We are a seasonal organization dedicated to preserving our town’s history, providing educational experiences and informative programs to the public, collecting artifacts and maintaining our museum, and providing an avenue for research.
On August 28, 1961, the first meeting of the Holderness Historical Society was held at the home of Susan Bacon Keith. Through the next years meetings were held in private homes, the Community Church and the firehouse. When the New Hampshire Baptist Convention declared the North Holderness Church defunct the Historical Society purchased the building and had it moved from Perch Pond Road to Curry Place in 1994.
**See selected Holderness records under Archives
Museum Hours
July – September, Saturdays 10 am-noon or by appointment. Contact holdernesshistsoc@yahoo.com
Our Newest Exhibit: Dugout Canoe
In August 1939, three Tilton NH fishermen found the canoe in 14 feet of water while fishing in Veerie Cove. It was filled with stones to keep it submerged, probably to preserve it during the winter. At the time experts thought the tree from which it was made might have been 300 years old. The Smithsonian advised drying it in a cool place to prevent decay. It was exhibited in a garage in Tilton for several years, then moved to the Shelburne Museum in Vermont which transferred it to the Historical Society this past summer.
The Paleo Institute of Golden, Colorado determined through radiocarbon dating that our dugout dates to 1660 with a 95.4% of certainty.
The dugout will be on display on Saturdays during July and August 10 AM to noon.
2020 Summer Programs and Exhibits
- June 24th – Colonial Stories: The Tangled Lives of Native Americans and English Settlers
Jo Radner – 7:30 PM at HHS - July 15th – Heroes and Homecomings: Norman Rockwell and World War II
Jane Oneail – 7:30 PM at HHS - July 31st – How Did the Greeks Believe Their Myths
Scott Smith – 7:30 PM at Holderness Library - Aug. 15th – Fierce Females: Women in Art
Jane Oneail – 7:30 PM at Holderness Library - Sept. 9th – Robert Frost
Stephen Collins – 7:30 PM at HHS
See Squam Postcard Collection Courtesy of Peter Francesco
We thank local realtor and selectman Peter Francesco for sharing his extensive Squam postcard collection.
Doing genealogical research? For the local cemetery information see site maintained by member Carl Sheperd, website.