Transcendentalists of the 19th Century in New Hampshire

The Gilmanton Historical Society opens its 2003 Summer Program series with a presentation by Kent Bicknell on "The Transcendentalist Crowd" of Emerson, Thoreau and the Alcotts, as well as Nathaniel Hawthorne.

The program is scheduled for Tuesday evening, May 27, at the Old Town Hall in Gilmanton Iron Works beginning at 8:00 p.m., with refreshments and social hour set for 7:30 p.m.

Bicknell will illustrate his talk with rare books and manuscripts from his personal collection. Facts and anecdotes about this important group of 19th century writers and thinkers will emphasize their visits to New Hampshire.

A teacher at Sant Bani School in Sanbornton, Kent Bicknell has a significant collection of manuscripts of the Transcendentalist period. He uncovered a previously unknown manuscript by Louisa May Alcott, which has since been published.

The summer series will continue on June 24 with a program on "Railroads that Served Gilmanton" by Richard Sanborn; "On the Road with Lewis & Clark" on July 22 with Richard Scott; "Wild & Colorful, Victorian Architecture in New Hampshire with Prof. Richard Guy Wilson on August 28; and on September 23 Prof. Thaddeus Piotrowski will talk on "Indian Heritage of New Hampshire and Northern New England."

For further information about any of the programs or other activities of the Gilmanton Historical Society please write to the Society at PO Box 236, Gilmanton, NH 03237, or call President Carolyn Baldwin at 435-8814.