The day before Old Home Day in Chichester, the Marden family carries on a treasured tradition that has been part of the townโs fabric for more than a century.
A massive kettle of beans is lowered into the ground, with a fire kindled beneath it to slow-cook through the night.
The tradition first began in 1901 with Linwood Mardenโs grandfather and has been faithfully handed down ever since. Today, Mardenโs children and grandchildren join him, ensuring that the familyโs legacy continues.
โItโs not too many things that last this long,โ Marden said. โItโs important for me. It’s something my family started and cared about, and my children and grandchildren care about it.โ
It all starts with 60 pounds of navy beans, combined with ingredients from a family recipe preserved through the generations.
Then, two fires are lit: one for a makeshift outdoor stove where the beans are parboiled, and another fire using dry hardwood is lit in a pit to heat the buried kettle.
At Carpenter Memorial Park, the giant vat is sealed underground, where the beans slowly cook for 16 to 18 hours.
Justine Hayward, who led the preparations for the event, said that this unique tradition has been a highlight of Chichesterโs Old Home Days.
โIt’s probably the longest-standing tradition Chichester has, which is really kind of neat,โ said Hayward. โSo it’s kind of one of the things that draws people in.โ
The beans are served to residents as part of the big lunch served the next day at Old Home Day.
Cooking up a giant pot of beans is a time-honored tradition in many towns and remains a cherished part of Old Home Day celebrations across New Hampshire. The Marden family has also been bringing this tradition to Epsom since the 1960s.
These events hold a lot of small-town charm through parades, barbecues, potluck suppers, obstacle courses, tug-of-war competitions and an abundance of community spirit.ย
The origins of Old Home Day date back to 1899, when then-Governor Frank Rollins proposed a new kind of gathering. Rather than mourn the decline of rural life, he envisioned a joyful celebration of New Hampshireโs towns and communities. He hoped to draw former residents back home, especially those who had moved westward or left for industrial jobs in the cities.
Jennifer Goodman, executive director of the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance, said Old Home Day was designed as a heartfelt reunion, a way to reconnect people with their roots and with one another.
โAt a time when social connections may seem frayed, this is a chance to have long timers and newcomers connect,โ said Goodman. โIt’s a time to show off the best of a community to visitors. It’s a time to generate new enthusiasm and energy for the work ahead.โ
While some towns hold tightly to long-standing Old Home Day traditions, others enjoy mixing things up with new and creative events.
In Boscawen, residents take part in a competition decorating plywood cutouts of goats โ each one a unique and colorful creation.
Over in Candia, visitors can experience something a bit more exotic with a wildlife exhibit featuring animals you wouldnโt normally find in your backyard.
This year, Dunbarton had a hands-on station that taught visitors how to make a cobweb broom, long and slender, used to sweep hard-to-reach corners.
Last year, the town had kids lining up to make their own candles, illustrating that Old Home Day can be both nostalgic and full of fresh surprises.
Ken Koerber, who has been involved in planning Old Home Days in Dunbarton for many years, said events at Old Home Days teach the younger generations life skills that old farm kids had back in the day.
โThere was a lot of self-reliance and capability that developed in that time frame,โ said Koerber. โIf you go up on a farm and you’re taking care of animals, you don’t take a day off because animals need their water, they need their feed, and if something goes wrong, you put in incredible hours in order to correct it before it becomes a real crisis, or the family starves.โ
All the effort behind organizing Old Home Day comes from dedicated volunteers. Over the years, some communities have scaled back or even paused their celebrations. Others have made efforts to bring the tradition back to life.
Hayward, a seventh-generation Chichester resident, said Old Home Day can sometimes be overlooked if no one takes the lead, but it’s an important tradition worth keeping alive.
โIt’s something really kind of special to be able to bring to the community to pay respect and tribute to those that came before us and to keep the tradition going,โ said Hayward.
