CHS January 2022 Newsletter

Dear Community and Members, we hope this letter finds you well. We would like to thank the citizens of our town and the surrounding communities for their continued support.

The past two years have been challenging for the society in our efforts to begin the restoration of the Marion Blodgett Museum in Stratford Hollow. During this time we became a member and worked closely with the NH Preservation Alliance to assess the scope and phases for our restoration project. This past year the members worked very hard to overcome obstacles and start the project of getting a new roof. This project was funded in part by the N. H. Preservation Alliance in partnership with The 1772 Foundation and started Phase 1 of our full renovations. Commonwealth Construction of Lancaster, NH completed the roof in 2021. Several members volunteered their time to clean up the debris from the roof. Volunteer hours are important as they are counted in the match for our LCHIP grant. We are on our way to the next step of Phase 1.

We were happy and excited to return to hosting our annual fundraising and community events. We were able to hold the 6th annual Cornhole Tournament and BBQ. This event is enjoyed and always well attended. Our community enjoys the friendly competition of who gets the cornhole trophy and they had so much fun they held a second tournament donating the proceeds from that as well.

Our neighbor “The Northern Garden” landscape designer and greenhouse in Stratford Hollow, held three garden tours that were thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended. Cohos Historical members prepared and served seasonal appetizers to attendees while Bill Tobin played the harp for background music. All proceeds from the 3 events were donated to the society to help with their LCHIP matching funds requirement.

Then came the 4th annual Christmas on the Common. This event is enjoyed by all ages. Stratford public school principal Mr. Dewitt, staff and students started the night off with Christmas carols around the tree after its annual lighting. Santa made his appearance shortly after with the help of some local elves. A warm bonfire on the common helped all to stay toasty while enjoying the complimentary refreshments.

We are looking forward to seeing you all in 2022 and continuing our mission of preserving local history and bringing together our communities through educational speakers and community events.

If you are interested in joining Cohos Historical Society or volunteering for any events or projects, contact us at: cohoshistory@gmail.com.