Lyme Historians Inc

THE LYME HISTORIANS, INC. WAS FOUNDED IN 1961 WITH THE PURPOSE OF HELPING TO DOCUMENT THE TOWN'S HISTORY, KEEPING IT ALIVE AND RELEVANT TO THE PRESENT DAY BY MAINTAINING EXHIBITS AND COLLECTIONS AND ACQUIRING BOOKS, MAPS, DOCUMENTS AND ARTIFACTS PERTAINING TO LYME, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

THE LYME HISTORIANS, INCLUDING THE MUSEUM, MOVED INTO THE CHURCHILL-MELVILL HOUSE ON 15 MAIN STREET IN LYME, IN THE FALL OF 2016, SETTING UP EXHIBITS IN 4 ROOMS, 2 ROOMS TO HAVE REVOLVING EXHIBITS AND 2 ROOMS WITH STATIONARY EXHIBITS. NEW ITEMS WERE DONATED TO ADD TO THE EXHIBIT ROOMS INCLUDING AN ESTEY ORGAN THAT BELONGED TO A LYME RESIDENT. A NEW ENTRANCE WAS ADDED ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE BUILDING WITH A VIEW TOWARDS 4 HISTORIC AREAS OF THE TOWN, THE LYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, THE HORSESHEDS, THE OLD JAIL HOUSE AND THE OLD LYME PLAIN CEMETERY.

THIS YEAR THE LYME HISTORIANS MUSEUM AND CHESLEY SCHOOLHOUSE HAVE BEEN OPEN THE NORMAL PRE-COVID DAYS. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE POPULAR SECOND SATURDAY EVENTS ON SATURDAY MORININGS, WHERE A LONG TIME RESIDENT TALKS ABOUT THEIR TIMES GROWING UP IN LYME. WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN VOLUNTEERS FOR TRANSCRIBING HISTORIC JOURNALS AND LETTERS WHILE STAYING AT HOME WHICH HAS BEEN A BENEFIT TO THE HISTORIANS. THE LYME HISTORIANS CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE LYME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSES, 2ND AND 4TH GRADERS, EXPLORING THE HISTORY OF LYME. THIS YEAR THE KINDERGARTEN CHILDREN FROM LYME ELEMENTRY SCHOOL VISITED THE MUSEUM ENJOYING THE OLD TOYS, PHONOGRAPH WAX CYLINDERS AND ROPE BED. THE HISTORIANS ALSO HOSTED A WASSAIL PARTY IN DECEMBER WITH SEVERAL HANDS ON ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN, AND SINGING OF CAROLS ACCOMPANIED BY THE PUMP ORGAN DONATED BY AN OLD LYME FAMILY.

THROUGH THE GENEROUS DONATION OF A LYME RESIDENT AND HISTORIAN MEMBER, LYME HISTORIANS RECEIVED THE TITLE TO A BEAUTIFULLY KEPT ONE-ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE IN LYME CENTER. THE SCHOOLHOUSE HAS MANY, IF NOT ALL, OF ITS ORIGINAL FEATURES INCLUDING OLD SCHOOL DESKS. THE SCHOOLHOUSE IS GENERALLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC DURING THE LATE SPRING TO EARLY FALL.

THE LYME HISTORIANS SPONSOR EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, INCLUDING THE ANNUAL MEETING WITH A GUEST SPEAKER, HISTORIC TOURS SUCH AS THE CELLAR HOLE PROJECT WHICH MAPS THE AREA OF THE CELLAR HOLE AND RESEARCHES OWNERSHIP IN THE TOWN OF LYME. THE LYME HISTORIANS ARCHIVE HISTORIC DOCUMENTS INCLUDING OLD JOURNALS, OLD DEEDS, HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS, VITAL RECORDS FROM LOCAL CHURCHES, AND AN EVER-EXPANDING COLLECTION OF GENEALOGY RECORDS.