History of Stoddard's Old Home Days

Maps, Information & Old Photos

In 1899 the governor of New Hampshire invented an unusual new holiday, one that did not celebrate a hero or a battle. The new holiday was an admission of economic failure dressed in the can-do optimism of a booster. The holiday, Old Home Day, was a plea to return to a poor state. Governor Rollins wanted to entice natives to return to their hometowns to see what they were missing. He hoped they might buy an old farm or other piece of property and return regularly to the Granite State.

Stoddard appointed an Old Home Day Association and participated in the first Old Home Day with a picnic at the Trixie Cottage on Island Pond on August 30, 1899. About 500 people took part in the celebration, which featured music by the town band and the reading of a poem entitled “Old Stoddard Hills,” written for the occasion by Nellie Whitney. During the first part of the week of the 1900 celebration a big bonfire was made on Pitcher Mountain.

Only known photograph of the first Old Home Days.

Only known photograph of the first Old Home Days.

These programs became highlights of the summer season and during the 1907 observance William Loveland proposed that a subscription be taken to buy the old Nathan Morse shoe shop as a place to exhibit historical relics. The building was purchased some months later and remains the home of the Historical Society today.

1908 Old Home Days

1908 Old Home Days

The 1914 program held on August 24 featured basket lunch picnics, sporting events, selections by the Washington Band and several speakers who exalted on the “good old days” in the best of fashion.

Dedication of the Soldiers’ Monument in front of the church was the feature of the program on August 24, 1917. Eighteen Civil War veterans were present. The monument was donated by James H. Hunt, a Stoddard native who was a veteran of the War.

Dedication of the Soldiers’ Monument during August 24, 1917 Old Home Days

Dedication of the Soldiers’ Monument during August 24, 1917 Old Home Days

In 1924 400 invitations for the event were sent out. 178 tickets to the dance were sold; the dancers were having too much fun to stop late in the evening and they took a collection, garnering $6.17 from those present, to keep the band for an extra hour. During the 1920s and 1930s, the observance was highlighted by a picnic and reunion in the center of the town, and exercises in the church. A baseball game and a dance in the Town Hall concluded the day.

The last observance was in 1936 before the tradition was revived in the 1970s. The town bicentennial was recognized with a huge town-wide celebration in 1974 with a parade, contests, dance, speakers, souvenir sales, church service, a visit by the Governor Thompson, town history publication, and numerous other activities. The bicentennial committee continued the event as an Old Home Day until 1979. The 1976 celebration served as an American Revolution Bicentennial celebration.

1935-august-31-with-wright

Old Home Days was once again revived in Stoddard in 1987 and has been celebrated annually since that time.

Complied by:

  • Alan Rumrill