PRESCHOOL
OPENINGS!
Are you
thinking about enrolling your child in preschool for next fall? The
Center School in Northwood is accepting registrations for the
2014-2015 school year. The Center School is a parent cooperative
preschool located next to the town hall in Northwood, which provides
a developmental program for three, four, and five year-olds of
Northwood and surrounding towns. There are openings in our two-day
(T/Th) program and three-day (M/W/F) morning programs. Call or
email us soon to get an information packet or to make an appointment
to come for a visit! For information, please email at director
Karen Andersen
[email protected] or call her at the school at
942-7686. Check us out on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/TheCenterSchoolNorthwood
What Is
A Pung?
From
left: Bob Bailey, Arlene Bassett, Les Barton and Aaron Lizotte
attended the recent unveiling of the restored pung.
Many
interesting stories were shared around the pung being displayed at
Bailey’s garage after months of restoration work were completed.
On a
chilly Saturday morning in April, Bob and Joann Bailey hosted an
“Open Garage” at their homestead on Catamount Road in Northwood. The
40+ people in attendance came to view a restored pung, which was
revealed in a manner country folk truly appreciate: in the center of
the garage with plenty of hot drinks and homemade breads to warm
visitors. What is a pung and what does it have to do with Northwood
history? What is the story of this particular pung?
Carl
Wallman purchased the pung at an auction in northern NH and placed
it at his Harmony Hill farm in Northwood. It immediately drew
attention for its likeness to the “horse drawn sleigh” or pung on
the Northwood town seal. Arlene Bassett drew the design for the town
seal for the Northwood Bicentennial coin in 1973 and was one of the
guests at the event. She readily admits that the scene featured on
the seal was from her imagination, with reference to pictures for
historical accuracy. Although no particular pung existed for the
picture featured on the town seal, this one brings to life a
matching example that carries history forward for future
generations.
After
seeing the pung at the farm, Steve Bailey approached Carl and
suggested he consider donating it to the Northwood Historical
Society. Carl agreed and the pung was first exhibited at Northwood’s
Bean Hole Bash in July 2013. Overall, the pung was in good condition
for its age but was in need of restoration to insure it would be
around for many more years. Bob Bailey took on the project in August
2013. The pung was taken to Les Barden in Farmington who makes and
repairs horse drawn vehicles, along with his assistant Aaron
Lizotte. Necessary repairs were made to all parts of the pung before
it was returned to Northwood this winter. Vintage sleigh bells were
found and added to the front shafts. The main body of the pung was
left as it has weathered over time, revealing the faint lettering of
its last business owner, a brass and iron founder. Thanks to Bruce
DeTrude and Heritage Hardware a sample of the original paint on the
runners was matched and Bob Bailey gave the runners, shafts and seat
a fresh coat of paint. It is the goal of the Northwood Historical
Society to include the pung in their permanent exhibit where young
and old may see an example of how life was lived in a time gone by.
What
does a pung have to do with Northwood History?
Northwood, like many towns in southern New Hampshire, was once a
shoe town. The industry lasted here for about eighty years, from
the 1840’s to the 1920’s. Most of the shoe making in Northwood was
part of the much larger shoe industry in northern Massachusetts. A
great amount of freighting was involved as shoes and shoe parts were
carried back and forth between the shoe shops and their suppliers.
Some of the freighting was by rail, to depots in closer places,
including Hampton, even Epsom. The men in Northwood who were
freighters made the connection from depots to our town. Some
freighters did go all the way to Haverhill. A long journey!
During
the winter months the freighters ceased using horse drawn freight
wagons and, instead, carried their crated cargo in what were known
as pungs. These pungs were sturdy, low sided bodies, with a single
seat, mounted on a pair of runners one in front of the other. The
front runner could turn to the right or left, the back one could
not. Like the wagons, the pungs were usually pulled by a single
horse.
The
newly acquired Northwood Historical Society pung, though not
originally used for freighting shoes or shoe parts, is similar to
the one depicted on the Northwood seal and the pungs used by
Northwood men including Irving Dow and James Bryant.
Letter
To the
good citizens of Northwood,
I
thought I would give a report on the stonewall we are building at
Dave Docko’s rock pit on Mile Stone Hill (Rt. 4).
We
started in the fall of 2011. We have 80 days of work in it so far.
We are getting closer to the end with every rock set.
I am a
little concerned that we have no corner rock for the end. We still
need more ledge rock to cap and mix in with fieldstone. My brother,
Mark, has been helping me on the weekends. My son, James, helps when
he can. My other son, Justin, has been on leave, but soon will be
considered AWOL.
As you
can probably see, I don’t want this job to end.
Dan
Schroth Piermarocchi
Northwood Recreation Update
Kayaking Club
Kayaking Club is a new program offered by the Northwood Recreation
Department for adults. This program is designed for adults age
60ish (give or take a few) in mind.
The
group will be planning trips on Wednesday mornings to a variety of
local waterways. All adventures will vary at the beginner level.
We will
also be offering a basic training session on dry land for beginners.
The training would answer all the questions you have about kayaking
as well as teach about safety while kayaking. The training session
is scheduled for Monday, May 19th at the Community Hall at 135 Main
St. The class will meet at 10:00 AM.
Please
register with the Northwood Recreation Department. Find additional
details and registration information in our Spring-Summer Brochure
on our website, www.northwoodnh.org. Call the Recreation Department at 942-5586
x209 with questions.
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