Heritage Commission Meeting - 07/16/2026

Speakers are labeled SPEAKER_N. This transcript is machine-generated.

Recording

Good evening and welcome to the Heritage
Commission meeting for July 16, 2026.
Calling the meeting to order, let's
stand for the pledge pledge of
allegiance.
I pledge algiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the
republic for it stands nationy
and justice for all.
Thank you. Roll call. Diane Scotty,
second representative,
>> Mary, chairman,
>> Steven.
>> Okay, we have um our
chair to come up and make it as well as
our member Giler. So, we'll be operating
with just the us tonight.
>> So,
Let's see.
First thing we'll do is um talk about
the minutes from the meeting of June
18th. Did everybody get a chance to look
at the minutes?
>> Yes.
>> Okay. Are there any um calls for
additions or deletions or corrections?
>> No.
>> Okay. Do we have a motion to accept the
minutes as prepared?
>> So moved.
>> Seconded, Stephen. Yes.
>> Okay. All in favor?
>> I
>> I Okay. The minutes have been accepted.
>> Okay. Are there any I have one addition
to the
um do either of you have any requests
for additions to the agenda?
>> Nope.
>> Uh I'm going to add in a letter that we
received for the heritage commission
from one of the land owners in town and
we'll get to that. Public input. Do any
members of the public present have any
input for the meeting right now?
>> Conway.
>> Okay, we're that's on here as an item
though. Okay, you're on the agenda.
Okay. Um, so no other public input and
remember everybody who's watching that
you can come and join us on the third
Thursday of the month at 6:00 or send us
a email if there's some topic that you
think we should be covering. Okay, next
item. work on the 250th celebration. The
250th celebration is going to be held on
the 25th and 26th of July, starting at
10:00 a.m. at the Oldtown Center and
then moving out in the afternoon to uh
Roy Memorial Park at Dera Pond for all
of the uh family related events. the no
one is here from 250th this evening
because they're having a a uh meeting at
the location of the Roy Park tonight.
So, uh there'll be more to report on
that later. Work on the powow. The powow
is the first weekend in August and as
far as I know things are progressing uh
same on the pow-wow. everything seems to
be in place and uh the
New England Intertribal Council is
really in charge of that and we just
want to make sure that the word gets out
you know that they are having the
pow-wow
>> and are they doing all of the
advertising Mary?
>> They are doing a lot of advertising. I
believe that Darcy Donahue is doing some
also on Facebook
>> but council John is doing their own
advertising.
>> They are and I tried to get some
through. I'm not sure if it went through
or not, but Darthy was helping on that.
>> But I have evidently they have posted on
that new New New Hampshire website for
events.
>> Yes.
>> And I've seen their posts on Facebook
and so forth. So I think that they're
working hard on that.
>> John and I are going to try and get a a
live next week. I'm waiting to talk to
John about getting dates and we can at
least talk about the topic.
>> Okay. Right. Okay. Got it.
>> With with Stevia.
>> With Stevia.
>> With Stevia. Okay. All right. So stay
tuned for that everybody. All right.
Now, the Pass Conway marker update. My
first comment on it is that we thought
we had a location selected. We had
preliminary approval on the location and
the land owners uh changed their minds
about wanting the marker on their
property and so we're working on a
second plan and Diane, can you speak to
that a little bit?
>> Um, we have a new request in and we're
waiting to get a meeting with that
person. Um, and the person I spoke to
the person briefly today and they're
going to talk to the owners of the land.
>> So, we're working on a second our second
choice location for that and hopefully,
you know, within the next few weeks,
we'll have a
location finalized and then we can do
the application to the state to have
this state historic marker
placed. Now, we don't know for sure if
we're going to be approved and we don't
know for sure how long it'll take, but
we are. This is a project that we've
been working on for some time and John
Kros has done an phenomenal amount of
research and and just and really has
worked so hard on it. John, do you have
anything else to add on that?
>> Well, the one thing we're waiting for is
a letter from the board of selectmen. Uh
Kim Kleiner would be getting that to me.
She's been in touch with me. Uh, but I
think she's waiting for a property owner
to give approval for the
>> Exactly.
>> And I had that letter all all primed and
pumped and I wrote the letter for the
property owner and that's when I got the
you know
>> the refusal. So
>> well that's the one thing remaining and
when we get the letter from Kin all we
need from the board of selectman is that
they agree that that site is in terms of
traffic is not a problem.
>> Right. and then we can apply and and
then we'll follow the
>> actually that new site is less of a
problem because we the site that we had
chosen we didn't think about this but
that's a passing zone
>> and the new site is not part of the
passing zone
>> and so there's some pull out room to
stop
>> right I think it'll be good for that
exactly
>> yeah it's always a positive
>> that's a positive yeah
>> yeah
uh so uh the resident at my place who
has good connections He says everything
everything h happens in New Hampshire
when you have connections and he's a
connection. And so uh as soon as we've
got that I've got everything else ready
to go. Um I'll send it by email to Ben
Wilson and I will deliver parts that are
not online in person and I'm ready at
any moment.
>> Okay, that's good. and the new business,
the the uh we received a letter uh
thanking us for the important work we do
for the town and uh it is actually from
uh
No Tree Farm and they are in opposition
to the town Null's Tree Farm in
opposition to the farm to the town uh
expanding the roadway that's called
industrial drive which is down in the
south end of town which would connect to
the land that the circumferential
highway project was meant to take but
the town the state has the state has
completely abandoned that project so
that so this is just a plea that we
would not do that because they enlisting
the detriments that they feel it would
have for their
>> why would the town build a road
>> to have access to that
>> this is all in response to something
that's going on the check um committee
is the circumvential highway exploratory
committee. Um so what they were taxed by
the select bin for was to find any use
of any of the land that's being returned
back um to the Sacramento highway. The
project the project is over. It's done.
So now that land is has to be vaporized
or not vaporized has to be red be
distributed um and it will go on the
market and there's been several meetings
one in Richfield one in Hudson um where
we were told that we had first refusal
of the land and then after that um New
Hampshire Housing comes in next um and
they can either buy or refuse the land
as well and then um after that I believe
goes out to just
>> general purchase if it's turned off.
>> Is this part of if the town were to
purchase the land,
>> they would put a road in?
>> So, right now, um, we're looking at all
of the the pieces of land. The only only
value that that piece of land has to the
town in a municipal manner would be to
put a road through the 102,
>> right?
>> Um,
>> which I think was the original plan,
wasn't it? Um it was part of the
circumferential highway plan. Um there
were several members of the committee
who um brought it up that it would be
nice to be able to get through there and
then it might give us some some edge
area on 102 to expand some commercial
because we have such a small commercial
area. Um
however there is a lot of wetlands back
there. Um, and what I did do before this
letter came out is I called um the
owners of this building and said, "Hey,
we're looking at this land. We're
looking at putting a road in, but we're
also I'm also wondering if you want to
purchase this land because the only way
we as a town can purchase any of this
land is if it's done for a municipal
use." Yeah.
>> Okay.
>> Um, so if we put a road through that
would be a municipal use. It's the only
mun municipal use that we would have the
land that's available. There's over 100
acres of land.
>> Um that's the only area of land, right,
>> that has a a municipal use.
>> The rest of it, we would have to form a
committee
>> and then we would have to um I guess we
petition the state and we become a board
that can buy and sell land,
>> right?
>> Um so in order to go into that that
phase, I was wanted to know if they were
interested in buying it. and he said,
you know, I I'll have to think about
that, you know, but I think he's missing
some of the points here when we haven't
actually said we're going to do this.
>> Um, we're looking at every single piece
and what every single piece could be.
>> And this this parcel is down at the
south end of town
>> in between Noel's tree farm and then
there's another person who has access to
their home from that road that's been at
two as well.
>> Right. It's from Noel's tree farm.
>> Well, It goes down to Noel's tree farm,
but it's a stateowned piece of land. But
he goes on to explain
>> Noel's tree farm borders what Bushies
bought.
>> Well, that was what Bushies bought. And
he bought what Paul um Paul had,
>> right? He bought Paulir's land.
>> Yes.
>> But he bought his bushes.
>> Is that the house that's back there?
>> No. What Bush's green house is? Well,
no. That's that's another
>> The right
>> the Bets.
>> Yeah.
>> Um he does. Yep. He definitely does.
>> Well, how does he border down that other
piece of land?
>> Well, and I'm not really sure. I I So,
what I told him I did call
>> I don't think he does, Diane. My father
owned that land. My father sold that
land to the state.
>> Okay.
>> And it was forced to sell it.
>> No. No. He was all for that being the
industrial zone in Lynchfield because
there wasn't that much land on 102.
>> Is that the 32 acres?
>> Yes.
>> That's behind there.
>> Yeah.
>> And is it the piece that is that that
piece of road? Yes.
>> That was your father's land,
>> right?
>> Okay.
>> And uh across from where the Dalton's
live,
>> right?
>> That some cement blocks out there now
because people, I guess, were going in
there and riding three-wheelers and
stuff.
>> Yes.
>> And uh that Yes. that was to be
commercially developed. Uh when he sold
it to the state, he had an agreement
with the state um that something had to
move on this within a certain number of
years or they had to pay him fines every
year. And they did have to because they
just weren't moving forward.
>> Are they still paying fines?
>> No, he's he's been dead for.
>> So once he died, they stopped.
>> Well, no, they may have stopped before
that. I don't know how long the
agreement was for, but anyway, um
between that, there is Olsson's trailer
park that BJ is now own. There is two at
least two parcels before you get to Noel
Street Farm.
>> So I don't 100% know what I said to him
yesterday. He was very upset. And when I
spoke to him yesterday, um what I said
to him is that we will come out and walk
it. Um and you can show me. Jay has
brought a couple of things up. It's very
hard to envision from a map that's on
there. Um I would like to get out there
and see what's out there and see what
he's talking about cuz he also
>> But it seems like there is a a way into
the land from
the southern part. Remember we looked at
that little road that goes in, but
>> Well, that's a driveway that goes out to
the second house behind Bever. the
furthest further south.
>> Wasn't there another little road further
south?
>> The donor lived out there.
>> There's a regular entrance way to No,
>> they have they have two curb cuts,
right?
>> Well, they have one curve cut and then
the other one is in a curve.
>> Isn't that house owned by someone named
Donut?
>> Yes. Yeah.
>> But isn't there But isn't there another
way to get in from 3A to that land?
>> There's two ways. Oh, no. From 3A? No,
not yet.
>> Oh, there wasn't yet through there would
be
>> Oh, it was in Hudson. It's another one
right on right on the Hudson line.
>> This is very much an exploratory
committee this I think I think that
these the the tree farmer is making a
preemptive you know proactive strike
just to make sure that we know where
they stand before we make a decision.
>> I don't think it would really affect
them but I think it would be
>> but they feel like it would and they go
on and they tell why you know I read it.
>> Yeah. Yeah. You read it. Yeah. They say
that we will kill the trees if we go in
through their land. And I I don't know
if there's
>> I didn't have a map when I was talking
to them.
>> The person who came to our meeting,
wasn't she against it as well?
>> She was for the road.
>> Oh, she's for the road.
>> She's for the road.
>> I don't remember.
>> The woman who the woman who lives back
there that has to use that as her
driveway.
>> Okay.
>> She's for the road.
>> Okay. Well, anyway, I
>> and he's against
>> I think they're just making their
feelings known so that they can uh you
know, so we're armed with that
information before we make any
be invited to the next meeting as a
butters.
>> Um we haven't done anything that we
needed to get like a Butters or anything
like that yet. Um, we do we've been all
we've done is look at general maps and
tried to look at all the land and said,
"Okay, this land over here." Um,
>> because I don't think their land goes
back far enough that they'd be actual
>> I thought they might want to buy that 32
acres that was back there and then they
don't have to put a road in or anything.
They can do whatever they want back
there.
>> Those people
the tree farm can they'd buy that piece
and then they'd buy the piece behind it,
but that would still be a right away to
the houses behind it. But there's so
many unknowns. There's no proposal.
>> It's an exploratory committee and they
shouldn't get
>> No. No warrants have been created,
>> but it would be good for the town to buy
it. So, they did have more of a
commercial district.
>> That's the thing. So,
>> yeah, but that was the problem. Access
to the land. And the only piece that we
felt that was really viable access was
the piece behind them.
>> No, but on 102 on either side of 102 be
easier for access from 102,
>> but whether or not the town would think
it was, it would still have to go to the
warrant article. then we have to go to
the town and vote. Um be a couple
million dollars to do it. I mean we're
so far from
>> from where they think that we're trying
to destroy their farm. We are not. We
are looking at all the options as asked.
>> Um so that's where we are.
>> Okay. So I I'll work up a a response to
this and let the committee review it
before I send it to them.
>> Well, the committee's also gotten it. I
>> I mean I mean as far as them writing to
the Heritage Commission, I'll work up a
responsit
and I'll show our heritage commission
>> and then we can respond to it as a
heritage commission. I'm also on the
>> circumferential highway go to um so Kim
this morning it didn't go to me. It
didn't go to Chuck. I was actually sent
copies of it from other people that saw
it and we're talking about
>> it did go to you. Um there was another
one that went to heritage.
>> But there was another one that he also
sent to um
to Letha as well. Letha got it. He got
it from conservation. There was there
was other ones that were like it was
like every board got one except for
check.
>> Okay.
>> So I was sent to me from everybody. They
didn't have the email for that.
>> Who sent it? George or Elon?
>> Uh Elon.
>> Yes. Elon.
>> Eli.
>> Well, both
the names are down there. This says no
tree fun.
>> So anyway,
>> all right. So I think I think about we
covered it and I think that we know that
we need a a little bit more uh it it's
premature to make any decisions on this
at this time. We're not at that point
>> and this committee won't make those
decisions.
>> Oh no, the heritage commission won't at
all
>> and neither will the check commission
will be the town.
>> It'll go to the selected and the but I
understand them trying to reach out so
that they don't get you know
>> Yep. They want they want to reach out
before something happens and I'll let
them know that we received it and that
we um are sensitive.
>> I had only read part of it when I spoke
to him and I missed quite a bit of it.
Yeah.
>> Yeah. So, yeah.
>> Okay. So, so Okay.
>> It's understandable that they would want
to know what was happening.
>> So, um
that's that.
>> Yeah. Any new any other new business
anybody has to bring up?
>> No. Okay. Then um
I guess uh in regard to the heritage
committees
part of um work we've been working with
the historical society on the 250th and
the the initial part the the grand
opening of the 250th will like I said
will happen at the Oldtown Center and um
you know we encourage anybody everyone
in town to come. It is going to be a a
very the whole event, the whole weekend
is going to be very nice and have a lot
of meaning for everybody, a lot of
activities for everybody and we really
uh you know hope that everybody in town
will come.
>> There was a lot of um work done down
there at the um at the town hall at the
the museum.
>> Yeah. And I heard there was some really
interesting documents that were going to
be
>> there. And we've we're opening a new
room which is going to be the Griffin
Tavern and store room. And um we were
fortunate uh many years ago to purchase
from Carl Frank's mother. Um
out in the back of the big barn was an
old sheets over a little pile of
furniture. So I said to her one day
because she had come over to the
historical site when she saw me there
and said, "Gee, do you think there's
anything over at my house you'd be
interested in buying?" And I said,
"Well, let's have a look." So, we went
over and I said, "Well, what's under all
of this?" Well, she didn't know it's
been there since they bought the house.
And we pulled the sheets off and it was
all this early tavern furniture. And so,
I said, "Yes, we'd like to buy all of
this." And so, we did
>> and the the counter, right, the actual
store.
>> And uh we moved it over to the um
historical sight building and it's been
in storage ever since. And so we thought
for the 250th that we would get that
room screened out. We have everybody's
been working very very hard getting
things done.
>> Very impressive and really a lot of
effort have been put into it from all
the members.
>> We completely emptied out our meeting
room where we had our Civil War exhibit
and now that's all Revolutionary War
exhibit.
>> Very impressive. Everybody needs to see
it. It's going to be on a short term.
It's on short-term ex loan and
short-term exhibit, but everybody really
should make an effort to come and see
some of
>> those you were talking about today.
>> Oh, there's a lot. We have a uh very
early copy of the Declaration of
Independence.
Um
we have a little broadside uh declaring
the end of the Revolutionary War, March
23rd, 1783
that was printed in Boston. Um, we have
on display the original Breton Farm book
which begins uh
the late 1600s, the very early 1700s.
Um,
we have documents from two of the
signers of the Declaration of
Independence, Matthew Thornon
and Josiah Bartlett. Um,
we have a silhouette of George
Washington that he sat for in
Philadelphia.
Um,
>> it's going to be very
>> all sorts of interesting things like
this.
>> It's really, really, very impressive.
>> If you're a history buff, that's the
place to be.
>> That's the place to be.
>> And in the in the actual tavern room,
we're lucky enough to have the actual
ledger from the store. From what year,
Stephen? Or what year?
>> Well, there are several ledgers. The one
that we have out is from, I think, 1817.
>> Yeah.
>> And um
Yeah, there's there's so many things to
see. Don't you think, John? It's very
interesting to anyone interested in
history.
>> I think it's amazing. You really said
>> really it is. It's absolutely amazing.
>> Absolutely.
>> Well, it's amazing that we have a loan
of, you know, this the church's original
pewer communion service is on display.
Um, boom, boom. Not to mention that the
graveyard behind the old church uh that
Darcy Donnie who has been doing a yman's
work on cleaning all those gravestones
so that they can all be read and they're
just she has worked I mean untold hours
over there I mean really with a
toothpick
>> getting out all this algae and moss and
it's it's really very very impressive.
>> One of the very very interesting
>> walk through that.
>> Oh yeah. And it's going to be a little
panned out so you know what you're
looking at. Okay.
>> One of the very interesting things in
the historical society is there is a
goldheaded uh walking stick and there
was a man not from Lichfield but from
Windham and his name was Asa Center and
he was a major in the Revolutionary War
and he was part of Washington's private
guard and so he crossed the Delaware
with Washington Christmas Eve 1776
and when they surprised the Hessen
soldiers in Trenton and This walking
stick was taken from one of the Hessen
soldiers and uh it was then his name was
then put on the walking stick and so
that's on display.
>> Very cool.
>> Can't wait to see it all.
>> Right. It'll be very and then um uh not
to mention that the conservation
commission has done a fabulous job
cleaning up all of the old town center
across from the historical society
building. So people can visit there.
They could go to the mustard ground and
it's all pristine.
>> And members of the conservation
commission help the historical society
get items all out of our storage room so
that we can open our new room.
>> They're a great group of people.
>> They are really really really helpful.
>> I think that that's it. Unless anybody
we could entertain a motion to adjurnn.
>> So moved.
>> Second.
>> Okay. All those in favor?
>> I meetings adjourned. See you all next
month.
The um
>> Are we really going to error?
>> No, it's going to be here.
>> Oh, it's going to be here. Okay.
>> Oh, they moved it. Okay.