2015Annual Report

As anticipated, 2015 was a dynamic year for The American Independence Museum!

With a newly hired staff to assist our Executive Director and expanded hours of operation, the American Independence Museum marched purposefully forward in executing the mission of “promoting awareness, increasing understanding and celebrating the achievement of American Independence so as to recognize the many facets of the founding of our Nation and to encourage civic engagement today.”

We capitalized--and continue to do so--on the politically exciting environment as the first in the nation presidential primary state. We embraced the opportunities to encourage visitors’ awareness and involvement in a process and rights fought for more than 200 years ago and still defended mightily today.

We launched new initiatives to enhance our role and service to the community. We vastly expanded our outreach to school children, exceeding goals and breaking records in numbers of students served. We established an Ambassadors program, comprised of influential advocates and supporters of our Museum. Benefits from this program were immediately realized. Partnering with downtown businesses to attract more visitors, we opened the Folsom Tavern on First Fridays and offered camaraderie, refreshments and children’s colonial games. These are just a few of the many successes we realized in this short period of time.

We thank you for your sustained support of the American Independence Museum in 2015. We look forward to advancing on this compelling path for many years to come.

Susan Y. DesjardinsPresident, Board of Governors

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EDUCATIONThe Museum made tremendous strides under the direction of Education Manager Abby Pietrantonio, and reached more than 1,600 school children in 2015. This is an increase of more than 47%, and the most school children in one year in the Museum’s history.

2015 also saw a sold out Summer Living History program, and several successful seminars at which notable speakers provided their respective expertise on various topics of colonial history.

EVENTSBeer collided with history in 2015 at the Museum’s Folsom Tavern. Sponsored by Redhook Brewery, Fridays at Folsom took place on the first Friday of each month from May through December. Featuring live music and games for kids, Operations Manager Rob Levey referred to the monthly events as “a unique opportunity to highlight the Tavern’s history as the heart of the community and a gathering space for all to enjoy, discuss and learn from one another.”

GENERAL ADMISSIONWelcoming more than 2,000 visitors for tours alone, we saw a 35% increase in general admission. The increase is attributed to our extended hours and the longest season in history with doors open Tuesday through Saturday, May to November. With thanks to AutoFair and Two International Group, we were able to extend free admission to hundred of veterans, active and retired military members, and their families.

VOLUNTEERSVolunteers continue to play a critical role in the Museum’s continued growth. “From guiding visitors on tours to manning the gift shop, our volunteers really serve as the backbone of our operations and the face of the Museum,” noted Julie Williams, Executive Director.

AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE FESTIVALFeaturing battle re enactments, colonial demonstrations, children’s activities, cannon firings, crafts, music, food and more, the 25th American Independence Festival welcomed thousands to downtown Exeter in July.

CORPORATE SUPPORTIn keeping with its emphasis on community outreach, the Museum reinvigorated as well as built new relationships with numerous corporate entities through its new Business Partner program.

HIGHLIGHTS

2015 Income by Category 2015 Expense by Category

PEOPLE

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James Benenson, IIDavid BurnhamStephen B. Jeffries John B. Little, M. D.

Paul MarcusDr. Hollis Merrick, IIIWilliam B. Tyler

Julie Hall WilliamsExecutive Director

Rob LeveyMuseum Operations Manager

Rachel PassannanteMuseum Operations Coordinator

Abigail PietrantonioEducation Manager

American Independence Center Trustees

Susan Y. Desjardins, PresidentKathleen Mahoney, Vice President Robert A. Casassa, Secretary Geoffrey F. Brackett, Treasurer Leon Fay Allison Field

William C. Fredericks Julie D. Gilman Jim Hayden Ron Kim Erik LorangerHugh L. Robinson II

Board of Govenors

Museum Staff

Taylor FolandLinsey FordKirsten GoodwinPhoebe LaMontHunter Moskowitz

Ian NortonSharon OsofskyRachel PassannanteAlison RushHaley Wallace

Graduate & Summer College Interns

Visitors 5670Member Households

222Education & Public Program Attendees

2686AIM Objects Online

125 Business Supporters

22

Elizabeth Bauman M. Jacqueline Eastwood Donna Goodspeed Charles Goss Eric MacDonald

Sean Mahoney Amy McLaughlin Agostinho N. Nunes Susan W. O’Leary Renée Plummer

Florence Ruffner Catherine V. Salterio Martha Shepardson Killam Joseph Taggart

Museum Ambassadors

SPECIAL PROJECTS

Gifts for special initiatives -- from gardens to our Collections Fund, and more.

SUPPORT

$1,000 and moreMr. Todd A. BurneSusan Desjardins & Peter LennonM. Jacqueline Eastwood and Michael E. McClurkenMr. and Mrs. William FredericksMr. and Mrs. Eric MacDonaldMr. Sam Smoot and Ms. Karen McDonnell

Under $1,000Ms. Brenda Baker and Mr. Steve BaumMr. and Mrs. David J. HallCamille A. MillerPaul and Sandra Montrone

Tribute and Memorial Gifts

In memory of Philip J. and Janice A. Burne Todd A. Burne

$2,500 or moreElizabeth H. Bauman and Luke GullickSusan Desjardins & Peter LennonM. Jacqueline Eastwood and Michael E. McClurkenMr. and Mrs. Stephen B. JeffriesMs. Kathleen Mahoney and Mr. Ozzie AyscueMr. and Mrs. William B. Tyler

$1,000 - $2,449David H. BurnhamMr. and Mrs. William FredericksRoger and Patricia HindmanDr. and Mrs. Hollis MerrickJohn & Catherine V. SalterioMr. and Mrs. Joseph L. Taggart

$500 - $999Anonymous (1)Mr. and Mrs. John T. BottomleyMs. Sally Crawford and Mr. Peter WellsBea and Mike DaltonMr. Randall A. HammondMr. Peter LaddSean MahoneyJaqueline MahoneyDr. Thomas McGovern & Helen CrowePaul and Sandra MontroneKevin J. and Susan W. O’LearyLTJG & Mrs. Ryan B. Weddle, USNJulie and Joel Williams

INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTGifts for our membership and 1776 Fund which support general operations.

$250 - $499Anonymous (1)Mr. Kevin V. BoucherRobert A. Casassa and Sara McCarthy CasassaDoug and Evelyn ChamberlainDr. Louis F. ClarizioAllison and Bob FieldNewell FlatherJohn Paul Gens, M.D.Mr. and Mrs. William H. Greer, Jr.Mr. Andrew HertigRobert Walsh Hickey, MD and Patricia Burke HickeyDan and Linda JonesMr. and Mrs. Frederick J. KollmorgenFrederic F. Little, M.D.Mr. and Mrs. K. Prescott LowCamille A. MillerJeremy and Heather NadeauMr. Samuel D. PerryMark and Sally RussPam and Mike RyanMr. Sam Smoot and Ms. Karen McDonnellMr. and Mrs. Michael H. StudleyRoger B. and Vail C. TylerMr. and Mrs. William D. Weeks, Esq.Dr. Eric Whittall and Ms. Marybeth Marx

Between $100 - $249LTC and Mrs. Douglas AykroydMr. William S. Bartlett Jr.Peter W. BoardmanMarc and Janet BonoMr. Samuel A. BowmanMr. and Mrs. Don BriseldenMr. and Mrs. Edward S. CarmodyDr. Jonathan H. Cilley, Jr. and Lori CilleyMs. Kate Cook and Dr. Ernest PodraskyMr. and Mrs. William M. Crozier, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Robert CurtisMr. and Mrs. Antony EdgarMs. Judith C. FarrellMs. Sally Swift FayMr. and Mrs. Lee FisherFolsom Family Association of AmericaMr. Lane Woodworth GossMr. and Mrs. David J. HallMr. and Mrs. Harry HamptonMrs. Sally HollamanMr. Peter Barton HuttBrian InyartRon Kim and Theresa M. KneeboneMr. and Mrs. George M. Lovejoy, Jr.

Dr. Susan Reid MacLennan and Mr. Douglas A. MacLennanMr. David MaloneMr. and Mrs. Michael MorisonMr. William Ford PeckMark and Renée Portu & FamilyMr. and Mrs. Martin PoulinMr. Grahame Richards, Jr., Esq.The Svahn FamilyLois SwickElizabeth VolponeMr. John W. Weeks, Jr.Dr. and Mrs. Edward F. Woods, D.M.D.Capt. Richard T. Wright, USN (Ret)

Under $100Peg and Rich AaronianPatrick and Susan AhearnSteve and Barbara ArmstrongWilliam M. ArnoldCarol Walker AtenJ. AubryEvelyn BarryLetty Bedard and FamilyNancy BelangerMr. and Mrs. Leonard BenjaminNancy BergeronMr. J. D. BernardyLisa BleickenMr. and Mrs. David C. BohnMarc and Chrysty BolteKaren BoodeyNormand and Marianne BoucherPhillip and Cynthia BoyleGeoffrey BrackettLynne BroschMr. Paul E. BrownMr. and Mrs. Ronald C. Brown Jr.The Caldwell FamilyMr. and Mrs. William CampbellMary Ann CappielloCarl and Kathryn CarlsonMr. Cleo CastonguayMr. Thomas C. ChadwickMr. and Mrs. John ChristiansenAndrew ClineJim Cobb and Susan BrennanNancy CountyThe Cramer-Zulager FamilyElisabeth S. CrossMr. Richard M. CutterMichael DaneKatey and Pete Datillo

Under $100The DeAngelis FamilyDianne M. DicksonMr. and Mrs. Peter A. DowKaren DrapaniotisWilliam G. and Rebecca B. DunhamMrs. Mary B. DupréMr. David W. EatonAlyson Eberhardt, Kevin Baum & FamilyMr. James EkstromDr. and Mrs. Leon FayDr. Henry H. Ferrell & Ms. Gwen EnglishMr. and Mrs. Robert B. Field Jr.Jameson FitzpatrickEileen and Douglas FlockhartMs. Margaret M. FoleyMr. and Mrs. Jeffrey FoyJ.B. and Dorothy GardnerJeffrey GarstkaMr. and Mrs. James L. GarvinMr. J. Frank Goodwin IIIMs. Shelly Gordon and Ms. Lily GordonJohn A. Grieco Jr.William and Elizabeth Hallett and FamilyTom HarvellJim and Karen HaydenJeff HiattRuth HootenMs. Claire HoustonThe Iworsley FamilyJohn JenkinsMr. Bill JennisonMichelle JohnsonStephen and Julie JohnsonRuss and Ellen KellyCarolyn KennedyBryan and Susan KinnamonLynn KnowlesMs. Mary Jo KremerHelen and Richard KruppaPaul LaChapelleMr. and Mrs. Robert LackeyChris LinkerMr. Warren M. LittleSteven MachalaRick and Linda MahoneyEdda and Sandy MartinThe McAskill FamilyGretchen McBrideMr. Joseph McDowell IIIMs. April MeloRobin and David MillwardKyle MohneyMr. James T. C. MooreMr. and Mrs. Joseph Mulqueen

Suzanne NewsomJanice and Eldon NickersonLaurie NortonPaul O’NeilRev. Mark PearsonJames and Barbara PeirceMr. and Mrs. Jeremy PerkinsMr. and Mrs. Carl PetersonMaureen QuilliamJoanna RaumDeborah A. ReedNancy RehfeldMary B. RemensynderMr. Carlton F. RezendesMs. Barbara RimkunasPhyllis & Jonathan RingMr. and Mrs. W. Douglas Scamman Jr.Ann and Richard SchieberMr. and Mrs. Herb SearsJohn SheppeldMr. Cliff SinnottMrs. Jean Van Schoonhoven SmithMat & Kim SolsoMr. Donald R. SpaldingCDR & Mrs. Michael H. Spencer USN (Ret.)Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan SpringerPaul and Carolyn SullivanMs. Heidi ThomasMargaret TiltonMr. Mike TothMrs. Janet TuckerBeth van DuzerPaula VanGundyDavid VaughtMr. James Amory Sullivan WalkerMs. Paula WalshJohn and Sheila WelchMr. and Mrs. Kenneth WilliamsMs. Gussie WilsonDeb WinterRobert and Julie WiseMr. and Mrs. Jonathan T. WoodsFran WriedtChris and Jolie YonkerLaurie and Anthony Zwaan IN-KIND SUPPORTApple Annie’sD.R. Dimes & Company LTD ecm designAllison and Bob FieldLindt & SprüngliOn the VineRedhook BrewerySeacoast Media Group

BUSINESS PARTNERS

$2,500 or moreAutoFairConvenient MD Urgent CareGEICO Local Office, ManchesterTwo International Group

$1,000 - $2,499Chinburg Builders, Inc.Optima Bank & TrustRuffner Real EstateService Credit Union

$500 - $999Access Sports Medicine & OrthopaedicsBottomline Technologies

$500 - $999 (continued)Buxton Oil CompanyExeter HospitalGeoffrey F. Brackett, PC Historic Motor SportsPeople’s United Bank

$250 - $499Pintuck & PurlThe Provident BankUnitil

Under $249Betty LaBranche Real Estate, Inc.Exeter Inn & Epoch RestaurantExeter JewelersR.E. Prescott Co., Inc.

$10,000 and moreGerry Charitable TrustMassachusetts Society of the CincinnatiSociety of the Cincinnati in the State of New HampshireVesper Foundation

$1,000 - $9,999Bauman Family FoundationNew Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Gladys L. Smith FundWilliam W. Treat Foundation

Under $1,000Exeter Area Garden ClubExeter Chapter DARFolsom Family Association of AmericaHeronfield AcademyLCHIP - Land and Community Heritage Investment ProgramNH CIBOR CARESNH Humanities CouncilSociety of the Cincinnati in the State of ConnecticutTown of Exeter, New Hampshire

FOUNDATION AND NON-PROFIT SUPPORT

COLLECTIONS ACQUISITIONS

In 2015 the Museum added many prominent pieces to its collection, including:

Gilman Family DictionaryGift of Joan Pirie in memory of Dorothy Gilman Adams, daughter of Joseph T. Gilman

This Dictionary of the English Language (c.1786), which was owned by the Gilman family, includes signatures of Nathaniel, Nicholas, John Taylor, and Mary Olivia Gilman. This unique item also provides a great glimpse into the language of the day.

Letter from Reverend John Taylor to Rev. Taylers

Gift of Vicki Donlan in memory of Jane Gilman Hopkins

This letter provides a rare look into the life of Anne Taylor (who married Nicholas Gilman Sr. in 1752 ); and was written by her father John Taylor.

Portrait of Gen. Joseph Cilley

Gift of Richard Pugh Stiffel, great grandson of Gen. Cilley

This oil painting of Joseph Cilley is the first of his likeness in our collection and now proudly hangs in our Cilley Room.

Print of the Signing of the Constitution

Gift of Susan and William Patton

In an effort to preserve our collection, and continue to acquire new items to tell our story, the Museum added a Collections Fund in 2015.

Please call us for more information.

One Governors Lane, Exeter, NH 03833 • 603.772.2622www.independencemuseum.org