Nashua Historical Cemetery Tour - Notable Nashuans: Voices From the Past, with a TWIST

Greeley, Beard, Stearns, McKean, Foster, Hunt, Shattuck and Abbot are the last names of a few of the Nashuans who will be brought back to life by reenactors for visitors as they travel from grave to grave during the reprise of Notable Nashuans: Voices from the Past Cemetery Tour, this time with a new twist. The open format tour will run from 1:00 – 2:30 pm on Saturday, September 7, 2024. Ticketholders will select from 18 grave sites where volunteer reenactors adorned in period attire will tell “their” stories, including those of former community leaders and unsung heroes. Timed vignettes include former mayors, industrialists, philanthropists and others who played pivotal roles in shaping the city’s identity and who are buried throughout the hallowed grounds of the 1835 Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua cemetery.

With a new “twist” to the tour, QR codes accessible by cell phone will provide additional historical insights into gravestone motifs and other noteworthy information. “After the spring tour, many people asked the Nashua Historical Society for a reprise of the event because they missed some of the reenactors the first time or they wanted to invite family or friends they imagined would enjoy the tour too. But we wanted to offer something new for everyone, so we’ve added QR codes which will expand how we share historical information with our guests as they journey throughout this especially important Nashua cemetery,” said Paula Lochhead, chair of the Cemetery Tour Committee at The Nashua Historical Society. The cemetery tour will be memorable for history enthusiasts and curious minds alike. Funds raised from this event will be used for ongoing efforts to preserve the memory of Daniel Abbot, the “Father of Nashua.”

The 1835 cemetery is very old, which makes it both especially interesting and somewhat difficult to navigate. To best enjoy the tour, guests must be able to stand for an hour or more, walk on uneven terrain, and manage steep stairs. The tour is not wheelchair accessible. Guests are encouraged to dress for the weather and to wear proper footwear. In addition, there are no restrooms at the cemetery, although guests may use the bathroom facilities at the Speare Museum located ½ mile from the cemetery.

Tickets for the Saturday, September 7th tour are available for $20.00 either through the Nashua Historical Society’s website https://www.nashuahistoricalsociety.org/events or at the Nashua Historical Society’s Florence H. Speare Museum during business hours. The rain date is Sunday, September 8, 2024. Children 12 years old and younger may attend if they purchase a ticket and are accompanied by an adult. Tickets may be available the day of the event, but advanced reservations are strongly suggested because sales are limited. For information on Facebook go to: https://www.facebook.com/event...

On the day of the tour, Notable Nashuans Cemetery Tour ticket holders should report by 12:30 pm directly to the UU Church of Nashua Cemetery located at 58 Lowell St., Nashua, NH 03064. The Speare Museum will be open from 1 – 3 pm the day of the tour. Free parking is available behind the Speare Museum, 5 Abbott Street, Nashua, NH. In addition, special event t-shirts are available while supplies last.

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Category: Community | History