In 1971, fifty-two people became founding members the
Centre Harbor Historical Society.  Why is that so important?  The
history of Center Harbor has a rich past.  Much like a quilt, he town
was “put together” from parts of other towns.  Specifically New
Hampton(in 1797) and Meredith(in 1873).  It became the most
northern town on the lake in Belknap County and was an important
lake port for travel, a stagecoach terminal and commerce.  People
came from all over the country to enjoy the countless resorts and
hotels it had to offer.  The need was there to establish a society
that would preserve the treasure of artifacts and history of the
past.  The town itself is the Geographical center of the State.

But why celebrate the past?

• Last year we looked back 100 years to the opening of the new Nichols library.

• In 1997 we celebrated the 200th birth of the town.  The Bandstand is the gift from the citizens of Center Harbor to celebrate that birth.

• The Town Band is also part of our story.  It has been active now for 133 years!

• In 1991 the Citizen newspaper again preserved the gift of the Kona fountain (1909) by putting it on a granite foundation.

• 1986 had the release of the Centre Harbor History Book written by Gladys Bickford.

• The Coe house has a rich past with a list of guest and its home base for the 1865 rowing contest between Harvard and Yale.

• Finally, we cannot forget the impact that the Dane Family had in the shaping of this town.

Forty years is a big deal.  Thanks to new technologies we
are finding new methods and media to preserve our proud past.
Tools like the internet and digital preservation.  We trust that more
people will be motivated to pick up where Gladys left us and
continue forward.  We stand 135 members strong; but are always
looking for ways to stir up the desire to enjoy and remember our
own heritage.

Are you ready to take the wheel and steer our society into
the future?  We’ll be waiting for you….