The Nashua Historical Society Archives and Museums

The Nashua Historical Society Archives and Museums The Nashua Historical Society promotes Nashua history, education, and research with our two museums.

09/08/2026

Who’s ready for another Trivia Tuesday!?

Here’s this week’s trivia question:

What was the name of the Nashua contingent formed in 1887 and the next year was re-organized as part of the New Hampshire National Guard?

Hint: This group had an encampment at the Fairmount Heights Campground, located near the end of Fairmount Street, and was disbanded in 1887.

Following up on our post from August 13, Erik provided us with more pictures of past Nashua residents with the hope our ...
09/03/2026

Following up on our post from August 13, Erik provided us with more pictures of past Nashua residents with the hope our amazing community could possibly help identify them!

Here’s some background information on the people pictured, courtesy of Erik:

The first picture is a CDV photo taken in the 1870-84 timeframe. It is from an unknown studio and the back is labeled as “Mrs. Gale/ Nashua”. She appears to be approximately 30-35 years old. In doing some quick research, the Gale family appears on census records in Nashua from 1840 to 1940. Mrs. Gale likely had some connection to the Wellman family, either as a friend or related by marriage.

The second picture appears to have been removed from a small locket or frame. It is oval shaped. It may have been an early CDV photo that was cut into the oval shape, but the stock seems a bit thin, making it hard to date. “Miss Pherson” is written on the back. She appears to be 18-25 years old. There do appear to be some Pherson families in Nashua on the 1910 census records. It could also be an incorrect spelling of McPherson.

The photo is a tintype picture, sixth plate size approx. 2.75” x 3.25”, of an infant and probably dates from the 1860-70 timeframe. The back has a piece of masking tape on it with the name “Mittie Pitts”. The infant appears to be a year old or less. The Pitts surname starts to appear in Nashua census records beginning in 1900. It could be a cousin, nephew. or niece named after her as well since Mittie Wellman was born in 1854.

There are still another 11 photos from this album which are unlabeled. 4 of those were taken at studios in Nashua. A few others were taken in studios in Massachusetts and could be from Mittie’s time in school at Oread. If anyone is interested feel free to reach out directly to me (Erik) and I can provide those as well.

Thank you again to Erik for sharing these pictures, and be sure to check out his page titled “Lost in Time Portraits from the Past.”

It’s time for another Trivia Tuesday question!In what year was the Amherst Street Fire Station in Nashua completed? Bonu...
09/01/2026

It’s time for another Trivia Tuesday question!

In what year was the Amherst Street Fire Station in Nashua completed? Bonus points if you know the exact date!

Hint: This station is the oldest continuously operated fire house in New Hampshire, serving the community for well over a century.

To celebrate this week’s trivia, here are a few photos of the exhibits from our Fire House display, showcasing equipment and artifacts from when the station first opened and began serving Nashua.

Feel free to stop by the Society to explore these exhibits and so much more!

We are incredibly grateful to The Nash Casino for their generous $171,551 donation to the Nashua Historical Society! Thi...
08/27/2026

We are incredibly grateful to The Nash Casino for their generous $171,551 donation to the Nashua Historical Society! This support helps us preserve local history, expand community programming, and keep Nashua’s stories thriving for future generations. It was an exciting moment for our team, and we truly appreciate The Nash Casino for believing in our mission and playing it forward in such a meaningful way!

We have a great Trivia Tuesday question for you today!Which infamous Nashua figure fled the country in 1893 after a $90,...
08/25/2026

We have a great Trivia Tuesday question for you today!

Which infamous Nashua figure fled the country in 1893 after a $90,000 shortage at Indian Head National Bank — a sum he was accused of embezzling?

Hint: This individual was a former mayor, state legislator, and son of a prominent 19th‑century statesman. He was rumored to have a second family in Boston and ultimately died in Paraguay at age 61.

Another fun fact: This same individual is the subject of a detailed historical piece currently being researched and worked on by our coworker Matt!

To go along with this week’s question, check out an original bill from the Indian Head National Bank, the very institution at the center of this dramatic story!

08/20/2026

We want to thank everyone who came out to our Open House event on August 9! We were thrilled with the turnout and how smoothly everything went, and we loved seeing the enthusiasm from our fantastic community members.

Your support and participation mean so much to us. Thank you for making the day such a success.

We hope to see you all again soon!

Recently, some of our team were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit the Dracut Historical Society.It’s alw...
08/20/2026

Recently, some of our team were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit the Dracut Historical Society.

It’s always inspiring to connect with fellow organizations who share a passion for preserving local history and community storytelling.

Thank you to everyone at the Dracut Historical Society for hosting us! We truly appreciate it and enjoyed our time together.

08/18/2026

Here’s this week's Trivia Tuesday question:

What was the name of the YMCA camp in Nashua in 1930?

Hint: The camp was started in 1924, and at the time, was an overnight camp for boys. The camp was named after Eaton D., who was Mayor of Nashua at the time as well as President of the Nashua YMCA. Even though the location has stayed the same, the camp has changed over the years. Today, the camp is for both boys and girls.

Another fun fact about the camp is that we have pictures and information about it displayed at the Society!

Courtesy of our friend Erik Hinckley, who works extensively with genealogy, old photographs, and historical societies, w...
08/13/2026

Courtesy of our friend Erik Hinckley, who works extensively with genealogy, old photographs, and historical societies, we’re excited to share a collection of historic images featuring past Nashua residents. These photographs come from the Phillips Maine Historical Society and date from approximately 1868–1881.

Erik believes the individuals shown may be friends or extended family of Mittie (Wellman) Atwood, who originally owned the photo album. He asked us to share these images with our community in hopes that someone might be able to help identify the people pictured.

Here’s some background information on the collection:

These photos came from an old album kept by Mittie Viola Wellman of Nashua, NH. Mittie was b. 25-May-1854 in Nashua and d. 01-Feb-1946 in Phillips, ME. She married Frank W. Atwood in 1881. She had previously attended the Oread Institute in Worcester, MA. Oread, a Woman's College, was founded in 1849 and closed in 1934. The majority of photos in this album were CDV photos taken in 1874 of Mittie’s various classmates and staff from Oread. Other pictures are likely friends or extended family from Nashua.

Anna Bussel
Taken at the F. Glenton Studio in Nashua circa 1875

Anna Cummings
Taken at the F. Glenton Studio in Nashua circa 1875

Frank Giddings
Taken at the S. Towle Studio in Lowell, MA 1878-84. Frank was b. on 10-Aug-1866 in New Hampshire and d. on 18-Jan-1884. He was on board the SS City of Columbus when it ran aground on Devil’s Bridge near the Gay Head Cliffs in Massachusetts. Known as the Gay Head disaster, this wreck claimed the lives of 103 passengers and crew. He is listed on the family headstone in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Nashua, NH.

Ida Hussey
Taken at the E.W. Johnson Studio in Nashua 1868-72. Ida was b. on 22-May-1856 in Weare, NH and d. 19-Oct-1926 in Nashua. She attended the Oread Institute with Mittie. Her father was an agent for the Jackson Company Mill. She is buried with other family members in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Nashua. She m. Charles Henry Avery on 13-Oct-1880, they had at least 2 children.

Prof. Philips
Taken at the E.W. Johnson Studio in Nashua 1868-72.

Charlie Ryder
Taken at the E.W. Johnson Studio in Nashua 1868-72.

Theodore Whitley
Taken at the Johnson & Glenton Studio in Nashua in 1872.

Thank you again to Erik for sharing these pictures, and be sure to check out his page titled “Lost in Time Portraits from the Past.”

Address

5 Abbott Street
Nashua, NH
03064

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+16038830015

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