Windham nh history

Windham's history is much more than plots on a timeline or lines on a page. Rather, it is a collection of stories that when put together tell the unique story of Windham, NH. Explore the stories of the individuals and places that have made Windham what it is today.
The natural beauty and fertile lands of Windham drew first the Pawtucket Indians and then Scotch-Irish settlers. The town's rich history is full of intriguing stories, including Wallace Fessenden's unscrupulous baseball umpiring, the return of a native son after his burial at sea in Indonesia and the poetic life of the Rustic Bard, Robert Dinsmoor. Tourism boomed as early as the 1850s, when visitors flocked to the waterside temptations of Canobie Lake and later Cobbett's Pond, where eccentric millionaire Edward Searles built his famous castle. Local historian Derek Saffie weaves together a collection of historic stories from the settlement's roots as Nutfield to the town of Windham.

How Windham Came to Be

The history of Windham NH begins with the area being settled by Scotch-Irish immigrants in 1719 as part of a region called "Nutfield"; the name given to it because of the abundance of nut trees in the area. Nutfield was roughly the region occupied in modern times by Derry, Londonderry, and Windham. Windham separated from Londonderry, and was incorporated, on February 12, 1742. 

Leonard Morrison - Windham's First Historian

Much of what is known about the history of Windham comes from Leonard Morrison's "History of Windham, NH: 1719 - 1883". Morrison, the first true town historian, published his book containing an extensive history, as well as numerous family genealogies. Much of the research done for this website was made possible due to his book. 

Robert Dinsmoor - Windham's Poet

"Windham Range in flowery vest, Was seen in robes of green, While Cobbet's pond, from east to west, Spread her bright waves between. Cows lowing, cocks crowing, While frogs on Cobbet's shore, Lay croaking and mocking The bull's tremendous roar." 

References

Interested in learning more about the history of Windham NH? Check out the following links: 

1913 Andrews grain mill advertising calendar

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1913 advertising calendar from Andrews' mill in West Windham
Although I have previously written about Andrews' grain mill in West Windham, it was all too tempting to share this 1913 advertising calendar. A popular promotional item from the Victorian era and the following decades, and even now, calendars were invaluable advertising. Most recipients of these calendars would have proudly hung them wherever was most convenient for them to check the date. What better advertising than having your name in front of a customer every single day? However, some calendars, like the one shown above, were likely thrown in a drawer and never used; the monthly pages were never torn off this calendar.

For the interested, more on the mill and Mr. Andrews can be found here: http://www.windhamnhhistory.com/history/edward-andrews-mill-operator-and-inventor
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