Entering the Rindge Museum is like stepping back in time. Formerly the Freeborn Stearns House, this 1815 structure is in and of itself a piece of Rindge history. Its maze of small rooms, with wide-plank wood floors and fireplaces, hosts a treasure trove from Rindge’s earlier days.
But let’s explore the artifacts of the Rindge Museum another time. For this week’s column, it’s about the people.
I credit an email from Rindge Historical Society volunteer Eunice Halbedel for my most-recent visit to the Rindge Museum. She thought a particular piece of Rindge history, found there most Wednesdays, would be an interesting subject for this column.
“There is a gentleman, Roland Goddard, who has lived in town his whole life – I believe he is 94 now. He stops in every Wednesday when the building is open.” Halbedel explains in her email. “He is a walking history book.”
“I’d love to meet Mister Goddard,” I respond.
“The coffee will be on.” Well, if there will be coffee, I’ll need to bring scones.
Come Wednesday, as promised, I find Goddard situated at a small kitchen table at the museum conversing with Rindge Historical Society President Karla MacLeod. Coffee is brewing, and the scones are still warm.
“So, Rindge.” I begin. “Tell me about Rindge.”
“I love Rindge …” he says earnestly with a smile.
And I believe him. Goddard has spent nearly all of his 94 years here, and his family roots and community ties run deep. His ancestry, he tells me, can be traced back to Abel Platts, the town’s first settler.
While we visit, some familiar faces come by and greet Goddard with broad smiles. He receives a warm hello and hug from Roberta Letourneau, Rindge Historical Society assistant treasurer. Karl Pruter, the Rindge Historical Society vice president, stops to chat over coffee and scones. And even Ray Siekierski, a self-proclaimed “new” resident in town (of 20 years) makes a special trip to the museum that morning just to introduce himself to Goddard.
Between breaks to visit with community members, I learn a bit about Goddard. He proudly shares that he wound the clock on the Rindge Meetinghouse for 40 years, a tradition maintained by generations in his family for the last century. (His son, Earl, has wound it for the past 17 years.) I learn that he was an accomplished electrical engineer, has traveled extensively abroad and enjoys cold New Hampshire winters about as much as I do (which is not very much!). He loves his large family dearly, especially all his great-grandchildren. And he has even authored an autobiography.
I can’t fairly cover the nearly 95 years that Roland Goddard has lived here in town. But if you’re curious and would like to learn more about him, his experiences and knowledge about Rindge, come by and say hello on Wednesday mornings. He, as well as others you may know, will likely be there. And the coffee will be on.
To learn more about the Rindge Historical Society, visit their website, rindgehistoricalsociety.org.
Coming up in Rindge
Artists & Gardens Tour – Rindge will be on the map for this year’s Jaffrey Civic Center-sponsored Artists & Gardens Tour July 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through the Jaffrey Civic Center, and include a map of participating gardens and artists in the Monadnock Region. A “wet paint” sale will conclude the event at 4:30 pm.
Flags for Forgotten Heroes – On Sunday, July 10, at noon, American flags will be installed at the Cathedral of the Pines in Rindge to represent the veterans, active-duty servicemen and servicewomen, National Guard and Reservists, and first-responders we lose to suicide every month. This display will be in place for 30 days and will be lit up at night in remembrance. Please contact Daniel at 603-986-2131 with questions.
To share your stories, contact me at rindgecommcorr@yahoo.com.