Nov. 26, 1845: Five hundred twenty-five turkeys mysteriously pass through the streets of Concord, one day before Thanksgiving.
Nov. 26, 1900: “Uncle Ben” Davis dies. He was one of Concord’s most popular citizens during the 19th century and, according to one eulogist, “the greatest music teacher that New England ever produced.”
Nov. 27, 2000: About 300 people attend a Concord memorial service for longtime basketball coach Frank Monahan. “I personally feel I’ve lost a second father,” says Steve McMahon, a former player, “and I’m sure others that played for him feel much the same way.”
Nov. 27, 1999: In a game of word association, voters interviewed around Concord choose answers such as “likable” and “lightweight” for Texas Gov. George W. Bush. For Arizona Sen. John McCain, the answers include “stern” and “steadfast.” Al Gore prompts “Clinton” and “sincere.” Bill Bradley evokes “basketball” and “unknown.”
Nov. 27, 1974: A recount of votes cast Nov. 5 in New Hampshire’s U.S. Senate race shows that Democrat John Durkin beat Republican Louis Wyman by 10 votes. The tally reverses the results of the original count, which gave victory to Wyman by 528 votes. The race is the closest in state history, and Wyman vows to appeal. The matter will take months to resolve.
Nov. 27, 1817: Between 20 and 30 pet dogs throughout Concord are bitten by a dog with rabies. The rabid dog will be killed the next day.
Nov. 27, 1884: It is Thanksgiving, but the trains are running in Concord and the mail will be delivered as usual, at 7 and 11 a.m. But in general, “the streets wore a Sunday-like still,” the Evening Monitor reports.
Nov. 28, 2001: Former Concord High basketball star Matt Bonner returns to New Hampshire to play with his University of Florida team against UNH. Bonner scores 15 points in a Florida victory.
Nov. 30, 2000: A Monitor editorial calls on George W. Bush to concede the presidential election. The opinion is read on C-SPAN by morning anchor Brian Lamb, and responses quickly pour in from around the country. One Michigan man writes, “What are you people up there smoking anyway?”
Nov. 30, 1870: Fire burns out the stone warehouse behind the Eagle Hotel, leaving only the granite walls standing. Today, the warehouse is home to the Museum of New Hampshire History.
Nov. 30, 1983: Mayor David Coeyman is squired through the streets of Concord in a rickshaw pulled by Somersworth Mayor George Bald. Coeyman, a former two-pack-a-day smoker, won a bet that he could quit.
Dec. 1, 2001: With a weekend of spontaneous and rehearsed music, the Concord Community Music School celebrates a milestone: the grand opening of a $1.5 million addition that more than doubles the space for the school.
Dec. 1, 1994: The early morning barks of a dog save the lives of six residents in a Merrimack Street apartment house destroyed by fire. The cause: overheated wiring within a bathroom wall.
Dec. 2, 1774: New Hampshire’s committee of correspondence, formed the previous year to stay in touch with other colonies about acts of the British Parliament, sends a warrant to all towns urging the adoption of a continental association. The association’s purpose is to establish a boycott on the import and consumption of British goods. Although Portsmouth and Exeter will quickly approve the warrant, itinerant merchants working further inland will make the boycott difficult to enforce.
Dec. 2, 1991: A fire consumes Souther’s Market on Liberty Street.
Dec. 2 1996: The Monitor reports on some good State House advice from former governor Judd Gregg to Gov.-elect Jeanne Shaheen: “When you go to the bathroom, try to avoid the fourth-grade class from Epping being in the bathroom at the same time. We’re a very down-to-earth state here. The governor goes to the bathroom with everybody else. So that’s a big issue.”
