Chocorua, by Charles A. Hunt, 1870

The Chocorua Curiosity Contagion

The Tamworth Historical Society’s August 14 event at Runnells Hall was packed. Tamworth historian Bob Cottrell presented his illustrated talk ‘Chocorua for Two Bits: The History of a View: Art, History and Nature’…

‘Two Bits’? Bob had been inspired back in January when the U.S. Mint released its latest ‘America the Beautiful’ series quarter, depicting our familiar and famous view of Mt. Chocorua.

Focusing on our side of the mountain and the lake, Bob told vivid tales of early painters and explorers, Abenaki rug-weavers, iron-workers, preachers, Civil War generals, a murder or two, Polar explorers, ice-harvesters, CCC camps, Pulitzer Prize-winners, geologists, Japanese gardens, botanists and birders!

Bob highlighted the little-known 1820s summit sketches of White Mountain School painter Thomas Cole, and the far-sighted preservation of ‘The View’ by Chocorua summer residents dating back to the 1880s. Continued on page 2

Caring for our Collection

Realizing the need to better organize our collection, and to move it out of the Hall-Dyer House in preparation for the renovation, in February we hired Emma Schroeder and Courtney Spalding-Mayer to help us for a few hours a week. Computer-savvy, young and strong, they worked with Curators Bobbi Carleton, Joan Casarotto and Bob Cottrell to improve the accuracy, completeness and user-friendliness of our digital records. With Kate Thompson they carefully moved many items to secure storage sites kindly donated around town. To heft the larger items, Bruce Robinson generously loaned us his team: Adam Robinson, Michael Octavek and Greg Repucci.

This project is not finished, but we’ve made a wonderful start. Big thanks to all who have helped and continue to.

The Tamworth Historical SocietyN E W S L E T T E R

November 2013_________________________________________________________________________________

From page 1 The program was dedicated to the memory of longtime Chocorua historian Jim Bowditch. Sam’l Newsom’s wonderful Chocorua Village mural-scrolls, hung for the event by THS, were viewed with pleasure. A lively Q&A followed the talk.

Attendees also enjoyed perusing the 13 panels of THS’s Chocorua History display, created about ten years ago by Bobbi Carleton and Joan Casarotto, and bursting with photos, drawings, maps and engaging text. Many had fun filling out a little quiz on the panels’ contents.

The organizers of the annual Chocorua Day celebration had borrowed the panels; Chocorua’s Kent Schneider had thought up the quiz - inspired in part by the ‘Quistolio’, a booklet designed by Chocorua librarians Marion Posner and Myles Grinstead to stimulate children’s interest in local history. The Chocorua Community Association had laid in a store of the new coins, and a shiny quarter was given to all who completed the quiz!

The display and quiz were a big hit. To answer the quiz questions, many visitors took time to peruse each of the panels. “Oh! That must be our family living room as it was back then!” Marion heard one say. Another exclaimed, “I feel as if I’m at the Peak House! I’ll have to hike up to the site again, and breathe the air its visitors breathed!” Another: “There’s so much I didn’t know, even though I’ve lived here for years.”

The panels stayed at the library until October 10. 70 people completed the quiz, and received their Chocorua quarters!* This collaboration just kept snowballing! THS thanks our Chocorua friends for their initiative and imagination in bringing local history alive for all ages.

*Coincidentally, the Narrows Bridge was rebuilt this summer: for several weeks The View looked just as it appears on the coin!

Our New Home, from Back Steps to Front Lawn

A report by architect Norman Larson and structural engineer Jason Ross on the state of Hall-Dyer House, paid for 50-50 by THS and a grant from the NH Preservation Alliance, will be completed any day. The report will guide our renovation plans, and indicate estimated costs. We’ll keep as many old features as possible, while updating the building’s practical aspects.

Meanwhile, A&M Construction has just finished improving the back corner of the house: Skip Mason and crew replaced a section of clapboards, a porch and steps. Thank you to THS members who removed the old porch and concrete supports; and to A&M for their good work.

We are realizing that our front lawn is a spacious and under-utilized space in the middle of the Village. We hope to level it and encourage more community use. Perhaps we could host a Yard Sale? Have a village dance party? Hold an Antiques Appraisal Day under a big tent? Just ideas so far......Let us know yours!

Don Sutherland and Bob McLean label and number an item in our collection. We miss Don and wish him well in Nashua!

Page 2 - Tamworth Historical Society Newsletter

Page 3, Tamworth Historical Society Newsletter

THS Members, Officers and Committees, 2014

OFFICERSPresident - Kate Thompson Vice-President - Bob McLean

Treasurer - Nate Hughes Assistant Treasurer - Lisa Remick Recording Secretary - Ann Albrecht Corresponding Secretary - John McGowan

Membership Secretary - Donna Whipple

COMMITTEES (Chairs in bold)Archives: Bobbi Carleton, (winter) Bob McLean (summer), Joan Casarotto,

Donna Whipple, Bob Cottrell, Charlotte DyerCurators: Bobbi Carleton & Joan Casarotto

Finance/Fundraising: Nate Hughes, Kate Thompson, Barbara Nordeen, Donna DiCasparro, John Wacker, Chris Clyne

Genealogy: Joan Casarotto & Donna Whipple, Ron Remick, Doris RemickHistorians: Ann Albrecht & Ron Remick Sr. Hospitality: Betty Wasson, Jeannie Bergen

House: Nate Hughes, Dannie Wasson, & Ron Remick Sr., Bruce Robinson, John WackerMembership: Donna Whipple & Doris Remick

Program: Paul King & John Wacker, Lee Spencer, Donna Whipple, Mary HolladayDigital Communications: Bob Cottrell Website: Brooke Peterson

Publicity (winter): Donna DiCasparro Publicity (summer): Open

Programs, 2013: (Keep a lookout for 2014 programs!)

February: Chinook Exhibit, Cook Library, in conjunction with Remick Farm Winter Carnival.April 24: Maggie Stier: ‘The Old Man of the Mountain’ - NH Humanities Council/ Cook Library. May 22: Geoff Burke: ‘The History of the Canoe in North America: from Necessity to Recreation.’Month of May: Photo exhibit at The Lyceum: ‘Remarkable Tamworth People.’July 4: THS prize-winning float in Family Day Parade.July 10: Steve Taylor: ‘One-Room Schoolhouses’ - NH Humanities Council/Cook Library. August 10: THS Table at the Tamworth Farmers' Market - We had fun reaching new people! August 14: Bob Cottrell: ‘Chocorua for Two Bits: The Value of a View: Art, History and Nature.’October 2: THS Board tour of Sandwich Historical Society with Director Adam Nudd-Homeyer.October 23: Chris Clyne: ‘Tamworth Burying Grounds’ - with the Cook Library.November 10: Annual Meeting - Rebecca Rule - a NH Humanities Council program.December 8: Annual Village Tree-Lighting, with TOC, UUFES, Remick Farm, Congregational Church.

Carpenters & painters at work, July 4 float Photo by Doris Remick

Page 4, THS Newsletter

THS was recently gifted with a Winter Water-set made and used by the late Harry Thompson to lure beaver to a trap. Chris Conrod found it near a brook, and he and Chele Miller donated it to THS, with a detailed description of its use. Thank you! Photo shows only the top. The pole is about 6 feet long.

Recent Donation: Through-the-ice beaver trapmade by renowned trapper Harry Thompson.

Please come to THS’s Annual Meeting!

Sunday, November 10 Cook Memorial Library Downstairs Meeting Room

4:00: Business meeting 4:30: Potluck supper 5:30: Program: NH Humorist Rebecca Rule presents: “Moved and Seconded: Town Meeting in New Hampshire: the Present, the Past, and the Future.”

Not to be missed: Rebecca Rule is a Riot!

Reminder: The Annual Holiday Tree-Lighting in Tamworth Village will be held Saturday, December 8starting at 4:00 pm at the Tamworth Congregational Church, proceeding by wagon (thanks to Remick Farm) to UUFES for the Tamworth Outing Club’s lighting of the tree, carol-singing, Santa’s arrival, and refreshments upstairs. Please note that this takes place on a Saturday this year, not the usual Sunday.

The Tamworth Historical SocietyP.O Box 13 / 25 Great Hill RoadTamworth NH 03886For info call 323-2911Email: tamworthhistorical@gmail.comWebsite:www.tamworthhistoricalsociety.org

History Happens Every Day!

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