The greatest astronomical exposition in town, as of 1880... 13 November, 1833
First Elephant (Henniker)
An exotic event provides performance opportunities for a local character... One of my favorite parts of Cogswell's Victorian-era narrative style is the telling little details he supplies, and the many ways we can interpret them. Β For example, note in the final panel how only "some"Β of the town's older residents recall Bowman's antics with pleasure. Β (We … Continue reading First Elephant (Henniker)
Video: “John Weeks, 1911”
A sing-along music video based on the landmark Weeks Act of 1911... https://youtu.be/f5TBLWKyPWo ALSO SEE: The Weeks Act Comic! >> DOWNLOAD:Printable 2-page PDF 2-page JPG version: SOURCE MATERIALS: Here are some of the primary sources that helped make this song & comic possible: The Weeks Act itself = I looked up the pages from the 1911 … Continue reading Video: “John Weeks, 1911”
Mr. Barnes & the Bear (Henniker)
In honor of the start of hunting season, we continue with (what else?) another action-packed story of ursine urgency! ... << BEFORE: Fishing for bear in Chesterfield. *"BY THIS TIME, BARNES BEGAN TO REALIZE..." ~ I just love that line. (source = Cogswell) Elisha Barnes was a leading figure in the early days of Henniker; for … Continue reading Mr. Barnes & the Bear (Henniker)
Fishing for Bear (Chesterfield)
An unusual hunting tale from the Keene area... << BEFORE: Mrs. Huse and the bear NEXT:Β Mr. Barnes and the bear >> SOURCE: "The Bear in the Boat" from HSCC ALSO SEE: Color splash page from this story...
“Walk to Camp” by Becky Rule (Guest Post)
NH storyteller Becky Rule adds some quick cartoons to her tale of a fashionable bear encounter: (Drawn & told at the Weeks Act Centennial festivals, 2011)
Mrs. Huse & the Bear (Henniker)
A resourceful wife prepares dinner for her hunting husband:
Famous Professional Dare-Devil (Keene, 1923)
Tonight in downtown Keene: Stunts by a professional daredevil! Other Links: This story @ Historical Society of Cheshire County Keene's Gurnsey Block (c. 1900) Keene's Dreamland Theater (c. 1910) Originally published inΒ Monadnock History ComicsΒ (Keene Sentinel, 2005)
Trunks Like Black Bones (Marlow, 1825)
Grandpa remembers "what happened to all the forests" in the Keene area... Discussion Questions:Β This story came from Elgin Jones' History of Marlow, NH. His grandfather told him about seeing this forestry done in Marlow in 1825, while the grandfather was still a boy. How is this kind of forestry different from our current systems … Continue reading Trunks Like Black Bones (Marlow, 1825)
To Work in the Mills? (Keene, 1845)
A farm family debates sending their youngest daughter to work in the mills... Originally published inΒ Monadnock History ComicsΒ (Keene Sentinel, 2005) Discussion questions:Β Why do Lucy and her mother think that working in the mills would be a good idea? Why does her father oppose the job? What clues tell us that life is hard on … Continue reading To Work in the Mills? (Keene, 1845)
The Weeks Act Story (1911)
Here's a comic to celebrate the Weeks Act of 1911 & the origins of our National Forest system! Download the printable PDF >> "John Weeks 1911" music video >> Support this work @ Patreon >> PRIMARY SOURCES: The starting point for my research was the text of the Weeks Act itself: SOURCE: The official descriptive … Continue reading The Weeks Act Story (1911)
Paying the Doctor (Nelson, c. 1750)
Nelson's own Ezra Carter accepts a rather unusual means of payment... Originally published inΒ Monadnock History Comics (Keene Sentinel, 2005) Discussion questions: In the 1700's, a physician like Doc Carter might ride many miles into the countryside to treat poor families on remote farms. Β How could these poor families pay for the treatment? What did they … Continue reading Paying the Doctor (Nelson, c. 1750)
5th NH: Deployment (1861)
The 5th NH suffers its first casualty on the train from Concord, long before the first battle...