2024 Events
Tree Planting with
ReGenerative Roots
When: Saturday, September 14, 2024, 8:00 - 10:00 am
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Where: Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum Lawn
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Join us for the planting of four beautiful fruit trees! Please bring gloves, close-toed shoes, and your favorite shovel.
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Andrew Morin of Regenerative Roots has generously donated two apple trees and two pear trees to be planted on the grounds of the Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum.​
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The ReGenerative Roots Association strengthens the food and alternative energy systems in New England through the development of community farms, food forests, plant shares, educational orchards, solar arrays, and farm to school programs! To learn more about the ReGenerative Roots Association, please visit https://www.regenerativeroots.org/.
Orchard planted by ReGenerative Roots at Nashua High School North
Heroes and Homecomings
Norman Rockwell and World War II
When: Tuesday, September 24, 2024, 7:00 pm
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Where: Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum Library​​​
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Join us for this fascinating talk by Jane Oneail.
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Norman Rockwell chronicled middle-class life in the twentieth century. His paintings, produced for calendars, cards and magazines including The Saturday Evening Post, show the heartwarming and humorous aspects of American life. His work focused on shared experiences like childhood, family life, holidays, work, sports and patriotism and helped to shape the way Americans understood the American experience.
America's most beloved illustrator also created dozens of images related to the second World War. What happens when an artist known for his use of humor tackles the serious subject of war? This program explores how his work departs from earlier artistic interpretations of American conflicts and considers how and why he chose specific wartime themes to present to the millions of readers of The Saturday Evening Post.
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Jane Oneail (pronounced OH-neel) is the founder of Culturally Curious, an arts education consulting firm specializing in art appreciation programs. She curates and delivers programs throughout New England and beyond. Oneail holds a master’s in Art History from Boston University and a master’s in Education from Harvard University. Born and raised in NH, she has worked at some of the state's most esteemed cultural institutions, including the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, where she served as executive director, and the Currier Museum of Art, where she was senior educator. Jane has also taught at the college level for more than a decade, most recently at Southern New Hampshire University.
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This talk is free and open to the public.
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This program is made possible by New Hampshire Humanities. Learn more at www.nhhumanities.org.
Museums Open House
When: Saturday, October 12, 2024, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
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Where: Abbot-Spalding House Museum and Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum
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Visit the Abbot-Spalding House Museum and the Florence H. Speare Museum!
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The Florence H. Memorial Museum features several exhibits, including a new exhibit focusing on World War II, Frank Ingalls' historic photographs of Nashua, a historic fire engine, and more!
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1940s-era clothing will be featured in the rooms of the Abbot-Spalding House, including uniforms and gowns, as well as other artifacts.
Florence H. Speare Museum Admission: Free
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Abbot-Spalding House Museum Admission: $10.00 non-members; free for members.
Park in our free lot or on the street.​
Historical Society Roundtable
When: Saturday, October 26, 2024, 9:00 am - 2:30 pm
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Where: Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum​
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Attendance is by invitation only.
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As historical societies, we give back to our communities every day, but find there is a need to increase visibility, relevance and partnerships. As part of The Nashua Historical Society’s mission, we are providing an opportunity to the New Hampshire historical societies to network by hosting a gathering that will focus on issues historical societies face today.
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We are excited to host the second annual round table Historical Society Round Table, and hope it will continue the camaraderie begun last year, as we know that we will all benefit from learning from each other. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know. We are looking forward to seeing everyone in October!
Write at the Museum
When: Saturday, November 2, 2024,
9:30 am – 3:30 pm
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Where: Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum
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Are you a writer? Are you looking for inspiration, working on a personal writing project, perhaps writing a 50,000-word novel in the month of November, or just want time to sit down and write?
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Come write with us at our second annual writing event!
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In celebration of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), the Nashua Historical Society invites writers to join us at the Speare Memorial Museum for a day of writing. Come write in our story-inspiring exhibit spaces. Rarely seen historic writing objects from the Nashua Historical Society’s collection will be on display for the month of November.​
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For additional inspiration, at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm participants are invited to tour the beautiful and historic Abbot-Spalding House Museum free of charge, located next to the Speare Museum.
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Light refreshments will be provided. Bring your own lunch. Food and drink are allowed in the Library and the Dining Room.
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For more information, please call (603) 883-0015, or email us at nashuahistorical@comcast.net.
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The Nashua Historical Society is a
NaNoWriMo Come Write In space!
For more information about NaNoWriMo, please visit the NaNoWriMo website at: https://nanowrimo.org/.
At Home and Abroad: Nashua and World War II Documentary Showing
Watch the trailer for the documentary!
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If you have difficulty viewing the trailer, please click here to view it on YouTube.
When: Tuesday, November 19, 2024, 7:00 pm
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Where: Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum
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At Home and Abroad: Nashua and World War II
chronicles the stories of civilians, veterans, and Holocaust survivors as Nashuans share personal and family World War II stories in this documentary at the Nashua Historical Society.
Created by experienced local filmmakers John Sadd and Jeremy Frazier, this documentary is the result of extensive interviews with local World War II veterans, civilians, children of Holocaust survivors, and their families.
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Run time is approximately 1 hour.
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This event is free and open to the public.
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Free parking is available behind the Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum
Rotating Exhibits
Nashua and the Military
Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum
On view through August 31, 2024
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Do you have an interest in military history? From powder horns older than the United States to Civil War surgical instruments to a World War I gas mask, this temporary exhibit includes military artifacts and memorabilia owned and used by Nashuans from the eighteenth century through the 1980s.
World War I Helmet and Gas Mask
Civil War Canteen
Malls of Nashua
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On view at Nashua City Hall
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Please visit The Nashua Historical Society’s changing exhibit case at Nashua’s City Hall!
The current exhibit is about the malls of Nashua.
The Abbot-Spalding House Museum is located at 1 Nashville Street, Nashua, New Hampshire.
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The Nashua Historical Society, Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum is located at 5 Abbott Street, Nashua, New Hampshire.
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Parking for both museums is available behind the Speare Museum or on the street.
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For more information, contact The Nashua Historical Society at 603-883-0015 or nashuahistorical@comcast.net
ADDRESS
5 Abbott Street
Nashua NH, 03064
OFFICE HOURS
Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday
The office is open 9 am to 4 pm
Speare Museum self-guided tours from 10 am to 3 pm.
Abbot House tours by appointment.
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If Nashua schools are closed due to snow, the Society will also be closed.
CONTACT
(603) 883-0015
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