History of Bear Island to be told at BCSA Italian Night dinner

GILFORD — Belknap County Sportsmen’s Association will be hosting their annual Italian Night Dinner on Thursday Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. at the BCSA club house on Lily Pond Road. At the conclusion of the meal historian John Hopper will offer a presentation of the history of Bear Island.

Attendees will learn about the second largest of the 262 islands in Lake Winnipesaukee, an unabridged island that is home to 200 residents.

John and his wife Linda are residents of Center Harbor. John is retired while Linda continues to teach yoga classes. They have two grown children and two grandchildren. They spend summers on Bear Island. Since 1947 John has spent part of every summer on the island. John was a commercial banker by trade but an historian by training. He majored in American History at Wake Forest University, then went on to earn an MA in African History at Ohio University and a PHD in South African History at Yale university before going into banking. John is the author of two books: “The History of Bear Island” and “The Bear Island Chapel”. John and his wife Linda are co-presidents of the St. John’s chapel on-the-lake (Bear Island). John is a board member of the Meredith Historical Society and his current research is focused on the early history of Meredith Village

Admission is open to all club members and the community at large, doors open at 5:30 p.m., cost is $15 per person water and soda provided.