Lectures
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Thursday, September 20, 2018, 5 p.m.
Lecture: Revolutionary Portsmouth through French Eyes
Without French military assistance, the American Revolution could very easily have had a different ending. During the critical years from 1780 to 1783, French troops and ships supported American forces throughout New England and the mid-Atlantic states, wearing down British efforts to subdue its former colonies and helping turn the tide in America’s bid for independence. In the fall of 1782, four French ships arrived in Portsmouth to repair and refit. During the nearly five months the ships remained in the area, French officers stayed with Portsmouth families, interacted with suppliers and shipbuilders in the region, and advised local authorities on the construction of defenses for Portsmouth harbor. Documenting their visit in ship logs, journals, and letters, they left a remarkable record of the time they spent in Portsmouth. Join historian Robert Selig of the Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail as he delves into the experiences of these French officers and their impressions of revolutionary New Hampshire. Admission to this program is free thanks to funding provided by the National Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association.
Saturday, September 22, 2018, 10 a.m.
Lecture: Genealogical Resources at the New Hampshire Historical Society
The New Hampshire Historical Society holds a wealth of unique resources related to New Hampshire and New England to support genealogical research into family history. From printed and unpublished family histories and church records to rare manuscripts, the valuable collections at the New Hampshire Historical Society are sure to have information not found elsewhere. Join Library Director Sarah Galligan and learn about how to use different types of sources and where to look for information. This one-hour program is designed for experienced genealogists and novices alike. This program is included in the price of admission to the Society; free for New Hampshire Historical Society members.
Saturday, September 29, 2018, 2 p.m.
New Hampshire Heritage Lecture Series: Why a Telephone Museum in New Hampshire?
Learn how four generations of one family turned a lifelong career in the independent telephone industry into one of New Hampshire’s hidden gems. This presentation by Executive Director Laura French and President/Curator Paul Violette explains how Warner became the home of the New Hampshire Telephone Museum. The New Hampshire Heritage Lecture Series highlights the stories behind the state’s many historic and cultural attractions. This program is included in the price of admission to the Society; free for New Hampshire Historical Society members.
Saturday, October 20, 2018, 2 p.m.
New Hampshire Heritage Lecture Series: Remembering World War II with the Granite State’s Wright Museum
The son of a Second World War soldier, David Wright of Worcester, Massachusetts, developed an interest in World War II at a young age. After serving in the Korean War himself, Wright began collecting and restoring World War II vehicles, exhibiting them to the public in traveling exhibitions, parades, and festivals. His dream was to commemorate not just the battle field experiences in World War II but also the lives of those on the home front. In the years since its founding in the early 1990s, the Wright Museum has grown to a collection of more than 14,000 objects documenting life for soldiers and civilians during the war. Michael Culver, the museum’s executive director, recounts the story of one man’s collection and how it has helped the people of New Hampshire remember the Greatest Generation. The New Hampshire Heritage Lecture Series highlights the stories behind the state’s many historic and cultural attractions. This program is included in the price of admission to the Society; free for New Hampshire Historical Society members.
Saturday, October 27, 2018, 2 p.m.
Lecture: “A Great National Painting”: James Walker’s The Battle of Gettysburg
Six years in the making, James Walker’s twenty-foot-long the Battle of Gettysburg debuted in Boston on March 14, 1870. No fewer than five major Boston newspapers lauded the work’s sweep and substance, praising its detail and precision. Indeed, several of the generals depicted in the work vouched for its accuracy—and its pathos. After its first appearance, The Battle of Gettysburg embarked on a cross-country tour with its owner, the historian John Badger Bachelder, who had conducted the initial research and created the sketch upon which Walker based the painting. The popularity of the picture enabled Bachelder to shape popular perceptions of how Americans interpreted the Battle of Gettysburg, perceptions that continue to define it to the present day. A smaller version of the painting, also created by Walker and part of the Society’s collection, is currently on display in the Discovering New Hampshire exhibition. Join art historian Erin Corrales-Diaz, assistant curator of American art at the Worcester Art Museum, as she presents the remarkable story behind these iconic objects and then view the painting itself. This program is included in the price of admission to the Society; free for New Hampshire Historical Society members.
Saturday, November 10, 2018, 2 p.m.
Lecture: Private George Dilboy and the Decisive Battle of World War I
When the Yankee Division was thrown into combat during the terrible summer of 1918, none of its soldiers had more combat experience than Private George Dilboy. Born in the Greek-speaking provinces of the Ottoman Empire, Dilboy had fought in the Balkan Wars as a teenager, and after emigrating to New England, he eagerly volunteered for service in his adopted country shortly before the United States entered World War I. This presentation, given by Professor Dan Breen from Brandeis University on the 100th anniversary of the end of the war, commemorates Dilboy's heroism during that bloody conflict by telling the story of how, in a few moments of astonishing courage, he earned the only Medal of Honor awarded to a New Hampshire resident during the Great War. This program is included in the price of admission to the Society; free for New Hampshire Historical Society members.
Contact
Wendy Olcott
Member and Visitor Services Coordinator
603-856-0621
wolcott@nhhistory.org
Contact