At Saturday’s American Independence Festival at which more than 3,000 attendees are expected, RiverWoods and Saint Vincent de Paul will present an exciting display that will engage visitors of all ages.
Housed next to the food vendors along Swasey Parkway, both organizations will have set up 3 tents within a 30’ by 20’ area. In the first tent, visitors will learn more about Saint Vincent de Paul’s mobile dental van and its role in the community as well as some unique historical tidbits.
“We have dental tools from the 1770’s and will hopefully have a representation of tooth powder used in Exeter in that period, which the Exeter Historical Society is still researching,” said Cleo Castonguay, executive director, Saint Vincent de Paul. “We will also have photos of George Washington’s last dentures along with photos of paintings taken of him never smiling.”
In another section, Castonguay said they will feature kids’ activities and hand out tri-corner hats for the kids. “We thank Foss Manufacturing in Hampton, which gave us a substantial supply of recycled non-woven fabrics for some of our activities,” he added.
Expressing excitement at their sponsorship of the American Independence Museum, which presents the Festival, RiverWoods Marketing Manager Ben French said everyone is excited about their participation in the popular annual event.
“We not only look forward to sharing the RiverWoods mission and that of our charitable partner Saint Vincent de Paul, but we’ll also be providing something that will bridge generations, allow children to experience history and have some fun at the same time,” he said.
In addition to RiverWoods, major sponsors of the Festival and the Museum include Hoefle Phoenix Gormley & Roberts, P.A. Attorneys at Law, Two International Group, AutoFair, Service Credit Union, Geico, New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, and Ruffner Real Estate. Additional support is provided by Foy Insurance, Chinburg Properties, Access Sports, and The Farm at Eastman’s Corner.
“We are so grateful for all the support we have received in support of the Festival and the Museum in 2016,” said Museum Operation Manager Rob Levey. “Exeter is a really cool place, but we could not promote this amazing town without wonderful partners and sponsors.”
Featuring historic battle re-enactments, colonial demonstrations, children’s activities, cannons that fire throughout the day, crafts, music, food and more, the annual Independence Festival continues to serve as the signature event of the American Independence Museum in Exeter.
Have you ever heard about the DAR, a thriving women’s service organization which focuses on work in local communities to promote Historic Preservation, Education and Patriotism.?
Click HERE to read about our collaboration with DAR and items we are loaning to them. Exciting stuff! Stay tuned for our own press release and learn more about DAR and the Museum.
Sponsored by George and Phillips, History on the Run represents a newly formed joint partnership between the American Independence Museum (AIM) and the Exeter Historical Society. Designed to bring awareness to the many historic sites and structures in Exeter, the event is scheduled to take place on Monday, June 6 at 5:30 pm at Folsom Tavern in Exeter.
Featuring the opportunity to run a 3-mile historic loop once or twice through Exeter, History on the Run will be followed by a gait analysis by the Center for Orthopaedics and Movement at Exeter Hospital and yoga techniques demonstrated by a YMCA instructor. The evening will conclude with refreshments at Folsom Tavern.
“We are very excited to work with the Exeter Historical Society to create this fun community event that we hope attracts area athletes and general fitness enthusiasts,” said Museum Executive Director Julie Williams.
Ann Gustafson Schieber, chairman of the Exeter Historical Society, said they are equally excited at the collaboration.
“The town of Exeter has been known historically for a fun and healthy place to live,” she noted. “The Exeter Historical Society has always recognized AIM as one of our town’s historic treasures. Working collaboratively with AIM gives us great pleasure to offer another fun and healthy activity for the whole community.”
The “go-at-your-own pace” 3-mile loop run will start and end at the Folsom Tavern and pass by the historic sites of String Bridge, the Mills, the Powder House, Swasey Parkway and more. Participants may choose to run or walk the route, while a map with additional information on each of the sites will be provided.
Bert Freedman, 3rd generation owner of George & Phillips, said he is excited to sponsor the event and cited his love of Exeter and its rich history as one of his main motivators for becoming involved.
“My family has run this store for nearly a hundred years, so I have a deep and personal appreciation and fondness for Exeter,” he said. “Exeter is a special place, which this unique event will showcase.”
There is no charge for the event, although a suggested donation of $10 per runner is encouraged with proceeds to benefit both the American Independence Museum and Exeter Historical Society. Registration is required.
New England’s first microbrewery, Portland-based D.L. Geary Brewing Company will participate in the American Independence Museum’s inaugural Beer for History event on Thursday, May 19 in downtown Exeter, NH. Featuring seven full time beers and three seasonal specialties, Geary’s Tim Turner said he is excited to bring their award-winning brews to NH for “an innovative beer event.”
“We are all about celebrating history—whether it’s our own beers or the rich history of New England itself, so this was a great opportunity for us to support a great cause and promote our brand,” he said.
Sponsored by Hoefle Phoenix Gormley & Roberts, P.A. Attorneys at Law of Portsmouth, other brewers include 7th Settlement in Dover, NH and Neighborhood Beer Co. from Exeter, NH. The Beer for History series continues on June 23 with a Tavern Night theme and on October 20 with a Fall Harvest theme. In addition to craft brews, each event will feature live music, food, games and magic for children. The Beer for History event in May will feature food prepared by 3 Brothers Marketplace in Exeter.
Proceeds from Beer for History will support the Museum’s efforts to preserve its collection, including an original copy of the Declaration of Independence, handwritten letters by George Washington and other rare artifacts. Proceeds will also support the Museum’s educational programs, which serve more than 1,600 children annually from across NH.
Tickets for each event in the series will be $30 and include food, samplings of beer, games for kids, and more. Members of the Museum may purchase tickets at a discounted rate of $25. To buy tickets for an individual event or for the entire series at a discounted rate, visit www.independencemuseum.org.
Opening on Tuesday, May 3, the American Independence Museum will celebrate the 2016 season by offering free admission to NH residents on Saturday, May 7.
The event is part of Exeter’s inaugural Kids’ Day, which kicks off at the Exeter Area YMCA where Healthy Kids Day will be celebrated from 9am – 1pm. From noon to 4pm, visitors will also enjoy numerous activities throughout downtown Exeter. These activities will include a mini Touch-a-Truck on Swasey Parkway, a demonstration by the NH State Police Canine Unit, a visit from a 64′ inflatable fin whale (courtesy of Blue Ocean Society), a magician, a juggler, mascots, creatures, crafts and more.
“We are very to be part of this first-time event,” said Museum Executive Director Julie Williams, who noted they will also host a free evening lecture on the origin of historic American songs on Wednesday, May 4 at 7 pm. “It’s a busy week for us—we look forward to it.”
Comprising the Ladd-Gilman House (c. 1721) and Folsom Tavern (c.1775) on more than one acre of landscaped property, the Museum hosts public and educational programs and lectures, colonial artisan demonstrations, guided tours, and special events. The Museum is also part of the “Experience New Hampshire Heritage: The Portsmouth to Plymouth Museum Trail.”
“As part of its 5-year strategic plan, the American Independence Museum (AIM) in Exeter is becoming more involved in the region’s business community, which recently resulted in a new partnership with RiverWoods.
A nationally-accredited, charitable non-profit organization that owns and operates three self-contained, life care communities, RiverWoods has invested $1,000 to support AIM programming and artifact preservation activities in 2016. Justine Vogel, president and CEO of RiverWoods, described the partnership as “a good fit on many different levels.”
“In addition to our joint interest in strengthening and celebrating the Exeter community, both organizations have a prolific history, and we both celebrate and promote ‘Independence’ in stunning and profound ways,” she said.
Rob Levey, operations manager at AIM, said he looks forward to cultivating the relationship in the coming months.
“This is a situation where we both benefit tremendously,” he noted. “We are able to reinvest their financial contribution into areas critical to our mission, while many of their residents will be able to visit the Museum at no charge this year. RiverWoods enhances our infrastructure and we help to enhance the lives of their residents—it is the proverbial win-win.”
To learn more about RiverWoods, visit www.riverwoodsrc.org.
