Visitors will find new additions to the mill and Civil War exhibits and many changes in the historic 1675 garrison house. This season’s feature exhibit in the Woodman House is “QUENCH YOUR THIRST…a history of Dover bottlers..” An opportunity to see examples of Dover milk bottles representing the local dairy farms, pharmacy bottles embossed with the names of local pharmacists, and soda bottlers like Robinson Brothers, Mission Beverage and the Dover Bottling Company.  

See a rare 1923 Christmas Coke bottle embossed Dover, N.H. and the whiskey bottlers like Rochester Bottling once located on Third Street in Dover, Durkin, Mallen & Loughlin and M.R. Kennedy…. even shot glasses from the Kimball Hotel and the Turf Cafe in the old Morrill Block.  In addition…early examples of hand blown and machine made bottles from the collection of bottle archeologist Bram Hepburn, offers a historical view of early bottle making in New England.  A separate display offers the visitor a chance to see unique and unusal figural bottles that include early Saratoga Springs water bottles, cathedral style pepper sauce and bitters bottles, a three sided poison bottle and a sample of the large 1910 Carter’s ink bottled once used to fill the smaller ink wells in school desks.

The wonderful shapes and colors will fascinate and educate all who visit this once in a lifetime exhibition.       

The Woodman features one of the largest mineral collections north of Boston, an entire room displaying Civil War artifacts including a rare Napoleon Cannon and the saddle used by President Lincoln to do a military review only days before the assassination. Police/fire memorabilia, nautical instruments and ship models are displayed with antique dolls/toys, military swords, including a 1700s Japanese ceremonial sword from the Russian Japanese Treaty of 1905 and a suit of medieval armor. YES, the 10 foot polar bear 27 pound lobster and the four legged baby chicken are on display in the Woodman House.  One of the most eclectic collections you will ever see.      

The Woodman Institute Museum at 182 Central Ave. is open Wednesday – Sunday 12:00 – 4:30.  Exhibits for all ages and interests are displayed through-out  three historic homes.    Visitors should allow at least two hours for your visit.  GROUP TOURS are welcome by appointment.  Call 603-742-1038 / Just one hour north of Boston, Mass. Only 12 miles from N.H. beaches.  Take exit 8E off Rt 16 Spaulding Turnpike onto Silver St. right at Central Ave.

 On October 19th, 1912 one hundred fifty Civil War veterans led by members of the Charles W.Sawyer G.A.R Post No 17 marched from the Third Street B&M Railroad station to the front lawn of the Dover Public Library to officially unveil and dedicate the newly erected monument…a gift to the city of Dover from Civil War veteran and prominent attorney Col. Daniel Hall.  

Following the wreath ceremony On Saturday the 20th,  the re-enactors  returned to the Woodman Institute Museum for demonstrations and were available to talk with museum visitors about the items on display as part of the “Letters Home” exhibit and artifacts displayed in the Civil War Room exhibit in the Woodman House.  Medical Steward Dan Meehan,  Company A, 12th N.H. had a medical tent filled with implements used to treat various wounds suffered during the bloody battles.  Members of the 5th N.H.  set up a first Sergeant’s desk display and were available to talk about the daily life of a soldier many miles from home and family.  A special sailors tent  was set-up by the Kearsage Afterguard and the cook baked bread and  prepared a full meal on an old wood stove.    

Co A 12th N.H. Medical Steward’s tent

She spent 26½ years in the Navy, retiring with the rank of captain.  She was one of the first females to serve in Vietnam, serving at the very beginning when it wasn’t considered a war.

Capt. Darby Reynolds and three others were the first Navy nurses to receive a Purple Heart in Vietnam.  The 1957 Dover High School graduate was injured during the Saigon Christmas Eve bombing in 1964.  She was recognized for her selfless response assisting others that were injured…and her response to receiving the recognition:  “None of us felt we deserved it because we were just doing our job.”

She was home on leave for Christmas in 1963 looking forward to receiving orders for her first assignment after spending two years at Pensacola, Florida.  Darby requested an assignment in Japan, Spain or Italy, wanting to travel.  Orders arrived at her parents Dover home on Christmas Eve from her chief nurse.  Along with the news that Reynolds had been promoted to lieutenant, the assignment was Saigon, Vietnam.

Wearing her winter dress blue uniform, Lt. Reynolds and 100 men, mostly Army soldiers complete with rifles, on a cargo plane with wooden seats and no windows, landed under sniper fire on a runway at Saigon airport in March 1964.

Unaware that she was injured during the Christmas Eve bombing, her first response was to join the other nurse and immediately begin triage and treatment of the 100 injured.  Two persons who were in the next room next to Lt Reynolds died when the floor above fell on them.  One of the corpsmen noticed that Reynolds was bleeding and needed several stitches.  She also had received a concussion when a door hit her.  During the presentation of medals, the presenter said, “These four will be recorded by historians as the first women members of the U.S. Armed Forces to receive the Purple Heart in Vietnam.”

The museum’s collections also represent Dover soldiers who served during the War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I and World War II.

These collections are available for viewing as part of the museum’s regular tour

”TOYMAKER-COLLECTOR-NATURALIST” Henry Clinton Fall (1862-1939).

As a young school boy attending Belknap Grammar School Henry was a collector and builder of model boats and trains, a collector of stamps/postmarks, and a fascination with butterflies and beetles. He would graduate with the Dover High School class of 1880 and become one of America’s foremost naturalists.

On display in the Hale House, are some of the original model boats and several steam engine trains that have survived all these years and donated to the Woodman for young and old to enjoy. The exhibit features an original Belknap Grammar School spelling exam from 1876, an original hand bell and photos of the school located on the corner of Belknap and Silver Streets, Henry’s restored and framed original DHS 1880 diploma, the original  High School hand school bell, front door key,  and 1880 graduation program.