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Windham Life and Times – February 9, 2024

The Lower Hall at Windham Town Hall

There was a time when the Lower Hall, at the Windham Town Hall. was used for social gatherings rather than town office space. This historic building is in need of repair and there may be a proposed warrant article in this years town budget. Before the advent of auditoriums at the Windham schools, all local events and activities took place at the Town Hall. The photograph above was taken in during the 200th Celebration of the founding of Windham in 1942. Over 400 people enjoyed a chicken dinner in the Lower Hall. This tradition of Town Hall events went back into the nineteenth century. The Derry News article covered an event in the lower hall from February 18, 1881 relating that the Annual Festival took place there: “The Annual Festival was held this year in the lower hall, on Wednesday and Friday evenings, of last week, and was a most enjoyable occasion, and a complete success, netting the Society about $130. The attendance on the first evening was not far from two hundred and fifty, the second night about one hundred. Wednesday even persons were present from all the adjoining towns, and thirty or more from Lowell, Mass. Confectionary, ice cream and button hole bouquets, were for sale, also fancy articles. A beautiful supper was served in the lower hall.” The Grange used to hold their meeting in the Upper Hall and the room that is now a kitchen, was at one time,  the location of the Nesmith Library.

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Windham Life and Times – February 2, 2024

Indian Rock Road at the Center

This photograph was taken about 1910 on what is today Church Road, but what was at the time, Indian Rock Road. The common is currently located on the right in this photograph and Windham Terrace would be on the left. The prominent stone wall is still standing in front of the “Commons” center. The photo at top left shows the intersection of Indian Rock Road and Lowell Road in front of the Presbyterian Church. These roads stayed this way until the 1950’s when Route 111 was relocated. There are changes again being panned for Route 111 and you can express your opinion and review past corridor studies online at:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WindhamRte111

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Windham Life and Times – January12, 2024

Land Development-

What an exciting time to sell camp lots: May, 1929

I can just imagine Gaston Campbell and William Lavin, rubbing their hands together  in glee, at all the money they were about to make on the on selling lots at Cobbett’s Pond Park.  It was a slam dunk; camp lots overlooking a beautiful lake. What they didn’t count on was a stock market crash and a depression. The Lowell Sun ad was from June 27, 1929. In the end, many lots were given away as premiums when you had purchased a certain amount of canned goods or coffee at stores in the Malden Massachusetts area. Sadly, you can’t book a profit until you close the sale.

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Motels on Route 28- Salem NH

The Fireside Inn Motel was the largest on Route 28 and was owned by Saul Rubenstein who had a cottage on Cobbett’s Pond. It had 56 units. Swimming Pool and was fully air conditioned. It was built before Interstate 93 and bills itself as the “Gateway to the White Mountains.”

Duddy’s Motel was located in Salem Depot. I remember it being called “The Turf.” “The better motel of New Hampshire. We cater to nice people. Walking distance to famous Rockingham Race Track.

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Windham Life & Times – December 22, 2023

The “Other” Searles Chapel. North Salem NH

The large photograph above shows the Methodist-Episcopal Church in North Salem NH. According to “At the Edge of Megalopolis,” This church was constructed about 1836 as a one story building and was raised to two stories in 1864, so the local village would have a meeting-place. This churched burned on December 2, 1909. “…almost immediately, plans for rebuilding were made, and gifts large and small, came in, and with the added help of Edward F. Searles of Methuen, the building was completed and the first service was held Christmas Day, 1911. George Thom, descendant of  one of and old Scots-Irish family, was paid $6,145.87 for its construction.