Amherst, NH Heritage Commission

06/01/2026

Do you need ideas for a patriotic display? Consider illumination! During the American Revolution, celebrations often ended with nighttime “illuminations,” when people placed candles or lamps in their windows—sometimes creating decorative scenes—to accompany fireworks and symbolize unity. The tradition continued into early Fourth of July observances, where families lit candles as accessible symbols of hope, eventually evolving into widespread 18th‑ and 19th‑century “Illumination Nights” that filled towns with a patriotic glow.

Easy ideas include shining a spotlight on the American flag at night, displaying window candles, or lining your porch steps with lanterns.

Read more about the history of Grand Illuminations:
https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/discover/moments-in-history/road-to-independence/how-fireworks-lit-up-the-american-revolution/

05/22/2026

05/18/2026

05/03/2026

Where did Amherst's Revolutionary War vets reside? We drive by their homes every day--and even live under the same roofs!

Visit www.hsanh.org to check out a new history brief of Amherst's oldest houses outside the Village by Katrina Holman. This fascinating research names many of our town’s Patriots and identifies their houses, telling the historical stories of the families that have lived in these homes over the years.

04/22/2026

Free Program! Redcoats & Rebels: NH & the American Revolution

Monday, May 4, 6:30, Amherst Town Library

The Historical Society and Town Library are teaming up to honor America's 250th by spotlighting NH in the Revolution!

New Hampshire often gets overlooked in the narrative of the American Revolution, overshadowed by its noisy neighbor to the south. Nowadays, few people know about Paul Revere’s first ride, which was to Portsmouth in December 1774 to warn the patriots that the British were coming to reinforce Fort William and Mary, five months before the Redcoats marched on Concord and Lexington. Nor do they know that two-thirds of the troops at the Battle of Bunker Hill were from New Hampshire. Most people are also unaware that New Hampshire’s Provincial Congress adopted the first state constitution in January 1776, making no mention of royal authority and essentially declaring independence from Great Britain six months before anyone else. And this is just the beginning of New Hampshire’s revolutionary story. Please register with the library and join us for the rest!
https://amherstlibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/redcoats-rebels-nh-and-the-american-revolution/

Presenter Mary Adams was born and raised in New Hampshire, Her passion for storytelling led her to become a tour guide at various locations, including San Francisco, Boston, and her favorite, Glacier National Park. Her work as an interpreter for the National Park Service further honed her skills. Currently, Mary serves as Operations Manager for The Pursuit of History Weekends, where she coordinates specially curated, one-of-a-kind experiences aimed at inspiring broader public engagement with history. She is also on staff at the New Hampshire Historical Society, where she has played a pivotal role in presenting the Granite State Stories programs for HTG in 2023 and 2024 among many other roles!

04/06/2026

We were lucky to host Amherst Fire and EMS historian Captain John Bowler at our April meeting. Amherst Fire has a rich collection of historic artifacts, and the Department is strategizing new ways to exhibit them. What a treat to see some of the photos, fire logs, and other items up close! 👍

03/25/2026

03/25/2026

🇺🇸 When the Door Was Closed, They Built Their Own | Women's History Month

In 1890, when the Sons of the American Revolution refused to admit women, a group of determined female activists didn't accept the answer — they founded an organization of their own.

The Daughters of the American Revolution grew from a simple but powerful argument: that Patriots come in every gender, and the women who supported the American Revolution deserved to be honored alongside the men. The DAR was officially founded on October 11, 1890, and incorporated by an act of Congress in 1896. Today it boasts over 190,000 members across 3,000 chapters worldwide — including ten chapters within the Freedom's Way National Heritage Area.
From the beginning, the DAR's mission has been to promote patriotism, preserve American history, and advance education. That mission continues to evolve. The organization's E Pluribus Unum Educational Initiative focuses on underrepresented groups who supported the Revolution, and the 10 Million Names Project works to recover the names of up to 10 million enslaved people in the United States before emancipation — connecting their living descendants with genealogical resources in a permanent, free, public database.

Having once been excluded themselves, the DAR has made inclusion a defining part of its legacy.

Learn more about the history and heritage of Freedom's Way at freedomsway.org.
freedomsway.org/story/daughters-of-the-american-revolution-d-a-r/

03/24/2026

Celebrate America's 250th birthday this Thursday March 26th at 7:00 p.m. in the Banquet Room of Milford's Town Hall. Mary Adams will present "Redcoats & Rebels", an eye-opening slideshow with so many interesting stories about the American Revolution and New Hampshire's participation in it. Mary knows her subject well and presents it with enthusiasm. She is a highly regarded member of the NH Humanities and we're honored to have her as our guest speaker.
Admission is free - open to the public - everyone is welcome- easy access by elevator on the left side of Town Hall. Handicap accessible.

03/23/2026

Here's a hot piece of Amherst history. Read all about the Hunneman handtub, dubbed “The Yankee.”

The Amherst Fire Department learned over the weekend that the historic firefighting devices are even more significant than once thought.