anthropology at Franklin Pierce University in Rindge.  He holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Brown University and has spent the last 30 years studying Native American archaeological sites in New England.  He has served as president of the New Hampshire Archaeological Society, as a trustee of the Mount Kearsarge Indian Museum in Warner, and as a member of the New Hampshire Commission on Native American Affairs.  In 2010, he directed the excavations of four 12,000 year-old Paleoindian dwelling sites at the Tenant Swamp site in Keene.

Please join FHS online, Wednesday, September 16 for this presentation.  Participants are urged to join the ZOOM meeting prior to the 7 PM start time.  For additional information, please call 603-733-9307.

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Freedom Historical Society Presents: “Votes for Women: A History of the Suffrage Movement” on Wednesday, August 19

FHS, in partnership through a grant from the New Hampshire Humanities, is happy to present “Votes for Women: A History of the Suffrage Movement” by Liz Tentarelli on Wednesday, August 19 at 7 PM.  This program is free and open to the public.

The presentation is a virtual program which will be held online using ZOOM.  Members of the society and the public are invited to register in advance at the following link to receive access information for the informative meeting.

Go to:  August 19 FHS Zoom Meeting Registration.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote.  Who were the key players in New Hampshire and the nation?  What issues and obstacles did they face?  How did suffragists benefit from World War I in the final push for passage of the amendment?  Who was left out when women got the right to vote?  Using historic photos and documents, Liz Tentarelli will guide us on the journey.

Liz Tentarelli has been a member of the League of Women Voters for over 25 years, and since 2009 has been President of the NH League, a non-partisan organization that is the direct descendant of the National American Woman Suffrage Movement.  Ms. Tentarelli had a career spanning over 30 years teaching high school and college students, including 19 years at Merrimack College in North Andover, MA.

Please join FHS online, Wednesday, August 19.  Participants are urged to join the ZOOM meeting prior to the 7 PM start time.  For additional information, call 603-733-9307.

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Freedom Historical Society Presents: “The Science and History of the Great New England Hurricane of 1938” on Wednesday, July 15

FHS’s July 15 program, “The Science and History of the Great New England Hurricane of 1938”, will be presented by Dr. Lourdes B. Avilés at 7 PM.  This is a virtual program and will be held online using ZOOM.  Members of the society and the public are invited to register in advance at the following link to receive access information for the informative meeting.

Go to:  July 15 FHS Zoom Meeting Registration.

On September 21, 1938, one of the most powerful storms of the 20th century came unannounced into the lives of New Englanders, leaving utter destruction in its wake.  The “Great Hurricane,” as it came to be known, changed everything, from the landscape and its inhabitants’ lives, to Weather Bureau practices, to the measure and kind of relief people would receive during the Great Depression.  It also altered the resulting pace of regional economic recovery.  This compelling history weaves science, historical accounts, and social analyses to create a comprehensive picture of the most powerful and devastating hurricane to hit New England.

Dr. Lourdes B. Avilés is a Professor of Meteorology at Plymouth State University, and is currently chair of the program.  While growing up in Puerto Rico, Dr. Avilés became captivated by the hurricanes and tropical storms that seemed to threaten the island every year.  Her fascination with weather led her to earn her B.S. and M.S. degrees in physics from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, and a Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  She is also author of “Taken by Storm, 1938, A Social and Meteorological History of the Great New England Hurricane.”

The presentation is free and available to members of the Freedom Historical Society and the public on Wednesday, July 15 at 7 PM.  Please call 603-733-9307 for additional information.

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**Announcement**: The Freedom Historical Museum opens its doors this Saturday, July 4 from 10 AM to 2 PM!

This Saturday, July 4, we look forward to welcoming you back to the Freedom Historical Society Museum for our 2020 Season. For the remainder of this summer we will be open from 10 AM to 2 PM on Wednesdays and Saturdays (until Labor Day weekend).

You will not want to miss our two new exhibits highlighting Freedom Veterans, and the artwork and sketches of Freedom by artist John Holmgren.

The Veterans Exhibit was created for a unique and specific purpose: to preserve, share and celebrate the personal experiences of our Freedom Veterans, past and present and from all branches of service. Their stories shaped a nation and their experiences are Freedom’s legacy. Come share in the celebration, and be inspired by the courage of those who served.

We have taken necessary measures to make sure that you can enjoy our 2 new exhibits. Visitors will be paced so that groups of 6 or less can safely enjoy the exhibit. The number of people in the museum and the traffic flow are being adjusted to meet the state’s Covid-19 guidelines. Come as a single, couple or family/friend group. Please bring a face mask and practice social distancing. Hand sanitizer and face masks will be available for your protection.

The Museum is located at 28 Old Portland Road, Freedom, New Hampshire.

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Freedom Historical Society presents “Granite State Gallery: New Hampshire Art and Artists through the Years” on  Wednesday, June 17

THIS IS A FREE VIRTUAL PROGRAM.  It will be held online using a virtual meeting service.

Freedom Historical Society, in partnership through a grant from the New Hampshire Humanities, is happy to present their first program of the year, “Granite State Gallery: New Hampshire Art and Artists through the Years”, featuring Jane Oneail, on Wednesday, June 17 at 7 PM.

New Hampshire has attracted and inspired artists since the colonial era, but what is distinctive about the art made here?  Art educator, Jane Oneail, answers this question while reflecting on works by itinerant and folk painters, landscape artists drawn to the state’s scenic vistas, and modern artists that adopted bold styles to depict everyday life in the Granite State.  Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Childe Hassam, and Maxfield Parrish are some of the artists discussed in this program.

Jane Oneail is an independent scholar and holds a masters degree in Art History from Boston University and a masters degree in Art in Education from Harvard University.  Jane is a New Hampshire native and has worked at some of the state’s most esteemed cultural institutions, including the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, where she served as Executive Director, and the Currier Museum of Art, where she held the role of Senior Educator.  Jane has also taught at the college level for more than a decade, most recently at the NH Institute of Art.

This presentation is free and available to members of the Freedom Historical Society and the public.  It will be held online using Zoom.  Please register at the following link to receive access information for the meeting.

Go to:  June 17 FHS Zoom Meeting Registration.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.  If you have any questions, or for more information, call 603-733-9307.

This program is made possible through a generous grant from the New Hampshire Humanities.

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Freedom Historical Society’s 2020 calendars make a great gift for friends and family!  Calendars are available at the Freedom Village Store, the Freedom Gallery, and the Freedom Historical Society on Wednesdays from 10 AM to Noon.

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