Chesterfield New Hampshire Historical Society
Spinnings 2025
"A Year in Review"
Like all years, the year 2024 was a busy twelve months for the Chesterfield Historical Society (CHS). The CHS volunteers, Board, and the Stone House Tavern Museum Committee (SHTMC) worked on a variety of projects in order to preserve Chesterfield's history and complete another phase of the Stone House Tavern Museum Project.
Chesterfield held a special town meeting on Sept. 26, 1938 to accept a 45 % Federal Public Works Aid grant for construction of a public library. They also accepted a $4,500 gift from Morris Friedsam to cover the balance of the cost.
In 2024, the CHS building (the original town library) underwent major renovations to support safety and climate control. The building houses many irreplaceable archives whose preservation require special conditions. Thanks to the Board of Selectman (CHS's landlord), crumbling chimneys have been addressed by having the stonework repointed, and mini splits were installed in October to regulate the building's heating and cooling system. Now it is just a matter of touching a button to maintain the proper inside temperature. To assist with climate control, the CHS Board installed chain-operated, darkening window shades. These shades decrease the damaging sunlight affecting Chesterfield's unique artifacts.
CHS Volunteers
Our regular volunteers work diligently each Thursday (9:30-Noon) throughout the year. Weather permitting, former CHS President, Neil Jenness, and town historians, Audrey Ericson and Skip White, join them to lend their knowledge and expertise in helping with any and all questions. Besides answering visitors’ inquiries, the team cataloged births, deaths, marriages, and other newsworthy items. This year the flat files were organized, and the front room inventoried. Mary Elena Potter, along with board member Jeff Titus, researched and created the 2024 CHS Calendar, which focuses on exploring some of Chesterfield's cemeteries as a family activity. The calendar sales were coordinated and supervised by Rae Egan.
Board members undertook some lengthy projects, many of which will continue into 2025. Carol Riendeau, CHS backroom archivist, has been sorting through the extensive collection of archive boxes including CHS founder Vanetta Emery’s files. Pam Walton completed the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) reports, and along with Nancy Potter Thompson, investigated a fifth printing of Marty Potter’s Spofford Lake book (lake history through 2007). The cost of the reprinting has been approved, but a printer has not been chosen. Also, Pam has been continuously collecting cottage ownership data for volume 2 of the Spofford Lake book (2007- 2027).
The highly informational CHS Facebook page with a widening audience and 739 followers is administrated by Jeff Titus. Donna Roscoe is the CHS webmaster, researches and writes "Bits of History", and creates CHS program publicity. She also tackled the decades old "Stone Blacksmith Shop" sign project. With the help of David Allen, this educational sign has finally been designed and ordered. It will be erected next to the CHS building sometime in the spring.
David Mann, a well-known retired surveyor, is assisting in a town-wide cellar hole project started by Tom Duston. This project involves identifying and mapping Chesterfield’s vanished dwellings and barns. David's expertise came in handy with the recent identification of an old map. It may be the oldest survey map of the town. One sometimes never knows what is sitting on a windowsill, until the right person recognizes its significance. The CHS Board is now looking into preserving this rare piece of Chesterfield history.
Of course, the whole operation wouldn’t function smoothly without CHS President Harriet Davenport’s tireless coordination, John Hudachek's daily management of CHS funds, and Nancy Davis Aichele's expertise in tackling computer and internet issues. The running of CHS is definitely a team effort.
A New Project
“Chesterfield Archive of Memories” was a new project in 2024. The Board contracted with Heather Holloway of Mill Hollow Works to conduct and film interviews with Chesterfield seniors about their recollections of life in town. The first interview was with Audrey Ericson and Skip White. It was shown at the annual meeting last October. More interviews are forthcoming.
Programs
This year’s programs were well received. Rebecca Rule started the season off with “That Reminds Me of a Story”. Lynne Borofsky filled the Town Hall to standing room only with “The Life and Times of Madame Sherri". Board member Roland Vollbehr filmed the presentation. The film is still in production with Brattleboro Community TV. “Amelia Earhart” (left) portrayed by Sheryl Faye, astonished everyone with the convincing impersonation of this famous woman’s life.
Programs for 2025 are in the works. The line-up starts in April with Chesterfield's contribution to the art of spinning. In May there will be an enlightening talk on how to interpret graveyards' silent messages. CHS will host visits by Queen Elizabeth in June and Col. John Stark in August, plus undertake an exploration of the Connecticut River, Chesterfield's colonial gateway, in September. Once again, these programs will remain free to the public.
The Stone House Tavern Museum Update
t wouldn’t be a Year in Review without an update on the Stone House Tavern Museum (SHTM). After some lengthy delays, construction was completed in late 2024. This included an egress from the second floor, two bathrooms (staff and ADA), an ADA entrance, drainage remediation, porch restoration, stone wall repair, and general landscaping. Pictures of these accomplishments along with pictorial chronology of all the improvements can be found on the Stone House Tavern Museum Project.
The construction couldn’t have happened without the grant writing of Pam Walton and Val Starbuck, and the due diligence of following all the rules after the money is awarded. The construction expertise and work ethic of Jon and Val Starbuck were instrumental in assessing needs, making decisions, and completing tasks. They spearheaded the completion of the drainage remediation and undertook the general landscaping with little additional assistance.
The establishment of the Stone House Tavern Museum Committee (SHTMC) was a major step forward. Val Starbuck was elected Chairperson. Other members appointed by CHS include Darlene Dunn, Robert Jaskolski, Ken Walton, and CHS Board members, Nick Goulas, Tina Ramsey, and Bob Tortolani. The Committee is tasked with stewardship of the Museum and property and fulfilling the long-awaited dream of opening the Museum. Look forward to it happening in the summer of 2025!
Studying and recording a town's history is always a work in progress for history begins yesterday. Chesterfield's Historical Society task of preserving the town's history won't happen without the time and energy of its many volunteers, and the generous contributions from its membership and friends.
