https://www.richmondnhhistoricalsociety.org/rhs-blog daily 0.75 2026-05-06 https://www.richmondnhhistoricalsociety.org/rhs-blog/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-67tfc-ljbfw monthly 0.5 2026-05-06 https://www.richmondnhhistoricalsociety.org/rhs-blog/blog-post-title-two-t5my5-k4xmd-67jzh-6zamj monthly 0.5 2026-05-06 https://www.richmondnhhistoricalsociety.org/rhs-blog/blog-post-title-three-y3peb-4lwnz-5pkhf-xyzhh monthly 0.5 2026-05-06 https://www.richmondnhhistoricalsociety.org/home daily 1.0 2026-06-07 https://www.richmondnhhistoricalsociety.org/contact-us daily 0.75 2026-05-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/4a2858ca-6a0c-41fe-859d-c3d7ec377770/ArchiveCar2.jpg https://www.richmondnhhistoricalsociety.org/historical-maps daily 0.75 2026-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/60a6c760-ad36-4629-b83e-638f10c23bec/1753.jpeg Historical Maps 1753 Map of NH's Western Frontier courtesy of Historical Society of Cheshire County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/6bd6b07f-721d-46a2-aff9-7fa0d235943f/1761.jpeg Historical Maps 1761 Map of Southwestern NH, courtesy of Historical Society of Cheshire County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/c6b704a1-c937-423b-b302-beee00a1b1b0/annexation+to+swanzey+1762.jpeg Historical Maps 1762 Annexation to Swanzey, from Bassett's "History of Richmond". https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/ee62efbd-33f9-4bc5-9958-486fb7d9798c/1767.jpeg Historical Maps 1767 Map of Plan for Cheshire County, courtesy of the Historical Society of Cheshire County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/7a5ffc89-cdfa-4519-9801-25bcb98236c0/1784.jpeg Historical Maps 1784 Map of Cheshire County, courtesy of the Historical Society of Cheshire County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/67712173-2d39-42e8-bd6d-45c38147e83e/1816.jpeg Historical Maps 1816 Map of Cheshire County, Courtesy of the Historical Society of Cheshire County https://www.richmondnhhistoricalsociety.org/our-work daily 0.75 2026-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/d688f1fd-8e7e-4c2f-8053-ab4508d0b2f8/PXL_20260604_185536639%7E2.jpg Our Work THE BRICK CHURCH BELL PROJECT - The Brick Church in Richmond is a historic Greek Revival structure built in 1838 by a Unitarian society, which sold a half interest in the building to the First Baptist Society before construction was completed. Located at 11 Fitzwilliam Road, the church is recognized for its distinctive brick pilasters and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in March 1983. Distinguished from earlier Federal-style churches by the decorative brick pilasters that span its façade and create the appearance of a classical portico, the Brick Church is the earliest and southernmost church in a series of related nineteenth-century brick churches along the Connecticut River Valley. For nearly two centuries, one of its most prominent features was the belfry that rose above the church tower and housed its historic bell. That bell, weighing approximately 900 pounds, was cast in 1840 by the Holbrook Bell Foundry of East Medway, Massachusetts. It remained in service at the church until 2025, when significant rot was discovered in the belfry and its supporting structure. Because the deterioration posed a safety hazard, the belfry had to be removed. Although the church roof has since been repaired, the congregation could not afford the substantial cost of rebuilding the belfry and its support system. As a result, the bell now rests on the ground beside the church. Concern for preserving this important historic artifact prompted the Richmond Historical Society to become involved. The bell itself is an important piece of New England industrial and religious history. Its maker, Major George Holbrook, was born in 1767 in Wrentham, Massachusetts. As a teenager, he apprenticed under Paul Revere as a machinist and clockmaker. In 1797, Holbrook established a factory in Brookfield, Massachusetts, where he manufactured bells and clocks. After relocating to East Medway in 1812, he founded a new bell foundry in 1816 following a commission to cast a bell for a newly planned meeting house. In 1820, Holbrook's son, Major George Handel Holbrook, assumed leadership of the business and expanded its production of church and meeting-house bells. The foundry became known for casting medium-sized bells, typically weighing between 500 and 1,500 pounds. The Brick Church bell is one of these surviving examples and bears the inscription: GEORGE H. HOLBROOK, MEDWAY, MA. 1840 The foundry remained a family enterprise for several decades. In 1868, Major Holbrook's grandson, Edwin Handel Holbrook, joined the business. Following Major Holbrook's death in 1875, Edwin took over operations before ultimately selling the foundry in 1880, bringing the Holbrook family's involvement in the bell-making business to a close. Today, the Brick Church bell stands as both a historic artifact and a tangible link to this important New England manufacturing tradition. Because the church roof can no longer safely support the weight of the bell and belfry, the Richmond Historical Society is exploring ways to preserve and interpret the bell for future generations. The Society proposes to design and construct a freestanding belfry on a concrete foundation near the church's front entrance. Modeled after the original structure that once crowned the church tower, the new belfry would protect the bell while providing visitors with a visual reminder of the church's architectural and historical significance. In addition, the Richmond Historical Society plans to install interpretive signage that tells the story of the bell, the Holbrook foundry, and their connection to the history of the Brick Church and the Richmond community. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/1771532573340-ZGXPW3AH3H8EJO3HG2J2/MonumentDedication2025.jpg Our Work MEMORIAL PARK located next to Veterans Hall. Granite markers honor Richmond veterans who served their country during the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. In 2025, the Historical Society installed an additional monument to honor Richmond veterans from all branches of the military. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/8bf5fc5e-1e34-425b-9b40-1837d1e21a33/telephone+building+picture.jpg Our Work TELEPHONE BUILDING located on Rte 32 next to Veterans Hall. Restored in 2016, the Richmond automatic telephone exchange building was originally constructed in 1938 as one of the first such buildings in N.H. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/746b8a66-d428-4f3c-9de6-09d9f59a08b0/town+pound.jpg Our Work TOWN POND This 40' x 40' stone structure, constructed in 1802 and reclaimed in 2023, was used to corral stray livestock until 1886. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/1773257854415-07JUZ8YK4Q0YQDEUHFHO/tramp%2Bhouse%2Bpicture.jpg Our Work TRAMP HOUSE located near the Richmond Firehouse. One of the few remaining such structures in N.H., this building was originally constructed in 1914 and restored in 2015. It served as a one-night refuge for passing vagrants. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/1774832667998-EBOD7GCHI5ZP857WIMTM/BrewerPark.jpg Our Work BREWER PARK located at the intersection of Rte 32 & Rte 119 by the Heritage Commission. Sign reads: "This intersection was the site of Richmond’s Town Common before the turn of the 20th Century. It held a town well, pump, watering trough, hitching post and road signs directing travelers to towns at each compass point. There was also a grist mill wheel believed to have been moved from the Great Steam Mill (est. 1855) located 1/4 mile to the east. This private park is named in honor of Geraldine Brewer, who lived in the adjacent house, which was built in 1798 and once known as the Widow Haines Tavern. She worked for 48 years in the former A & W’s Store that stood directly across the road to the west. Gerry was Richmond’s unofficial greeter, much beloved by residents and visitors." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/1774639939719-AVKBYSEBDRXW71G038ES/TownWell.jpg Our Work TOWN WELL, PUMP & WATERING TROUGH Site of the Richmond Town Well, a place where animals and people could gather for refreshment. In 1953, Richmond resident Emerson H. Pearson, a carpenter, built and installed the pump and watering troughs. Later, the well was restored by local volunteers. https://www.richmondnhhistoricalsociety.org/directors daily 0.75 2026-04-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/79e52a53-1725-4edc-8fec-eace774ad3bc/ArchiveMembers2.jpg https://www.richmondnhhistoricalsociety.org/donate daily 0.75 2026-06-07 https://www.richmondnhhistoricalsociety.org/historic-sites daily 0.75 2026-04-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/665d5aa3-0ae5-49b4-875a-b7fae73dbd29/TrampHouseD.Frances.jpg Historic Sites TRAMP HOUSE located on Winchester Rd, across from the Richmond Public Library. This one room dwelling housed many “tramps” who passed through town during the first half of the 20th century. Severe economic conditions and high unemployment caused hundreds of thousands of people to take to the roads and railroads seeking work, handouts, food and shelter. Many towns built simple one room hostels where these vagrants were given a free meal and a bed before being urged to move on. The Richmond Tramp House, one of only a few remaining in the State of New Hampshire, serves as a mini museum recalling a significant era in Richmond's history and culture. Photo courtesy of Darlene Frances. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/ec416aab-8d73-4c05-8590-a2b2f8630729/MiddletownCemetery.jpg Historic Sites MIDDLETOWN CEMETERY located on Old Homestead Hwy (Rte 32N) next to the Richmond Town Hall. It is one of the town’s oldest burial grounds, dating to the late 1700s or early 1800s. It began as a small, local cemetery serving families in the Middletown district and gradually became a central community burial site. Over time, it has held generations of early Richmond families and likely includes graves of veterans from early American wars. Today, it is town-owned and maintained, still in use but with limited space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/31bd94ee-e60d-4610-ac62-3b27cb7907ae/BallusHouse.jpg Historic Sites HOSEA BALLOU (1771–1852) marker located on Old Homestead Hwy near Mill Rd. "Born in an almost uncleared wilderness in an area then known as Ballou’s Dell, 1.5 miles east of here, on Fish Hatchery Road, this farm boy, reared in the Baptist faith, became known as the Father of Universalism. In the 19th century, as an author and preacher, he expounded religious liberalism from pulpits in Portsmouth, N.H., Salem and Boston, Mass." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/541b9116-1852-44d7-86bf-d5569c6a8324/VetsHall.jpg Historic Sites RICHMOND TOWN HALL located at 105 Homestead Hwy. The building was constructed in 1780 to house Richmond's First Baptist Church, established in 1768, was one of the first Baptist congregations in the New Hampshire. The church became notable in the early history of Christian universalism, because Hosea Ballou, son of its first settled minister, became one of the leading proponents of that doctrine. The congregation merged with another in 1830, ending its association with the building. The pews and pulpit were removed in 1884, at which time the rear gallery space was adapted to house town offices, and a stage was added to the auditorium in place of the pulpit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/41303a19-ca2b-44c0-b72b-d8915dd94a90/VetsHallOldPix.jpeg Historic Sites No. 147 Grange Hall, Veterans Memorial Hall, located at 150 Old Homestead Hwy. Built in 1837, the building has double doors on the front, arch shaped windows on the sides and shutters on the windows. The carriage shed pictured to the right of the building was later taken down. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/2689c84f-90ef-43bd-b42c-d5b5ffdae7fa/Woodwardpix.png Historic Sites "Mr. Franklin's House" painting by Robert Strong Woodward. Click on the picture to visit the RSW website. https://www.richmondnhhistoricalsociety.org/archives daily 0.75 2026-04-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/5f455d7c-5c8b-4bd9-998f-b5f40c288472/postcard.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/7441b9c0-2c83-4513-8187-7ca768de0f66/postcardLake.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/7c19c0e5-37c1-41e3-a21a-44595a527677/postcardBoat.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/7389486e-0194-452b-a569-b0457bf14830/EchoLake2.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/f866b37f-b13d-423b-9ad3-c3087c628e77/PostcardFourCorners.jpeg https://www.richmondnhhistoricalsociety.org/stage32-openmic daily 0.75 2026-05-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/1775002295671-V0UBY2VMUKFSIRAO7HX5/IMG_2540.jpg Stage32 Open Mic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/a72fd382-f18a-48da-9e16-3e7ce92edf13/OpenMic.jpg Stage32 Open Mic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/1775001289017-AA0MC0U7BZW51H97JH9X/STAGE32.jpg Stage32 Open Mic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/1775001364565-A37LI5QMDNRVYGK2QS2C/OpenMic8.jpg Stage32 Open Mic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/1775001455179-1REIROGVHHHWJST1ESMI/OpenMic12.jpg Stage32 Open Mic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/f0aa78ca-7619-4f96-857f-e8c7c0a1e3aa/Stage32Bass.jpg Stage32 Open Mic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/1775002792250-KXQGGY9VXSU3CPL44CGD/OpenMic20.jpg Stage32 Open Mic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/d1992b7c-f4f8-4b8a-98b3-e43bc9b2007b/OpenMic14.jpg Stage32 Open Mic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6646156545ce44396d1afd70/50c8877c-b5f6-42f7-96bf-a532fc546753/OpenMic5.jpg Stage32 Open Mic