Report of the Board of Directors  2022
       The Newbury Historical Society presented the Town's Boston Post (Bicentennial) Cane to resident Barbara Billings, who turned 100 on May 7, 2022. The Boston Post Cane tradition was established in 1909 by The Boston Post newspaper. The paper had specially designed canes made and contacted the selectmen in some 700 New England towns. The canes were given to the selectmen with the request that they be presented in a ceremony to the town's oldest living man. The custom was expanded to include women in 1930. The recipient held the honor as long as he/she lived (or moved from the town). Although we don't know if Newbury was actually included among the 700 New England towns, the tradition of passing a cane seems to have begun with the Sunapee Lake Grange in 1892. The original cane was lost but a bicentennial cane was created in 1976 and the tradition has continued.
      In May the NHS collaborated with the Newbury Public Library, John Hay Poetry Society and Literary Arts Guild of The Center for the Arts, for a multimedia presentation based on Visual Verse – Snapshots in Time, a volume of poetry and photographs from the collections of seven Lake Sunapee-area historical societies. The poets read their works inspired by photographs from the NHS collection and the NHS provided historical context.
      In October, the NHS hosted John C. Porter, who spoke on “The History of Agriculture as Told by Barns.” Mr. Porter told how the evolution of barn architecture tells the story of N.H. agriculture, that barns changed from early English style to Yankee style, to gambrel and then pole barns. This well-attended presentation was a chronological walk through time, with photo illustrations of barns around the state that are examples of these eras of agricultural history, including Newbury's stone barn on Route 103A.
        In November, members of the NHS helped repair a broken gravestone and replace a sign in the Gillingham Cemetery. Working with Fannin-Lehner Preservation Consultants of Lexington, Mass., Deane Geddes and John Lyons learned about gravestone repairs while providing some of the labor. The gravestone was cleaned using D/2 Biological Solution, which we learned cleans without damaging the surface of the stone. The refurbished stone was then set in a new concrete slotted base.
        It is with great sadness we report the passing in January of long-time NHS board member Ashley Geddes. Ashly was an active participant on the History Committee and a regular contributor to the newsletter. Her presence on field trips was always welcome due to her insights in having spent winters skiing on Mt. Sunapee and boating on Lake Sunapee. Whether hiking in the woods searching for cellar holes or researching house titles, her presence is missed.