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Becoming Nelson
By April 6, 2015 Read More →

Becoming Nelson

This article was written by Rick Church of Nelson, and was originally published on the Nelson town web site in December of 2009.  The close of the Revolution saw a much-changed town in the town that would eventually become Nelson – then known as Packersfield.  Breed Batchellor, the man who was ultimately the agent of […]

Monadnock Center is Non-profit of the Year!
By March 30, 2015 Read More →

Monadnock Center is Non-profit of the Year!

The Monadnock Center proudly accepted an award as Non-Profit of the Year, presented by the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, March 26, at a Gala Banquet at the Peterborough Town House. The Center was one of four non-profits nominated in this category; additional awards were presented to Woman of the Year, Man of […]

Briggs’ Patent Portable Piano Stools
By September 28, 2014 Read More →

Briggs’ Patent Portable Piano Stools

The products of Peterborough’s industrial past form an important part of the Monadnock Center’s collection. This screw- style piano stool was produced by the Brigg’s Piano Stool Company between 1870 and 1891.  Joshua Briggs (b. 1825) began his career as a carpenter and soon produced piano stools as odd jobs for folks in town.  In […]

Letter from Antietam Creek
By September 25, 2014 Read More →

Letter from Antietam Creek

The Monadnock Center has a large archive of military materials including letters and diaries of Peterborough Civil War soldiers.  The following letter was written by John Addison Cummings (1838-1887), a young Army captain.  He mailed this letter from Antietam Creek on September 28, 1862 “Dear Mother: We are lying in camp here on the bank […]

The District #8 Schoolhouse
By September 2, 2014 Read More →

The District #8 Schoolhouse

The Monadnock Center for History & Culture preserves four historic buildings at its downtown Peterborough campus including the District #8 Schoolhouse. This brick one-room schoolhouse was donated to the Center in the 1990’s.  The school was built in 1824, one of several brick schoolhouses erected that year.  Peterborough was unusual because the town chose to […]

Gearing up for the 275th Anniversary Celebration
By August 18, 2014 Read More →

Gearing up for the 275th Anniversary Celebration

After more than two years of planning, the celebration of Peterborough’s 275th anniversary is just around the corner! The big celebration will happen on October 11 but there are also concerts, programs and other activities happening from October 10 through October 18 throughout town. A schedule is available on the anniversary website at Peterborough275.org. Check […]

The White Machine Shop
By August 5, 2014 Read More →

The White Machine Shop

This wooden pulley is from The White Machine Shop that operated at the corner of Elm and River Streets in Peterborough from 1876 to 1942. The pulley was part of the power train that ran the shop’s equipment using water power from the Elm Street dam.  Samuel G. White made pumps, governors, gas regulators and […]

The Shoe Factory
By July 29, 2014 Read More →

The Shoe Factory

In the 19th century Peterborough’s downtown was dominated by the various manufacturing facilities that were built to take advantage of the plentiful water power supplied by the Nubanusit and Contoocook rivers. This photograph from the Center’s archives shows the intersection of Main and Depot streets. The enormous five-story factory building behind the Baptist Church was […]

History Baskets
By June 26, 2014 Read More →

History Baskets

This ash wood lunch basket is an example of the long tradition of basket making in Peterborough. Beginning with Amzi Child’s basket shop in 1854, Peterborough has been manufacturing baskets continuously for 153 years.   This basket dates from about 1910 and was probably made in Henry Needham’s basket shop on Depot Street.  The foundation […]

Tea Time
By June 16, 2014 Read More →

Tea Time

This blue and white porcelain tea set is part of the Monadnock Center’s large collection of porcelains and is on display in our museum’s Robbe Family Kitchen.  Dating from about 1800, the delicate set is tiny; the cups are only measure three inches high. It appears to be child size but its small size actually […]