Category: Living History

Guests at the American Independence Festival on Saturday, July 13 may leave with a greater appreciation for their clothes, their shoes, and even their forks at an authentic Traditional Artisan Village. The Traditional Artisans Village is presented by New Hampshire State Council on the Arts (NHSCA).

“The Artisan Village is a big part of the Festival because it showcases a wide selection of trades that helped shape the colonial industry and supported the fledgling nation during the war for independence,” said Eric von Aschwege, an historic gunsmith who manages the Village. “Festival guests can engage with the artisans and learn about how everyday items were made in the 18th-century by hand.”

This year, von Aschwege said guests can expect a more in-depth experience, including changes to the Village’s layout that will allow more space for each vendor to demonstrate their craft. “I think it’s going to make for a more intimate and programmatic experience for guests,” he said.

At the Village, visitors will meet traditional artisans in period attire, including Thomaston, ME-based Bill Wasson, who returns as a ropemaker demonstrating the precise twisting of fibers to make long sections of rope. Berwick, ME resident Peter Cook will spin flax fiber, the base material for linen and one of the most common fabrics during the Revolution.

“There will also be a couple making leather shoes and a craftsman using cow horns to create common objects such as powder horns, cups, and utensils,” added von Aschwege. “Other expert tradespeople include a wood joiner, candlemaker, basketmaker, and potter.”

At the Festival, Von Aschwege will also participate in the Village, as he will present on 18th-century arms in the colonies once in the morning and again in the afternoon.

“I’m excited to lead a discussion about construction techniques and the difference between how they were made in England versus the colonies,” von Aschwege said. “I think historic trades can inspire people to be excited about creating things and are relevant and interesting for younger, diverse audiences.”

The American Independence Festival is presented by Service Credit Union, whose investment provides free admission for all ages. Additional support is provided by Kennebunk Savings. “Sponsors are instrumental in our ability to bring history to life in creative, educational, and fun ways,” said Dr. Robert Levey, AIM Interim Executive Director.

In addition to the Traditional Artisans Village, the Festival features reenactors and soldiers, special exhibits, games, vendor marketplace, beer garden, and a display of an original copy of the Declaration of Independence (Broadside).

Presented by Service CU, the American Independence Festival takes place at the American Independence Museum in historic downtown Exeter, NH from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 13. Admission is free.

About American Independence Museum

Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Museum features a rare collection of historic artifacts that shed light on the Revolutionary War. Examples of popular items in our exhibits include a dragoon pistol, brown bess musket, and 18th century powder horn. Many of our programs offer insight into civic duties, civic engagement and civic responsibility, while we also feature a variety of things to do in NH, such as camps for kids, festivals, summer festival, reenactments, and homeschool programs. Perfect for a day trip or weekend trips, we believe in inclusivity and inclusive history and the spirit behind the phrase, ‘we the people’.

On Saturday, July 13, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., visitors to the American Independence Festival will be transported back almost 250 years to the brink of the American Revolution.

One highlight of the Festival will be special exhibits, highlighted by a temporary exhibition featuring weaponry of the Revolution. “The exhibit will explore antique arms from this period, including a high-speed video of the arms firing, and the history behind a French shipment of muskets that came into Portsmouth in 1777,” said Ashley Hlebinsky.

Nationally known Arms Historian, Hlebinsky designed the exhibit and will serve as AIM consultant through 2024. “I’m excited to be part of AIM and the Festival,” she added.

At the Festival, hosted by the American Independence Museum (AIM), visitors will also have the opportunity to experience AIM’s new educational garden, an interactive exhibit-in-the-making.

“It will provide people with an opportunity to see changes in agricultural practices and the ways in which plants were used by peoples over the centuries,” said Jennifer Carr, who designed the exhibit. “It will bring that history to life by allowing guests to touch and taste the products of the garden.”

This year’s Festival is presented by Service Credit Union, whose support enables AIM to offer free admission. “Led by Service Credit Union, the Festival is a big celebration with many community partners,” said Dr. Robert Levey, AIM’s Interim Executive Director. “Downtown Exeter has a unique charm that is difficult to match.”

Additional support is provided by New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, which presents a Traditional Artisans Village with demonstrations, and Kennebunk Savings.

In addition to special exhibits and Traditional Artisans Village, the Festival features reenactors and soldiers, games, vendor marketplace, beer garden, and a display of an original copy of the Declaration of Independence (Broadside). At adjoining Swasey Parkway, nonprofit TEAM (Town.Exeter.Arts.Music) will host Independence Fest, which features live music, food, and art.

“On July 13, we bring history to life here in Exeter, New Hampshire,” added Levey. “It will be educational, experiential, and a lot of fun.”

About American Independence Museum

Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Museum features a rare collection of historic artifacts that shed light on the Revolutionary War. Examples of popular items in our exhibits include a dragoon pistol, brown bess musket, and 18th century powder horn. Many of our programs offer insight into civic duties, civic engagement and civic responsibility, while we also feature a variety of things to do in NH, such as camps for kids, festivals, summer festival, reenactments, and homeschool programs. Perfect for a day trip or weekend trips, we believe in inclusivity and inclusive history and the spirit behind the phrase, ‘we the people’.

Presented by the William W. Treat Foundation, children’s educational programming at the American Independence Museum (AIM) is expanding this summer to include six minicamps for ages 7 to 11. Taking place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., July 16 – August 1, “campers” will experience 18th-century life through hands-on activities, colonial attire, and themed projects.

“Each MiniCamp has a different theme kids can explore,” said Program Manager Sarah Jaworski. “These camps are fun and educational at the same time.”

MiniCamp themes include “Not a Soldier,” “Working in the 18th Century,” “History’s Mysteries,” “Culinary Cures,” “Camp Life,” and “Patriot, Loyalists, Neutral or Something Else.” MiniCamps take place on the AIM campus, which sits on a grassy acre in the center of historic Exeter, NH, the capital of New Hampshire during the Revolutionary War.

One of four initiatives within AIM’s We Are One multi-year campaign leading up to the nation’s 250 anniversary, “Educating Children & Youth” is presented by the William W. Treat Foundation with additional support from M&T Bank. Ticket prices for AIM Summer MiniCamps are $65 for nonmember children and $55 for member children.

About American Independence Museum

Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Museum features a rare collection of historic artifacts that shed light on the Revolutionary War. Examples of popular items in our exhibits include a dragoon pistol, brown bess musket, and 18th century powder horn. Many of our programs offer insight into civic duties, civic engagement and civic responsibility, while we also feature a variety of things to do in NH, such as camps for kids, festivals, summer festival, reenactments, and homeschool programs. Perfect for a day trip or weekend trips, we believe in inclusivity and inclusive history and the spirit behind the phrase, ‘we the people’.

One aspect that sometimes goes unseen is the work required to preserve history, a reality that will be visible when the American Independence Museum (AIM) opens for the 2024 season on Thursday, May 9.

Built in 1721, AIM’s Ladd-Gilman House requires significant work in the next several years, beginning with plaster repair to deteriorating walls and ceilings in two rooms. The project, led by Drew Bedard of Hall & Parlor Historic Preservation, has run into unexpected challenges.

“During the demolition phase, we discovered structural issues with the exterior brick walls where doorways were cut in below,” he explained. “Unfortunately, proper consideration wasn’t given to the integrity of the bricks above these doorways, leading to their failure.”

To address the issue, Bedard said they must affect several structural repairs, which include the installation of a steel lintel to reinforce an upstairs wall. “We were not expecting this,” he added.

Earlier this year, AIM received a $11,200 grant from the Cogswell Benevolent Trust to complete the project. According to Facilities Manager Rebeccah Seely, Bedard estimates the project may exceed $35,000.

“This project begins a longer-term strategy where we will focus our attention on the interior of the house,” she said. “The complexity of this project underscores why we seek community support.”

In addition to the plaster repairs, examples of other necessary projects at the Ladd-Gilman House in 2024 include electrical upgrades and lining the chimney that vents the furnace. In total, these repairs are expected to approach $60,000.

A National Historic Landmark property that was home to Nicholas Gilman, Jr., a signer of the Constitution, the Ladd-Gilman House was also Governor’s mansion when his brother, John Taylor Gilman, was Governor of New Hampshire. Their father, Nicholas Gilman, Sr., also served as the state’s first Treasurer.

“The Ladd-Gilman House is an important state treasure, especially as we prepare for the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026,” said Dr. Robert Levey, Interim Executive Director. “We hope to rally support from the community to help us preserve this home so we can continue to not just share its history, but reimagine a shared future.”

About American Independence Museum

Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Museum features a rare collection of historic artifacts that shed light on the Revolutionary War. Examples of popular items in our exhibits include a dragoon pistol, brown bess musket, and 18th century powder horn. Many of our programs offer insight into civic duties, civic engagement and civic responsibility, while we also feature a variety of things to do in NH, such as camps for kids, festivals, summer festival, reenactments, and homeschool programs. Perfect for a day trip or weekend trips, we believe in inclusivity and inclusive history and the spirit behind the phrase, ‘we the people’.

At the American Independence Museum (AIM), “building community” is one of the conceptual pillars that support We Are One, a multi-year campaign that informs all programming, exhibits, and events.

This conceptual pillar is most aptly expressed through AIM’s annual American Independence Festival, which will offer free admission to all ages, courtesy of Service Credit Union.

“We believe in the importance of keeping history alive and appreciate how much AIM does to make history exciting for all generations,” noted Sean Hladick, Manager – Community Relations, Service Credit Union.

For Dr. Robert Levey, Interim Executive Director at AIM, Service CU’s consistent support through the years has become an integral part of the museum’s community engagement strategy.

“Service CU enables AIM to expand its reach in meaningful ways to build community through education that inspires and enlightens,” he said. “I think what connects both organizations is a shared belief that we must look back in order to move forward. History is not an abstract concept, but rather a teaching tool.”

Presented by Service CU, this year’s American Independence Festival will take place on Saturday, July 13, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It will feature a Traditional Artisans Village (sponsored by the NH State Council on the Arts), games, vendor marketplace, beer garden, and display of an original copy of the Declaration of Independence known as a Broadside. Admission is free.

In addition to the Festival, nonprofit TEAM (Town.Exeter.Arts.Music) will host Independence Fest within walking distance at Swasey Parkway, which will feature live music, food, and art.

“It’s a big celebration the entire day in Exeter with many community partners,” added Levey. “Downtown Exeter has a unique charm that is difficult to match.”

About American Independence Museum

Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Museum features a rare collection of historic artifacts that shed light on the Revolutionary War. Examples of popular items in our exhibits include a dragoon pistol, brown bess musket, and 18th century powder horn. Many of our programs offer insight into civic duties, civic engagement and civic responsibility, while we also feature a variety of things to do in NH, such as camps for kids, festivals, summer festival, reenactments, and homeschool programs. Perfect for a day trip or weekend trips, we believe in inclusivity and inclusive history and the spirit behind the phrase, ‘we the people’.

On Saturday, May 4, at 11:00 a.m., the American Independence Museum (AIM) will host an Open House at Folsom Tavern as part of an event to unveil a new pocket park in Exeter. Located across the street from AIM’s Ladd-Gilman House at 223 Water Street, the park honors Exeter’s Black Revolutionary War soldiers, their families, and the community in which they lived for more than one hundred years.

The park will also feature a Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire commemorative marker. “The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire is thrilled to continue our marker expansion to Exeter,” said Gina Bowker, Operations Manager. “This marker will help to continue the conversations we’re having throughout the state to advance community conversations about race and bring to light the rich history and contributions of Black people in New Hampshire.”

Local author RM Allen, who serves on Exeter’s Black Heritage Pocket-Park committee, said she is thrilled to see the park finally come to fruition. “The park celebrates Exeter’s rich Black history from the Revolutionary War era to over 100 years later, which was and still is, publicly underrepresented,” she noted. “Hopefully, this high-visibility park will open the door to more acknowledgment, research, and celebration as well as visits from the descendant community.”

The commemorative event begins with a ceremony at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 4 at 223 Water St., across from AIM’s Ladd-Gilman House. The ceremony will be followed by an Open House at 11:00 a.m. at AIM’s Folsom Tavern at 164 Water St in Exeter. The event is funded by the profits from Allen’s local mystery book series.

The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire promotes awareness and appreciation of African American history and life in order to build more inclusive communities today. To learn more, visit blackheritagetrailnh.org.

About American Independence Museum

Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Museum features a rare collection of historic artifacts that shed light on the Revolutionary War. Examples of popular items in our exhibits include a dragoon pistol, brown bess musket, and 18th century powder horn. Many of our programs offer insight into civic duties, civic engagement and civic responsibility, while we also feature a variety of things to do in NH, such as camps for kids, festivals, summer festival, reenactments, and homeschool programs. Perfect for a day trip or weekend trips, we believe in inclusivity and inclusive history and the spirit behind the phrase, ‘we the people’.

Second-year Master’s-level student at Idaho State, Norra Cardillo recently visited the American Independence Museum (AIM) in (re)search of women’s experiences in colonial times and the Revolutionary War by historically analyzing the stories of her matrilineal ancestors.

Built in 1721 by Nathaniel Ladd as one of the state’s first brick houses, AIM’s Ladd-Gilman House was purchased in 1747 by Daniel Gilman, a prominent Exeter merchant. The Ladd-Gilman House served as the state treasury during the Revolutionary War when two members of the Gilman family, Col. Nicholas Gilman and his son John Taylor Gilman, later the state’s governor, served as state treasurers. The house was also the birthplace of Founding Father Nicholas Gilman, Jr., a signer of the United States Constitution and a U.S. senator.

Noting she is a descendant of the Ladd family, Cardillo said she is also a Gilman, ancestral ties that made visiting Exeter (again) “a deeply meaningful experience.” “Coming to Exeter last year left a lasting impact on me,” she said. “The feeling of being here is indescribable—it connects me to my ancestors on a deeply spiritual level.”

After her latest visit to Exeter and other locations in furtherance of her research, Cardillo—a Southern, CA native—said she is leaving the East Coast with a renewed sense of responsibility and duty. “Through this journey, I’ve realized the urgent need for preserving and caring for stories on women in colonial times,” she said. “Unfortunately, women’s history often lacks primary source material, so it falls upon us to responsibly interpret their experiences historically.”

Although she plans to graduate in spring 2025, Cardillo described her research as “a lifetime project.” “To fellow researchers, I would say to stay true to your research even when you lack primary evidence, particularly when studying topics related to women,” she said. “Seek out support from fellow scholars and don’t be afraid to think creatively.”

In addition to Exeter, NH, Cardillo visited Portsmouth and Concord, NH in addition to Hingham, MA. “I have further stories I need to explore,” she explained. “For instance, I would like to further research the experience of women at this time within the confines of slavery and the experiences of my Native American ancestors. I also want to further examine the experiences of my other early American settler ancestors outside of New England to get a more comprehensive perspective of the lived experience of women at this revolutionary time.”

According to Interim Executive Director Robert Levey, PhD, Cardillo’s enthusiasm for her research underscores the importance of historical knowledge. “Norra reminded me that history can be a deeply personal experience,” he said. “My hope is we can find a way to share her research at AIM as it evolves.”

Cardillo said she looks forward to future collaborations with AIM. “My journey to uncover women’s stories has only just begun,” she added.

Home to 3,000 historic artifacts, including an original copy of the Dunlap Broadside (Declaration of Independence), AIM develops programs, events, and exhibits that engage people of all ages in the ongoing struggle for freedom and self-governance. AIM is sponsored in part by The Society Of The Cincinnati In The State Of New Hampshire, Service Credit Union, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, and William W. Treat Foundation.

About American Independence Museum

Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Museum features a rare collection of historic artifacts that shed light on the Revolutionary War. Examples of popular items in our exhibits include a dragoon pistol, brown bess musket, and 18th century powder horn. Many of our programs offer insight into civic duties, civic engagement and civic responsibility, while we also feature a variety of things to do in NH, such as camps for kids, festivals, summer festival, reenactments, and homeschool programs. Perfect for a day trip or weekend trips, we believe in inclusivity and inclusive history and the spirit behind the phrase, ‘we the people’.