Canterbury Historical Society
Our mission: To preserve Canterbury’s history and sense of community.
We began to slowly return to “normal life” in 2022 after our shared experience of living with Covid-19 restrictions for the past couple of years. In spite of impediments we managed to move positively ahead during the year:
- We designed, researched and wrote the text for the annual town report honoring Bud Thompson
- Continued the 14th year of our one-room schoolhouse program for all Canterbury elementary students (including kindergarteners) and all second grade classes from Belmont elementary, with invaluable help from enrichment teacher Karen Gingrich
- Co-hosted a program with Elkins Library in June featuring Shaker Village Director Leslie Nolan who presented a report on initiatives, programs and challenges facing the historic site
- Mounted the Luther Cody Exhibit in the Elkins Memorial Building featuring selections from our Archive
- Updated and published our annual Community & Business Directory as a public service to welcome new residents and inform others about town services, organizations and local businesses
- Co-hosted two programs with Elkins Library, one given by Mark Stevens who told the story of the Great Fire of 1943 which ravaged the town center and the other, a film of a program featuring the late Hugh Fifield recounting his time as a” country road agent”
- Held our (much delayed) annual meeting on November 29th which included election of trustees and the election of Jeff Leidinger who will take Mary-Jane Bergman’s seat as she becomes an ex-officio member
- Enhanced our website (www.canterburyhistory.org) with help from Jane Balshaw making it possible to post much more information. That made it possible to post both Mark Steven’s and Hugh Fifield’s programs so that they can be seen by anyone visiting our site.
- The entire Luther Cody collection of 650 vintage photographs has been posted to our website and individual photographs can be reproduced if you would like your own digitized copy
- Coordinated the presentation of the Boston Post Cane by the selectmen to Julia Brown in October
- Hosted “A Christmas Gathering” in December featuring selected, framed and matted Cody prints, as well as Canterbury history related items for sale. Mulled cider and refreshments were enjoyed by all
We extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to the Elkins Library, the selectmen, the elementary school staff, and all who have helped and supported our efforts over the year!
NOTE: The covers of the Town’s Annual Report feature another event we hosted in October 2022, a cemetery walk with reenactment of many of our founding fathers, entitled Canterbury Tales 2022, Trailblazers and Crossroads. After this report was prepared and published, a new video of this event was posted to this website. See it by clicking here. The following page was omitted from the town report in error so we wish to recognize these individuals here.
Canterbury, NH Historical Society 