Lectures
For up-to-date information on the New Hampshire Historical Society's programs and activities delivered right to your mailbox, sign up for our eNewsletter or become a member of the New Hampshire Historical Society.
All in-person programs will be held at the New Hampshire Historical Society, 30 Park Street, Concord, unless otherwise noted.
Virtual Lecture: The History of the Kancamagus Highway
Wednesday, October 16, 2024, 7 p.m.
Considered to be one of the most scenic roads in America, the Kancamagus Highway draws thousands of tourists to New Hampshire annually. The complete highway, running between Conway and Lincoln, opened officially in 1967, but it had taken more than 120 years to develop and build. Located in the Swift River Valley for much of its length, the Kancamagus is the gateway to the southern White Mountains. It is renowned for its fall foliage views and for such celebrated natural sites as Sabbaday Falls, Lower Falls, and Rocky Gorge. Join historian and author Glenn Knoblock as he details the development of this Granite State treasure and gives a glimpse into what the “Kanc” has to offer visitors year-round. Admission is free for Society members; $5 for nonmembers. Advance registration is required, either through Humanitix or by calling 603-228-6688.
Lecture: The N.H. Primary: A Light-hearted Look at the Long Shots
Saturday, November 2, 2024, 2 p.m.
What do Billy Joe Clegg, Vermin Supreme, “The Hemp Lady,” Joe Biden, and Donald Trump have in common? They and hundreds of others have been candidates in the New Hampshire Presidential Primary. One candidate proposed unclogging traffic jams by hoisting disabled cars off the road with helicopters. Another proclaimed: “Don’t vote for me.” Yet another campaigned from prison. Join retired news reporter David Tirrell-Wysocki for a light-hearted, nonpartisan look at New Hampshire’s presidential contest. Admission is free for Society members; $7 for nonmembers. No registration required.
Lecture: Traveling with Count Rumford
Saturday, November 9, 2024, 2 p.m.
A spy, a lover, a scientist, an inventor, and a diplomat, Benjamin Thompson, the American-born Count Rumford of Concord, lived a complex and controversial life. Rumford’s time in New Hampshire was brief but meaningful, as when he was ennobled by the Holy Roman Emperor in 1792, he chose to be named Rumford after one of the early names for Concord. Join Glen Rodgers, emeritus professor at Allegheny College and author of Traveling with the Atom: A Scientific Guide to Europe and Beyond, as he recounts Rumford’s scientific, economic, diplomatic, and military accomplishments while following in his footsteps across the United States and Europe. Admission is free for Society members; $7 for nonmembers. No registration required.
Lecture: New England’s Colonial Meetinghouses and Their Impact on American Society
Saturday, November 16, 2024, 2 p.m.
New England’s colonial meetinghouses embody an important yet little-known chapter in American history. Built mostly with tax money, they served as both places of worship and places for town meetings, and were the centers of life in colonial New England communities. Using photographs of the few surviving “mint-condition” meetinghouses as illustrations, Paul Wainwright tells the story of the society that built and used them, and the lasting impact they have had on American culture. Admission is free for Society members; $7 for nonmembers. No registration required.
Lecture: New England’s General: Franklin Pierce and the War with Mexico
Saturday, November 23, 2024, 2 p.m.
Franklin Pierce was one of the most prominent men to volunteer for military service during the Mexican War of 1846–48. But what compelled this middle-aged northern politician to leave his home and family for the field of battle 2,000 miles away? And how well did this future commander-in-chief perform at the head of his regiment? Join doctoral candidate James Irving from the University of New Hampshire as he considers these questions and, in the process, uncovers the wide and tangled network of individuals—from President James K. Polk to local friends, foreign foes, and even horses, mules, and mosquitos—who helped determine the course of Pierce’s wartime experience. Admission is free for Society members; $7 for nonmembers. No registration required.
Contact
Zoe Binette
Visitor Services Coordinator
603-228-6688
zbinette@nhhistory.org
Contact