I love history; in fact I positively adore it. I didn’t in high school though … but that was because of the teachers, not the subject. (Once a friend and I went into our 9th grade classroom earlier than scheduled, and we discovered our history teacher’s false teeth sitting on his opened book! That was THE single most exciting thing that ever happened in that class, I can tell you!). Today, however, I find the subject fascinating… and very much ‘alive’. If you do, also, you are definitely going to want to pay a visit to the Jackson Historical Society while you’re visiting us here at The Lodge. No dead collection of artifacts, this organization! Wow ... What they have accomplished -- huge projects, all of them -- is nothing short of incredible! Take a look at some of the things the JHS has accomplished just this year, the summary of which just came to me via e-mail:
“This past year the Society achieved a truly significant milestone. We moved into Jackson’s historic Town Hall, which is now our permanent home. Not only is this a great benefit to the Society, but this move benefits the Town as well, since we have assumed the responsibility for renovating the badly deteriorated building.
Jackson is fortunate in having many non-profit groups and individual volunteers who work for the betterment of the community. The Historical Society is particularly proud of what we have accomplished over the past several years to make us worthy of becoming caretakers of the Town Hall and of your support. Our projects have been varied and widespread throughout the town. We have partnered with many other organizations: the Jackson Grammar School, the Jackson Public Library, the Conservation Commission, the Eastside Walk Foundation and several others.
As we move into the future in our new home, it is time to take stock of what we have accomplished and to “toot our own horn” a bit. Following is a random list of some of the Society’s achievements:
· Catalogued and created an archive of nearly six thousand items (documents, photographs, books, etc.) relevant to the history of Jackson. These are listed on the web site we created. We are continually adding new artifacts as well as current news of Jackson’s citizens and events, which will become tomorrow’s history.
· Completed the first phase of restoration of the old Town Hall: installed a new roof, repaired the foundation, restored the interior wainscoting, refinished the floors, added storm windows, painted the exterior façade, added a glass railing for the stage. Over $100,000 has been spent to date renovating the Town Hall. A study for the second phase of restoration of the Town Hall is underway. This would include a new heating system, new foundation, new exterior clapboards, etc.
· Created The Jackson Museum of White Mountain Art in the refurbished old Town Hall, featuring fifteen 19th century White Mountain paintings on display. In addition, more than three dozen exhibits highlighting Jackson’s history are on display with written informative guides.
· Made a permanent space on the stage of the Town Hall available to River Arts Gallery, a new group of Jackson artists and artisans, for the display and sale of their work. Their first show & sale was held May 1st, 2010, which was attended by over 150 people.
· Dismantled the 150 year-old Trickey Barn and donated the timbers to the Town for re-erection as the new Library. Cost was $85,000.00.
· Contributed $25,000.00 cash and raised over $100,000.00 from Society members for the new Library.
· Organized Jackson’s bicentennial with many varied programs and celebrations throughout 2000.
· Spearheaded the listing of 17 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places as the Jackson Falls Historic District – a two year-long project.
· Restored the Pinkham Bible, a rare copy of the 1816 Carrigan Map of NH Towns, and the original 1844 hand-drawn map of Jackson’s Iron District.
· Commissioned a replica of the Town’s Boston Post Cane. This cane honors the oldest living citizen. The replica was made to be held by the current honoree during his lifetime. The original, with its solid gold head, is a valuable historic artifact and is now kept in a locked display case in the Selectmen’s’ office.
· Created a memorial path and garden at the Town Office with a plaque to Jackson’s earliest residents.
· Restored Jackson’s old snow roller and partnered with Conservation Commission to create a historical park on the Wildcat River near the Wentworth.
· Partnered with the Eastside Walk Foundation to erect a plaque to the Benjamin Copp family, Jackson’s first settlers, near the village fire pond.
· Installed a memorial plaque honoring Korean War Veterans.
· Purchased 120 chairs for the Town Hall – now moved to the Whitney Community Center.
· Paid for paving the Town Hall parking lot.
· Provided annual maintenance of the site of the First Church in Jackson. This 1.5 acre site, where the Free Will Baptist Church was built in 1803, is owned by the Society and is located at the junction of Black Mountain and Wilson Roads.
· Had the Wormeley horse trough moved to a public site on the village circle walk and added a bronze memorial plaque.
· Assisted the Jackson Grammar School kids create a twenty-year time capsule, to be opened in June 2027.
· Published three new books (Jackson History – Part 1, Oldest Houses Still Standing, Letters from my Grandmother), a souvenir program of the bicentennial and re-published three books (Jackson Reminiscences, Yesterdays, Dolly Copp).
· Published several issues of the Jackson Villager, a multi-page historical news letter.
· Sponsored a Jackson Grammar School teacher for a conference in Saratoga Springs, NY put on by the National Council for History Education.
· Sponsored two years of M&D Production’s summer play series in Jackson. Net proceeds were shared among local non-profit community groups.
· Created the Trickey Barn calendar with Jackson Grammar School kids providing the art with forty-six pictures of each student’s depiction of the Barn before it was removed. A quilt, now hanging in the Community Center, was made from these pictures.
· Staged six major multi-day White Mountain School of Art shows. One featured works by Jackson and Bartlett school students. The students of both schools visit the shows with their art teachers.
· Held three major exhibitions of works by local artists: Veikko Hurme; Ann Garland and June McLeavey Weeder.
· Raffled a donated 19th century painting that raised $6,000 for the Conway Historical Society’s Salyards Museum.
· Held dozens and dozens of monthly membership meetings with speaker programs.
We consider our greatest achievement to be saving two of Jackson’s oldest buildings – the Trickey Barn and the old Town Hall. Had the Society not stepped in, the Trickey Barn would have been lost and the Town Hall would have continued its deterioration.
You will note that we have done much to highlight Jackson’s history through the placement of historic commemorative plaques throughout the village. This adds to the enjoyment of both residents and visitors. Our emphasis on art provides outreach both to the community’s artists and artisans as well as the students of the Jackson Grammar School. Both the Jackson and Bartlett schools use our 19th century paintings and those on display in our annual shows as part of their history courses.
The Society has made a positive impact in this great community. We intend to continue doing so in the years ahead.”
“This past year the Society achieved a truly significant milestone. We moved into Jackson’s historic Town Hall, which is now our permanent home. Not only is this a great benefit to the Society, but this move benefits the Town as well, since we have assumed the responsibility for renovating the badly deteriorated building.
Jackson is fortunate in having many non-profit groups and individual volunteers who work for the betterment of the community. The Historical Society is particularly proud of what we have accomplished over the past several years to make us worthy of becoming caretakers of the Town Hall and of your support. Our projects have been varied and widespread throughout the town. We have partnered with many other organizations: the Jackson Grammar School, the Jackson Public Library, the Conservation Commission, the Eastside Walk Foundation and several others.
As we move into the future in our new home, it is time to take stock of what we have accomplished and to “toot our own horn” a bit. Following is a random list of some of the Society’s achievements:
· Catalogued and created an archive of nearly six thousand items (documents, photographs, books, etc.) relevant to the history of Jackson. These are listed on the web site we created. We are continually adding new artifacts as well as current news of Jackson’s citizens and events, which will become tomorrow’s history.
· Completed the first phase of restoration of the old Town Hall: installed a new roof, repaired the foundation, restored the interior wainscoting, refinished the floors, added storm windows, painted the exterior façade, added a glass railing for the stage. Over $100,000 has been spent to date renovating the Town Hall. A study for the second phase of restoration of the Town Hall is underway. This would include a new heating system, new foundation, new exterior clapboards, etc.
· Created The Jackson Museum of White Mountain Art in the refurbished old Town Hall, featuring fifteen 19th century White Mountain paintings on display. In addition, more than three dozen exhibits highlighting Jackson’s history are on display with written informative guides.
· Made a permanent space on the stage of the Town Hall available to River Arts Gallery, a new group of Jackson artists and artisans, for the display and sale of their work. Their first show & sale was held May 1st, 2010, which was attended by over 150 people.
· Dismantled the 150 year-old Trickey Barn and donated the timbers to the Town for re-erection as the new Library. Cost was $85,000.00.
· Contributed $25,000.00 cash and raised over $100,000.00 from Society members for the new Library.
· Organized Jackson’s bicentennial with many varied programs and celebrations throughout 2000.
· Spearheaded the listing of 17 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places as the Jackson Falls Historic District – a two year-long project.
· Restored the Pinkham Bible, a rare copy of the 1816 Carrigan Map of NH Towns, and the original 1844 hand-drawn map of Jackson’s Iron District.
· Commissioned a replica of the Town’s Boston Post Cane. This cane honors the oldest living citizen. The replica was made to be held by the current honoree during his lifetime. The original, with its solid gold head, is a valuable historic artifact and is now kept in a locked display case in the Selectmen’s’ office.
· Created a memorial path and garden at the Town Office with a plaque to Jackson’s earliest residents.
· Restored Jackson’s old snow roller and partnered with Conservation Commission to create a historical park on the Wildcat River near the Wentworth.
· Partnered with the Eastside Walk Foundation to erect a plaque to the Benjamin Copp family, Jackson’s first settlers, near the village fire pond.
· Installed a memorial plaque honoring Korean War Veterans.
· Purchased 120 chairs for the Town Hall – now moved to the Whitney Community Center.
· Paid for paving the Town Hall parking lot.
· Provided annual maintenance of the site of the First Church in Jackson. This 1.5 acre site, where the Free Will Baptist Church was built in 1803, is owned by the Society and is located at the junction of Black Mountain and Wilson Roads.
· Had the Wormeley horse trough moved to a public site on the village circle walk and added a bronze memorial plaque.
· Assisted the Jackson Grammar School kids create a twenty-year time capsule, to be opened in June 2027.
· Published three new books (Jackson History – Part 1, Oldest Houses Still Standing, Letters from my Grandmother), a souvenir program of the bicentennial and re-published three books (Jackson Reminiscences, Yesterdays, Dolly Copp).
· Published several issues of the Jackson Villager, a multi-page historical news letter.
· Sponsored a Jackson Grammar School teacher for a conference in Saratoga Springs, NY put on by the National Council for History Education.
· Sponsored two years of M&D Production’s summer play series in Jackson. Net proceeds were shared among local non-profit community groups.
· Created the Trickey Barn calendar with Jackson Grammar School kids providing the art with forty-six pictures of each student’s depiction of the Barn before it was removed. A quilt, now hanging in the Community Center, was made from these pictures.
· Staged six major multi-day White Mountain School of Art shows. One featured works by Jackson and Bartlett school students. The students of both schools visit the shows with their art teachers.
· Held three major exhibitions of works by local artists: Veikko Hurme; Ann Garland and June McLeavey Weeder.
· Raffled a donated 19th century painting that raised $6,000 for the Conway Historical Society’s Salyards Museum.
· Held dozens and dozens of monthly membership meetings with speaker programs.
We consider our greatest achievement to be saving two of Jackson’s oldest buildings – the Trickey Barn and the old Town Hall. Had the Society not stepped in, the Trickey Barn would have been lost and the Town Hall would have continued its deterioration.
You will note that we have done much to highlight Jackson’s history through the placement of historic commemorative plaques throughout the village. This adds to the enjoyment of both residents and visitors. Our emphasis on art provides outreach both to the community’s artists and artisans as well as the students of the Jackson Grammar School. Both the Jackson and Bartlett schools use our 19th century paintings and those on display in our annual shows as part of their history courses.
The Society has made a positive impact in this great community. We intend to continue doing so in the years ahead.”
No comments:
Post a Comment