CANAAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM
REPORT FOR 2004
The 2004 season brought 368 visitors from the area, across the country and abroad to the Museum. It opened Saturday, July 3, and closed Sunday, October 31, with three special openings.
On April 26, several 8th grade students from the Indian River School with their teachers visited the museum. This group was seeking pictures and information on Canaan and the area, which they used in a play performed by them called "Got Roots". On Friday, June 4, we had sixty-five fourth graders from the Canaan Elementary School along with their teachers and volunteers. They spent the day at the Museum and Old Meeting House in observance of New Hampshire History Day. The Students were very interested in the articles in the Museum used by our early settlers. Several of these young people are descendants of Canaan's first families and are eager to learn about our town's history. On Thursday, November 4th, Cameron Coe and four students from the Cardigan Mountain School braved the cold for a history lesson with our historian. They were interested in pictures and information on the old paper mill at "Factory Village", the Tontine located at the outlet of the lake, Noyes Academy and the Canaan Fire.
Again, this year we had numerous items presented to the society. Mrs. Joe Tansey brought us a carriage robe, small jewel case, glass bottle, pair of opal opera glasses, a can of whole Nutmeg, 3 wire racks used for outdoor cooking and two walking sticks brought from Ireland in the 1850's and used by the family of her late husband, Bill. A set of Country Chronicle Newspapers was donated to the museum by John Kilton. Dee Rogers brought us a bag of old Canaan Reporters from the mid 1940's and Phyllis Decato Lee gave a 1912 photo of the Mascoma Overall Shop. We received a small iron pot sent to the historian from Shelburne, Vermont, It dated back to the Canaan Fire of 1923 and to Ada and Walter Story.
Our Museum Historian, Donna Dunkerton has compiled several laser prints of Canaan pictures and other points of interest, which she has added to our books. On Saturday, August 7th, the Ori Calliope was at the museum. Our visitors were entertained for the afternoon with circus music by Jack Snyder. We look forward to his return in August 2005.
The following is taken from a transcript of the presentation made to Donna Zani-Dunkerton by Gary Hamel at the close of the Art of Canaan Exhibition, held at the Old Meeting House, Sunday, August 8th. "Tonight we are presenting Donna Zani-Dunkerton and the Canaan Historical Museum with a collection of art to record many artists who have left their mark on Canaan and for who Canaan has left an impression upon them. To be named in honor of the Town Historian, this shall be known as the Donna Zani-Dunkerton Collection of Art at the Canaan Historical Museum. This gift includes: Birches, watercolor by Ruth Bagley; 1975 Ñ West Canaan water color by Guy Bagley; Canaan, NH Lampbase, pottery by Peter Land; St. Nick's Knacks, Stave Puzzle by Dee Rogers; Tree of Life, macramŽ by Eloise Fahrner; The Old Meeting House, pencil by Barbara Bellows; Canaan Village 2004, acrylic on Fungi by Ramona Helf; St. Lucia Triptycht, acrylic by Dilys Evans; Lettuce n' Letters, acrylic by Mike Wells; and, 1964, oil by Gary Hamel."
Now for an update on the Snow Roller. On Saturday, October 23rd, the pad for the roller to rest on was finally poured. Thanks to David Zani, Carroll Concrete donated the material. We are now in the process of returning the last of the snow roller to the Museum grounds. A special thank you to Carroll Concrete, David Zani, Thomas Dunkerton and Aaron Allen for their help with this project.
Respectfully Submitted,
Daniel W. Fleetham, Chairman
John Q. Ricard, Vice Chairman
Carol Bergeron, Secretary
Reggie Barney, Treasurer
Donna Zani-Dunkerton, Historian
and Corresponding Secretary