Historical Society of Cheshire County Receives Operating Grant from The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation

August 2008

The Historical Society of Cheshire County has received a grant of $10,000 from the Badger Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation - Monadnock Region to support operating expenses as it undertakes key projects to increase the accessibility of its programs and resources to the people of the Monadnock Region.

"The Historical Society of Cheshire County is a valuable resource for this region, and we deeply appreciate this support at this pivotal time," says Alan Rumrill, Executive Director. "This investment will enhance our ability to collect, preserve, and share the history of our county." To accomplish its goals of increased accessibility, the Society is focusing on three initiatives.

The first involves updating and computerizing the library catalogue and addressing the backlog of uncatalogued items. Once complete, the Society's catalogue will be accessible through Keene-Link - the shared on-line catalog of Keene State College and the Keene Public Library. The other initiatives are to increase its membership and donor base and to expand educational outreach. "This grant could not come at a better time," says Board President Cornelia Jenness. The Society is well positioned to take a more prominent role in the region, and this grant will help to insure our success.

The Historical Society of Cheshire County was founded in 1927 and is the only county-level historical organization in New Hampshire. Although it has been collecting and preserving valuable artifacts and documents since its founding, its mission expanded in the 1990's, when it purchased the Ball Mansion at 246 Main Street in Keene to house its headquarters. This facility provides space for exhibits and for the storage of artifacts and documents and houses an important local history and genealogy research library. The Society also owns and operates the Wyman Tavern Museum as a Revolutionary War-era period museum.

The Historical Society is open to the public on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 am to 4 pm, Wednesday, from 9 am to 9 pm, and Saturday morning from 9 am to noon. Current exhibits include an exhibit of quilts at the Wyman Tavern Museum and The Monadnock Palette - a Celebration of 50 Years of Community Art in the Society's Exhibit Hall. Permanent exhibits, including the Kingsbury Toys and local glass and pottery, may be viewed at the Society throughout the year. There is additional information about the programs and services of the Society on its website, www.hsccnh.org.