| View this edition online»» | April 2006 | ||
| Sharing NH's History From Coast to Coast |
The New Hampshire Historical Society strives to provide greater public access to its collections and reach a wider audience. One of the ways this is accomplished is by loaning collections to other institutions. Some museum objects are currently on long-term loan to New Hampshire institutions and the Society also lends artifacts to museums throughout the United States on a regular basis. Currently, the museum staff are coordinating loans to institutions in Virginia, California, and Washington, DC.
The Society will lend four important Civil War artifacts to the new American Civil War Center in Richmond, VA, for its inaugural exhibition, In the Cause of Liberty, opening in August. The objects include a pipe carved by a New Hampshire soldier while in Libby Prison in Richmond; an embroidered needle holder presented by the ladies of Troy, NH, to a soldier from that town; a uniform jacket worn by a surgeon from Bedford, NH; and a Medal of Honor presented to a soldier from Bath, NH, for action at Fredericksburg, VA, in 1862. These objects were requested by the curator of the Civil War Center because of the significant stories they tell. The objects will be on exhibit for one year. The Long Beach Museum of Art in Long Beach, CA, will open an exhibition entitled Painting with Fire: Masters of Enameling in America on January 12, 2007. The Society will be lending an enamel triptych by Karl Drerup of Thornton, NH. Drerup is recognized as one of America’s leading enamel artists, and this piece was selected by the exhibition curators as an important example of his work. The show will
The Society is also working with the new U.S. Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, DC, on plans to lend a massive gold watch that was presented to Daniel Webster in 1850 by a group of New York businessmen. The Society was first approached by Visitor Center project planners in 2004, as they were seeking objects associated with key figures in the history of the U.S. Congress, including Daniel Webster. Several objects from our large collection of Webster material were considered. This oversize gold watch and chain were eventually selected because they are outstanding examples of craftsmanship and illustrate the high regard in which Webster was held. The shield-shaped piece on the chain is engraved “To Hon. Daniel Webster, The advocate of the Union & defender of its Constitution.” The Visitor Center is scheduled to open in March of 2007.
Watch and Chain Presented to Daniel Webster in 1850 Made in 1849 of California gold Case by John Y. Savage, San Francisco Chain by Woodruff & Addison, San Francisco Movement by John Arnold, London |
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| Abbot-Downing Books Conserved | |||
The books were rebound when they were originally donated to the Society in 1930 and repaired and rebound again by a professional conservator in 1985. Recently, the Society microfilmed the books, which will allow researchers to access the information without having to handle the originals. And, when the Society begins to digitize the collection it will be done by scanning the microfilm and not the originals.
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| Daniel Webster Still Lives | |||
In 1848, Webster wrote of the farm to his son Fletcher, “This is the very sweetest spot in the world.” The farm once owned by Daniel Webster—and later the site of the New Hampshire Orphans Home for children of Civil War soldiers—is threatened. Daniel Webster's home was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975 and listed as one of the “Eleven Most Endangered Historic Sites in the United States” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2005. When history lovers purchase a hat for their Daniel Webster bobblehead, their $5.00 donation will help to permanently conserve the land, stabilize the buildings, and create a strategy to make the adaptive reuse of these very important historic buildings possible. Partners in the Campaign to Protect Daniel Webster’s Farm include the Trust for Public Land; the Webster Farm Preservation Association; the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests; the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance; and the Clarence Fife Trust. 
“We are pleased to support efforts to protect this historic site of national significance,” said Bill Veillette, executive director of the New Hampshire Historical Society. The Daniel Webster bobblehead dolls and hats are available at the Society’s museum store in Eagle Square or online at www.nhhistory.org. You're Invited! Members are invited to learn about the fascinating life and career of Daniel Webster at the Society's annual meeting on Saturday, May 6. Keynote speaker Professor Kenneth E. Shewmaker will present Daniel Webster and New Hampshire, a talk about Webster's strong personal connections to New Hampshire. The afternoon speaker, James L. Garvin, will present "The Very Sweetest Spot in the World": The Legacy of Daniel Webster's Farm. Members will hear about the remarkable history and many values of this endangered resource of national significance. RSVP for the annual meeting by Wednesday, May 3, 2006. Seating is limited and advance registration is required. An optional buffet lunch is available for $10. Members who haven't yet mailed in the registration form may call 603/856-0621 to register. Nonmembers are invited to first join the New Hampshire Historical Society online and then register for the annual meeting by calling 603/856-0621. |
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| Subscription Information | |||
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