Town Historians

Argie's Wife · 03-12-2009, 08:15 AM

Does your town have a historian?

If so, do you know exactly what their role is for your town?

I'm doing some fact-finding about this role for not just NH but all over.

Thanks for your help & input!

Pineedles · 03-12-2009, 08:42 AM

Our town historian is an appointed position. He is listed on the town's website with contact info. http://www.southington.org/content/52/114.aspx

HC0209 · 03-17-2009, 07:42 PM

That is really cool that you have a designated historian for your town. It would be even more interesting to see how one qualifies for such a position (i.e. to you need to be a professor, librarian, etc?) The Lakes Region would benefit with such a person but no town would ever promote such a thing.

Argie's Wife · 03-17-2009, 09:59 PM

Many of the towns here do have a historian and it is generally an appointed position with no stipend and no budget to speak of. The nominee (or victim, whichever the case may be) is generally approved by the town's selectmen or town administrator. The qualifications aren't necessarily that someone needs to be a professor or librarian but a citizen with a willingness to work to preserve the history of the town.

As with the case of Alton, there is no real job description or criteria that must be met. It is something that I am considering taking on because there has been no one in the position for a few years now and there's some things sliding by us that should be given attention. I am a contractor for the town serving as the meeting recorder for several boards and committees, so I am probably more aware of the need than some folks in our community.

The position isn't that of someone with an unlimited knowledge of the town's history - there's plenty of people in town already that I wouldn't dare to compete with on that level; they would "smoke" me in no time. Besides, I'd much rather listen to them - they are the true treasures of this town.

However, I am resourceful and know the workings of the town. I would be able to network the resources here so that others could easily access them via the web, by email or by a phone call. My goal would be to preserve the historic artifacts of the town, keep record of our resources, and be a liaison to the schools and civics groups. My goal isn't to work on everyone's genealogy project but to direct people looking for information on where they might find it.

I have already reached out to teachers in our community and some of the locals (the local history buffs) to get their input on what they would like to see in the position. I am working with the town's executive admin to write up a job description and goals based on the input I receive and by researching what other town's historians do - or don't do - before I jump in.

CrawfordCentury · 04-29-2009, 02:25 PM

One town over from you - New Durham - has had a town historian for years. Going back to perhaps the seventies. While the posts are distinct, the current volunteer town historian is also president of the town's historical society.

Projects have included researching/preserving historical structures, conducting/transcribing oral histories, etc.

03-12-2009, 08:15 AM	#1
Argie's Wife Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Alton Posts: 1,908 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 533 Thanked 579 Times in 260 Posts	Town Historians Does your town have a historian? If so, do you know exactly what their role is for your town? I'm doing some fact-finding about this role for not just NH but all over. Thanks for your help & input!

03-12-2009, 08:42 AM	#2
Pineedles Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Moultonborough & CT Posts: 2,535 Thanks: 1,059 Thanked 652 Times in 363 Posts	Historian Our town historian is an appointed position. He is listed on the town's website with contact info. http://www.southington.org/content/52/114.aspx

03-17-2009, 07:42 PM	#3
HC0209 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Meredith Posts: 13 Thanks: 5 Thanked 5 Times in 2 Posts	That is really cool that you have a designated historian for your town. It would be even more interesting to see how one qualifies for such a position (i.e. to you need to be a professor, librarian, etc?) The Lakes Region would benefit with such a person but no town would ever promote such a thing.

03-17-2009, 09:59 PM	#4
Argie's Wife Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Alton Posts: 1,908 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 533 Thanked 579 Times in 260 Posts	Many of the towns here do have a historian and it is generally an appointed position with no stipend and no budget to speak of. The nominee (or victim, whichever the case may be) is generally approved by the town's selectmen or town administrator. The qualifications aren't necessarily that someone needs to be a professor or librarian but a citizen with a willingness to work to preserve the history of the town. As with the case of Alton, there is no real job description or criteria that must be met. It is something that I am considering taking on because there has been no one in the position for a few years now and there's some things sliding by us that should be given attention. I am a contractor for the town serving as the meeting recorder for several boards and committees, so I am probably more aware of the need than some folks in our community. The position isn't that of someone with an unlimited knowledge of the town's history - there's plenty of people in town already that I wouldn't dare to compete with on that level; they would "smoke" me in no time. Besides, I'd much rather listen to them - they are the true treasures of this town. However, I am resourceful and know the workings of the town. I would be able to network the resources here so that others could easily access them via the web, by email or by a phone call. My goal would be to preserve the historic artifacts of the town, keep record of our resources, and be a liaison to the schools and civics groups. My goal isn't to work on everyone's genealogy project but to direct people looking for information on where they might find it. I have already reached out to teachers in our community and some of the locals (the local history buffs) to get their input on what they would like to see in the position. I am working with the town's executive admin to write up a job description and goals based on the input I receive and by researching what other town's historians do - or don't do - before I jump in.

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04-29-2009, 02:25 PM	#5
CrawfordCentury Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somewhere betwixt Gonic and Chocorua Posts: 191 Thanks: 13 Thanked 30 Times in 21 Posts	One town over from you - New Durham - has had a town historian for years. Going back to perhaps the seventies. While the posts are distinct, the current volunteer town historian is also president of the town's historical society. Projects have included researching/preserving historical structures, conducting/transcribing oral histories, etc.