Notable Nashuans Voices From the Past - A Cemetery Tour
Schedule
Sat May 04 2024 at 03:00 pm to 04:30 pm
Location
UU Church of Nashua | Nashua, NH
Advertisement
TICKET SALES START THIS SAT, April 6 from 11 am - 2 pm at the Nashua Historical Society. Members have special access to tickets on FRI, April 5 from 5 pm - 8 pm. These are in-person ticket sales. A link for online ticket sales will be posted starting Tues, April 9th. The event is Saturday, May 4th, 2024.The Notable Nashuans: Voices from the Past Cemetery Tour is a journey through Nashua's history within the hallowed grounds of the 1835 Unitarian Universalist Church Cemetery. Led by volunteer reenactors adorned in period attire, each of the two available timed walking tours invites participants to listen to the stories of nine individuals interred in selected cemetery plots. As attendees carefully travel from grave to grave, they will experience poignant vignettes, each shedding light on the lives and legacies of Nashuans who played pivotal roles in shaping the city's identity, from community leaders to unsung heroes.
The tour aims to breathe life into the past and to foster an appreciation of local history, by offering participants a glimpse into bygone eras while standing close to the resting places of those who came before. The Notable Nashuans Cemetery Tour will be memorable for history enthusiasts and curious minds alike. Book your reservation soon, as tickets are limited.
Questions and Answers about The Notable Nashuans: Voices from the Past Cemetery Tour
Q1: What is the date of the Notable Nashuans Cemetery Tour?
A: Saturday, May 4, 2024.
Q2: Who is hosting the Notable Nashuans Cemetery Tour?
A: The Nashua Historical Society, in collaboration with the Unitarian Universalist (UU) Church of Nashua, is hosting the Notable Nashuans Cemetery Tour.
Q3: Where is the Notable Nashuans Cemetery Tour taking place?
A: The tour meeting place is at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua’s Cemetery located at 58 Lowell Street, Nashua, NH 03064.
Q4: Where should I park to best access the tour?
A: Parking is located across Canal Street at Margarita’s Restaurant, City Lot End. Please be careful to follow signage about where parking is allowed for the public. Please use the crosswalk to cross Canal Street.
Q5: What should I know before I decide if the tour is right for me?
A: To best enjoy the tour, guests must be able to stand for an hour or more, navigate uneven terrain, and manage steep stairs. The condition of the cemetery walkways requires guests to exercise caution and care. The tour is not wheelchair accessible. Guests are encouraged to dress for the weather and to wear proper footwear. In addition, there are no restrooms at the cemetery. Guests may use bathroom facilities at the Speare Museum, a ½ mile walk.
Q6: How much are tickets?
A: All reserved cemetery tour tickets are $15.00, regardless of age. If you purchase a ticket online or with a credit card, there is an additional $3 fee for processing. Children 12 years old and younger may attend, but they must purchase a ticket and be accompanied by an adult.
Q7: Is there anything else I can purchase related to this event?
A: Cemetery tour t-shirts are available now at the Nashua Historical Society and during the event. The T-shirts are $20 each.
Q8: How do I get reserved tickets?
A: Tickets are available starting Saturday, April 6 from 11 am – 2 pm at the Nashua Historical Society (NHS), 5 Abbott Street, Nashua, NH 03064. Society members have Early Bird ticket sales on Friday evening, April 5 from 5 – 8 pm.
In addition to the above times, tickets may be purchased at the Nashua Historical Society office during regular business hours, 9 am - 4 pm, Tuesdays – Thursdays. Please go to Facebook or the NHS website for additional hours and online sales.
Q9: What time is my tour?
A: Each tour ticket holder needs to report to the UU Church Cemetery 30 minutes before the tour time highlighted on their purchased ticket. Your ticketed tour time is based on which tour you selected at the time of purchase. When you purchase your ticket, several decisions must be made:
Decision 1: Would you like to attend the 1 pm or the 3 pm tour? Or both?
Decision 2: Would you like to take Tour Loop A or Tour Loop B? or Both?
Decision 3: If you are purchasing tickets with other people, how would you prefer to be grouped? Small groups will be no larger than 7 people. We cannot guarantee grouping, but we will make every effort to accommodate your requests.
Q10: Why should I arrive 30 minutes before the tour time?
A: Arriving 30 minutes before your designated tour time is essential to ensure a seamless experience. Entry will be confirmed, and a guide will lead small groups to assigned starting points within the tour loop. If you are late, we will try to help you.
Before entering the cemetery, you may have time to examine some funerary items on display including an 1840s hearse, an antique Gleason table (used to keep the deceased’s body cool), and an antique transfer basket.
Q11: How do I know the location of my small group’s assigned starting point?
A: You will be escorted to your group’s starting point which will be highlighted on your ticket. There is no one starting point; the tour is a loop of nine reenactors, and each small group will travel together from reenactor to reenactor in a predetermined order. To assist with the movement of groups, a drummer will provide a signal for the ending and beginning of each tour stop vignette.
Q12: How do I know which graves will be in each loop?
Loop A: Mary Conant Shattuck, Parker Family, General John G. Foster, Leonard W. Noyes, Little Nathaniel, Daniel Abbot, Thomas J. Laton, Henry Leavitt, Anna Sterns.
Loop B: Albin Beard, Jeremiah W. White, Ira Gay, James Horace Hall, Sarah Perham, John M. Hunt, Charles H. Nutt, Joseph T. Greeley, Frank A. McKean.
Q13: Can I go on both tours instead of one tour?
A: Participants can attend both tours by purchasing tickets for each loop. If attending both tours, report to the cemetery at 12:30 pm and plan on leaving at the close of the event at approximately 4:45 pm. There will be approximately 30 minutes between tours.
Q14: Why doesn’t each tour automatically include all eighteen reenactors?
A: To accommodate varying preferences and schedules, the tour offers two options, each comprising a smaller, shorter loop. This ensures that participants seeking a concise, 75-minute experience can fully engage with the tour's narratives. Those wishing to extend their visit are encouraged to purchase tickets for both loops.
Q15: Why would I want to go on both tours?
A: Both Tour Loop A and Tour Loop B offer distinct narratives, with nine different reenactors featured in each loop. By attending both tours, participants will have the opportunity to engage with all eighteen reenactors.
Q16: Is this a spooky tour? Haunted tour? Interactive tour with questions and answers?
A: No this is not a spooky, haunted, or fully interactive tour. It is a historical tour focused on the lives of people who lived in Nashua and are buried in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua cemetery plots. Please remember this is hallowed ground and practice respect as part of cemetery etiquette.
In addition, each reenactor has practiced a mini presentation which will fit within the time allowed before the next rotation to the next grave site. Therefore, the time for questions and answers will be very limited. We are asking our guests to have a courteous “go with the flow” spirit so that everyone may best enjoy the experience.
Q17: May I record the reenactor’s speaking?
A: Recording any portion of the reenactor’s vignette/speech is not allowed.
Q18: Are the reenactors wearing clothing from the Nashua Historical Society collection?
A: No, the reenactors will be in period costumes, not authentic clothing from the Society’s collection.
Q19: Can I buy tickets on the day of the event?
A: It is best to watch The Nashua Historical Society’s Facebook page and website to get an update on the availability of tickets on the day of the event. If tickets are sold on the day of the event, the cost will be $20 each. Advanced reserved tickets are strongly encouraged and are $15 each, $18 if purchased with a credit card.
Q20: Will the Nashua Historical Society be open during the tours?
A: Yes, the Florence H. Speare Museum located at 5 Abbott Street, Nashua, NH 03064 will be open for self-guided tours from 1 pm until 4 pm. The walking distance from the cemetery to the museum is approximately ½ mile. Bathrooms are available at the museum.
Q21: Will the cemetery tour be held if it is raining?
A: Please refer to The Nashua Historical Society’s Facebook page and website for updates. A rain date of Sunday, May 5, 2024, has been scheduled as needed.
Q22: What if the tour is rescheduled due to rain, but I cannot attend?
A: Tickets are transferable; you may give your ticket to a friend. There are no refunds.
Q23: What happens if I lose my ticket?
A: By providing your name, address, email, and telephone number, you ensure your reserved place on the manifest list of ticket holders, thereby allowing ticket takers to help you. If we need to contact you or answer questions about your reservations, then we will use the contact information provided by you at the time of the ticket sale.
Q24: What will the funds raised by this tour be used for?
A: Funds will be used for the ongoing efforts to preserve the memory of Daniel Abbot, the “Father of Nashua.”
Q25: Who has helped make this event possible?
A: The Nashua Historical Society, The Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua,
Actorsingers, Charlie & Tracy Hall, Davis Funeral Home, Landmark Dental Care, Rochette Funeral Home, our wonderful reenactors and amazing volunteers.
Advertisement
Where is it happening?
UU Church of Nashua, 1 Morrill St, Nashua, NH 03064-2210, United States,Nashua, New HampshireEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
