Icons of History: Objects that Define New Hampshire Icons of History: Objects that Define New Hampshire, Part II, was on view at the Society's library through July 7, 2012. The exhibition included a treasure trove of objects reflecting New Hampshire's rich history, character, and culture. Above, the iconic Old Man of the Mountain is featured on the design of a Concord coach door panel by Edwin G. Burgum, 1880-1900. During the 19th century, the Abbot-Downing Company developed a world-wide reputation for its wagons, carriages, and stagecoaches. Between 1827 and 1899 the company produced approximately 3,000 Concord coaches. How Do You Define New Hampshire? What comes to mind when you think of New Hampshire? What best symbolizes the state and its people? The New Hampshire Historical Society offered up more than 100 possible answers in the exhibition Icons of History: Objects that Define New Hampshire. The exhibition was presented in two parts at the Society's museum and library from March 26, 2011, through July 7, 2012. Thanks to Our Sponsors Icons of History: Objects that Define New Hampshire was funded by: New Hampshire Antiques Dealers Association, with additional support from the Robert O. Wilson Historical Research Fund, the Una Mason Collins Fund, and the McIninch Foundation. About the Exhibition For nearly two centuries the New Hampshire Historical Society has collected and preserved thousands of objects, books, documents, and photographs about the state’s past, and the treasure trove of items in Icons of History reflected the breadth and depth of these collections. Ranging from fine art to signs, military artifacts to political campaign items and tea sets to clothing, each object told a story about New Hampshire’s history, character, and culture. Visitors to the exhibition rediscovered familiar icons of New Hampshire, like the Old Man of the Mountain painted on the door of a Concord Coach, majestic White Mountain paintings, and portraits of notables like Daniel Webster and Franklin Pierce, the only U.S. President from New Hampshire. At the same time, Icons of History offered new and unexpected treasures that revealed the richness of New Hampshire’s heritage. The exhibition included a rare watercolor and ink drawing of a late-18th-century noncommissioned New Hampshire militia soldier, attributed to George Melvill of Candia and Farmington. Dated between 1794 and 1792 and acquired by the Society in 2009, the watercolor is the only drawing of an 18th-century noncommissioned militia soldier known to exist in public or private collections. New Hampshire Light Horse on Duty, George Melvill (c. 1755–1800), Candia and Farmington, NH, ink and watercolor on paper, 1784–92. Visitors from the North Country enjoyed seeing “Berlin Falls, N.H. and Berlin Mills,” a colored lithograph depicting a “bird’s-eye” view of an iconic New Hampshire locale in 1888, and advertising connoisseurs enjoy the exhibition's wide selection of signs to enjoy. Advertising items on display included a sign promoting a hatters shop owned by Benjamin Kimball, dating around 1800, and an original poster by Alice Cosgrove, New Hampshire’s official state artist, who used her talent to mold the state’s image in the years after World War II. The Civil War was remembered, too. The exhibition featured a Civil War lottery box from Lebanon, NH, and “The Glorious Little Flag,” which symbolized the valor and courage soldiers displayed in the horrific setting of the Confederate Andersonville prison, where 13,000 Union prisoners of war died. A small band of soldiers from 5th New Hampshire Volunteers drew a flag on a scrap of cloth with red and blue ink and sang patriotic signs on the Fourth of July 1864. The Society's 100-year-old library building at 30 Park Street, which opened on November 23, 1911, is arguably the most significant object in the Society’s collection. Financed through a gift by Edward and Julia Tuck, and designed by Guy Lowell, it was constructed using the finest materials of its day and was meant to serve future generations of New Hampshire. The Society marked the stately building’s centennial with a special issue of its magazine, Historical New Hampshire, both in print and audio formats, and the creation of a documentary film Tuck's Gift. The film was produced in partnership with New Hampshire Public Television (NHPTV), and made possible by a grant from the New Hampshire Humanities Council and with major support from Merrimack County Savings Bank and other generous sponsors. Online Exhibition See a slideshow of items from the Society's collections, including some that were featured in the Icons of History exhibition, through our online exhibition. About Us The New Hampshire Historical Society is the independent nonprofit that saves, preserves, and shares New Hampshire history. The Society serves thousands of children and adults each year through its museum, library, educational programs, and award-winning publications. Join Us! The New Hampshire Historical Society is not a state-funded agency. All of the Society's programs and services are made possible by dues and contributions from individuals, foundations, and businesses. Free admission to the museum and free use of library research resources are two of the many benefits of membership in the Society. You are invited to join today! Call the membership department at 603/856-0621 or use our convenient and online membership form. 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