Some of us enjoy bringing history alive with our Cemetery Walk and Round Robin events by portraying early citizens of our town. The above image is from a Round Robin event, which included the Cemetery Walk. Volunteers are in the “stern pose” found in older photos, and the sepia tint is designed to add a “bit of vintage”. Clothing design spans different decades, from the pre-revolutionary era to the late 1800s. Several are meticulously created garments, painstakingly sewn for the event. We love history that much!
‘About us‘ is truly reflective of you, too. Preserving our town’s history is a gift to our citizens, visitors, and future generations. However, we cannot achieve this without your support, and it is clear that we are in dire need of more help.
Officers by Vote, 2-year terms
President Joseph Schmidl, Term 2026
Treasurer Cheryl Bentley, Term 2026
Secretary Eve Grello, Term 2026
Trustee by Vote, 3-year term
Scott Cooper, Term 2027
Melissa Lesniak, Term 2026
Dave Merwin, Term 2026
Appointed Curator
Cynthia Owen
Executive Committee is comprised of 8 members
3 Officers
3 Trustees
Curator
Past President (for 2 years)
Committee Chairs
Display Manager Rose Cravens
Flag Project Coordinator Rose Cravens
Hospitality Dora Rapalyea
Round Robin Coordinator Cynthia Owen
Hearse House Museum, Cynthia Owen
House Manager David Rapalyea
Membership Louise Andrus
Merchandise Cynthia Owen
Publicity Eve Grello
Website & Facebook Content Rose Cravens & Sharyn Goddard
Scholarship & Concert Coordinator Arthur Garvin & Dave Merwin
2025 Presidents Message
Dear Members,
I look forward to an excellent year for the Salisbury Historical Society. After 6 years serving as a Trustee (the last of the 6-year Trustees) where my focus was managing the budget and assets of the Society, I will now be working more closely with the Executive Board and other volunteers to develop events, programs and fundraising opportunities that advance the mission of the Society: education about the history of the Town of Salisbury. This is a very different perspective that I’m looking forward to.
The reason I’m looking forward to a good year is that, thanks to outreach at the end of last year, we have a group of new volunteers who have joined the team in various roles. They bring with them new ideas, perspectives, and approaches that I hope will allow us to better perform our mission in ways that meet the needs and expectations of our members. We’re always looking for more help, so feel free to reach out and volunteer.
One of the first things that we’ve done is create email addresses for certain Society officers to make it easier for our members to reach us. You’ll see the full list elsewhere. To reach me or future Presidents, email president@salisburyhistoricalsociety.org. Please do reach out if you have suggestions or ideas about how to better serve our membership. We’ve got a full season of programs planned, some in cooperation with the Salisbury Free Library, with a renewed focus on local history and the residents of Salisbury who’ve contributed to both the Town and our Country.
Best Wishes for a fruitful 2025!
Joe Schmidl, President
Salisbury Historical Society, New Hampshire
Past Presidents of Salisbury Historical Society
Other ways to contribute
- Join as a member and contribute fresh energy, innovative ideas, and unique talents.
- If you occasionally have a few hours to spare on a Saturday afternoon during the summer, you might consider becoming a museum docent.
- Support our projects to maintain buildings and trees in prime condition.
- Would you be interested in participating in Old Home Day?
- Do you possess Salisbury artifacts you wish to donate or loan for an exhibit?
- Are you theatrical? Ever think about trying your talents out on being a reenactor? Be part of the historical cemetery walk as a historical character. Children are welcome!
- Engaging with town seniors to collect their stories. Our book, “They Said It In Salisbury,” is open for the addition of more senior interviews if anyone is interested in spearheading this project.
- Financially contribute by check to: Salisbury Historical Society, PO Box 263, Salisbury, NH 03268