Welcome to the New Market Historical Society

We are dedicated to increasing public understanding and enthusiasm for our local history and preservation.  Our mission is to provide a central location, where we can store, introduce, interpret, and stimulate the study of local history. Our goals are to tell Newmarket’s story, preserve its local artifacts, and sponsor historical events and educational opportunities.  Please consult our program of events for exact dates, times, and locations for our meetings and events.  The public is always welcome to attend our educational meetings, which are free except for select special events.

Donations are always welcomed and greatly appreciated!

2017  Marks the 100th Anniversary of the U.S. entry into the Great War

We commemorate that event with a season dedicated to the years 1914-1920.  We look back at life on both the battle front and the home front — a time of sacrifice, of economic uncertainty, and of devastating illness with the pandemic of 1918.  

                             (photo: Arthur Bergeron, WW I)

The Stone School Museum’s Display 

Features a scene from the Town’s victory parade of 1918 celebrating Armistice Day, and the subsequent death of Joseph Demers.

Newmarket High School Art Teacher Annette Blake helped in the creation of this vignette.  On display will be WWI uniforms and military gear, as well as period costumes and posters, and a timeline of Newmarket during the war.  

Last Open House for this display will be  Saturday, September 16th from 10 am-4 pm.

Then visit The Oysterfest held next door at The Stone Church from 3 pm til 7 pm.  

The Stone Church, the Nature Conservancy of New Hampshire, and the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership hold this festival to help raise awareness of the benefits of strong native oyster populations in the Great Bay Estuary. Oysters are not only good to eat, they provide important benefits to the estuary for filtering pollutants and creating habitat for fish. We have lost more than 90% of our oysters, but efforts to rebuild local reefs, one acre at a time using recycled shell, are helping to turn the tide!

Meet oyster farmers and join a concerned community over oysters, music, beer, and spirits!  Local Farmers shucking and selling raw oysters, the Stone Church Kitchen serving oyster specials, and The Barn Burners String Band play acoustic americana, old time tunes, Irish, fiddle music, groovy folk and rockin’ versions of whatever rocks’.

Saturday September 16, The Barn Burners Show 3-7   FREE Admission

New — A Special Fundraiser for the New Market Historical Society

Pints and Pierogi  -

Thursday Oct 5th, 6-7:30pm

at the Polish American Club,  Central Street

Sponsored by the Polish Club and

the Deciduous Brewing Company

Admision - $10 

5 pierogi and a pint of Deciduous beer

Plus a brief presentation:

Newmarket’s rich history of Taverns & Drink

The Historical Society thanks the Polish Club and Deciduous Brewing Company for opening their kitchens & taps for this event. 

(all proceeds go to benefit the New Market Historical Society acquisition program)  

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Thanks to all who attended our Liberty Tea & Fan Display program

(photo: Shelly Goncalves)

This event also featured the display and discussion of  fans in the private collection of  Shelly Goncalves, (Fan Association of North America).  She displayed fans used by both men and women from the late 1800’s up to the 1920’s  with an emphasis on those in fashion during WW I.

 (photo:  the dapper ladies and gentlemen seated at the Conti table.)  

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

The  New Market Historical Society sadly says farewell to William White

who died August 5th.

Bill was very much involved in the Historical Society.  He was on the Board of Directors for many years, and  volunteered his carpentry skills in laying floors and working on any assortment of projects.  He never hestitated to share suggestions, always with a joke and a smile,  he will be missed. 

Coming Next on September 25, 2017 :

THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVED

Engraved in bronze on the Newmarket Memorial Bandstand are 180 names of the men and women from town who served in the Great War.  

This presentation is an introduction to just some of the stories behind the names which appear, as well as those names which were omitted  (such as the two young National Guardsmen killed guarding the railroad bridge over the Lamprey River).   As in all wars, there are those who enlisted eagerly or grudgingly  for  pride of service and patriotic duty, excitement of adventure, as  a way of escaping the drudgery of farm and factory work, or  as a path to citizenship.

These are a few stories of those who readily volunteered or were drafted, of family sacrifice, valor, and loss.   

The biographical sketches of these men and women will appear in the military section of our website.  The research has been compiled over the past several years by members 0f the Newmarket Veterans Memorial Trust Committee — Janice and Wayne Rosa, Wil Hamel, and John Carmichael.