Friends of the Road Newsletter 2024-04-29

April 30, 2024 Dale Christie

Hello Friends of the Road,

We have an early outing this year, and it has snuck up on me. It is a good thing I didn’t plan anything for Sunday, because I was hoping to attend this when the schedule was finalized. It will give me a chance to visit markers I have never been to! I have not been in that area since our Annual Meeting at the Fort @ no. 4 last fall. For those that are interested, here’s a video of our featured presentation during that meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPa5-FWUDog

I feel a bit distracted right now as I’m watching the Celtics game. I’m being torn in three directions. One is the past (CPR discussion), the present (Celtics), and the future (Sunday’s outing). I wonder if I’ll be haunted in my dreams tonight by three ghosts. I hope you’re all doing well and the sounds and smells of Spring have brightened your spirits. The smell of cut grass has returned to my neighborhood. 

Back in February, I shared an excerpt of a diary by David Holden. As you know, diaries and journals are a great way to experience the past. I wasn’t holding out on you when I shared that part, as I didn’t have the complete journal. Shortly after that, Mike Barbieri, one of our prized, unofficial historians, shared with me the complete journal. You can read it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPa5-FWUDog

Sunday’s event will kick off at 1pm, rain or shine. Parts of it will be outside, so hopefully it won’t be rain! Here is the complete write-up: May 5: Sunday at 1 PM we will meet at Charlestown Historical Society’s “Bakery Building’” 216 South Main Street, Charlestown NH — a stone’s throw from the location of the original Fort at No. 4, where the Crown Point Road began. We will start with a car tour of markers and historic sites along its route through Charlestown, narrated by knowledgeable CHS members. Those interested can then hike a trail to NH Marker 7, to observe where Wentworth’s Ferry crossed the Connecticut River to the blockhouse built by Goffe’s troops to guard it in 1760. For more info, contact Barry at (802) 492-3573 or bgriffithvt@gmail.com

In case you are watching the game now, I’ll let you get back to that now. Take care, and hopefully see you soon.