Madison Historical Society Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Press Release
This is a big year for the Madison Historical Society as we celebrate our 50th anniversary. The Society was first organized on September 3, 1958, and was incorporated the following year on July 17, 1959. That first year, the Society met at members’ homes for meetings and programs. The town gave use of what was the Recreation Hall to the Historical Society in 1959, and the building was officially dedicated on August 12, 1959 during Old Home Week.
Our Board continues to work actively to procure grants and plan upcoming fund raisers for our Restoration Fund. The proceeds will be dedicated to building restoration work so desperately needed. In addition, we need to format a ten year plan.
The Society received a Preservation Services Grant from the NH Preservation Alliance to hire a drainage expert for advice. This is the first step that is needed to restore the museum.
We are pleased to announce that we have received donations totaling $7,853. toward the Restoration Fund. This amount does not include the Flatbread Company fund raiser last June, which took in $299.25. The Restoration Fund is separate from our general fund income, which includes the Old Home Week Craft Fair, the Blueberry Festival, the Madison School PTO Christmas Craft Fair, general museum sales and memberships.
A replica of the Gee Bee Model R-1 aircraft, owned by the Madison Historical Society … “Nearby is the birthplace of the Granville brothers … they formed the Granville Brothers Aircraft Co. in Springfield, Massachusetts, and designed, manufactured and flew notable racing aircraft of the Golden Age of Aviation. In 1932, the Gee Bee Model R-1 set a new world speed record of 296 m.p.h. Their high performance designs represented the cutting edge of technology and dramatically influenced military and civilian,” the marker states.
We are in the process of organizing a dedication ceremony with the New Hampshire Aviation Historical Society (NHAHS) for their wonderful donation of the new Granville historical marker, which was placed in front of the museum this fall.
A dedication of this new monument is slated for June 14, 2008 on the front lawn of MHS, located at the corner of Village Road (Route 113) and East Madison Road.
We are thrilled and honored to have such a beautiful marker to commemorate the Granville family and their notable accomplishments in the early years of aviation. We hope that all, or most, of the Granville family will be here to help make the day special. At this time, we are aiming for June 14, and we will keep you posted on the day’s events.
News just in! Roy Bubb will be publishing his new book soon: Visions From A White Mountain Palette, Life and Times of Charles Hunt (Madison’s White Mountain Painter). We will be having an author’s talk and book signing program this summer to introduce this wonderful book that Roy has been working on for several years. Roy is graciously donating the proceeds of his book to our Building Restoration Fund. Thank you, Roy!
The programs we provide, which run from May through September, are open to the public. Please consider becoming a member of the Madison Historical Society.
Mary K.W. Lucy, President
