Northeast Delta Dental		New Hampshire Then & Now Stark Village, photographed by Guy L. Shorey, c. 1900. Mount Washington Observatory collection. Stark Village, 2003. Photographed by Peter E. Randall. Exhibition Compares New Hampshire Past & Present Nineteenth-century stagecoaches and twenty-first century Segways come together in the New Hampshire Historical Society's exhibition New Hampshire Then & Now, was on view at the Society's library from October 14, 2006, through March 31, 2007. Thanks to Our Sponsor New Hampshire Then & Now was sponsored by Northeast Delta Dental. About the Exhibition The exhibition featured 40 pairs of photographs of unique places, people, and events that depict the character and culture of New Hampshire, past and present. Based on the book of the same title by photographer, author, and publisher Peter E. Randall, the exhibition provided visitors with a diverse visual overview of New Hampshire, comparing sites and people across the state, between the late 19th century and today. Randall started this project by searching through the photograph collections of the New Hampshire Historical Society and those of other organizations, choosing images that were most interesting to him. He then set out to find the modern sites. The exhibition, like the book, uses the powerful medium of photography to help visitors explore changes that have occurred in New Hampshire over the past century. For example, until 1883, a huge boulder was lodged between the narrow walls of the Flume in Franconia Notch, when it was washed away by a flood in a heavy storm. A circa 1880 view of the Flume with the boulder is paired with a photo of how the Flume looks today. Other "then and now" images include the town common in Hampton Falls circa 1905 and in 2003; Cornish town meetings in 1947 and 2004; New Castle's Hotel Wentworth in 1880 and the Wentworth by the Sea Hotel in 2005; Haverhill Corner in the 1890s and in 2004; Post Office Square in North Sutton around 1900 and in 2003; the view from Mill No. 2 in Keene in 1927 and in 2005; and tourists looking at the Old Man of the Mountain in 1978 contrasted with today's faceless Cannon Mountain. "The exhibition shows how some New Hampshire places and ways of life have radically changed," said Wes Balla, the New Hampshire Historical Society's director of collections and exhibitions. "And, at the same time, illustrates the reverence people in New Hampshire have for history, historic places, and tradition." After its introduction at the New Hampshire Historical Society the exhibition is traveling to museums and galleries around New Hampshire including the Historical Society of Cheshire County, Keene, April 2007 – September 2007; the Mt. Washington Hotel and Resort, Bretton Woods, October 2007 – May 2008; and the New Hampshire Technical College Library, Berlin, February 2009 – July 2009. Who Are We? Founded in 1823, the New Hampshire Historical Society is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to saving and sharing New Hampshire history. The Society serves thousands of children and adults each year through its Museum of New Hampshire History, research 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 Museum of New Hampshire History and free use of library research resources are two of the many benefits of membership in the New Hampshire Historical Society. You are invited to join today! Call the membership department at 603/856-0621 or use our convenient and secure online membership form. For more information, please contact the New Hampshire Historical Society (wballa@nhhistory.org) - Who Are We? - What's New? - Museum - Library - Publications - Membership - Museum Store - School Programs - Programs & Events - Questions & Feedback - Home - Copyright © 2007 New Hampshire Historical Society. Last Modified April 9, 2007.