Missed Connections: Look who’s trying to find on Craigslist
We took to Craigslist last week to see who had been posting on the Missed Connections pages in our neck of the woods during the month of August. And we found a ton of great entries to share – and that we could print, unedited, of course. Red hair in a silver car – m4w (Concord) – Aug. 31 I saw you a little after 1 in concord. I drove past you while you were getting ready to stop at a red light. I had a black car and we...
This Week in Concord History
Sept. 12, 1841: In an unscheduled lecture, Stephen S. Foster, a Canterbury abolitionist, holds forth during a meeting at the Old North Church. When he won’t stop talking, several men escort him out. Sept. 12, 2003: The state Department of Education releases the results of last spring’s state tests for third-, sixth- and 10th-graders. Statewide, last year’s third-graders achieve about the same levels of proficiency in math and...
We took a field trip to Penacook, Boscawen and Canterbury
We don’t get to leave Concord that often, so when we do, we really like to make it count. Since we started taking these field trips a few months ago, we’ve traveled far and wide to exotic destinations like Sunapee, Henniker and Hooksett. For this issue, we decided to stay a little closer to home. While it’s always fun and exciting to check out some faraway place we’re not familiar with, we thought it would be interesting to explore...
Here’s what we found during our expedition
As you’re probably well aware by now, this is a field trip issue. For one week, the company brass let us out of Concord to go explore some other communities for the sake of writing about them. We’re basically experts when it comes to cool places and goings-on in Concord, but this trip allowed us to broaden our own horizons a bit and share some of that enlightenment with all of you. Our goal was pretty simple: Go out and explore...
We went in search of events in all three places
PenacookPenacook Community Center Benefit Concert Capitol Center for the ArtsSaturday, 7 p.m.Reception to followPresented by Avoloch Farm Music Instituteccanh.comYard SaleImmaculate Conception ChurchSaturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 9 Bonney St.The Delphi TrioThe United Church of PenacookSept. 13, 7 p.m. ucpnh.org. Gazebo Ribbon CuttingSept. 29, 11 a.m.penacook.orgChristmas Craft FairThe United Church of Penacook Nov. 11, 9 a.m. to 2...
We took pictures of lots of intriguing things during our trip
We found some peculiar stuff during our adventure to Penacook, Canterbury and Boscawen, and here’s the photo documentation to prove it!
Twiggs Gallery is Boscawen’s one-stop shop for the arts
The arts community in this area of the state is thriving, and it’s easy to see why. Just check out a local gallery and you’ll see what we’re talking about.Not too far north of the city you’ll find what many would consider a bit of a hidden gem in the art world: Twiggs Gallery at Cornerstone Design. And it’s got a lot going on. There’s the gallery space that just opened a new show last week, Ply: A new spin on fiber art, that Twiggs...
We found a number of farms for fresh food
There’s nothing like getting some fresh fruits and veggies from the very places they’re grown. That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.Right about now local farms are harvesting and growing some pretty tasty stuff that has and will be filling the bottom drawers of our refrigerator. And we want the same for you. So during our tour of the three locations that you’ve seen throughout the pages of this here Insider, we decided to see...
You’ve got to taste-test the local delicacies
Visiting a new place is always exciting. The sights, the sounds, the people – and of course, the food.As you’ve seen over the years, we like our food, especially when the company decides to pick up the tab. And since you can’t really experience a new location without taste-testing some of the local fare, part of our trip to Penacook, Canterbury and Boscawen included a few stops to put some tasty meals in our stomachs.The Newell...
Where does Penacook actually begin, anyway?
For as long as we’ve been around Concord, there’s been this question looming over our heads: Where does Penacook actually begin, end, and what does it include?So when we decided to do this field trip issue to Penacook, Canterbury and Boscawen, we knew there had to be some sort of an Insider investigation into the age-old Penacook debate. So we started with the man at the top of the food chain in Concord, City Manager Tom Aspell –...
Take a trip to Canterbury Shaker Village
If you’ve never made the trip to Canterbury Shaker Village, you’re missing out.Many New Hampshire children visit the 200-plus year old property during school field trips, but we also learned that it’s quite the educational experience for adults as well.When you arrive, you need to head into the visitors center to pay your admission ($19 for adults, $9 for children ages 6 to 17 and free for children 5 and under) and where staff will...
Avaloch Farm a one-of-a-kind music institute in Boscawen
Imagine a spin on your regular work week – you’re not in the office, instead you’re atop a peaceful country hillside, dining on highly praised cuisine while conversing with fellow professional artists at work. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, as it turns out, facilities like this do exist, and as rare as they may be, we happen to have one right up the road, Avaloch Farm Music Institute in Boscawen.Unfortunately for us, since we’re...
‘The Final Reel’ to begin 3-week run at Hatbox Theatre
The Final Reel, a ghostly dark comic thriller, by English teachers turned playwrights, William Ivers and Walter Freeman will begin a three-week run at Hatbox Theatre this weekend. As the curtain rises on this spellbinding thriller – Ghost Encounters, a mildly popular paranormal investigative reality show, has recently arrived at the haunted Leman Mansion on the coast of Maine. The cast and crew are hoping to boost their flagging...
We caught up with Concord native Sharon Dunn, author of the new book ‘Under a Dark Eye’
Gibson’s Bookstore always has a lot of author events, but it’s not too often that they host one who grew up right here in Concord. But next Wednesday, Sept. 13, the bookstore will welcome Sharon Dunn, author of Under a Dark Eye. The book focuses on her father, Gilbert Dunn, the founder of Duncraft bird supplies, and mother, Dr. Gladys Ward-Dunn, who worked as a psychiatrist at New Hampshire State Hospital, where the family lived. We...
Cast your vote for the NHTI photo contest
Walk into the NHTI Library these days and you’ll notice a collection of nine photographs hanging on the main wall. There’s no caption information or name of the photographers – just a number underneath each one. That’s because the NHTI Library staff is currently holding its annual staff photo contest and it’s up to you to decide who comes out with the win this year. Each photo was taken by a different staff member, ranging from scenic...
Want to see buildings not open to the public?
Do you ever wonder what some of the buildings around Concord look like on the inside? You know, the ones that are off limits to the general public.So do we. But thanks to Intown Concord’s annual Upstairs Downtown event coming up on Sept. 14 (that’s next Thursday), you can scope out a few that may be on your list to investigate.This is the ninth time Intown Concord has hosted a tour of downtown buildings and you won’t want to miss out...
The Concord art world is full of great shows
Concord is home to lots of great artists and art galleries.So each week, we are putting together a list of current exhibits and ones that will soon open, so you can have a handy guide to all the art world happenings. That way, when you’re looking to scope out some cool art, you don’t have to look too far.Just think of it as our little gift to you. If you know of an exhibit not listed, let us know. McGowan Terra Incognita: Becky...
Watch ‘The C Word’ at the Audi on Sept. 19
Concord Hospital Payson Center for Cancer Care is pleased to provide a free showing of a bold new documentary film that will rock our world when it comes to our understanding and battle against cancer. Join us on Sept.19, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium for The C Word. With a dose of good humor, heart and a touch of rock-n-roll beat, The C Word reveals the forces at play keeping us sick and dares to ask: if up to...
See cars, cars and more cars at Kiwanis Club car show at NHTI
Old cars, new cars and just about any kind of car you can think of will be on display at NHTI this Saturday for the Kiwanis Club of Concord’s 32nd annual antique and classic car show. The show will run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with a rain date of Sunday. Cost is $3 per person, with children under 12 free. In all, there will be 21 class awards, ranging from cars made before 1932 to Camaros, Mustangs and Corvettes. There are classes...
Bulletin Board
Red River hosting youth film festival On Saturday at 10 a.m., ConcordTV will host the 2017 Youth Video Film Festival at Red River Theatres. The event will begin with greetings from station manager Josh Hardy and executive director Doris Ballard. Programming and production assistant Melissa Sweatt and production and training assistant Justin Scarelli, who supervised this year’s camps, will be on hand for the festivities. The festival...
Book of the Week: ‘The Bookshop on the Corner’
The Bookshop on the CornerJenny Colgan2016, 368 pagesFiction Nina Redmond is stuck. She’s just lost her job as a librarian in a London library branch where she excelled at matching readers with their perfect read. When she’s given the opportunity to take a new job within the same library system, she just can’t muster the energy to pretend that she wants to do anything other than read and recommend books (hardcovers and paperbacks –...
This Week in Concord History
Sept. 5, 1929: Amateur radio enthusiast Robert Byron of 15 Fayette St. in Concord talks for an hour with Robert E. Byrd’s South Pole expedition 12,000 miles away. He says the reception is remarkably clear. Two years earlier, Byrd spoke to a packed house at the City Auditorium. Byron’s radio exploits are well known in town. The year before, he was the first to inform the Germans by radio that the Bremen had reached Greenley Island in...
What happens when the Insiders get curious?
We all get curious about things from time to time.Like how many full pizzas could we make with all the leftover slices from a given day at pizza shops around Concord? What are the day-to-day duties for Mayor Bouley? And what do people actually think about the Insider?And those are just a few random things that popped into our heads as we sat down to write this intro to what can only be summed up as the Curiosity Issue.Throughout the...
Lend out your yard to a family who needs it
For the last two summers, Bob Reals and Jim Plato have had less lawn to mow.That’s because the two Concord homeowners have turned a portion of their yards into large gardens for refugee families to grow food in.For Plato, a 40-foot by 40-foot square in his Branch Turnpike backyard is where Hari Adhikari and Prem Khatiwada grow their vegetables and greens for the season. Reals lends out a 12-foot by 15-foot space in his front yard on A...
What are those large yellow horns anyway?
A while back, we got an email from a reader named Jeff.He was curious about the yellow siren horn attached to a telephone pole at the corner of North State Street and Horseshoe Pond Lane. At first he thought it had something to do with Concord Fire Department’s Central Station near by, but then he saw one by Rolfe Park along Community Drive in Penacook, which is nowhere near a fire station. He said he had tried to research and find...
Read about the Civil War at the state library
We get all kinds of requests for old editions of the Insider, links to stories and questions of, “Have you ever covered this?” And usually it doesn’t take long to get things squared away, considering the Insider is only a little over a decade old.But this latest one required a little more investigation – it dated back over 150 years. A faithful reader named William was curious as to whether or not we had any information about Civil...
We had to see what WeCycle is all about
We all have stuff that we don’t want anymore. Either it’s old, broken or we just feel it’s time for something a little newer.It usually ends up in a pile in the basement until you figure out what to do with it. Sometimes you can find a friend who wants it, but depending on the condition, the whole process typically ends with a trip to the dump or put out on the side of the road with a free sign. But there’s also the donation route,...
Get ready for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
If you’re around Memorial Field on Oct. 15, you’re going to see a lot of people wearing pink.That’s because Oct. 15 is the date for this year’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Concord event, which is celebrating its 25th year of raising money for the American Cancer Society.Concord was actually the first walk in the country (along with Boston) and now there are more than 250 walks nationwide. Talk about being a trend...
Go Try It: Pick some peaches at Carter Hill Orchard
Over the years, we’ve done a lot of pick-your-own fruits.Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and apples are ones we like to pick ourselves at least once a year. Nothing against the containers you can find at fill-in-the-blank of your favorite farmstand, but there’s nothing quite like going out in a field/orchard and deciding exactly which fruit you’re going to bring home. You almost feel like a farmer in some sense.But one fruit we...
Many volunteers get Audi looking sharp for season
The Friends of the Audi held its annual three-day Pitch In last week, where they get the Concord City Auditorium ready for the next season. During the final day, the chandeliers came down where we found Joanna Otis and Joe Hayden polishing one in the balcony. A total of 60 volunteered for a total of 288 hours of work, with more to be done on Sept. 6 at 9 a.m. – if you’re interested. And now when you catch a show, the Audi will look...
