From Guns to Gramophones talk Wednesday

LACONIA — The Lake Winnipesaukee Museum will host NH Humanities speaker Carrie Brown on Wednesday, July 23, at 7 p.m., to present her talk “From Guns to Gramophones: Civil War and the Technology that Shaped America.” 

Brown holds a Ph.D. in American literature and folklore from the University of Virginia. Working for more than 30 years as freelance history curator, she has developed exhibitions for museums, visitors' centers, and historic sites on a wide range of topics, including industrial history, transportation, and the Civil War. As a curator and speaker, Brown delights in finding and telling stories about the connections between big historic events and our everyday lives.

In her talk, Brown explores the technological triumph that helped save the Union and then transformed the nation. During the Civil War, northern industry produced a million and a half rifles, along with tens of thousands of pistols and carbines. How did the North produce all of those weapons? The answer lies in new machinery and methods for producing guns with interchangeable parts. Once the system of mass production had been tested and perfected, what happened after the war? In the period from 1870 to 1910, new factory technology and new print media fueled the development of mass consumerism. While this program tells a broad, national story, it focuses on the critical and surprising role of Vermont and New Hampshire in producing industrial technology that won the war and changed American life. 

Since seating is limited, reservations are requested, by phone to 603-366-5950 or by email to lakewinnipesaukeemuseum@gmail.com.