Courtesy photo The new historical highway marker to be dedicated Oct. 17 in front of the Abbot-Spalding House Museum will join this granite monument that the Historical Society erected in tribute to Daniel Abbot in 2002.

Upon learning of the decision by the state’s Division of Historical Resources and Department of Transportation to install one of those really cool historical highway markers in front of the Nashua Historical Society’s Abbot-Spalding House Museum, my first thought was, “how many others are there in Nashua, and where are they?”

“None. This is the first one,” someone at the society informed me.

“Seriously?” I wondered, probably out loud. “With all these interesting and important historic sites within Nashua’s boundaries, and until now, nobody has applied for a marker?”

(Full disclosure: I am a longtime member, former director and current president of the Historical Society).

Indeed, for all my involvement in the society, one might wonder how that little factoid managed to escape my notice all these years.

Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP The newly installed historic highway marker on the grounds of the Nashua Historical Society's Abbot-Spalding House Museum will be dedicated at an Oct. 17 public ceremony.

Well, the most important thing is now that the proverbial ice has been broken, perhaps we Nashuans will start seeing more historical highway markers cropping up at various locales throughout the city.

Now that all the paperwork is complete and Nashua’s first historical highway marker has been installed – still all wrapped up – near the southwest corner of the Abbot-Spalding House, the society has scheduled a dedication and unveiling ceremony for what will become the state’s 267th highway marker.

See accompanying information box for details on the ceremony.

“The Nashua Historical Society is proud to have our Abbot-Spalding House acknowledged with this marker, especially since this is the first historic marker installed in Nashua,” said Beth McCarthy, Historical Society curator.

She said the society applied for the marker as a gift to the city, to be given as part of the society’s 150th anniversary, the observance of which has been sharply curtailed due to the pandemic. Many events are now being tentatively considered for 2021, depending, again, on the status of the pandemic.

Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP The newly installed historic highway marker on the grounds of the Nashua Historical Society's Abbot-Spalding House Museum will be dedicated at an Oct. 17 public ceremony.

“The society feels this marker is a wonderful gift to the City of Nashua,” McCarthy said.

The marker highlights the house, which was built circa 1802-1804 by Daniel Abbot, a prominent 19th-century Nashua businessman known as “The Father of Nashua” for his leading role in reuniting the towns of Nashua and Nashville 11 years after the two split over political conflict.

The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and on the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places.

Old houses, of course, usually have a few quirks about them, which most of the time add to their charm and historical significance.

One of the quirks of which the Abbot-Spalding House can boast is its official address: 1 Nashville St./1 Abbot Square.

Courtesy photo Portrait of Daniel Abbot, "The Father of Nashua," whose home became the Nashua Historical Society's Abbot-Spalding House Museum, where Nashua's first historical highway marker has been installed.

It’s possible that the rather odd address is the result of decades’ worth of address changes the nearly 220-year-old mansion underwent over time, probably initiated by family members.

McCarthy and others at the society subscribe to that theory, having learned through research that at some point, one or more of Daniel Abbot’s descendants went to City Hall wanting to change Abbott Street to Abbot Street – but were denied.

The fact the house fronts Nashville Street – that short cut-through that connects Concord Street to the intersection of Amherst and Abbott streets – likely gave the house half of its current address.

As for Abbot Square, that was the name of the triangle at Concord and Amherst streets, before it was renamed the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the post-Civil War era.

With the dedication of its first marker in a couple of weeks, Nashua joins dozens of other Granite State communities ranging from tiny villages to the state’s largest city.

Dean Shalhoup

Longtime reporter, columnist and photographer, is back doing what he does best ñ chronicling the people and history of Nashua. Reaching 40 years with The Telegraph in September, Deanís insights have a large, appreciative following.

The first highway marker was installed in 1958, shortly after the state program was launched. The marker stands at a most interesting historic site called “Republic of Indian Stream,” which is way up in the Canadian border town of Pittsburg.

The “Fort at No. 4” in Charlestown is the site of the second marker, while the third to be installed is in neighboring Amherst, commemorating the birthplace of the nationally prominent author and journalist Horace Greeley.

The current leader for most historic highway markers is Concord, where some 13 markers stand at various sites around town.

Portsmouth, Exeter, Cornish, Fremont and Haverhill each have five markers, while Derry, Durham, Dover, Deerfield, Berlin, Carroll and Allenstown each have four.

For additional information on the state Division of Historical Resources’ highway marker program, including how to go about applying for a historic highway marker, and to view the current list of markers both by number and by city or town, go to www.nh.gov/nhdhr.

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IF YOU GO

WHAT

Dedication of Nashua’s first state Historical Highway Marker

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WHEN

10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. Rain date Sunday, Oct. 18

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WHERE

On the grounds of Nashua Historical Society’s Abbot-Spalding House Museum, 1 Nashville St./1 Abbot Square, Nashua

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MORE

Event is free. Public is welcome. Face masks are required; free masks available; social distancing in effect

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CONTACT

Historical Society, 883-0015 or nashuahistorical@comcast.net, or go to www.nashuahistoricalsociety.org

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Dean Shalhoup’s column appears weekly in The Sunday Telegraph. He may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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