History of the

Laconia Historical and Museum Society

Founding and Revival

Earlier videotaped program of 2006, available for viewing on demand at LRPA. Includes segments from programs, 1980s-2006.

Nov. 21,1950 — Meeting to discuss organizing a Historical Society. Edward J. Gallagher temporary chairman.

Late January 1980 — Local historians hold meeting to explore possibility of re-establishing the Laconia Historical Society.

May 12, 1980 — Winnifred N.A. Hackett conducts meeting in Laconia Railroad Station to revive Laconia Historical Society.

Laconia Museum Society and merger1994: Laconia Museum Society formed, Bob Dearborn president

1998: Museum and Historical societies merge, following death of Bob Dearborn

in 1996

2004: First paid executive director hired.

2006: 61-65 Water Street acquired and collections relocated there from

Academy Street School

Presidents

Winnifred N.A. Hackett

John Veazey

Warren D. Huse

Gwen Gove

Gilbert S. Center

Esther B. Peters

Paul Normandin (1996-2006)

Debbie Frawley Drake (2007-2011)

Ernest Bolduc (2012-2013)

Pamela Clark (2014-present)

Executive Directors

Judith Livingston Loto, 2004-2007

Jennifer Carroll, 2007-2011

Brenda Kean, 2011-2016

Patrick Tierney, 2016-2020

Judith Livingston LotoWorked through renovation/expansion of Laconia Public Library

Traveled to alternate venues for programs during construction

Set up office at Library, acquired computer

Past Perfect for collections, membership

Quick Books for financial recordkeeping

Assisted library staff in moving historical materials to Academy Street during xxxrenovations to Gale Memorial Library building.

Acquired building on Water Street, moved collections there, steel shelving obtained.

Began accessioning, cataloging, conservation of collections.

Judith Livingston Loto (continued)Received Mary Jewett Orton’s Jewett Collection

Identifying Jeremiah Smith Jewett papers

Lakes Region History on Line begun

Adopted PowerPoint (later Google Slides) for presentations

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Grant obtained; display cases constructed for exhibits at library

Newsletters published

Laconia Schools project — by LHS students — for superintendent of schools

Judith Livingston Loto (continued)Programs, lectures and exhibits:

History of Carpenter-Paterson (Harold Noreen)

Indian Heritage of NH (Thadeus Pietrowski)

Laconia Car Co. (Warren D. Huse)

Number Please: Telephone Operators in the Pre-dial Era (Judith Moyer)

History of Lilacs (Guy Giunta)

Opechee Garden Club (Janet Littlefield)

Judith Livingston Loto (continued)Programs by Judy Loto:

Dower Rights

American Arts and Crafts Movement and Gale Memorial Library

Collections Overview

Jennifer Carroll

SPAM Cookoff (Weirs Community Center)

Tourtiere Cookoff (Sacred Heart Parish Hall)

‘Great Winnipesaukee Steamboat Race & Musical Talent Contest’

(Performance at Proctor’s Cabins)

Oral history projects

French Canadians

New Immigrants

Cataloging, sorting, digitizing continue

Jennifer Carroll (continued)

Won Finlay Foundation Membership Challenge

($25,000 for increasing membership by 200 percent)

Lakes Region History on Line completed

Programs, lectures and exhibits:

‘Laconia Shoe Co.’ (Robert and Steve Selig)

‘NH Storms’ (Kevin Skarupa)

Jennifer Carroll (continued)

‘Live Free or Dine’ Day — History of Diners/Laconia Eateries

‘Historic Roots of the Taylor Community’ (Howard Chandler)

‘Victorian Mourning Customs’ (Evelyn Auger and Linda Salatiello)

‘Motels and Cabin Colonies’ (Fred Clauson)

‘Goss Reading Room’ centennial

Allen-Rogers Symposium (Ernie Bolduc)

‘The Sundial Shop’ (Warren Clement)

Jennifer Carroll (continued)‘Clean Milkers, Prompt Delivery: New England Home Milk Delivery’ (Judith Moyer)

‘Laconia Passenger Station’ (Kinney O’Rourke)

‘The South End’ (Warren D. Huse)

‘Melnick Shoe’ (Kevin Sullivan)

Brenda KeanEdited and published ‘Day Book of Jeremiah Smith Jewett’

Moulton Opera House Grand Drape found, restored, installed at library

Lakeport Opera House Grand Drape found and restored

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Tracked down in Warren,NH, and secured long-lost Weirs Soldiers Monument xxxxxxPlaque (now at Goss Reading Room, Lakeport)

Arranged tour of NH Veterans Association Campground

Antiques Appraisal Days

Brenda Kean (con’t.)Re-established Centennial Cane presentations

World War II ‘The Kiss’ program at Trinity Methodist Church, Lakeport

Pleasant Street walking tour & Lecture

Photo ID days at Taylor Community, St. Francis

EXHIBITS:

‘Greatest Show on Snow’ (History of Lakes Region Sled Dog Club)

‘Got Skis’ (NE Open Championship Water Ski competitions)

‘Historic Laconia Churches’

‘Laconia Schools’

Brenda Kean (con’t.)‘Laconia Industry’

‘Handicrafts and Textiles’

‘A Tree’s Many Branches’ (from the Jewett Collection)

‘History of Lakes Region General Hospital’

‘Great Lakeport Fire of 1903’

‘History of Theaters and Opera Houses,’ at Gardens Theater (Judy Buswell)

‘Pickett’s Charge’ and ‘Women in the Civil War’ (Dave Decker)

Brenda Kean (continued)PROGRAMS:

‘Treading the Boards’ (Judy Buswell)

‘A Mount Lebanon Lodge Meeting’

‘Ora’s Boy’ (James Novack)

‘Yankee Tankers’ (Lance Keene)

‘Grace Metalious’ (Jeanne Gallant at Gilmanton Winery)

‘Laflamme’s Bakery’ (Lynda Laflamme)

Brenda Kean (continued) Interview with Tony Maheux at age 100

‘Anna Paulson, Passenger on the Titanic (Warren Clement)

Carol Sing at Trinity Methodist Church, Lakeport

‘Grand Hotels of The Weirs’ (Robert Ames)

‘Crystal Etching’ (Pepi Hermann)

‘What Lies Beneath Lake Winnipesaukee?’ (Hans Hug)

‘Aviator Robert Fogg’ (Jane Rice)

Brenda Kean (continued) ‘Life of a Beekeeper’ (Ernie Bolduc)

‘Motorcycle Week’ (Charlie St. Clair)

‘Clearing the Waters’ presentation and roundtable

(Jim Walker, Don Foudriat, Peter Karagianis and Esther Peters)

‘Faces of Laconia’ (Alan MacRae)

Patrick Tierney(Earlier served as volunteer, board member and secretary.)

Receipt of filing cabinets, photo files, memorabilia from The Citizen, 2016

Support of city’s 125th Anniversary in 2017-2018

Publication of ‘Celebrate Laconia: 125 Years of the Lake City’

Reinforcement of second floor at Water Street

Replacement of HVAC for second floor at Water Street

Laurel Briere intern, becomes staff member

Support of Colonial Theater project

‘Laconia 1918’ (for Belknap Mill 4th Grade Program volunteers)

Patrick Tierney (continued)‘The Citizen’ symposium and exhibit, 2017

Exhibits: ‘Celebrate Laconia’

‘Great Ships of Laconia’

‘Shining Stained Glass’ (St. James Church)

‘Laconia in World War I’

‘Gunstock Ski Area’ Exhibit and program

Wartime Posters program at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Gilford

‘Turner Boy’ (Armand Maheux) at Belknap Mill

Patrick Tierney (continued)Programs:

‘Creativity in Hard Times’ with Leslie Amper (piano) at Taylor Community

‘Lakeport Calendar Photos,’ at Leavitt Park House

Laconia Youth Carolers, Christmas program

‘Freemason U.S. Presidents’

‘Mill Towns’ (Jared Guilmett)

‘Every Day is Veterans Day’

Patrick Tierney (continued)‘Oddfellows & Rebekahs’

;Class of 1952,’ at Central Fire Station

Mayors of Laconia roundtable

Laconia’s Evolving Economy’ (Russ Thibeault)

‘Gunstock’ with Greg Goddard

‘LRPA/Channel 25 Anniversary’

‘American Legion at 100 Years’ (Ray Peavey Jr.)

Patrick Tierney (continued)‘Great Ships of Lake Winnipesaukee’ (Jim Morash)

New Horizons Band at Belknap Mill (music of Laconia composers)

‘New Hampshire Veterans Association Campground’ (Ian Stevenson)

‘Preservation of Personal History’ (Laurel Briere)

By Pat Tierney: Several presentations on ‘Laconia Grant’ and other topics

‘Laconia on the Home Front’ (Dec. 7, 1941 program at NH Veterans Home)

Gallery and grade school tours of exhibits at library

Assisted Hanna Watson with Colonial Theater video (student school project)

Most recently: 2020-2021March 2020: Covid-19 puts programs and exhibits on hold, and

staff furloughed

Publication of ‘Black Brook’ by Claire T. Clark in November 2020

Continued compiling History Pages for The Laconia Daily Sun

Revision of Bylaws and other governing documents

Increased activity by committees (Governance, Finance, Programming)

Increased activity on Facebook

Most recently: 2020-2021 (con’t.)Board and committee meetings via Zoom

Donations of Filing Cabinets from Deborah Frawley Drake

and Steve Weeks Realty

Accomplishments‘Laconia,’ ‘Lakeport’ & ‘The Weirs’ books (Arcadia)

‘Celebrate Laconia: 125 Years of the Lake City’

‘Black Brook’ by Claire Clark

‘Day Book of Jeremiah Smith Jewett’ by Brenda Kean

‘Fire! A Dreaded Cry’ by Gerald P. Bourgeois

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Accomplishments (cont.)Contributed to ‘Laconia Motorcycle Week’

By Charlie St. Clair & Jen Anderson

Helped edit ‘Legendary Locals’ by Ray Carbone

Calendars, 1992-1996, 2021

Participation in Multi-Cultural DaysSupport of upcoming video on Colonial Theater

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Accomplishments (cont.)History Pages and ‘Our Yesterdays’ProgramsExhibitsPublic Access TV programs (350+)WebsiteAntiques appraisal daysAnswering queries, supporting research

Accomplishments (cont.)Moulton Opera House Grand DrapeLakeport Opera House Grand Drape

Collaborative programs with Belknap Mill, other xxxhistorical societies

Hosting collection of NH Veterans Association and xxxLakeport Woman’s Club costume collection

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Accomplishments (cont.)Water Street Building maintenance and repair

Volunteer sessions at Water Street

Acquisitions, cataloging, conservation

‘Our yesterdays’ back up files (100 linear feet)

Accomplishments (cont.)Revision of Bylaws and associated documents

Increased on-line presence

History of the

Laconia Historical and Museum Society

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