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RiverWoods Exeter to present concert with Theo Martey & The Akwaaba Ensemble

Riverwoods Exeter and AIM representatives standing in front of the Folsom Tavern

On Saturday, July 10 the American Independence Festival will cap off an exciting day with an outdoor concert featuring Theo Martey & The Akwaaba Ensemble, presented by RiverWoods Exeter.

Theophilus Nii Martey, originally from Ghana, is a master of West African drumming and dance. Martey founded the Akwaaba Ensemble in Manchester, NH. Their energetic and engaging performances are a reflection of their name, which means ‘welcome’ in the Twi language of Ghana. The Ensemble’s music evokes the life and culture of their West African ancestors, who were among those living free and enslaved in New Hampshire during the Revolutionary era.

This outdoor concert takes place from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. and is free of charge thanks to generous support from RiverWoods Exeter. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets, and picnics.

“The RiverWoods Exeter community is more than just a local business, we are neighbors!” said RiverWoods Exeter Executive Director, Deb Riddell. “Our residents and staff are big fans of the Exeter area and eager supporters whenever and wherever possible. We’re excited to be able to sponsor this concert, allowing it to be a free community event.”

Celebrating the arrival of the Declaration of Independence in Exeter on July 16, 1776, the American Independence Festival features a variety of entertainment, including music, military demonstrations, traditional artisan working village, and more. Sponsored by the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, this year’s festival includes in-person events spanning the month of July.

To learn more, or purchase tickets, visit independencemuseum.org.

For more information about RiverWoods Exeter, part of the largest family of non-profit Continuing Care Retirement Communities in Northern New England, visit RiverWoodsExeter.org.

About the American Independence Museum
The American Independence Museum is a history museum in Exeter, NH that features a collection of 3,000 historic artifacts that shed light on the American Revolution. Many of our programs touch on civics and the fight for independence, while we incorporate  inclusivity and diversity into the experiences we create on-site and in digital formats. We feature a variety of things to do for people of all ages, including festivals, an historic tavern, guided tours and our annual American Independence Festival.

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2021 American Independence Festival: July 3-24

Man in 18th century clothing kneels on a lawn outside and palys a stringed instrument for a group of children.

Saturday, July 3 will kick off the 31st American Independence Festival, a modified in-person event that will run through July 24 on the grounds of the American Independence Museum.

Presented by New Hampshire State Council of the Arts with additional support from Kennebunk Savings, Newburyport Bank, and RiverWoods Exeter, the Festival will feature a traditional artisan working village, entertainment, reenactments with military drills, and more.

The theme of this year’s Festival is diversity and inclusivity, which underscore that ‘liberty and freedom for all’ has not been experienced in the same way for many in the nation to this day.

“While the Festival celebrates American independence, it also provides a forum for discussion and reflection. We hope it can serve to bring people of all backgrounds and ages together,” noted Executive Director Emma Stratton.

This year’s in-person Festival will be held Saturday July 10, 17 and 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Highlights include a concert by Theo Martey & The Akwaaba Ensemble on July 10, a British and French military reenactment on July 17, and a Family Camp Out on July 24.

“For this year’s Festival, we are offering something for everyone with our variety of events and features. We hope everyone will discover something they connect with or learn from,” added Emma Scheinmann, Program Assistant and Festival Coordinator.

This year’s Festival also marks the 300th anniversary of the Ladd-Gilman House, which served as the state treasury during the American Revolutionary War. One of the state’s first brick houses, but clapboarded three decades later, the home was birthplace to Nicholas Gilman, Jr., a signer of the United States Constitution and U.S. senator.

Built in 1775 by Samuel Folsom, Folsom Tavern is also located on the grounds of the museum. Site to the founding of the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Hampshire in 1783, Folsom Tavern was visited by George Washington in 1789.

“The Society owns the buildings and collection today, so the museum reveals so much about our past and its connection to the present,” noted Stratton. “The Festival will be a terrific time to get a sense for all this history.”

Taking place July 3- 24, the 2021 American Independence Festival will feature entertainment, historic military reenactments, traditional artisan working village, and more. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 4 to 18, and free to museum members. Virtual series, online community readings, and additional programming will go live throughout the festival. To learn more, or for a full schedule of events, visit independencemuseum.org.

About the American Independence Museum
The American Independence Museum is a history museum in Exeter, NH that features a collection of 3,000 historic artifacts that shed light on the American Revolution. Many of our programs touch on civics and the fight for independence, while we incorporate  inclusivity and diversity into the experiences we create on-site and in digital formats. We feature a variety of things to do for people of all ages, including festivals, an historic tavern, guided tours and our annual American Independence Festival.

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Family friendly event exploring local waterways at the Independence Museum

Table displaying Abenaki artifacts with an indigenous presenter demonstrating fletching

On Saturday, June 26 the American Independence Museum will host an outdoor community event, Our Waterways, exploring the waterways that have drawn people to the Exeter area for thousands of years.

Through presentations and hands-on activities, attendees will discover how different uses such as fishing, water power, and transportation transcend cultures and have different impacts on the waterways.

“Visitors will recreate rivers and dams to see how obstructing the river not only creates falls, but limits fish migration,” said Sarah Jaworski, American Independence Museum Program Manager. Make and take craft kits will also be provided.

The program runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m on the lawn at Folsom Tavern. Formal family-friendly presentations will occur at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. From 10:30 to 11:15 a.m., Denise and Paul Pouliot of the Indigenous New Hampshire Collaborative Collective will share the importance of waterways in the daily life of the Pennacook-Abenaki People.

This will be followed from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. by a presentation by the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum.

“Waterways are an interwoven link to the history, art and traditions of Native people, past and present. This brief discussion will share some insights into canoes and wampum beads, as they relate to Native people and the Waterways of the Northeast,” said Andrew Bullock, Executive Director of Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum.

The entire program takes place outside on the grounds of the American Independence Museum. The cost is $10 a family (up to four individuals) and $5 for an individual. Members attend free.

About the American Independence Museum
The American Independence Museum is a history museum in Exeter, NH that features a collection of 3,000 historic artifacts that shed light on the American Revolution. Many of our programs touch on civics and the fight for independence, while we incorporate  inclusivity and diversity into the experiences we create on-site and in digital formats. We feature a variety of things to do for people of all ages, including festivals, an historic tavern, guided tours and our annual American Independence Festival.

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Tavern Tours Highlight Inclusivity and Diversity

Outdoor shot of the entrance to Folsom Tavern with an OPEN sign showing and four people on a tour.

In 2021, inclusivity and diversity will inform much of the programming and exhibits at the American Independence Museum, an emphasis that underscores Folsom Tavern Tours.

In these tours, Curator Jennifer Carr said visitors can expect to learn how many kinds of people used and experienced colonial taverns.

“A tavern was experienced differently by an enslaved person compared to a white merchant or woman, for instance,” she said.

Executive Director Emma Stratton said the museum is actively working to interpret history through diverse perspectives and to help with our understanding of the present.

“‘Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’ is a complicated subject that has different meanings to different people in our history as a nation,” she said.

Built in 1775 by Samuel Folsom, Folsom Tavern boasts a unique history, as George Washington visited it in 1789. Folsom Tavern was also the site to the founding of the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Hampshire in 1783. The nation’s oldest patriotic organization, the Society was founded by officers of the Continental Army and their French counterparts who served together in the American Revolution.

“Visitors will learn about this fascinating history, too,” added Carr.

Folsom Tavern Tours also feature audio recordings that replicate sounds that may have been heard in 18th century taverns. After the guided tours, which will last approximately 45-minutes, visitors will be encouraged to remain on-site and enjoy 1-acre landscaped property.

Home to a world-class collection of 3,000 historic artifacts, the museum is currently developing a variety of public and education programs in virtual and online formats to encourage digital inclusion for all ages.

All tours are limited and masks and pre-registration are required. Tours will be held every hour on the hour on Thursdays 10-12 and Fridays/Saturdays 10-3.

To register for Folsom Tavern tours, visit independencemuseum.org/visit/.

About the American Independence Museum
The American Independence Museum is a history museum in Exeter, NH that features a collection of 3,000 historic artifacts that shed light on the American Revolution. Many of our programs touch on civics and the fight for independence, while we incorporate  inclusivity and diversity into the experiences we create on-site and in digital formats. We feature a variety of things to do for people of all ages, including festivals, an historic tavern, guided tours and our annual American Independence Festival.

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Service Credit Union invests $5,000 in support for Traveling Trunk program

Reproduction Items from the 18th century including a canteen, clothes, and military medals.

Recently, Service Credit Union renewed their long standing partnership with the American Independence Museum with an investment of $5,000 to support its Traveling Trunk program. This program delivers experiential learning opportunities into the classroom. Expected to travel more than 17,000 miles in 2022, school districts throughout the United States will continue to have access to the program at no cost.

Minnesota, California, and Pennsylvania are just some of the stops for next year’s Traveling Trunk program, which uses 70+ high quality replica items and colonial history curriculum to engage students of varying ages.

“The trunk gave students a new perspective as to what life was like for the colonists. Students explored clothing replicas from the 1700s. Also, students reenacted the signing of the Declaration of Independence with other artifacts from the trunk. Thank you for making our American Revolution Unit more engaging!” said Hannah Evans, a middle school Social Studies teacher from New Oxford, Pennsylvania who received the trunk in 2020.

The investment marks the fifth year Service Credit Union has financially contributed to the program.

“The credit union has enjoyed being a part of the more than 19,000 miles this exhibit traveled last year, and is excited to continue supporting the traveling trunk this year as it supplies interactive and unique learning opportunities to classrooms near and far.” said Wendy Beswick, VP of Marketing at Service Credit Union

In addition to continued financial support from Service Credit Union, the Traveling Trunk program was made possible with initial seed funding from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.

To learn more about the Traveling Trunk program, or to book it for your classroom or library, visit independencemuseum.org.

About Service Credit Union
Service Credit Union is dedicated to providing a banking experience that improves members’ lives, as well as the communities in which they live. SCU serves members all over the world, including in-person service at 50 branch locations in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, North Dakota and Germany. For more information, visit https://servicecu.org.

About the American Independence Museum
The American Independence Museum is a history museum in Exeter, NH that features a collection of 3,000 historic artifacts that shed light on the American Revolution. Many of our programs touch on civics and the fight for independence, while we incorporate  inclusivity and diversity into the experiences we create on-site and in digital formats. We feature a variety of things to do for people of all ages, including festivals, an historic tavern, guided tours and our annual American Independence Festival.

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American Independence Museum to virtually host Uprooted: Heartache and Hope in New Hampshire

Smiling white woman with shoulder length curly brown hair.

On Thursday, May 20, the American Independence Museum will host a virtual screening of the film Uprooted: Heartache and Hope in New Hampshire from 6 to 7 p.m.

Uprooted is a 30-minute documentary based on interviews collected during New Hampshire Humanities’ Fences & Neighbors initiative on immigration.

Telling the story of five refugees who resettled in New Hampshire after leaving war-torn countries, the film examines what it means to be a refugee and how these five individuals made new lives for themselves in a strange place, separated from their families and often without communities, English language skills, or jobs.

These stories of the challenges faced by newcomers to New Hampshire echo the stories of those who crossed the Atlantic seeking new lives during the colonial period: religious persecution, personal freedoms, government oppression, and the promise of opportunity.

“We hope to engage our Museum communities in discussions of belonging and citizenship. Uprooted highlights immigrant experiences and asks us to critically think about and understand the American struggle for freedom,” said Program Assistant, Emma Scheinmann.

The screening, which will take place on Zoom, will include a post-film discussion led by Dr. Sara Withers, the project director and a Senior Lecturer at University of New Hampshire. Dr. Withers is a Cultural Anthropologist studying the lives and experiences of refugees in the Granite State.

This event is sponsored by New Hampshire Humanities’s Humanities to Go Program, which offers over 500 high-quality cultural programs that are free and open to the public.

Registration is required for this free program, which takes place on Thursday, May 20 from 6 to 7 p.m.

To register for this virtual tavern talk, visit independencemuseum.org.

Home to a world-class collection of 3,000 historic artifacts, the museum is currently developing a variety of public and education programs in digital formats to encourage digital inclusion for all ages.

About the American Independence Museum
The American Independence Museum is a history museum in Exeter, NH that features a collection of 3,000 historic artifacts that shed light on the American Revolution. Many of our programs touch on civics and the fight for independence, while we incorporate  inclusivity and diversity into the experiences we create on-site and in digital formats. We feature a variety of things to do for people of all ages, including festivals, an historic tavern, guided tours and our annual American Independence Festival.

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American Independence Museum Receives $10,000 Grant

Large red construction vehicle sits on a grassy lawn with an embankment held in place by a stone wall of about 3 feet in height. On the hill above the ledge is the Ladd-Gilman House, a 300 year old building faces in cheery, yellow clapboard. 

A $10,000 grant from the Cogswell Benevolent Trust will support the American Independence Museum in its efforts to effect critical masonry repairs to the back portion of the Ladd-Gilman House’s attached caretaker’s cottage. The restoration project is part of a larger multi-year drainage and grounds work project that began in 2019.

“Water was pooling in our basements, which created a humid environment that is detrimental to collections care and storage,” said museum Executive Director Emma Stratton. “It’s very important we develop a permanent solution to this issue.”

This issue compromised the structural integrity of the foundation of caretaker’s cottage, where the museum’s offices and archives are located.

“We are very thankful for the support of the Cogswell Benevolent Trust in its continued support of our collection care efforts,” said Stratton, who said this phase of the project involves other related repairs.

These repairs include tying the gutter system on the caretaker’s cottage to an existing drainage system in the newly rebuilt retaining wall and re-grading the grounds.

“We are also completing a pathway between both of our historic buildings and adding handrails to all public entrances. We look forward to making our grounds more accessible to the public,” she added.

Built in 1721, the Ladd-Gilman House is a National Historic Landmark property that was home to Nicholas Gilman, Jr., a signer of the Constitution. The home also served as Governor’s mansion when Nicholas’ brother, John Taylor Gilman, was Governor of New Hampshire. Their father—Nicholas Gilman, Sr.—served as the state’s first Treasurer.

Built in 1775 by Samuel Folsom and visited by George Washington in 1789, Folsom Tavern was the site of the formation of the New Hampshire chapter of the Society of the Cincinnati in 1783. The nation’s oldest patriotic organization, the Society was founded by officers of the Continental Army and their French counterparts who served together in the American Revolution.

“This is a big year for the museum, as we plan to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Ladd-Gilman House and our 30th anniversary as a museum,” said Stratton.

The project is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

To learn more about the museum, including its Patriot’s Day Membership Drive, visit independencemuseum.org.

About the American Independence Museum
The American Independence Museum is a history museum in Exeter, NH that features a collection of 3,000 historic artifacts that shed light on the American Revolution. Many of our programs touch on civics and the fight for independence, while we incorporate  inclusivity and diversity into the experiences we create on-site and in digital formats. We feature a variety of things to do for people of all ages, including festivals, an historic tavern, guided tours and our annual American Independence Festival.

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American Independence Museum hosts Patriot’s Day Membership Drive

April 19th, also known as Patriot’s Day, commemorates the encounters at Lexington and Concord that traditionally mark the start of the American Revolution. Almost 250 years later, Patriot’s Day is the driving force behind the American Independence Museum’s first annual membership drive. Staff hope the date will serve as a reminder to current and future members to prepare for the upcoming season and support the museum.

“Shifting all membership renewals and sign-ups to one date will make it easier for visitors to keep track of their renewal cycle,” said Emma Stratton, executive director.

This April date will ensure that memberships are valid for the entire 2021 season which runs from May-November. Current plans for the 2021 season include new digital programs, a modified American Independence Festival in July, Folsom Tavern tours beginning May 15, and events to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Ladd- Gilman House and the 30th anniversary of the American Independence Museum.

A new membership level for individuals will also be introduced. This new level will provide the holder with free admission to tours and the Independence Festival. Students and educators will get a bonus of access to new educational digital resources and programs.

“With all the new content we’ve been creating in the digital realm the museum wanted to continue creating these resources for educators. I hope that this special access will continue to provide classroom resources,” said Sabina Ion, Content and Marketing Manager.

For those looking to support the museum at a higher level or wishing to receive member benefits for more people, the museum also offers Dual, Family, and Advocate membership levels.

To join or to renew memberships, https://www.independencemuseum.org/membership

About the American Independence Museum
The American Independence Museum is a history museum in Exeter, NH that features a collection of 3,000 historic artifacts that shed light on the American Revolution. Many of our programs touch on civics and the fight for independence, while we incorporate  inclusivity and diversity into the experiences we create on-site and in digital formats. We feature a variety of things to do for people of all ages, including festivals, an historic tavern, guided tours and our annual American Independence Festival.

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Mini Camps tell stories of the American Revolution “Beyond the Battlefield”

Welcoming campers back to the American Independence Museum for the first time in two years, the museum is pleased to offer Thursday Mini-Camps for children ages 8-12.

Mini-Camp sessions will run Thursdays in July from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the grounds of the museum’s historic Folsom Tavern. During each session, campers will explore new stories of the people who lived during the American Revolution.

“We will dive into the stories of people who shaped our nation, including stories of those often left out of the history books,” said Program Manager Sarah Jaworski.

In addition to experiencing a soldier’s perspective on the American Revolution, campers will see how everyday people, women, people of color, and children were affected and contributed to the patriotic cause. Over the course of the summer, campers will get to dress in historic 18th-century clothing, try their hand at colonial crafts, see what revolutionary camp life was like, and even become a spy.

New Hampshire COVID guidelines for camps will be followed and registration is limited. Families can enlist in one, two, three, or all four sessions.

Jaworksi noted, “We are thrilled to host in-person camp again this summer.”

Visit https://www.independencemuseum.org/thursday-mini-camps/ to learn more about each camp session and register online. Families can enlist in one, two, three, or all four sessions.

About the American Independence Museum
The American Independence Museum is a history museum in Exeter, NH that features a collection of 3,000 historic artifacts that shed light on the American Revolution. Many of our programs touch on civics and the fight for independence, while we incorporate  inclusivity and diversity into the experiences we create on-site and in digital formats. We feature a variety of things to do for people of all ages, including festivals, an historic tavern, guided tours and our annual American Independence Festival.

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Registration is Open for Traveling Trunk

Educating thousands of K-12 students from across the nation since its inception in 2016, the American Independence Museum’s free Traveling Trunk program is open for 2022 registration.

Developed with initial seed funding from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the program uses revolutionary history to explore themes relevant today.

Shipped in a trunk, the program contains 70+ high quality reproduction items and colonial history curriculum materials that may be utilized by teachers for students of varying ages.

“We can customize the program, too, to suit individual needs,” said Museum Executive Director Emma Stratton, who said museum staff is currently exploring ways to ‘digitize’ aspects of the program.

“We are developing interactive digital programs and events that will remove barriers — physical or financial — for people of all ages,” she added. “Digital engagement and inclusivity is a big focus for the museum, as we look to the future.”

To learn more about the Traveling Trunk, which may be shipped anywhere in the United States, click here.

About the American Independence Museum
The American Independence Museum is a history museum in Exeter, NH that features a collection of 3,000 historic artifacts that shed light on the American Revolution. Many of our programs touch on civics and the fight for independence, while we incorporate  inclusivity and diversity into the experiences we create on-site and in digital formats. We feature a variety of things to do for people of all ages, including festivals, an historic tavern, guided tours and our annual American Independence Festival.

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