DUNBARTON HISTORICAL AWARENESS COMMITTEE

MINUTES OF MEETING MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2005

PRESENT: Bud Noyes, Treasurer, Bill and Rebecca Rolke, Stan Halloran, Mert Mann, Selectmen’s Representative. Chair and Secretary Betty Ann Noyes had to attend another meeting. Rebecca acted as Secretary pro tem.

The meeting was called to order at 7:45 P.M. at the Dunbarton Town Office.

TREASURER’S REPORT: Bud reported that the Committee sold twenty copies of Where Settlers’ Feet Have Trod in June, placing the total sold in the 290’s. The mid-June balance in the Committee’s checking account was $3529.32. There was a fifty dollar expenditure for the purchase of historic Dunbarton postcards. The end of July balance was $3481.37.

Bud said the DHAC has been offered a table at the Community Center on Old Home Day, Saturday, September 17, 2005. We will have books for sale as well as the postcards.

Also, Bud has put together some placards of copies of old Dunbarton maps, including one signed by early Selectmen, as well as old Dunbarton Center maps, noting property owners’ names. He will have these available for people to look at on Old Home Day.

ALICE HADLEY GENEALOGY: Bill gave an update of his work on the genealogy. H has almost finished working on the names beginning with “B”. He related some of the anecdotes included in the genealogy. He is having success reading and interpreting Mrs. Hadley’s handwriting and style of writing.

ROBERT ROGERS REPORT: Mert stated the Dunbarton Historical Society is still considering the possibilities for commemorating the homesite of Robert Rogers.

This summer, Bill and Rebecca met Jud Hartmann, a sculptor in Blue Hill, Maine who does sculptures of Indians and other early Americans. To our surprise, he has created two works relating to Robert Rogers.

The first sculpture was called “The Battle on Snowshoes”, portraying Robert Rogers, two of his men, and a rugged tree. In bronze, its base was worked to resemble snow. The price is $25,000, which would be reduced.

The second sculpture was a nearly-finished bust of Major Rogers, complete with feathers in his cap. The price is $7500.

Rebecca and Bill informed Mr. Hartmann that we were from Dunbarton, N.H. He was aware that this is the hometown of Robert Rogers, and of the importance Rogers has to today’s Special Forces soldiers. We discussed the possibility of having one or both sculptures in Dunbarton.

Rebecca will make some calls to people to try to develop public or private interest.

The next meeting will be announced at a later date.