Archives - Fall 2007

At the invitation of the Jackson Historical Society, the Bartlett Historical Society gave a presentation on Thursday, November 1st at 7:30pm titled:

Past, Present and Future

In years past, the histories of both Bartlett and Jackson have been intertwined with several boundary adjustments and the families who share a common heritage. The audience learned about the Bartlett Historical Society's formation, its current
programs and activities and its ambitious goals for the future.

Members spoke about the Past, Present and Future of their “new librarian for over 50 years. The library, under the leadership of its two books on the history of Bartlett.

In the summer of 2004 Bert George, Norman Head, Leslie Mallett, Jean Garland and John Murphy met to create the Articles of Association. In the fall of that year, the Chippanock Inn hosted the first meeting. Members gathered and brought historical memorabilia, which filled three rooms. Officers were elected and goals were set to encourage and embrace programs promoting genealogy research and family history, the history of railroading, and the mapping of the cemeteries. During 2005 they worked to
develop the organizational “nuts and bolts” by networking with established societies to research and build policies and procedures for accepting collections and creating a Constitution and By-Laws. The membership grew to 57 and programs were presented by Peter Crane on the history of Livermore, Marty Engstrom on his years on Mt. Washington, and Ben English on railroading in Bartlett.Year two continued the Society’s steady growth when Stoney Morrell of the Morrell Corporation offered use of a chalet, provided utility costs were assumed. With room to store and expand, intensive research to finance equipment to catalog and archive its growing collection began. The first grant was written to the Henney History Fund for a fire/water-proof file cabinet. A few “set-
backs” were encountered during that first year. The chalet was broken into and the donated computer was stolen, and a furnace malfunction required several days of clean up. Member projects that year were participation in Bartlett Old Home Days festival, and
in November and December 2006 the oral history project entitled Life, Legends and Lore - Village Voices became reality.

Now in its third year, the Society is proud to have its own websiteatwww.bartletthistory.org. It accommodates multiple users, provides membership and contact forms, is keyword-searchable, user-friendly and affordable. It is an evolving project and features photos, sounds and links. Other 2007 projects include:
- A members-created float for the Bartlett July 4th parade
- Strengthening the Society’s infrastructure by addressing regulatory compliance, creating a new file system, reinforcing and expanding the policies and procedures manual
- The Bartlett Historical Society newsletter grew with its popular feature, 100 Years Ago in Bartlett - News from the Villages- A two-part beginning genealogy research workshop was presented
- Cemetery mapping and indexing, and the mapping and documenting of historic homes and their residing families began
- The History of… project was created to explore the history of skiing in Bartlett

During 2007, the Society presented programs for members and the public:
- The Grand Hotels of the White Mountains with David Emerson
- Tours of the Limmer Property (aka Intervale Playground and Harmony Acres,) and the Sut and Margaret Marshall horse-drawn wagon collection
- New Hampshire Humanities Council programs - Songs of Old New
Hampshire and Witches, Pop Culture and the Past

The 2007 membership has grown to 162 members and the calendar has included 30 days of activity. Notable events in Bartlett’s history were addressed by the reading of The Historical Impact and Significances of the Railroads in Bartlett, NH by Scotty Mallett, BHS
Railroad Historian, and the July 13, 1893 fire, which wiped out the center of Bartlett Village, from the Concord Evening Monitor.

Presenting members agreed the future of BHS is bright. The board continues to fulfill its mission to preserve and protect all documents and items of historic value concerning the history of the Town of Bartlett, NH. In 2008, the Society will host a three-day
gala, the Bartlett School Alumni Reunion, and invite all who attended Bartlett schools. The Society goals for 2008 are to increase member involvement in ongoing projects and programs; coordinate with other societies and organizations to present joint programs and events for the entire Valley; present more Humanities Council programs and field trips; and work with the schools to create history-related youth programs. With an active membership, there will be no limit on fulfilling our potential.

In 2007, grant applications grew and awards to the Society include:
- Pequawket Foundation for the PastPerfect software program and a laptop computer
- Henney History Fund for a multi-function printer/scanner/copier
- NH Electric Cooperative for equipment to support the Life, Legends and Lore Project

he Bartlett Historical Society was pleased to offer an audio-visual program, Witches, Pop Culture and the Past - a presentation by NH Humanities Council scholar, Professor of English at Plymouth State University.

“Hang her” cries the raucous spectator. In 1692, 19 people were executed in Salem and
hundreds imprisoned during a witch hunt we still discuss today. When Salem tells its
witch stories, history, tourism and performance collide, and macabre) vies with spooky thrills for its authentic place in history

Jackson Historical Society (Warren Schomaker) and the Bartlett Historical Society (Bert George)
stand by the BHS fundraiser quilt "Days Before Yesterday".

Jackson’s Historical Society’s invitation was appreciated by members of both societies and
provided the perfect venue to share information with a neighboring community. Their assistance has been welcome in the past and collaboration will facilitate future development.

Leslie Mallett speaks of the early attempts at forming the Bartlett Historical Society.

(sorry, but the old yahoo site builder program deleted the first segment of text and I don't know what it said.......Sep 09)
October 17th at Flatbread Pizza Company in
North Conway for pizza and socializing, before every pizza sold was donated to the Society - to all who attended and to Flatbread Pizza.

This program, sponsored by the New Hampshire Humanities Council and geared toward an adult audience, was free and open to the public.

Jeff Warner performed August 15 at the Seasons at Attitash, Route 302 in Bartlett. Jeff's ;Songs of Old New Hampshire, the Society's first "Humanities To Go!" program, offered the songs and stories that, in the words of Carl Sandburg, tell us where we came from and what brought us along.These ballads, love songs and comic pieces reveal the experiences and recordings and, for some, books. Songs from the railroad, lumber camps, the decks of sailing ships, the textile mills and the war between the sexes offer views of artifacts from the 18th and 19th centuries.Jeff's biography can be read at his website where you can also listen to clips of his music.