OUT AND ABOUT Historical Places

It is no coincidence that I am featuring this historical marker close to the 4th of July, for it is local tradition to ring the historic bell that hangs in the tower of the old meetinghouse at midnight on July 3rd! Why? Well, this bell is from Paul Revere Jr.'s foundry and may be the only surviving casting. Hampstead has only one historical marker, and it honors not only the bell but the beautiful Meetinghouse, which was once Town Hall and a theater. You better believe I will be up and present for the ringing of this bell at midnight in just a few days! Location: 20 Emerson Ave. Hampstead, NH 03841 Historical Dates: Paul Revere Jr. Bell 1809; Meetinghouse 1745

There are so many unknowns about this historic site - one of them being why this historical marker is 4 miles away from the actual site of America's Stonehenge? It was called Mystery Hill until 1982 when it was renamed America's Stonehenge in order to create interest as an archaeological attraction and not just a roadside oddity. But it has no connection at all to the actual Stonehenge in England. There is a nice gift shop/museum where you buy tickets, and then you're free to wander around the woods and read the signs. Everyone enjoyed exploring the cave-like structures, and we were fascinated by the astronomical calendar stones and how they lined up with significant times of the year (see google satellite image below). There are also alpacas to visit and a dig for your own gemstones area for the kids. Make sure to check with your library for a museum pass if you live locally to the site, and don't forget the bug spray. It is definitely a fun and mysterious outdoor adv...

This historic marker is right on Main St. in Kingston, NH across from Kingston Green. Josiah Bartlett was a signor of the Declaration of Independence, a Governor, and a doctor in town for 45 years. The house was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971 and was still owned by the family until it sold in 2017. It is still a private residence, but you can read the marker and monument from the front lawn, and don't forget to look at the tree dwarfing the front of the house. It is a linden tree brought here as a sapling from Philadelphia  by Josiah after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is over 240 years old!  For more history on the house check out the link below to a Seacoastonline article from 2008.  Seacoastonline:  An Inside Look at Kingston's Josiah Bartlett House Facebook:  Josiah Bartlett House Landmark Location: 156 Main St. Kingston, NH  Historical Dates: The house was built in 1774. The linden tree was planted in 1776. Josiah Ba...

Take a walk through the past and read poetry along the way! This site offers a beautifully landscaped farmhouse, once home to poet Robert Frost, whose memories of this place inspired some of his most memorable poems. There is an easy trail through the woods with markers along the way displaying history and poetry. S easonal programs  are offered to the public at no charge, and run from May through October (check websites). We have visited multiple times to walk the grounds, but you can schedule a tour or check out their event pages to see inside the farmhouse.  Website:  https://www.robertfrostfarm.org/ NH State Parks Website:  https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/historic-sites/robert-frost-farm-historic-site Location: 122 Rockingham Road, Derry, NH 03038 Contact: 603-432-3091 Historical Dates: The farm was built in 1884. Robert Frost owned this farm from 1900-1911

This was an expected stop on our way to find the historical markers in Derry, NH. The parking lot is up the road a little, but there is a lovely path in the woods that brings you along the waterfront to the mill. I always see people fishing here, and it is open on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month for demonstrations. The boys loved the waterfall and waterwheel and requested to come back to see it in action! Website:  https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/historic-sites/taylor-mill-historic-site Location: 242 Island Pond Rd. Derry, NH 03038 Contact: 603-431-6774 Historical Dates: Robert Taylor, for whom the mill is named, bought the property in 1799 and began operating an "up and down" sawmill similar to the current one about 1805.