Lectures
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All in-person programs will be held at the New Hampshire Historical Society, 30 Park Street, Concord, unless otherwise noted.
Spring Lecture Series: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Lecture: “Annihilating Distance: The First Century of New Hampshire Railroads, 1830 to 1930,” by Professor R. Stuart Wallace
Thursday, April 18, 2024, 6 p.m.
From the era of “railroad fever” in the 1830s to the beginning of the Great Depression in the 1930s, life in the Granite State revolved around railroads. The state’s rural and industrial economy, its tourism, its travel in general, not to mention its immigration, town life, taxes, and politics relied in some way on railroads. Join Professor R. Stuart Wallace for the story of New Hampshire’s railroads during their golden age. The series is offered both in-person and virtually and is sponsored by Grappone Automotive Group and Sanel NAPA. Admission is free for New Hampshire Historical Society members; nonmembers are invited to join the Society to enjoy this and other membership benefits. Advance registration is required for everyone (whether in-person or virtual). Members will receive a brochure in the mail with registration information or can register online through Eventbrite.
Spring Lecture Series: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Lecture: “The Road More Traveled: How the Automobile Changed New Hampshire,” by Amanda Grappone Osmer
Thursday, April 25, 2024, 6 p.m.
Automobiles transformed New Hampshire. Cars made tourists more independent and likely to travel off the beaten path. Roadside motels, restaurants, stores, and gas stations emerged to accommodate these visitors. The automobile also changed the way people lived, bringing new road systems, the rise of suburbs, and different ways of doing just about everything. Amanda Grappone Osmer traces how cars transformed the Granite State. The series is offered both in-person and virtually and is sponsored by Grappone Automotive Group and Sanel NAPA. Admission is free for New Hampshire Historical Society members; nonmembers are invited to join the Society to enjoy this and other membership benefits. Advance registration is required for everyone (whether in-person or virtual). Members will receive a brochure in the mail with registration information or can register online through Eventbrite.
New Hampshire Clocks and Clockmakers -- THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT
Friday, April 26, 2024, 5 to 7 p.m.
New Hampshire craftsmen have a long tradition of clockmaking, dating back three centuries. Three speakers will offer different perspectives on this important aspect of New England’s history: John Delaney (of Delaney Antique Clocks and PBS Antiques Roadshow), John Fitzwilliam (clock restorer, collector, and dealer), and clock scholar Damon DiMauro (professor at Gordon College). A small number of clocks from the New Hampshire Historical Society’s extensive collection, donated by Charles Parsons, will be on display at the event. This program is part of the New England regional meeting of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC). This event is sold out.
Book Talk: Northern Voices *FREE*
Saturday, April 27, 2024, 2 p.m.
Mike Pride’s ninth and final book, Northern Voices, is fresh off the presses, published a year after Pride’s death last April. It tells the story of Pride's relationships with eight distinguished poets he covered in the pages of the Concord Monitor and the ways in which New Hampshire’s natural beauty and hard realities shaped these poets’ lives and work. Pride’s friend and longtime colleague, Mark Travis, saw the book through to publication on Pride’s behalf. Join Travis as he talks about Pride’s last project and the world of words it reveals. Copies of Pride’s book will be available for purchase. This is a free program; no registration required.
Spring Lecture Series: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Lecture: “The Boston & Maine Railroad in New Hampshire, 1945 to 1983,” by Rick Kfoury
Thursday, May 2, 2024, 6 p.m.
Although the Boston & Maine Railroad’s presence in New Hampshire began to wane in the years following World War II, its daily operations still held great importance for Granite Staters. Rick Kfoury, president of the Boston & Maine Historical Society, shares stories, images, film, and documents—some of them never before seen publicly—of the B&M’s freight and passenger operations in New Hampshire in the mid-20th century. The series is offered both in-person and virtually lectures and is sponsored by Grappone Automotive Group and Sanel NAPA. Admission is free for New Hampshire Historical Society members; nonmembers are invited to join the Society to enjoy this and other membership benefits. Advance registration is required for everyone (whether in-person or virtual). Members will receive a brochure in the mail with registration information or can register online through Eventbrite.
Lecture: “Teddy Roosevelt’s Nobel Prize,” by Charles Doleac
Saturday, May 4, 2024, 2 p.m.
In August 1905, diplomats from Russia and Japan met in Portsmouth to negotiate an end to the Russo-Japanese War, which had been raging in the Far East for more than a year. Although few might remember this war today, it foreshadowed in many ways the modern warfare that came to characterize the 20th century. President Theodore Roosevelt orchestrated the talks that led to the signing of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his involvement. Join Chuck Doleac, the founder of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum, to learn about this fascinating chapter in international diplomacy and the role New Hampshire played. Admission is free for New Hampshire Historical Society members; $7 for nonmembers. No registration required.
Spring Lecture Series: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Lecture: “The Golden Age of Airline Service in the Granite State,” by Jeff Rapsis
Thursday, May 9, 2024, 6 p.m.
The years following World War II saw a rapid increase in air passenger service throughout the nation, with New Hampshire being no exception. Communities like Keene, Berlin, Concord, and Laconia enjoyed scheduled passenger flights to Boston, New York, and beyond. Join Jeff Rapsis, executive director of the New Hampshire Aviation Museum, to explore this period in the mid-20th century when the Granite State enjoyed a Golden Age of air passenger service that connected New Hampshire’s small towns to the nation's air transportation system. The series is offered both in-person and virtually and is sponsored by Grappone Automotive Group and Sanel NAPA. Admission is free for New Hampshire Historical Society members; nonmembers are invited to join the Society to enjoy this and other membership benefits. Advance registration is required for everyone (whether in-person or virtual). Members will receive a brochure in the mail with registration information or can register online through Eventbrite.
Contact
Zoe Binette
Visitor Services Coordinator
603-228-6688
zbinette@nhhistory.org
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