The summer season got off to a great start with our new partnership with the New Hampton Historical Society and a joint presentation on New Hampshire Meeting Houses given by photographer and historian Paul Wainwright.

In 2022, DMHA celebrated the Second Annual Meeting with a presentation and walk given by Dr. Rick Van de Poll. Guests learned about the Meeting House from Board Members and then were treated to a foraged soup and wild tea prior to a fascinating lecture and then walk on the Meeting House grounds to identify medicinal plants found right in our own backyards. Rick grew up visiting his grandparents, Lester and Edith Youst, in New Hampton and remembers having to sweep the Meeting House and also being “afraid of the elders that stared down from the walls at you.”

July was busy with three significant and diverse events. Fiber Day filled the Meeting House with color from old and new quilts. Featured artist Holly Pope and Eileen Lovett spoke to attendees about contemporary and traditional quilting. Margaret Hoyle brought an antique sock machine and talked about the history of sock making in the USA and how it changed after the war.
Under the tent, Elizabeth Humphrey gave numerous demonstrations on spinning wool as well as dyeing wool using natural products.

Lucienne Brown and Lamby had a story hour for children and was available to speak to adults about her wool processing and Horned Dorset Sheep farming.

Thanks to a grant from NH Humanities to Go, DMHA hosted Dr. Robert Goodby who presented a talk on excavation done in Keene and the discovery of Paleoindians in NH 12,000 years ago.

For the second year, the Baker Valley Band livened up the neighborhood with their old time music. Visitors enjoyed a lovely evening on the lawn, free ice cream and wonderful music!

In August, Old Home Day service was celebrated with guest pastor, Rev. Scott Jamieson presiding over the services. Other summer services included monthly evening prayer gatherings lead by Rev. Campbell Lovett as well as Rev. Scott Jamieson. We are grateful for their participation.

Events hosted remind us how important the New England Meeting Houses were to the communities and still are. Over time, we are losing our understanding of connections to community through gathering. General Stores have closed and post offices have moved out of town centers. The Dana Meeting House Association hopes to revitalize community connection through these diverse summer events as well as to promote and preserve this important historical structure. Thanks to all volunteers and donors for a great summer season. Please consider an end of year gift to help keep this organization growing.

Happy and Healthy New Year!