Canaan NH Historical Society

Canaan NH Historical Society Canaan Historical Society works to preserve and promote the history of Canaan. This site is open to anyone interested in the History of Canaan, NH.

No advertisements or politics please. Any comments not related to our history will be deleted.

RUG HOOKERS CELEBRATE THEIR 19TH YEAR OF GATHERING AT THE CANAAN, NH MEETING HOUSE! THANK YOU FOR THE NEW SEAT CUSHIONS ...
06/11/2026

RUG HOOKERS CELEBRATE THEIR 19TH YEAR OF GATHERING AT THE CANAAN, NH MEETING HOUSE! THANK YOU FOR THE NEW SEAT CUSHIONS AND FINANCIAL DONATION TO SUPPORT THIS HISTORIC TREASURE. NOTE THE BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED WOOD FLOORS BY MTD!

CANAAN 4TH GRADERS IN JUNE 2017 ENJOYING A HORSE DRAWN WAGON RIDE TO CELEBRATE NH HISTORY DAY! OUR TOWN HISTORIAN DONNA ...
06/07/2026

CANAAN 4TH GRADERS IN JUNE 2017 ENJOYING A HORSE DRAWN WAGON RIDE TO CELEBRATE NH HISTORY DAY! OUR TOWN HISTORIAN DONNA ZANI-DUNKERTON ALSO ENJOYED THE RIDE, AFTER GIVING THE STUDENTS A TOUR OF THE CANAAN HISTORICAL MUSEUM. DO YOU RECOGNIZE ANY FACES? WHAT WERE THE HORSE'S NAMES?
Photo Credit - John & Carol Bergeron

FRIDAY, JUNE 5TH, AT 2PM. HELP IS NEEDED TO MOVE BENCHES BACK INTO THE CANAAN MEETING HOUSE. MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK ...
06/02/2026

FRIDAY, JUNE 5TH, AT 2PM. HELP IS NEEDED TO MOVE BENCHES BACK INTO THE CANAAN MEETING HOUSE. MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK - JOIN US AT THE MEETING HOUSE AT 465 CANAAN STREET.

"War and Rebellion" poster at the Canaan NH Meeting House. Google tells us: "This is an antique poster promoting an exhi...
05/17/2026

"War and Rebellion" poster at the Canaan NH Meeting House.
Google tells us:
"This is an antique poster promoting an exhibition of historical imagery, likely from the American Civil War. These exhibitions traveled the country, often displaying giant painted panoramas, dioramas, or magic lantern slides. The phrase "No Magic Lantern Humbug" was a bold marketing tactic used by showmen to assure audiences they were getting a high-quality visual spectacle rather than cheap optical tricks. Wikipedia +4
These traveling panorama shows often combined education with entertainment. To better understand how audiences experienced these immersive historical graphics, explore the extensive resources on optical media and visual history. MoMA
Further historical background can be found via the following resources:
Learn more about the culture of 19th-century public storytelling and oral history in Lincoln's Yarns and Stories, available on Project Gutenberg.
Read excerpts detailing public reaction to speeches and the historical culture of the era through the Alexander K McClure, Lincoln's Yarns and Stories (1901) text.
Discover more about how historical documents and visual media are preserved and contextualized at the Digital Library of Georgia. "

HELP NEEDED - TODAY (SUNDAY) AT 10AM WE WILL BE MOVING BENCHES OUT OF THE CANAAN MEETING HOUSE TO STORAGE A SHORT DISTAN...
05/17/2026

HELP NEEDED - TODAY (SUNDAY) AT 10AM WE WILL BE MOVING BENCHES OUT OF THE CANAAN MEETING HOUSE TO STORAGE A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY. MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK - CAN YOU HELP? IF YOU HAVE A PICKUP TRUCK, WE COULD USE IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!
Photo by Skip Baldwin

THE CANAAN OLD HOME DAYS COMMITTEE NEEDS VOLUNTEERS...Meetings begin Monday, April 20 at 7pm, at Canaan's Fish & Game Cl...
04/15/2026

THE CANAAN OLD HOME DAYS COMMITTEE NEEDS VOLUNTEERS...
Meetings begin Monday, April 20 at 7pm, at Canaan's Fish & Game Club on Ballpark Road.

A perspective on Noyes Academy. Please click link: https://sites.google.com/view/ralphs-civil-war-history/history/the-bi...
03/28/2026

A perspective on Noyes Academy. Please click link:

https://sites.google.com/view/ralphs-civil-war-history/history/the-big-haul

An intro to the author:
Ralph Epifanio has been a published journalist for approximately 45 years, filling varied and numerous roles: edited and published a running magazine (1981-2003); photojournalist for a running website (2004 to 2013); for over a decade a living historian and contributor to a Civil War website; and a photographer (sports, nature and history). He currently has two websites: running and history.
Since retiring as a special education teacher in 2004, he has spent summers in Canaan, residing on the former Benning Wentworth Governor's Right. As a result of his observations and explorations of a truly historical location, he has expanded his writings to include Canaan.

Remember the community event "Dollars for Scholars"? Thanks to Tina Evans for sharing this article. Mascoma Week newspap...
02/15/2026

Remember the community event "Dollars for Scholars"? Thanks to Tina Evans for sharing this article. Mascoma Week newspaper from April 1970.

CANAAN'S SNOW ROLLER!Restored and located next to the Canaan NH Town Museum on Canaan Street."In times before snowplowin...
01/26/2026

CANAAN'S SNOW ROLLER!
Restored and located next to the Canaan NH Town Museum on Canaan Street.

"In times before snowplowing, winter roads were made passable by packing down snow with a horse- or ox-drawn snow roller. They were used in the 19th century and early 20th century. Usually, the roller was pulled by six horses. Rolling snow made the roads great for sledding. Residents often put their cars away and used horse drawn sleighs instead.
The original timbers of the Canaan snow roller had rotted away many years ago. The roller you see before you was recreated on the original metal frame by many volunteers, businesses and the Canaan Historical Society.
Photo at the Bill Lorden home in 1922. Bill Lorden, Herman Jewell, and Fred Cross are on the roller. " Text from sign.

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Canaan, NH
03741

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