The Trivia History Challenge has been presented monthly for years. Previous years’ questions & answers are indexed here: Trivia History Challenge Index
Questions are about Salisbury, NH. Answers can be found on our Website and Facebook page. The questions are intriguing, and the answers are interesting.
- Parents and Educators: Topics lend themselves to further research for school children’s projects and reports.
- Do you have an interesting question and answer for the challenge? Please let us know.
- Should we make a factual error, please do not hesitate to contact us. All additional data, images, corrections, or questions are always welcome.
MAY 2025
Question: In 1878, the Salisbury Town Report, ‘School Committee’ reported on all districts within Salisbury, NH. How many school districts did Salisbury have in 1878?
Hint: Salisbury – Old Town Reports – Salisbury, NH, Historical Society
ANSWER:
- DISTRICT NUMBER ONE (South Road)
- DISTRICT NUMBER TWO (Centre Road)
- DISTRICT NUMBER THREE (Sawyer’s)
- DISTRICT NUMBER FOUR (Scribner’s)
- DISTRICT NUMBER FIVE (North Road)
- DISTRICT NUMBER SIX (Mills)
- DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN (Smith’s Corner)
- DISTRICT NUMBER EIGHT (Thompson’s Corner)
- DISTRICT NUMBER NINE (Lovering Hill)
- DISTRICT NUMBER TEN (Mountain)
- DISTRICT NUMBER ELEVEN (Shaw’s Hill)
APRIL 2025
Question: What is a ‘vexillologist’? List the 4 goals of our historical society volunteer vexillologist.
ANSWER:
- Link to Our History: The historic flags remind us of the efforts of the early settlers to secure a new way of life, their turmoil, hopes, and patriotism.
- Sharing our History Our flags, prominently displayed in Summer and are likely to be photographed by numerous tourists. The locations encompass Salisbury Heights as well as the South Road Village Crossroads at Route 127 and Route 4.
- Honoring Veterans: The historical flags honor veterans in our older graveyards or scattered in newer cemeteries within town who took part in the French and Indian Wars, the American Revolution and the War of 1812, and the Civil War.
- Town Beautification: Not only are historical flags interesting, but they are colorful and festive, creating a nice combination of town beautification, patriotism, and town pride.
MARCH 2025
QUESTION: Why do the cemeteries have 3 different names at the Route 4 location, south of the crossroads?
ANSWER:
There are three distinct cemeteries, the newest being Maplewood.
Both Smith Corner/Bean Cemetery and Stevens were carefully moved by the US Army Corps of Engineers with some local help in preparation for the building of the Blackwater Dam in western Salisbury.
FEBRUARY 2025
QUESTION: Where was the Union Meeting House, and what did it look like?
ANSWER:
It was located in what is now the Salisbury Flood Plain.
For images and details: Union Meeting House
JANUARY 2025
QUESTION: What is the tradition of the Boston Post Cane?
ANSWER:
The Boston Post Cane is an award given to the oldest resident of a New England town to honor their longevity and vigor. The tradition was started in 1909 by Edwin Grozier, the publisher of The Boston Post newspaper:
The cane is made of ebony with a small 14-karat gold head that is engraved with the town’s name.
The cane is the property of the town, not the recipient.
The recipient holds the cane for life, and then it passes to the next oldest resident in town after their death.
The tradition was extended to include women in 1930.
Originally, there were 700 canes given to towns in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire; however, about only 2/3 of those are accounted for today.
Our current cane recipient is Dennis Patten, who was born Feb 9, 1928. He has given years of dedicated service to the Town of Salisbury and is well deserving.