22289079-7884-4f27-8fd6-c2c52b31fc2a < Back 2025 Winter WHS Newsletter Topics in this issue: President's Message; Washington Historical Society Officers; Updated Edition of Sylvanus Thayer Biography by Bill Mulcahy; Museum Report by Gwen Gaskell; Sylvanus Thayer's Washington, NH Family by Bill Mulcahy; Schedule of 2025-2026 Zoom Meetings: November to April by Steve Yusko OPEN / PDF Previous Next

3cacbcb4-6f1d-4aef-a5aa-000d5d1c1713 < Back 2018 Fall WHS Newsletter Topics in this issue: President's Message; Washington Historical Society Officers; The Washington Quilt Returns to Washington; Report from the Museum; School Children Visit the Museum; Historical Finds – The 1892 Contract for Island Pond Road, The 1910 Contract for Millen Pond Road; Items for Sale; Report from the Treasurer; Special Thanks to Barbara Gaskell; A Memory by Kevin Gathercole — A Childhood Visit to Washington; Membership Form OPEN / PDF Previous Next

The Washington New Hampshire Historical Society (WNHHS), is a non-profit organization interested in the collection and preservation of material related to the history of Washington, NH. We manage several historic buildings and cemeteries, and provide events about local, state, and national history. Welcome The Washington New Hampshire Historical Society (WNHHS), is a non-profit organization that brings together people interested in the collection and preservation of material related to the history of Washington & East Washington, NH. In addition to managing several historic buildings, we undertake activities to foster and promote public knowledge of local, state, and national history. LEARN ABOUT WHS Museum Gift Shop Gifts & Memorabilia Cemetery Search Research Tool Newsletters Newsletter PDFs & Archives Collections Museum Collections Upcoming Events Although an RSVP is not required to attend, your response does allow us to send you an event reminder and any other important updates. Mon, Nov 09 WNHHS November Zoom Meeting – Kiki Berk – The Ethics of AI / Online Zoom Event More Info Nov 09, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Online Zoom Event Join us for our last Zoom meeting of the year when SNHU Professor of Philosophy Kiki Berk will share her very topical presentation: The Ethics of AI. This program explores some of the most urgent moral challenges that Artificial Intelligence presents to society today. Click RSVP for a Reminder. Share Mon, Jan 11 WNHHS January Zoom Meeting – Patrick Anderson – 20th Century Paintings of Small Town/Rural America / Online Zoom Event More Info Jan 11, 2027, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Online Zoom Event Join us as Colby-Sawyer College Professor Emeritus Patrick Anderson focuses on five American artists from the 20th century who painted small town and rural life, including Charles Burchfield, John Steuart Curry, Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton and Edward Hopper. Click RSVP for a Reminder. Share Mon, Feb 08 WNHHS February Zoom Meeting – Jackson Gillman – Kipling Revisited / Online Zoom Event More Info Feb 08, 2027, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Online Zoom Event Join us for our February Zoom meeting when performance artist Jackson Gillman brings Rudyard Kipling to life, providing an inside look at the writer's experience in New England and some of the controversy surrounding this complex man. Click RSVP for a Reminder. Share Mon, Mar 08 WNHHS March Zoom Meeting – Laura Tilghman – Tales From The Spice Rack / Online Zoom Event More Info Mar 08, 2027, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Online Zoom Event With a focus on Vanilla and Cloves, Plymouth State College Associate Professor of Anthropology Laura Tilghman will help us appreciate the people and places behind the global products we buy and consume every day. Click RSVP for a Reminder. Share Mon, Apr 12 WNHHS April Zoom Meeting – Robert Goodby– Paddling Through Time: The Long History of Canoes in New England / Online Zoom Event More Info Apr 12, 2027, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Online Zoom Event Canoes were central to the lives of Native Americans in New England. A few dozen ancient dugout canoes have been recovered from across northern NE. Join archaeologist Dr. Robert Goodby to discover what we’ve learned from them, including 8 from New Hampshire. Click RSVP for a Reminder. Share Mon, May 10 WNHHS May In-Person Meeting – Dan Billin – Last of the Granite State Rattlesnakes / Camp Morgan Lodge More Info May 10, 2027, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Camp Morgan Lodge, 339 Millen Pond Road, Washington, NH 03280, USA Join us for a Potluck Supper, Member Meeting, and Dan Billin’s fascinating presentation “Last of the Granite State Rattlesnakes.” Dan presents vivid, little-known stories and images from our centuries-long war on our rattlesnakes and reviews current conservation efforts. Click RSVP for Reminder. Share SEE ALL EVENTS Featured Videos District #5 Schoolhouse Renovation Fundraising Progress The Dollar-for-Dollar Match Opportunity Offered in May 2026 Has Now Ended. About the District # 5 Schoolhouse Step inside the District #5 Schoolhouse in East Washington, and you are instantly transported back to the 19th century—where children once practiced their lessons with quill pens and ink, and the daily rhythm of rural education unfolded within a single room. Now, the Washington NH Historical Society (WNHHS) is working to ensure NH Chronicle Video Segments Featuring Washington, NH Many interesting stories about Washington, New Hampshire have been featured over the years on local ABC affiliate WMUR-9's nightly magazine show, New Hampshire Chronicle. Many of these segments are presented personally by longtime NH Chronicle host, writer, and filmmaker Fritz Wetherbee. You can access them from here. Fritz Wetherbee filming a segment about the Shedd Free Library for WMUR-9’s New Hampshire Chronicle Click Segment Title To Watch Video Exploring Washington, NH Our History Is In the Barn! John Porter, author and expert on historic barns, "reads" the Washington Historical Society's barn, noting its special features and the... SEE ALL PROJECTS

Videos We hope that you enjoy watching these videos of special WNHHS projects, speaker presentations, and guest contributors! ​ Please consider supporting our ongoing work by becoming a Member or making a Donation . Your financial support allows us to maintain our buildings and grounds and to continue to provide interesting programming and participate in documenting our local history. All Posts Latest News Featured Project Search billmulcahy May 25 2 min NH Chronicle Video Segments Featuring Washington, NH Many interesting stories about Washington, New Hampshire have been featured over the years on local ABC affiliate WMUR-9's nightly... 199 views 1 like. Post not marked as liked 1 billmulcahy Oct 21, 2022 1 min Vibrant Drone Video of Peak Fall 2022 Foliage of the Washington, NH Area Using a drone, Peter Sibley captured this beautiful video of the Fall foliage in and around the Washington, NH area at its peak on... 280 views 1 like. Post not marked as liked 1 Washington Historical Society Sep 16, 2021 1 min Washington Stage Curtain Conservation Video Former WHS President Susan Fairchild tells the story of the July 2021 effort to conserve the historic O. L. Story stage curtain in the... 52 views 1 like. Post not marked as liked 1 Washington Historical Society Aug 17, 2021 1 min Our History Is In the Barn! John Porter, author and expert on historic barns, "reads" the Washington Historical Society's barn, noting its special features and the... 111 views 2 likes. Post not marked as liked 2 Washington Historical Society May 6, 2021 1 min COVID-19, The Marks We Leave Behind Documenting personal experiences from the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic What will future generations know of Washington's experiences during the... 46 views 1 like. Post not marked as liked 1 Washington Historical Society May 6, 2021 1 min The Mystery of the Boy Shot on Mill Hill Join the hunt for answers as Washington Historical Society's own Bill Mulcahy searches for the boy's identify and uncovers his powerfully... 780 views 4 likes. Post not marked as liked 4 Washington Historical Society May 6, 2021 2 min Folks Like You Contribute to the WNHHS Archives Every year people discover historic treasures that become a part of the WNHHS historical archive. We have been blessed over the years... 54 views 2 likes. Post not marked as liked 2

Mon, Aug 12 | Camp Morgan Lodge WHS Annual Meeting with Jim Pecora's Presentation: Sit Free or Die — in the Year 1800 Join us for a Pot Luck Supper & Annual Business Meeting followed by Jim Pecora's presentation "Sit Free or Die — in the Year 1800" An intertwining tale of five historical New England influencers alive in 1800. RSVP is not required, but allows us to send you an event reminder and any updates. Registration is Closed See other events Time & Location Aug 12, 2024, 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM Camp Morgan Lodge, 339 Millen Pond Road, Washington, NH 03280, USA About the Event This Event is Free and Open to the Public! Potluck Supper 5:30 — 6:30 Join us for a delicious Potluck Supper! Members Meeting 6:30 — 7:00pm. The WHS Annual Meeting will be held for the presentation of annual reports and the election of officers and board members for 2024-2025. Jim Pecora's Presentation: Sit Free or Die — in the Year 1800 7:00pm. An intertwining tale of five historical New England influencers alive in the year 1800. Woven into a fictional family for storytelling, each one made an indelible mark upon the fabric of our American culture and U.S. history. Including: General John Stark, originator of the NH State Motto "Live Free or Die "; Samuel Wilson, the real Uncle Sam; Lucy Mack Smith, the matriarch of the Mormon Church; Daniel Webster, America’s greatest orator; and Rufus Porter, holder of more than one hundred patents and founder of the periodical Scientific American. Author/lecturer Jim Pecora wears many hats at this stage of his life. He is a Mining Historian, Lapidarist, and Jeweler. Pecora is the Executive Director of the New England Mineral Museum (NEMM), a New Hampshire Non-Profit. On a personal note, Jim is an avid photographer whose portfolio specializes in the portrayal of “Light” in its infinite interplay with the eye. Pecora is often known as “the Rock Guy” to children of all ages; he lectures & teaches throughout New England on the history of hard rock mining, minerals, Native American history & Geology. Lastly, he enjoys expressing his artistic abilities in several mediums & especially with wood & stone. Jim has a storefront on Etsy: CrystalRockArts.etsy.com and a Facebook page: Pecora's Mica Mine Schoolhouse . Read More > Share This Event

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