The Commission consists of up to seven members and an alternate who are appointed by the Board of Selectmen to serve for a three year term. Meetings are scheduled on a flexible basis approximately every 6-7 weeks except during the summer months.

Accomplishments of the Commission:
    Over 7 years of activity, the Commission has been able to accomplish a number of important things in our town, supported by annual town appropriations, private contributions to its Heritage Fund, and considerable volunteer help.

The following summarizes these accomplishments by category:

New features to enhance our town and its heritage:
    Designed and installed three attractive cast bronze plaques at historic sites
    Participated in a collaborative effort with the Cemetery Trustees to design and install signs at all five of our town-owned cemeteries
    Created a walking pathway to the historic 18th century Town Pound

Maintenance Projects:
    Repaired the Civil War Statue (sword reattachment & new concrete apron)
    Maintenance of the historic Bell Tower which had been presented to the town in 1995 by the Marlborough Historical Society
    Rebuilt the stone wall at the Meeting House site, as well as on-going site maintenance

Historical Preservation project:
    Management of the historic 1767 Maynard-Gates House, the town's oldest wooden-framed house
    Preservation work on the interior and exterior, including construction of a handicapped accessible bathroom and main entry
    Installation of a cedar shake roof (2001), with the majority of cost supported by private donations solicited by the Commission

Special projects at the Maynard-Gates House:
    Held an Arts & Crafts Exhibit of many excellent items created by local residents (2001)
    Held three open house events for the general public
    Hosted five field trips by Grade 3 children, their teachers, aids and several parent escorts, as part of the study of local history

Commission Members -
    People who have contributed their time and talents:
    Current members: Robert Bennett, Richard Butler, Rufus Frost, Fred Torelli, Edward & Helen Wilson
    Former members: Nancy Hayden, Ted Mead, Jean Packard, Elizabeth Richards, Priscilla Richardson, Gene Woodward, Allan Williams

Our Heritage Fund:
    The Heritage Fund was also established under the 1992 state law to provide for a non-lapsing fund for use by Heritage Commissions. This Fund is supported by gifts received from the public and other private sources, from town appropriations, from fund-raising or from grants. Anyone wishing to assist the work of the Commission with a contribution to the Heritage Fund should contact any member of the Commission, or mail a check to the town offices, to the attention of the Heritage Commission.

The Community Cornerstone Committee:
    This ad hoc committee was organized in early 1998 by the Heritage Commission for the purpose of determining those features of our community which are important to preserve for present and future generations as we move into the 21st century, with particular emphasis on the 21 most significant features, both natural and built, that make our town the special place that it is. Contact Dick Butler at 876-3980 for further information.

The Boston Post Cane is a "tradition that would not die", according to one New England article written several years ago. In 1909, the publisher of the Boston Post newspaper, Mr. Edwin Grozier, offered a gold-capped cane to the Selectmen in 700 towns in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The Selectmen in some 431 of those towns accepted the gift and became the trustees of the cane. It was originally presented to the oldest male citizen living in town, as a symbol of longevity, with the intent to be passed along to successive "oldest citizens." In the 1930s, Richard Grozier, a later publisher of the Boston Post, granted permission to the towns to award the cane to a woman.

Our Boston Post Cane was initially presented to Stillman Richardson who was 95 years old at the time he died in 1916.The actual presentation date is not know. Since then, seventeen other "oldest residents" have received the cane, including six women. Rose Trombley was the first woman to receive the cane in Marlborough, in October of 1971. The current holder of the cane, Gwendolyn Hooper was presented the cane in Nov. of 1996 when she was about 94 years old.

Our Boston Post Cane was retired in 1995 and replaced with a replica in order to preserve the original and to avoid losing track of it, a problem which has happened over time in a number of the original 431 towns. The replica is made with a walnut shaft turned by former Selectman Robert Bennett and is topped with an engraved pewter cap which was made by one of our residents and former pewter craftsman Harold Tonseth.

Information on the history of the Boston Post Cane and its use in New Hampshire can be found in an interesting book authored by Ms. Barbara Staples of Massachusetts. The book is titled "The Granite State's Boston Post Canes". The Marlborough Historical Society and the Marlborough Heritage Commission jointly researched the history of the recipients of the cane in our town, and created a booklet which can be purchased from the Historical Society. For further information on this interesting story about the cane, its use in New England and in our own town of Marlborough, contact either of these organizations.

Click here to download a a DOC file of this story.

Meeting House Cemetery	Meeting House Cemetery	Old Meeting House Site
Marlborough & Keene Stage Coach

Meeting House Heritage Site (Click photo to enlarge)

Located on Frost Hill Road, next to the Meeting House Cemetery, is the site of the original Meeting House which was built during the period 1770 -89. When the town began to develop along the river valley and the center of the town moved from its original location, around the mid-1800s, the building was abandoned and fell into disrepair. Eventually the Meeting House was damaged by storms, leading to its being dismantled over 130 years ago. An historic marker stone was placed there to identify the location, and woods grew up around the site. The drystone structure of the old Town Pound is also located on this land, a short distance from the historic marker stone.

This important historic site has been undergoing a major transformation since early May, 2003. The Heritage Commission launched a special project to selectively clear the site which is located on 1 ¾ acres of town-owned land, to create a space for public enjoyment and a place to relax in a beautiful natural setting with a view of Mt. Monadnock.

Progress to date:
On June 17 the newly cleared, stumped and graded open space was seeded with natural grasses. Once the grassed area is well established, granite blocks from the quarry will be placed in one or two spots for visitors to sit on, and a handicapped accessible area will be created behind the stone wall at the front of the site.

During early October, a 145 ft. section of the stone wall which adjoins Frost Hill Road was rebuilt.

This site will be of lasting benefit to our residents and visitors to our town, as well as being a significant part of our efforts to preserve the heritage of Marlborough.

A Steering Committee is guiding the project through its several phases. Members representing the Heritage Commission, the Conservation Commission, and residents are: Robert Bennett, Richard Butler, Rufus Frost, Ira Gavrin, Michael Krinsky, Manfredo Torelli.

A fund-raising campaign has been ongoing to support the project which will cost an estimated $14,000. Beyond that direct cost, contractors have donated approximately $7,500 of their equipment and manpower costs to help us make this project a success.

Anyone who would like to make a donation to help support this project should send a check made out to the Heritage Fund to the Marlborough Heritage Commission, PO Box 487, Marlborough, NH 03455.

         The Marlborough Heritage Commission

Work in the Marlborough Webb Quarry -- Audio talks by Harold Larro
       Between 1891 when George D. Webb purchased the Marlborough quarry, and 1933 when the business closed operations, as many as 250 men annually cut, polished, and shipped high quality granite to cities throughout New England. Harold Larro describes the work his father performed at the quarry, and reminiscences about what this industry meant to the town of Marlborough.

The Stone Wall History & Restoration Reference Page