Exeter Historical Society

Exeter Historical Society Exeter, New Hampshire...we bring its rich history to life. We are a recipient of the Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce's 2011 Business of the Year Award!

For over 80 years the Exeter Historical Society has been collecting artifacts from Exeter’s past ... and its present. Our collections illustrate the town’s rich and fascinating history, its residents, and ultimately its place in the larger history of both the state and the nation. A non-profit organization, the Exeter Historical Society offers regular programs of local historical interest and is a

repository for documents, maps, photos, artifacts, and other ephemera pertaining to Exeter, New Hampshire. We maintain a research library, act as a resource for genealogical research, co-sponsor historical events and publications, create exhibits hoping to encourage historic preservation, and document today’s events as the history of tomorrow.

Uh-oh! Our staff has all been abducted 😱 We will be closed tomorrow, 9/5, for the UFO festival 👽🛸
09/04/2026

Uh-oh! Our staff has all been abducted 😱 We will be closed tomorrow, 9/5, for the UFO festival 👽🛸

Start September off by learning about Benedict Arnold, America’s most famous traitor! Meet us at Exeter Town Hall at 7pm...
08/27/2026

Start September off by learning about Benedict Arnold, America’s most famous traitor! Meet us at Exeter Town Hall at 7pm on September 1st to hear George Morrison to trace this complex story. 🇺🇸💔 Please note that this program is in-person only; per the speaker's wishes, it will not be broadcast or recorded. (Our other programs, starting in October, will be back on Zoom and Channel 6. 🙂)

08/22/2026

Have you ever wondered why there’s a ship on the New Hampshire state flag? It’s the USS Raleigh, a 32-gun warship built on Badger’s Island, now part of Kittery, Maine. In 1777, it became the first American naval vessel to carry the American flag into battle.

The ship reflects New Hampshire’s long history as a center of shipbuilding. When the state redesigned its seal in 1931, the ship depicted on it was officially designated as the USS Raleigh. It remains on our state seal and flag today.

Explore more GRANITE STATE HISTORY MINUTE videos on YouTube and at NHPBS.org/history.

Made possible in partnership with , and .

08/21/2026

Who was Enoch Poor, and why are we talking about him?

Enoch Poor was neither born in Exeter, nor did he die here, but he made his mark on our town, nonetheless. He was an Exeter shipbuilder with friends in high places. In this episode, Barbara unpacks the life and untimely death of Brigadier General Enoch Poor.

This Exeter History Minute is made possible by a grant from the Dan Brown Charitable Fund.

08/18/2026

Come see our semiquincentennial exhibit and try on some new outfits! Don’t worry, we clean them in between 😂

08/15/2026

Barbara (of Exeter History Minute fame) has made a few guest appearances in the new Granite State History Minute series. In this episode, she talks about a few of the Black Revolutionary War soldiers from New Hampshire, including Jude Hall.

08/10/2026

Not real but we wish it was 💔

Does this building look familiar? There's a planning charrette this weekend that may involve it.
08/07/2026

Does this building look familiar? There's a planning charrette this weekend that may involve it.

by Barbara Rimkunas This "Historically Speaking" column was published in the Exeter News-Letter on Friday, August 7, 2026. When William Carman, an Exeter steamfitter, needed a workshop in 1884, he chose a piece of land near the Boston and Maine depot on Lincoln Street. The dee

08/07/2026

NH PBS and the NH Historical Society are running a new series called the Granite State History Minute. Check it out!

But wait, why does that name sound so familiar?

Less than a week left until this program! Join us at the Exeter Public Library on August 4th at 7pm to learn about vario...
07/29/2026

Less than a week left until this program! Join us at the Exeter Public Library on August 4th at 7pm to learn about various works of art that have inspired the American spirit for 250 years 🖼️

Address

47 Front Street; PO Box 924
Exeter, NH
03833

Opening Hours

Tuesday 2pm - 4:30pm
Thursday 2pm - 4:30pm
Saturday 9:30am - 12pm

Telephone

(603) 778-2335

Website

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