The Pembroke Historical Society convened its annual meeting at the historic Whittemore Homestead, where board members reviewed the past year’s programs, discussed upcoming events, and outlined ongoing preservation projects.
Members recalled a full slate of recent programs, including a World War II oral history presentation by Marina Hirsch, guided cemetery tours, and a Lafayette tour reenactment that brought costumed actors, carriages, and musket fire to town. The Society also hosted a lecture on poet Robert Frost and participated in Pembroke’s Old Home Day.
While some programs benefited from New Hampshire Humanities support, the organization has had to adapt to funding pauses at the state and national levels. To continue offering public events, the Society has relied on community partnerships and local sponsors.
The Society announced several events for the coming months. In late October, members plan to lead a guided walk on conservation land to the site of the historic Sally Cochran murder, a program expected to draw strong community interest.
Future programs under consideration include a talk on New Hampshire war monuments by author Kathy Perrin Bailey, a local farming panel featuring area farmers, and a presentation on hydropower and dam removal trends in New Hampshire. The Society is also exploring a co-sponsored program on Pembroke’s historic range roads with former state agriculture commissioner Steve Taylor.
A major portion of the meeting focused on efforts to restore an 1830s schoolhouse for use as a museum. The Society recently received a $3,500 grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation to support essential work on the building. Funds have already been used for pest control, the installation of gutters, and air-quality improvements.
Next steps include fabricating historically accurate exterior shutters to replace aluminum storm windows, repairing window glazing, and preparing pilot displays. Volunteers have begun cataloging the collection, which includes Selectmen’s receipts dating back to 1783. Long-term goals include further exhibit development and continued preservation of the town’s archival records.
The Society continues to expand its public outreach. Its website features resources for residents researching the history of their homes, digitized town reports, and a high-resolution map of Pembroke’s 19th-century properties. Videos and oral histories are also being made available online.
Social media remains the group’s most effective tool for recruiting volunteers and sharing announcements. In addition, the Society plans to use local publications such as the Suncook Times and Hooksett Bridge to promote events on a monthly basis this fall.
Members also reviewed draft designs for a new logo, intended to replace the current town clock image. The proposed logo depicts the historic schoolhouse and will be produced in color, black-and-white, and grayscale formats for different uses. Feedback focused on ensuring the design is recognizable, legible at small sizes, and consistent with Pembroke’s historic character.
Board members emphasized the importance of keeping history accessible to the public through lectures, tours, and school partnerships. Past efforts have included a sixth-grade history day at Pembroke Academy, and members expressed interest in reviving such collaborations.
“Pembroke has a rich history, and these programs bring that history to life,” President Ayn Whytemare said. “With volunteers and community support, we can continue to share stories that connect our town’s past to its present.”
The meeting concluded with a call for volunteers to assist with cataloging, trail preparation for the October walk, and future museum cleaning days.
