We are very excited, pleased and happy about what has occurred at the Wheeler House since our last newsletter. As you know, a brand new furnace is in our cellar, which is such a great relief to us. With a house full of artifacts that tell the history of Hollis, it was a worry having a very old furnace in the basement.
Joe Harlin started things happening in the kitchen by scraping, sanding and painting the peeling ceiling. Then we washed the walls & woodwork before Shirley Cohen painted them. The floor has been scrubbed and waxed and we now have a bright clean 1950's kitchen. Ruth Wheeler would love it!!!
Mary Pease has helped us update our signs for the accessions that are on display, just in time for our exhibit this summer. We are ready to Welcome you!!
Capitol Improvement Fund
Great News
Lorden Oil has donated a new furnace, installed, to the Wheeler House. In March, Ted Lorden and AJ Robichaud came over and gave us an estimate on a replacement for our 50-year-old boiler and generously offered to donate the new furnace, which was installed earlier this month and is already saving on our fuel bills. Needless to say, we are very grateful.
In our recent newsletter, I mentioned the "CHECK THE BOX" capitol improvement fund that will appear on the "annual dues" notice. (Those who do the "CHECK THE BOX" will be rewarded with abundant sunshine for the balance of the spring!). While the furnace has been replaced, we have some other projects that must be completed this summer. They are as follows:
Replacement of the flat rear roof. Last summer we replaced the front porch roof for $1000.00 and expect a similar bill for the back roof.
We are in the process of restoring some of the antique furniture that has been donated to us in the past. The estimated cost is $1000.00.
The dining room ceiling and walls need to be repaired and painted, the estimated cost is $500.00.
Because the annual dues do not cover our annual operating costs, and our book sales an donations make up the difference, the Board decided to establish our "CHECK THE BOX" capitol improvement fund to cover the above costs instead of raising the membership fees. Please helps us if you can.
Thank you for your on-going support.
Randy Prozeller, Treasurer.
May 10, 1907 - Hollis Times - Hollis and Vicinity Column:
"The baseball game did not take place Saturday on account of the storm,
so that the H.A.A. was not beaten as expected."
Further down the same column:
"The H.A.A. baseball team expects to go to Dunstable tomorrow to play ball. If
the boys should win the game it would go on record as their first victory. Boys
"play ball". Play to win the game and uphold the
good name of the town."
Charles Bland of Nashua was arrested last Saturday for
overdriving a horse. He was arraigned in police court Monday morning and held in
$300 bonds for superior court. He ill be tried for a similar offence
committed some time previously.
At the Wheeler House, we are going to have a display of some of our vintage clothing that we have been given. Come and see some of the beautiful dresses, petticoats, etc. that were worn 100 or more years ago, and marvel at the handiwork and intricate details that went into some of these pieces. We hope to be open on the first and third Sunday of each month from 1PM to 4PM, in conjunction with the Always Ready Engine House, if we can get some people to help. If you would like to give 3 hours some Sunday, please call and leave a message at 603-465-3935.
"Six and on-half months after the charter of the Hollis was granted 17 Oct. 1746, we quote: We enjoyed a snow storm 2 feet on the level and lasted four days good sleighing. 1749 a severe drought attended with large swarms of caterpillars and insects caused great distress on all New England, many brooks and springs were dried up, not one tenth of a hay crop, many cattle killed because hay could not be gotten to feed the, some hay brought from Pen Hist, Newbury, Mass."
April 19, 1907 - Hollis Times
Fred W. Moore's team figured in a peculiar accident on Monday Morning. His Son, George, drives the one horse team which conveys several children from district 11 to the center school. When near John Corliss's farm the horse became unmanageable and went off the side of the highway, landing most of the children in the brook, which crosses under the highway. None of the children were drowned, but several of them got so wet the were obliged to return home for dry clothes. It took several men to get the horse out of the brook.
NOTE: Your Editor did a bit of research. John Corliss lived at 144 Wheeler Road. District #11 was located at the beginnings of Hardy Lane and Center School was located near the present fire station, and later moved to become Hildreth's Telephone Office and is now a residence at 55 Broad street.
The exhibit at the Always Ready Engine House this year will be a replication of a country store similar to the one that existed on the Main Street level of 22 Main Street. The donation from the Mercers of the scale and coffee grinder will start us off on our attempt to recreate this special place in town where people met their neighbors, and where town affairs were debated. The opening of both exhibits will be Sunday, May 20th from 1pm to 4pm. Please come and support the work of your Historical Society.
June 7, 1907 issue of Hollis Times:
The Always Ready engine made a good showing when the company was out for a drill Saturday evening, and considering that the membership of the company is limited to twenty-five, the machine threw an exceptional stream.
Subscribers of the Hollis Telephone Co. should cut out the list of subscribers which appears in this issue and place it near the telephone, so that they may always give the number when making calls through the exchange.