Rubbings, photographs and slides illustrate a variety of gravestones found in our own neighborhood. These stone “pages” also tell long-forgotten stories of such historical events as the Great Awakening, the Throat Distemper epidemic, and the American Revolution. Find out more about these deeply personal works of art, and the craftsmen who carved them, with Glenn Knoblock.
The program, Tuesday, June 28 at the Old Town Hall, on Route 140 in Gilmanton Iron Works, begins at 7:30 p.m. The public is welcome. There is no charge, but donations to support the Gilmaton Historical Society’s work are welcome. Social hour and refreshments begin at 7. For further information check the society’s website, visit gilmantonhistorical society.org.
The Society is pleased to present its regular summer series this year. On July 23 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., (rain date July 24) the Society offers a tour of its new farm museum at the Tom Howe Barn, along with hikes to Meetinghouse Pond on the Urner Trail and a presentation about flax production, at the conservation property on Meetinghouse Road. On Aug. 23rd at 6 p.m. (rain date, Aug. 24), Society President John Dickey leads a walking tour of Pine Grove Cemetery on Stage Road. The final program, Sept. 27 7:30 p.m., Kevin Gardner offers a program on New England stone walls.
The Society’s museum, at Old Town Hall, is open Saturdays during June, July and August, from 10 a.m. until noon. It will also be open beginning at 7 p.m. before programs at Old Town Hall, May, June and September.
The Loon Preservation Committee is reminding the public that from now through mid-to-late July, loons will be nesting throughout the state. Loons nest on lakes and ponds and often build their nests along the shoreline of islands, in marshes, or along the mainland shoreline in protected coves. Adapted for life in the water, loons cannot walk on land. As such, they build their nest right at the water’s edge. These nests are vulnerable to boat wakes and to human disturbance. “Because they cannot walk well on land, loons are vulnerable when they are on the nest,” said LPC Senior Biologist/Director, Harry Vogel. “If they sense a threat, such as a closely approaching boat, they will flatten themselves low over their nests, with their heads angled toward the water, to try to hide. If the threat persists in the area, they will flush from their nest.” If adult loons are flushed from the nest, their eggs may be exposed and vulnerable to predation or temperature changes that can render the eggs inviable. Those who plan to boat, fish, or hike on or around New Hampshire’s lakes during the loon nesting season are urged to be careful as they move in areas where loons may be nesting. If a loon nest is found, it should be given plenty of space — 150 feet at minimum, and more if the loon shows signs of distress, such as lowering its head over the nest. Following New Hampshire’s no-wake laws helps to avoid swamping loon nests or washing their eggs out of the nest.
Those that wish to see a close-up view of nesting loons can do so responsibly by viewing the Loon Preservation Committee’s Live Loon Cam at loon.org/looncam. The eggs on the nest are expected to hatch between June 24 and 27.