2024 News Postings

Freedom Historical Society Presents “The Old Man: His Life and Legacy” on Wednesday, March 20

The Freedom Historical Society (FHS) continues its 2024 speaker program series on March 20 with a program entitled “The Old Man: His Life and Legacy” by Inez Mc Dermott. It is made possible by a grant from New Hampshire Humanities. The program is free and will be presented via ZOOM at 7:00 PM.

Click on the ZOOM button below to register.

(This Zoom program has already occurred.)

When the Old Man of the Mountain fell from his perch high above Franconia Notch on May 3, 2003, it made international news. Many in New Hampshire and beyond responded as though mourning a beloved public figure. This program presents the “story” of the Old Man and examines the ways that public perceptions of the Profile played a role in shaping and establishing New Hampshire’s identity, both symbolically and physically. It will include the stories of many people who played a part in “saving” the Old Man – from the risk-taking mountaineers and engineers who kept the ledges in place for so many years, to the school children who gave their pennies to help protect the forest around him. Participants will be encouraged to tell stories of their own encounters with this iconic symbol with a discussion about why these granite ledges – the result of a “miraculous accident” according to a state geologist – have played such an outsized role in the hearts of many.

Inez Mc Dermott is Professor Emerita of art history at New England College. She is a curator of art and history exhibitions at various museums and galleries throughout New England, including, most recently, An Enduring Presence: The Old Man of the Mountain at the Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University (June – September 2023). She has served on the New Hampshire State Council of the Arts, as a board member for New Hampshire Humanities and currently serves as Exhibition Committee Chairperson for the Saint-Gaudens Memorial and as a member of the Interpretation Committee for the New Hampshire Historical Society.

Members of the Freedom Historical Society and the general public are welcome and invited to register in advance to obtain ZOOM access information using the link above. Please join the ZOOM meeting prior to the 7 PM start time on Wednesday March 20. For more information or questions, call (603) 491-8347.

Freedom Historical Society Presents “Early New England Ice Harvesting” on Wednesday, February 21

The Freedom Historical Society (FHS) begins its 2024 speaker program series on February 21 with a program entitled “Early New England Ice Harvesting” by Jane Hennedy, a site manager with Historic New England.  The program is free and will be presented via ZOOM at 7:00 PM. Click on the link below to obtain access information.

(This Zoom program has already occurred.)

Join us for this illustrated talk as Jane provides a look into a process that was once commonplace for people in past centuries. The program includes examples from regional collections on food preservation methods used prior to ice boxes, the opportunities for making a fortune from this seasonal industry, the process of harvesting ice, and, with the advent of electrical refrigeration, the decline of the ice business. Also planned will be some local commentary related to ice harvesting artifacts in the FHS Museum.

Jane Hennedy has more than 25 years of experience in caring for and sharing local history. Among her previous positions, she was Director of the Old Colony Historical Museum in Taunton, MA. She is currently employed as Site Manager, Southern Rhode Island for Historic New England at Casey Farm in Saunderstown and Watson Farm in Jamestown. Both are historic sites with ties to ice harvesting and sustainable working farms.

Members of the Freedom Historical Society and the general public are welcome and invited to register in advance to obtain ZOOM access information using the link above. Please join the ZOOM meeting prior to the 7 PM start time on Wednesday February 21. For more information or questions, call (603) 491-8347.