Join the Penacook and Abbot-Downing historical societies for a fun afternoon of history at the Penacook Historical Society in Penacook on June 5 from 1 to 4 p.m. The societies have partnered to bring a wide array of 19th-century Concord coaches, wagons, sleighs, and other unique vehicles from the Abbot-Downing collection at the Hopkinton Fairgrounds for public display at the 1790 Rolfe Barn.
Last year, the arrival in Penacook of the Abbot-Downing vehicles made headlines and drew crowds of excited onlookers. In addition to the wagons and other vehicles transported from the Hopkinton Fairgrounds barn last fall, a Concord Coach was rescued from Cape Cod in October, and a rare black hearse and red sleigh arrived at the Rolfe Barn in April.
On June 5, volunteers will be bringing an additional Concord Coach for up-close viewing in the yard. This red Coach will be traveling around the city to celebrate the start of the summer season, beginning with the Northern New England Book Fair at Everett Arena June 3 and 4, and with a special stop at Abbot-Downing elementary school for a student-only event.
The Penacook Historical Society was established in 1995 to foster the appreciation for the history of the village and vicinity of Penacook, New Hampshire. Located at the confluence of the Contoocook and Merrimack Rivers, the Society’s five-acre campus is listed on the State Register of Historic Places. The central features are the 1790s Nathaniel Rolfe Barn, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 1834 Abiel Rolfe House, and the 1774 House, the oldest standing house in Penacook. Learn more at penacookhistoricalsociety.org or Facebook @Penacook Historical Society.
The Abbot-Downing Historical Society’s mission is to educate people about the significance of the Concord Coach and its relationship to our history and lives today. To support this mission, the Society collects, preserves and interprets materials related to the Concord Coach and Abbot-Downing Company and its role in American transportation. Learn more at concordcoach.org or Facebook @Abbot-Downing Historical Society of Concord.
These two volunteer-run historical societies are working together to create this fun and educational event. This event was made possible with support from New Hampshire Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities. Learn more at http://www.nhhumanities.org.
The long-term dream is to return the whole collection of Concord Coaches and other Abbot-Downing vehicles to Concord where they were originally manufactured, so they can once again be part of the city’s community life. A significant collection of Abbot-Downing and other historical vehicles is currently housed in a specially-built museum space at Johnny Prescott Oil & Propane in Concord which is open by appointment only.
The June 5 event is free and open to all. The Penacook Historical Society is located at 11 Penacook Street, Penacook, NH. The Abbot-Downing vehicles cannot be out in the rain, so the event will be canceled in advance in case of rain. Thanks to community support, the historic Rolfe Barn has been freshly cleaned and repaired to hold the Abbot-Downing vehicles. The Penacook Historical Society and the Abbot-Downing Historical Society are both volunteer-led nonprofit organizations. Donations are welcome to support future exciting community events.
