Presenting a Wyman Tavern Long-Range Plan:
Creating a Community Museum

The Wyman Tavern is Keene’s most historic structure, yet how to operate the Tavern in order for it to become a more community-oriented museum and sustainable financially has been a topic of discussion for several years. Nationally, period house museums have seen a decline in visitation and support, forcing owners of these buildings to rethink how to use and operate their wonderful structures. Due to an expansion in educational programs, HSCC has actually seen a slight increase in visitation at the Tavern over the past few years. This increase, however, has not turned the Tavern into a more self-sustaining operation.

In October of 2008, HSCC took a first step toward creating a more community-oriented museum by hosting a series of county-wide forums. The purpose of the forums was to collect community comments to guide the development of a long-range Wyman Tavern plan. HSCC believes that the Wyman Tavern needs to meet community needs in order for its operations to become more successful educationally and financially. At each forum we asked two main questions:

     1. What do you want the Wyman Tavern to become?

     2. Which time period of occupation, Tavern or Reverend Barstow, do you feel
        is the most important to interpret at the Wyman Tavern?

At each forum we wrote down each suggestion for use of the Tavern and each attendee was allowed five votes on the suggestions. This process generated 25 suggested uses while addressing which time period was the most important to interpret.

During the winter and spring of 2009, a small Tavern Subcommittee used strategic planning criteria developed by the HSCC’s Education Committee and integrated the information collected from the fall forums and community surveys to write a draft long-range plan.

On Tuesday, October 6, at 7:00 pm in the Historical Society’s Exhibit Hall, HSCC will host a final forum to present the draft plan. After the presentation, we will open the floor for comments, discussion, and additional suggestions from the community. We want to know if the draft plan reflects the needs of the community as sug-gested in the forums. It is our hope that this final meeting will provide HSCC with the support and direction to write a final copy of a Wyman Tavern Long-Range Plan.

The main components of the draft plan include:

- A Name change to the Wyman Tavern Museum & Education Center.

- The Tavern's Mission: To collect, preserve, and communicate the history of the Wyman Tavern, Keene, and the Monadnock region from 1760 to the mid-1810s, and to serve as a regional Education Center.

To accomplish this mission, HSCC will:
- Preserve the historical integrity of the original structure and carriage shed.
- Collect original artifacts and quality reproductions to assist in interpreting the Tavern time period.
- Communicate the period's history through a diverse range of educational programs, activities, and events.
- Provide an Education Center for the enrichment of learners of all ages.
- Partner with local, state, and regional organizations to enhance and promote opportunities for learning.

The details of the long-range plan will be presented at the forum on October 6th, and will be available on HSCC's website on the Wyman Tavern page and at HSCC. The staff and trustees encourage everyone who has an interest in the future of the Wyman Tavern to attend this important forum. It is our goal that the Wyman Tavern be an active, community-oriented museum that enriches the lives of everyone. With your comments and support, we can shape the future use of Keene's most historic structure to reach this goal.

Historical Society of Cheshire County Board of Trustees
Carl B. Jacobs, Jr., President
Cornelia Jenness, Vice President
Richard Church, Treasurer
Ernest Bell
Russell Bastedo
Patricia Colony
F. Barrett Faulkner
Nicholas Germana
Jane B. Johnson
Sean O'Mara
David Putnam, Jr.
Jane Reynolds
Art Simington
John Treat
Anthony Tremblay
Robert Weekes
Don B. Wilmeth
Gail Zachariah

Staff
Alan F. Rumrill, Executive Director
Tom Haynes, Director of Education
Katharine Schillemat, Administrative Asst.

Genealogical Research Class

HSCC's Director of Education, Tom Haynes, will be teaching a five-week introductory class for the beginning genealogist on how to conduct research. Each session will examine different aspects of the research process, including how to get started, using local history resources, museums, libraries, internet, cemeteries, deeds, and probate records. Through lectures, demonstrations, hands-on activities, and field trips, the class will offer the basic skills and tools needed to start you on the path toward uncovering your family heritage.

Classes will meet at the Historical Society from 6:00 to 7:30 pm beginning Wednesday, September 30, and continuing through Wednesday, October 28. The class is taught through Keene State College's Continuing Education Program. To register, please contact Keene State College's Continuing Education Program at 603-358-2290, 1-800-KSC-1909, or online at www.keene.edu/conted. For questions on the class, please contact Tom Haynes at 352-1895.

More on the Wyman Tavern

It has been a full summer of programs and activities at the Tavern. For children and families we offered camps and a popular Friday Afternoon at the Tavern program. Our summer exhibit on Muskets, Shotguns, and Pepperboxes was quite popular, as was the associated Tavern Lecture Series on Muskets, Militia, and Firearm Manufacturing. In addition to our normal tours, we offered a special tour for members of Historic New England in August.

All of this programming has been made possible by a group of dedicated individuals, which includes our summer intern Eric Lindquist, teacher Laurel Powell, long-time docents and volunteers Bob and Sue Wellwood (the Tavern is really their second home), and volunteer Carin Torp. To all of you and to everyone else who has given their time to our successful summer of activities at the Tavern, thank you!

We also wish to thank this summer's Tavern Keepers and dedicated contributors for their financial generosity in helping to keep the Tavern open for another summer of programs and events. Although summer hours ended on Saturday, September 5th, the Tavern will remain open by appointment through November 13th. To schedule a visit to the Wyman Tavern, please contact Tom Haynes at 352-1895 or dired@hsccnh.org.

2009 Tavern Keepers
Julianna Bergeron
Arthur & Lynn Simington
Rick & Betsey Church
Bob & Jan Weekes
Susan Landers-Gilbert
Norman & Barbara Woodward
Peter & Cornelia Jenness
Bob & Lisa Wyman

2009 Auction

Two is to attend our October 23rd Auction Celebration from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in HSCC's Exhibit Hall at 246 Main Street, Keene. ~ Live auction ~ Live jazz ~ Delicious hors d'oeuvres ~ Wine tasting Tickets are $50 per person (purchased in advance). All proceeds to benefit the Historical Society of Cheshire County.

Extended Viewing of Immigration Exhibit & Story Circle

The viewing of the popular summer exhibit, Coming to Cheshire County: The Immigrant Experience, will be extended through Saturday, October 3rd. The final scheduled gallery walk will be on Wednesday, September 23rd at 7:00 p.m.

Do you have a story to tell? In association with the exhibit on immigration, HSCC will host a story circle that will focus on the experiences of those who have immigrated to Cheshire County. In addition to the written stories and photographs collected for the exhibition, HSCC also wishes to collect oral stories to preserve. Such stories may include the answers to these questions: What were the reasons for leaving your homeland? Of all the places you could have settled, why did you choose Cheshire County? Were there opportunities here in the county to start anew, or did you create your own opportunities? What kinds of discrimination did you experience once you arrived? These questions are at the heart of the exhibit and HSCC wishes to collect the answers so that future generations can understand this important part of our community and history in Cheshire County.

Please join us for an afternoon of stories on Sunday, October 4, beginning at 2:00 pm. The story circle is open to anyone who wishes to share a story about their experience or a family member's experience, and for those wanting to listen and learn more. It is our hope that we all gain a deeper appreciation of the different ethnic groups who have enhanced our lives here in Cheshire County. For further information, please contact HSCC at 352-1895 or hscc@hsccnh.org.

Reflections Film Series

The fourth film in the Reflections Film Series will be The County Complex: Farm, Nursing Home, Jail which will premiere on Sunday, September 27, at the Colonial Theatre, at 3:00 pm. This film traces the evolution of the Cheshire County Complex from alms-house and farm to nursing home and house of corrections. It features stories by those who have lived and worked at the complex over the past 40 years.

The premiere of the film The County Complex, is free and open to the public, and presented in partnership by the Keene Public Library, The Keene Sentinel, Cheshire TV, Monadnock Institute at Franklin Pierce University, Keene State College, and the Historical Society of Cheshire County.

Candlelight Open House

In collaboration with the Horatio Colony House Museum, HSCC will host a Candlelight Open House at the Wyman Tavern, on Friday, October 2nd from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. Please come to feel the warmth and charm of these two historic structures as they might have been two hundred years ago. The Wyman Tavern was built in 1762, and used as a tavern by the Wyman family for 40 years. The Reverend Zedekiah S. Barstow, the last minister hired by the town of Keene, made the tavern his home for the next 55 years. Currently both the Tavern and Barstow period of occupation are represented in the museum. In addition, this summer's special exhibition of firearms from the collection, Muskets, Shotguns, and Pepper-boxes, will be on view. The Horatio Colony House Museum is an 1806 Federal-style structure filled with original family furnishings and collections from around the world, and currently features an exhibit on Buddhist & Hindu Images: Understanding Sacred Beliefs.

This collaborative open house is free and open to the public. The Wyman Tavern Museum is located at 339 Main Street in Keene, and the Horatio Colony House Museum is located at 199 Main Street. Separated by about two blocks, the museums are within walking distance of each other. For further information, please contact HSCC at 352-1895 or hscc@hsccnh.org, or the Horatio Colony House Museum at 352-0460 or colonymuseum@webryders.com.

New Herb Garden at the Wyman Tavern

In the photo below are the members of the Monadnock Garden Club after installing a herb garden next to the Carriage Shed. Early reports are that the rabbits and woodchucks find the parsley delicious!

September Membership Meeting

HSCC's September meeting will feature Richard Popovic from Nelson with a program entitled Rebellion, Emigration and Celebration: Selections from the Irish Songbook. Describing his program, Richard says "if you cue up an album of traditional Irish songs and press play, it won't be long before the subject turns to emigration, rebellion or celebration. The history of Ireland is full of fabulous victories, legendary defeats, and larger-than-life characters, all set against a dramatic backdrop of rugged beauty. Few other countries have provided the world with such a rich musical legacy that looks unflinchingly at its past while imagining a brighter future."

Through the use of music, slides, and personal narrative, Richard's program will span years of Irish history through songs he has learned from classic albums, discontinued songbooks, and tipsy old guys at the corner pub. His program parallels the Irish immigration experiences in Cheshire County and ties nicely into HSCC's current exhibit, Coming to Cheshire County: The Immigrant Experience, 1860-1930.

HSCC's September membership meeting will be held on Monday, September 28, at 7:00 pm, and is free and open to the public. For further information, please contact HSCC at 352-1895 or dired@hsccnh.org.

Society Launches "Preserve History" Campaign

Question: "Why," you may have asked, "are wide mouth mason jars appearing in Historical Society material I've been receiving in the last couple of months?"

Answer: Under the creative management of the Marketing and Communications Committee and its chairman, Bob Weekes, the Society's spring gift appeal featured a colorful brochure bearing the heading, "History. . . preserved." So began our effort to provide an easily recognizable visual symbol to help call attention to everything our fine organization does. This inaugural effort was followed up in our annual Membership Drive in June (all Society Memberships run from June 1st through May 31st). The mailing supporting this very important drive urged residents to renew their memberships and reminded them that by so doing they would be helping the Society to "preserve history."

We hope the ongoing use of the preserve jar images in Society communications, together with a series of regular newsletter articles on Society doings - and perhaps some delightful additions to the items we stock in our Museum Store - will help everyone in Cheshire County come to appreciate the remarkable extent of our activities and the importance of the contribution we make.

Please stay tuned for fresh expressions of our "Preserve History" theme and upcoming newsletter articles that will help members and potential members understand what we are preserving, how we are preserving it and, most important, why we are preserving it.

Ariel Printing
Ashuelot Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution
Connecticut River Bank
Creative Encounters
Good Fortune
Keene Sentinel
Monadnock Folklore Society
New Hampshire Humanities Council
Savings Bank of Walpole
Carin Torp Healing Arts PLLC

In the Company of Flowers
Kristin's Bistro and Bakery
Sunflowers Cafe and Catering
Cheshire Oil Company
Hampshire First Bank
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Jacobs
Barbara Jones

Perley Swett - The Legend Continues

With a 4th printing scheduled for production in the next month, our bestselling book, Perley, the True Story of a New Hampshire Hermit, has been a huge success. Sheila Swett Thompson's book about her grandfather, Perley Swett of Stoddard, known locally as the Hermit of Taylor Pond, has stirred interest throughout the Monadnock Region and beyond. "I have been amazed that even people who knew nothing about Perley are still fascinated by his story," Sheila Swett commented. She has been kept busy speaking to numerous groups and organizations about Perley and the book.

Two additional events scheduled for September will help to enhance the story. At 8:00 p.m. on September 14, the author will appear on the show "Choices" with Tracy Perkins on Cheshire TV, Channel 8 in Keene and surrounding towns. Sheila will discuss the book and show pictures of Perley on the show, which will be repeated throughout that week. On Saturday, September 26, at 10 a.m., Sheila and HSCC's Alan Rumrill will once again lead a historic hike to Perley's haunts. Back by popular demand, this third and final hike will introduce attendees to Perley's "neighborhood." The previous two hikes earlier this year each attracted more than 100 people. The Historical Society will co-sponsor this hike with the Harris Center for Conservation Education in Hancock. This will be your final chance to enjoy a guided 2 to 3 mile hike from Florence Brooks Aten's Shinbone Shack at the end of Aten Road (off North Shore Road by Granite Lake) in Stoddard. We will return by 2:00 pm. For further information, contact the Society at 603-352-1895.

Microfilm Sources Update

The Historical Society has recently improved both its collections for research on microfilm and its equipment for microfilm use. The organization has purchased a new Canon microfilm reader/printer. The quality of the image is much better than previously and researchers can now print copies of research material that they find within our collections. The purchase of this equipment was made possible by a generous gift made specifically for that purpose by long-time Society member Stearns R. Ellis. Mr. Ellis is an active genealogist and a descendant of the early Ellis family of Cheshire County.

In addition to the reader, we have also more than tripled the quantity of microfilm-based research materials available at the Society. The goal of the Society is to collect original primary sources for research purposes. In recent months we have acquired copies of all Cheshire County probate files dating from 1771 to 1885. The originals of these files are housed at the New Hampshire State Archives in Concord. These probate materials were not available for research in Cheshire County until these films were transferred to us by the State Archives. Furthermore, we will soon add the years 1886-1899 to the collection. We also acquired the New Hampshire Sentinel from its founding in 1799 through 1890 as well as a full set of the Christian Register, published in Boston from 1821 to 1942. Both of these compilations were received as gifts to the Society. The organization is also making plans to acquire all early Cheshire County town records and vital records available on microfilm before the end of the year. When added to our already extensive file of Cheshire County newspapers and the complete file of population, manufacturing and agricultural census, our historical sources on microfilm are now unmatched in Cheshire County.

Roundtable Forum

The fall meeting of the Monadnock Historical Societies Forum or Roundtable Forum, will be held at the Sullivan Public Library and hosted by the members of the Sullivan Public Library Archives on Wednesday, October 14, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Although the Roundtable Forum normally meets on a Thursday, this fall meeting has been switched to a Wednesday to accommodate library scheduling. For further information, please contact HSCC at 352-1895 or dired@hsccnh.org.

Calendar of Events

Monday, September 14, 8:00 p.m. Sheila Swett appearing on "Choices," Cheshire TV, Channel 8.

Wednesday, September 23, 7:00 p.m. HSCC Exhibit Hall, Coming to Cheshire County: The Immigrant Experience Gallery Walk.

Saturday, September 26, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Aten Road, Stoddard. Guided hike to Perley Swett's "neighborhood."

Sunday, September 27, 3:00 p.m., Colonial Theatre, Reflections Film Series premiere of The County Complex: Farm, Nursing Home, Jail. Free.

Monday, September 28, 7:00 p.m., HSCC Exhibit Hall, Membership Meeting. Richard Popovic presents Rebellion, Emigration and Celebration: Selections from the Irish Songbook. A night of music and stories.

Wednesday, September 30, 6:00-7:30 p.m., HSCC Exhibit Hall, Genealogy Class (first in a five-week series.)

Friday, October 2, 7:00-8:30 pm, Wyman Tavern Museum and Horatio Colony House Museum. Candlelight Open House.

Saturday, October 3, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., HSCC Exhibit Hall. Last day to view Coming to Cheshire County: The Immigrant Experience Exhibit.

Sunday, October 4, 2:00 p.m., HSCC Exhibit Hall, Immigration Story Circle.

Tuesday, October 6, 7:00 p.m., HSCC Exhibit Hall, Wyman Tavern Forum.

Wednesday, October 7, 14, 21, 28, 6:00-7:30 p.m., HSCC Exhibit Hall, Genealogy Class.

Wednesday, October 14, 9:30 a.m., Sullivan Public Library, Sullivan, NH. Monadnock Historical Societies Roundtable.

Friday, October 23, 6:30-9:30 p.m., HSCC Exhibit Hall, Annual Auction of Historic Proportions.

Saturday, November 7, 1:00 p.m., HSCC Exhibit Hall, Hourglass Readers performance of "Scenes and Songs from Shakespeare."