Many towns in our area present more local history through their societies and museums. Each has a unique collection and story to tell.
Points of interest.
Andover Historical Society
The Andover Historical Society has three historic buildings open to the public.
The Potter Place Railroad Station (1874) and the J.C. Emons Store & Post Office (1912) are normally open on Saturdays from 9:30 AM to 3 PM and Sundays from 12:30 to 3 PM, Memorial Day through Columbus Day, or by appointment. A Rutland Caboose is also open for tours at the station.
The Tucker Mountain School, a small one-room schoolhouse located in East Andover, is open one Sunday each month during the season.
Admission free, donations welcome. ▶ Visit the web site.
Enfield Shaker Museum
Nestled in a valley between Mt. Assurance and Mascoma Lake, in Enfield, New Hampshire, the Enfield Shaker site has been cherished for over 200 years. At its peak in the mid 19th century, the community was home to three "Families" of Shakers. They practiced equality of the sexes and races, celibacy, pacifism and communal ownership of property. Shakers farmed over 3,000 acres of land, educated children in model schools and worshipped in the "Shaker Way."
▶ Visit the web site.
Kearsarge Indian Museum (Warner)
Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum, Education and Cultural Center, is dedicated to connecting people of today with 20,000 years of ongoing Native American cultural expression. The Museum embraces cultural diversity and encourages responsible environmental action based on respect for nature. Through exhibitions and programs, the Museum seeks to challenge and inspire all of us to improve the quality of our lives and our world.
▶ Visit the web site.
Musterfield Farm Museum (Sutton)
The Muster Field Farm Museum was established for educational purposes to promote and encourage the history of New Hampshire agriculture and early architecture. The Museum has four major attractions:
The Matthew Harvey Homestead, a handsome 18th century farmhouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places
A varied collection of historic farm buildings, ranging from huge barns to small corn cribs saved from destruction and moved to the property
A working farm, producing vegetables, flowers, hay, cord wood and maple syrup
A superb, scenic location between Mount Kearsarge and King Ridge, covering 250 acres of fields and woods
▶ Visit the web site.
New Hampshire Telephone Museum (Warner)
Discover 130 years of telephone history at one of our country’s finest exhibits of antique telephones and equipment. This educational resource will take you back to the days when people talked to operators, strung phone lines on trees to their neighbors’ houses and listened to other peoples’ conversations on party lines.
▶ Visit the web site.
Springfield Historical Society
The Springfield Historical Museum (former Center School) is located at the North end of Four Corners Road and is open from 2:00 to 4:00 PM on Saturdays during July and August. Some of the society's research material is available in the New Hampshire Room at the library during winter, and at the museum during the summer.
The Springfield Historical Society was founded in 1984. Meetings and programs are held quarterly in January, April, July and October at the Libbie Cass Library Conference Room, which is connected to the Town Offices on Main Street, or at the Springfield Meeting House. A newsletter is published quarterly preceding the meeting.
▶ Visit the web site.
Sunapee Historical Society
The Sunapee Historical Society Museum is located in the old Flanders-Osborne Stable, right in the heart of Sunapee Harbor at 74 Main Street.
Learn about the history of the steamboats, the grand hotels, boating, and the Town of Sunapee. A relaxing, informative way to spend time exploring the heritage of our town. Something interesting for all ages.
▶ Visit the web site.
The Fells (Newbury)
The Fells, named after the Scottish word for rocky upland pastures, is situated on a nearly 1,000-acre hillside overlooking scenic Lake Sunapee. It is the former lakeside summer home of American writer and diplomat John M. Hay (1838-1905). Hay's son Clarence inherited the property and along with his wife Alice Appleton Hay, transformed the rock pasture into extensive formal and informal gardens.
▶ Visit the web site.
Warner Historical Society
The mission of the Warner Historical Society is to bring together people interested in the history of Warner, NH, to identify and preserve landmarks, documents, artifacts and other items of historical significance to the town, to keep alive our heritage by recording the history and incidents of the past and present, and to support education about the history of Warner.
▶ Visit the web site.
WFK Ice House (New London)
The WFK Ice House Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to collect, preserve, and demonstrate working artifacts and memorabilia from a bygone era for historical and educational purposes. The collection was assembled by the late William F. Kidder and is displayed at The Ice House in New London, New Hampshire.
Many collections at The Ice House provide a hands-on experience for visitors, young and old. Ford automobiles, children’s ride-on toys, steam whistles, padlocks, washing machines, auto parts, horse-drawn carriages, the town jail, a blacksmith shop, a tinsmith shop, and the list goes on...
▶ Visit the web site.