Historical

Historical Committee Meeting 4/6

Historical Committee Meeting

Thursday April 6, 2017

At 6:45pm the committee will gather outside the town hall and travel to see the Pump House from the mills. After their review, an official meeting will take place at town hall.

April 5, 2017 in Historical

Wentworth House Event: Winter Life in Colonial New England

Experience a colonial living history weekend with Captain John Harmon’s Snowshoe Company of Rangers at the historic Colonel Paul Wentworth House in Rollinsford, NH on Saturday and Sunday, January 14 and 15.

Reenactors portraying the winter rangers who patrolled the New England frontier during the 1740s and 1750s will demonstrate the use of flintlock muskets and traditional snowshoes, plus the clothing, equipment and tactics used by the frontier militia during conflicts with the French and their Native American allies in the mid-1700’s.

The public is invited to meet the snowshoe men on Saturday, January 14 from 10 am to 4 pm, and again on Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm.  Interpreters in colonial attire will be on hand to demonstrate 18th century hearth cooking, crafts, board games and other recreational activities, and other aspects of winter life in colonial New England. Tours of the house will also be offered. A donation of $5 is suggested for adults; the event is free to children and ARCH members.

The circa 1701 Wentworth House is located on Water Street in Rollinsford and is maintained by the Association for Rollinsford Culture and History (ARCH).  For more information about this and other events at the Wentworth House, consult the ARCH website at paulwentworthhouse.org or on Facebook at The Colonel Paul Wentworth House.

Captain John Harmon’s Snowshoe Company of Rangers, French and Indian War era, at the Colonel Paul Wentworth House in Rollinsford, NH, January 17, 2015.
Photograph by Ralph Morang

January 7, 2017 in Community Group, Historical

Nesman to Receive Heritage Award

The story of a community is told through the documents and objects people leave behind but sadly, these are often dispersed over the years. In recognition of his efforts to bring these objects home and tell our story, the Association for Rollinsford Culture and History (ARCH) has chosen Robert Nesman as the recipient of the 2016 ARCH Heritage Award. Given annually to recognize significant contributions to the preservation of the history, heritage and culture of Rollinsford and the lower Salmon Falls Region, the award will be presented to Nesman this Saturday night, November 12, at the organization’s annual dinner and auction at Spring Hill in South Berwick, Maine.

Over the past twenty years Mr. Nesman has amassed a significant collection of ephemera and objects related to the history of Rollinsford. A lifelong resident of the town, he began collecting in the 1990s when he happened upon a piece from Salmon Falls and realized that more items could be found if he looked for them.

Today Nesman’s collection numbers over 500 pieces, much of it documents such as deeds, wills, letters from mill girls, advertising handbills from local businesses, and postcards but which also includes objects such as police and fire badges, items from fraternal organizations, and a bottle from Nutter’s Pharmacy. The oldest item in the collection is a deed for property in the Baer Road area dating to 1750 and bearing the name of Daniel Clements. His favorite object in his collection? “The one I haven’t found yet!” One of Nesman’s greatest pleasures is reuniting photographs and other items with families which still reside in the area, and he has also generously shared his collection with local historical societies.

A nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Rollinsford and the lower Salmon Falls region, ARCH maintains the historic Colonel Paul Wentworth House on Water Street in Rollinsford. For more information, please contact (603)742-4747 or consult the website at www.paulwentworthhouse.org.

November 10, 2016 in Community Group, Historical

World War II at the Wentworth House

The public is invited to stop by the Colonel Paul Wentworth House in Rollinsford, NH on Sunday, September 11 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm for a living history day showcasing America’s role in World War II.
Reenactors in period uniforms and in civilian clothing will display the uniforms, equipment and weapons of the US soldier. Visitors will be able to see a newspaper from the day after Pearl Harbor while listening to radio broadcasts from that momentous event, try out a 1940’s baseball glove, see a US machine gun crew in action, and learn about Maine and New Hampshire in World War II. 
The circa 1701 Colonel Paul Wentworth House is located on Water Street in Rollinsford and is maintained by the Association for Rollinsford Culture and History (ARCH). Tours of the house will also be offered during the event. Admission is $5 for adults; the event is free to children and ARCH members. For more information about this and other events at the Wentworth House, consult the ARCH website at paulwentworthhouse.org.

September 9, 2016 in Community Group, Historical

Salmon Falls River Paddle

Take a unique guided tour of Rollinsford, Berwick and Somersworth by canoe or kayak on Sunday, August 7 from 1 to 3 pm. The Association for Rollinsford Culture and History (ARCH) and the Southeast Land Trust (SELT) are co-sponsoring this opportunity to learn about the historic points of interest and conservation land along the Salmon Falls River between Front Street in Rollinsford and New Dam Road in Berwick while enjoying the lovely scenery along the way.

Participants must provide their own watercraft and flotation device; a limited number of boats are available for loan but must be arranged for in advance. The registration fee is $5 for the general public; free to ARCH or SELT members. To register or request more information, email [email protected] or call 603-742-4747 and leave a message.

August 1, 2016 in Community Group, Historical

Sports History Talks at the Wentworth House

Baseball fans and bicycling enthusiasts who are interested in the histories of their respective sports won’t want to miss two up-coming talks at Rollinsford’s historic Colonel Paul Wentworth House. Both lectures are being presented in connection with “Neighborhood Entertainments: New Englanders at Play,” the exhibit on early New England sports and recreation currently on view at the Wentworth House.Zip Zamarchi will present an illustrated talk about penny farthings, bone shakers and other forerunners of the modern bicycle on Tuesday, July 26. Mr. Zamarchi is a cycling historian and an avid collector of antique bicycles and bicycling memorabilia. Several items from his extensive collection are included in the exhibit.

On Tuesday, August 9, Brian Sheehy will describe the game of baseball the way it was played by early teams such as the Portsmouth Rockinghams and the Newburyport Clamdiggers: no gloves, underhand pitching, and woolen knickerbocker uniforms. In addition to being an historian of the game, Mr. Sheehy plays base ball in the style of the 1800s with the Essex Vintage Base Ball Club.

Both talks will be presented at 7 pm, and the doors will open at 6 pm for visitors who would like to tour the exhibit prior to the presentation. Light refreshments will be served afterwards. Admission to the presentations and the exhibit is $5 for the general public and free for members of ARCH.

Maintained by the Association for Rollinsford Culture and History (ARCH) as an educational and cultural center, the Colonel Paul Wentworth House is located at 47 Water Street in Rollinsford, NH. For more information, call (603)742-4747 or (603) 749-1966.

July 31, 2016 in Community Group, Historical

Domestic Life at the Wentworth House

At Home in the 18th Century at the Wentworth House

An 18th century New England household will come to life at a two-day living history event at the historic Colonel Paul Wentworth House in Rollinsford, NH from 11 am to 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday, June 18 and 19.

Re-enactors in period clothing will demonstrate a wide range of domestic activities showcasing everyday life in a colonial home, including gardening, hearth cooking and housekeeping chores, as well as games and pastimes. Saturday’s highlight will be a demonstration of colonial foodways from the hearth to the table, illustrating how food was prepared, served and enjoyed in the 18th century. Demonstrators will also show how early Americans “slept tight” by making a straw-filled mattress and roping a bedstead. Visitors will be welcome to join in some indoor and outdoor games which were popular in colonial America.

Located on Water Street in Rollinsford, the Wentworth House is maintained by the Association for Rollinsford Culture and History (ARCH) as an educational and cultural center. Admission to this event is $5 for adults, and free for children and ARCH members. For more information, consult the ARCH website at www.paulwentworthhouse.org or on Facebook at The Colonel Paul Wentworth House.

June 14, 2016 in Community Group, Historical