2016Annual Report

This Annual Report is dedicated to the memory ofLee Fisher, Jim Hayden, and Carol Welch

in recognition of their commitment and devotion tothe American Independence Museum.

or the American Independence Museum, 2016 was a year of expanding our impact in the community as well as extending our reach beyond the Seacoast region.

In 2016, our talented staff continued to march purposefully forward in executing our mission of “promoting awareness, increasing understanding and celebrating the achievements of America’s Independence and encouraging civic engagement today”

One of our priority goals was-- and continues to be--education, and due to our energetic education manager and devoted volunteers, we reached a “historically” high record number of school children and visitors in 2016. Our summer programs grew and our new, free “Lunch and Learn” lecture series at the Folsom Tavern was especially popular among our more “senior” students. Our “Beer for History” events continued to attract an enthusiastic following.

With the help of the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Hampshire, corporate sponsors, and our partnership with the Town of Exeter, we significantly enhanced our “face” to the community. We completed several well-planned infrastructure improvement projects, including a new granite staircase and walkway to the Ladd Gilman House, expansive seasonal gardens and a colonial cutting garden, and additional painting and signage.

In spring and early summer, we were able to heighten awareness of our Museum in places as far away as our nation’s capital, where we proudly displayed our drafts of the US Constitution and our original Dunlap Broadside Declaration of Independence at the Constitution Hall headquarters of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The Museum’s undeniable successes in 2016 could not have occurred without your generous and sustained support, for which we are exceedingly grateful. We are excited about the future that lies ahead for the Museum, and we look forward to sharing our journey with you for many years to come.

Susan Y. DesjardinsPresident, Board of Governors

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F

EDUCATIONThe Summer Colonial Living History program sold out once again in 2016. Two new summer experiences were added in 2016, including the return of Muster Day and a new week-long Junior Historian Program. Featuring esteemed visiting lecturers in areas of historic preservation, architecture, and genealogy, Junior Historian week enabled children (ages 10-13) to spend a week exploring all the aspects of work in the field of history--from museum collections to family history.

The newly launched Traveling Trunk program, funded by the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, will now allow AIM to bring history into schools and increase the amount of school children we can serve. Featuring lessons based around the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War, the Trunk includes hands-on items, such as reproduction 18th century clothing, accessories, objects and more.

LANDSCAPEWith a recently completed landscape survey and plan from renowned landscape architects, AIM has begun a transformation to ensure that the campus is safe and welcoming. In 2016, we were able to bring the Water Street side of Governors Lane back with a new, beautiful and safer staircase. A welcome addition from the Farm at Eastman’s Corner, a colonial cutting garden added a new dimension to both tours and school programs. Our other gardens continue to bloom, too, with great thanks to our many dedicated volunteers.

EVENTSThe American Independence Festival was once again a smashing success with thousands of visitors to downtown Exeter. A new and free Lunch & Learn series proved to be popular and complimented our continued and strong evening lecture program. The inaugural Beer for History Series, sponsored by Hoefle Phoenix Gormley & Roberts, P.A. Attorneys at Law of Portsmouth, was also a rousing success with hundreds visiting AIM’s Folsom Tavern, enjoying live music and locally prepared food. COLLECTIONSThe Museum made great advances this year in terms of preserving its collection of precious artifacts and items. With grant funds received from both the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati, we conserved top items in our collection, including two handwritten George Washington letters, a George Washington bookplate, and an original printing of John Sullivan’s Order of the Troops.

HIGHLIGHTS

CORPORATE SUPPORTCorporate support is critical to the short and long term future of AIM, and 2016 saw more than two dozen business entities make financial contributions to support its operations. While many sponsors had previously offered their respective support, several new organizations joined AIM’s corporate family and made an immediate impact.

2016 Visitor Cross Section36.5%

16.9%

32.1%

14.5%

2016 Income by Category 2016 Expense by Category

78%

19.4%

2.6%

50.2%

8.9%

9.8%

15.6%

15.5%

PEOPLE

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James Benenson IIDavid Burnham

Stephen B. Jeffries Paul Marcus

American Independence Center Trustees

Susan Y. Desjardins, PresidentKathleen Mahoney, Vice President Robert A. Casassa, Secretary Geoffrey F. Brackett, Treasurer Ozzie AyscueRebecca B. Dunham

Leon Fay William C. FredericksJulie D. Gilman Jim Hayden† Ron Kim Hugh L. Robinson II

Board of Govenors

Visitors to Museum5023 Education & Public Program Attendees2338

Visitors Served Offsite

7368Supporters(institutions or households)304

Elizabeth Bauman Ronald C. Brown Jr.Douglas P. DimesM. Jacqueline Eastwood Donna Goodspeed Charles Goss Julie LaNigra

Eric MacDonald Sean Mahoney Karen McDonnellAmy McLaughlin Agostinho N. Nunes Susan W. O’Leary Renée Plummer

Russell Prescott Sr.Florence Ruffner Catherine V. Salterio Martha Shepardson KillamJoseph TaggartCharlie A. Tarbell

Museum Ambassadors

2016The Year in Numbers

Dr. Hollis Merrick III

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Julie Hall WilliamsExecutive Director

Rob LeveyMuseum Operations Manager

Rachel PassannanteMuseum Operations Coordinator

Abigail PietrantonioEducation Manager

Peter TaylorProperty Manager

Museum Staff

Danielle BernierAnna DoremusMaren Forsyth

Virginia GrinchJames IrvingHeather Kenny

Jennifer KingEmily MierswaThomas Pelchat

College & Graduate Interns

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VolunteersDenise AnkarbergSuzanne AshkenazyDouglas AykroydElizabeth AykroydSharon BealsEmily BelangerCord BlomquistChris BoardmanBill BringhurstBeth CadoretteMadalyn CaldwellCate CasassaCleo CastonguayDon ClarkChris ChildBea DaltonChelsea DeRochemontBurt DibbleSusan DrinkerBeth DupellMike Favreau

Allison FieldDot FisherLee Fisher†Sharon FontaineGreg GilmanDavid HallHedy HallKaren HaydenAimee HayesDana HolleranElla HorvathMorgan HrabRichard HurdBill JennisonMichelle JohnsonRogers JohnsonJohn KaneMary Ann KaneElla LangePeter LennonErik Loranger

Doug MacLennan Michael MalerGretchen McBrideKent McConnellApril MeloRobin MillwardBob MitchellGreg MorinPeter MorrisseyRonnie NightingaleHerb NightingaleTressa NorthrupIan NortonSean PerryBrian PrestonRon RaiselisBarbara Rimkunas Jennifer RoyAnn SchieberJennifer SchlenkerMargaret Staller

Arron SturgisFrancesca TarbellAssunta TernulloPamela ThatcherBarbara TosianoDaniel TosianoMarc TosianoJanet TuckerDave VaughtElizabeth VolponeSally WatkinsCarol Welch†

David WelchMike WelchLee WerlingMorgan WhiteNancy WikeJoel WilliamsMark WillisGussie Wilson

As always, the part of the institution that keeps us running, and running well, is the time, effort and sweat of our volunteers. Investing more than 6,000 hours into the operation of AIM in 2016, our volunteers served as a source of knowledge and inspiration for staff and visitors alike. Our 2016 volunteers were:

SPECIAL PROJECTSGifts for special initiatives — from gardens to our Collections Fund, and more.

SUPPORT

$1,000 and moreMr. Todd A. BurneSusan Desjardins & Peter LennonPaul Marcus & Moying LiDr. and Mrs. Hollis Merrick IIIMr. Sam Smoot and Ms. Karen McDonnellSociety of the Cincinnati in the State of New Hampshire

Under $1,000Inn by the BandstandDr. Susan Reid MacLennan and Mr. Douglas A. MacLennanRenée Plummer Paula and Wayne VanGundyElizabeth Volpone

Tribute and Memorial GiftsIn memory of Philip J. and Janice A. Burne Mr. Todd A. Burne

In memory of Jim Hayden Alliance for Community Media, Northeast Region Capt. Samuel Cherry’s Co. 2nd NH Regt M. Elizabeth Cashman Mary R. Chouinard Rebecca B. Crowther Danvers Alarm List Susan Y. Desjardins George Hayden His Majesty’s 10th Regiment of Foot in America, Inc. Michelle Houle Steve and Diana McCullough Janine Mudge Janine Nichipor Elie and Kathleen Rahme Judith A. Salkovitz Michael Thompson Vermont Access Network Julie Hall Williams

$2,500 or moreElizabeth H. Bauman and Luke GullickSusan Desjardins & Peter LennonMr. and Mrs. Stephen B. JeffriesMs. Kathleen Mahoney and Mr. Ozzie AyscueDr. and Mrs. Hollis Merrick IIIMr. and Mrs. William B. Tyler

$1,000 - $2,449Ms. Sally Crawford and Mr. Peter WellsMr. and Mrs. William FredericksRoger and Patricia HindmanSean MahoneyJohn & Catherine V. SalterioPaul Staller and Deidre O’ByrneMr and Mrs. Joseph L. Taggart

$500 - $999Anonymous (1)Bea and Mike DaltonDr. and Mrs. John B. LittleJaqueline MahoneyKevin J. and Susan W. O’LearyMr. and Mrs. Hugh L. Robinson IILT & Mrs. Ryan B. Weddle USNJulie Hall Williams and Joel Williams

$250 - $499Mr. Kevin V. BoucherRobert A. Casassa and Sara McCarthy Casassa Doug and Evelyn ChamberlainDr. Louis F. ClarizioWilliam G. and Rebecca B. DunhamAllison and Bob FieldNewell FlatherMr. and Mrs. William H. Greer Jr.Mr. Andrew Hertig

GENERAL OPERATIONSGifts for our membership and 1776 Fund which support general operations.

$250 - $499Dan and Linda JonesMs. Wendy Stanley JonesMr. and Mrs. Frederick J. KollmorgenMr. Peter LaddMr. and Mrs. K. Prescott LowMr. Sam Smoot and Ms. Karen McDonnellCamille A. MillerJohn MunkhoffJeremy and Heather NadeauMr. Samuel D. PerryPamela RogersMr. and Mrs. Oliver Schwab Richard SiemensRobert and Susan SpoffordMr. and Mrs. Michael H. StudleyMr. John L. ThorndikeRoger B. and Vail C. TylerPaula and Wayne VanGundyMr. and Mrs. William D. Weeks Esq.Dr. Eric Whittall and Ms. Marybeth Marx

Between $100 - $249LTC and Mrs. Douglas AykroydOzzie AyscueMr. William S. Bartlett Jr.Peter W. Boardman Marc and Janet BonoMr. and Mrs. John T. BottomleyMr. F. Gorham Brigham IIIPatricia CarrollMr. Thomas Crosby ChadwickDr. Jonathan H. Cilley Jr. and Lori Cilley Ms. Kate Cook and Dr. Ernest PodraskyMr. and Mrs. William M. Crozier Jr.Douglas P. DimesMr. David W. EatonMs. Judith C. FarrellMrs. Lee FisherPeter Garrison and Roberta HerroldMr. and Mrs. David J. HallMs. Terrie HarmanMrs. Sally HollamanCol. Lawrence E. Howard Ret. and Mrs. Edith M. HowardMr. Peter Barton HuttRon Kim and Theresa M. KneeboneJudy and Gary LamphereFrederic F. Little M.D. and Claudia L. OrdonezMr. and Mrs. George M. Lovejoy Jr.Dr. Susan Reid MacLennan and Mr. Douglas A. MacLennan

Rick and Linda MahoneyMr. David MaloneMr. and Mrs. Michael MorisonMr. and Mrs. H. Gilman Nichols Jr.Mr. William Ford Peck Ms. Sylvia Gilman PetersenThe Honorable Thomas R. PickeringMr. and Mrs. Martin PoulinMr. Andrew M. Rankin IIMr. Grahame Richards Jr., Esq.Dr. and Mrs. Karl SingerLois SwickMr. Alan TuthillTerence Waldron P.E.Mr. John W. Weeks Jr.Ms. Gussie WilsonChris and Jolie Yonker

IN-KIND SUPPORT7th SettlementApple Annie’sCalef’s Country StoreSusan Desjardins & Peter LennonD.L. Geary Brewing Co.Rebecca B. Dunhamecm designExeter Inn and EPOCH RestaurantExeter Monument WorksExponential SquaredFlag Hill Distillery & WineryGranite State Growler ToursHutchinson’sJenness FarmMichelle JohnsonMaryAnn KaneRon KimLaney & LuKathleen MahoneyKaren McDonnellMoat Mountain Smoke House & Brewing Co.Neighborhood Beer Co.New Hampshire Boat MuseumSalmon Falls PotterySam AdamsCatherine SalterioSerious StitchingSouthport PrintingThe ChocolatierThe Music HallTown of ExeterJulie Hall WilliamsZorvino Vineyards

Under $100Peg and Rich AaronianSteve and Barbara ArmstrongJ. AubrySue BarnesMary BelangerMr. and Mrs. Leonard BenjaminNancy BergeronMichael BerryMr. and Mrs. David C. BohnMarc and Chrysty BolteKaren BoodeyNormand and Marianne BoucherPhillip and Cynthia BoyleMr. and Mrs. Don BriseldenLynne BroschMr. Paul E. BrownThe Caldwell FamilyAnne and Bill CampbellMary Ann CappielloJim and Sue CobbKevin CochraneCapt. and Mrs. Edward L. Cochrane Jr. USN (Ret)Neal ConnerNancy CountyThe Cramer-Zulager FamilyMr. Richard M. CutterMichael DaneThe DeAngelis FamilyAngelic DeButts Todd and Colleen DelucaDianne M. DicksonDavid DominianniMr. and Mrs. Peter A. DowKaren DrapaniotisMrs. Mary B. DupréAlyson Eberhardt, Kevin Baum & Family Mr. James EkstromDr. and Mrs. Leon FayCristina FedericoDr. Henry H. Ferrell & Ms. Gwen EnglishMrs. Robert B. Field Jr.Jameson FitzpatrickEileen and Douglas FlockhartMeg Foley and Erik JanickiMr. and Mrs. Jeffrey FoySuzy and Steve GagnonMr. and Mrs. James L. GarvinJohn A. Grieco Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Harry HamptonJohn and Leslie HaslamRobert Walsh Hickey MD and Patricia Burke HickeyMr. Jeffrey D. HillRuth HootenThe Inyart FamilyThe Iworsley FamilyMr. Bill JennisonDorothea JensenStephen and Julie JohnsonKarin JordanPauline J. KingTrevor KnottLynn Knowles and Peter Taylor Elizabeth KomisarekMs. Mary Jo Kremer

Paul and Kristine LaChapelleTricia Langford and FamilyJohn LesterMelody LewisL. Chris LinkerMr. Warren M. LittleLaurie and Wayne LoosigianMr. and Mrs. Erik LorangerMr. and Mrs. Brian LortieSteven MachalaMr. David MaloneyEdda and Sandy MartinGretchen McBrideKaren and Henry McFarlandDale McLeanRobin and David MillwardMr. James T. C. MooreMr. and Mrs. Joseph MulqueenMr. Michael MunseyJanice and Eldon NickersonMs. Sandra O’NeillLt. Col. Scott R. PappRev. Mark PearsonJames and Barbara PeirceHeidi PelchatJames PemantellMr. and Mrs. Jeremy PerkinsCarl and Nancy PetersonHon. Roberta C. PevearMark and Renée Portu & FamilyDavid and Tracy PriestleyDeborah A. ReedMary B. RemensynderMr. Carlton F. RezendesMs. Barbara RimkunasBeth RothEd Rowan and Judith B. Rowan Ph.D.Greg Morin & Jennifer RoyMike and Deb ScheetzAnn and Richard SchieberMr. and Mrs. Herb SearsMrs. Jean Van Schoonhoven SmithMs. Abigail ScheetzStacy and Jesse SmithMat & Kim SolsoDonald SpaldingCDR & Mrs. Michael H. Spencer USN, (Ret.)Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan SpringerCharles and Victoria SuMargaret Tilton and Rob LeatherbeeMr. Mike TothMr. and Mrs. Llewellyn M. ToulminMrs. Janet TuckerBobbi VandenbulckeDavid Vaught and Anita KyddMichael and Diane VeprauskasMr. James Amory Sullivan WalkerMs. Paula WalshDonald and Sandra WebberJohn and Sheila WelchMr. and Mrs. Kenneth WilliamsDeb WinterDr. Edward WoodsCapt. Richard T. Wright USN (Ret) Geoffrey W. YoungclausLaurie and Anthony Zwaan

BUSINESS PARTNERS

$2,500 or moreAutoFairGEICO Local Office, ManchesterHoefle, Phoenix, Gormley, & Roberts, P.A. Attorneys at LawService Credit UnionTwo International Group

$1,000 - $2,499Access Sports Medicine & OrthopaedicsChinburg Builders, Inc.Foy InsuranceRiverWoodsRuffner Real EstateThe Farm at Eastman’s Corner

$500 - $999Buxton Oil and Buxton WaterGeoffrey F. Brackett, PCHistoric Motor SportsMitchell and Monti International, LLCThe Provident Bank

Under $500DTC LawyersEmanuel Engineering, Inc.Exeter HospitalExeter Inn & EPOCH RestaurantExeter JewelersGeorge and PhillipsGeorgetown Bank

$10,000 and moreMassachusetts Society of the CincinnatiSociety of the Cincinnati in the State of New HampshireVesper Foundation

$1,000 - $9,999A Caring Community - The Fabulous FindNational Society Daughters of the American RevolutionNH State Council on the ArtsStratham 76ersWilliam W. Treat Foundation

Under $1,000Dearborn’s CompanyDurham Public LibraryEast Kingston Public Library

Exeter Area Garden ClubExeter Chapter DARExeter Public LibraryFriends of the Dudley Tucker LibraryFriends of the Epsom Public LibraryFriends of the Kelley LibraryFolsom Family Association of AmericaHampton Falls Free LibraryLCHIP - Land and Community Heritage Investment ProgramMary E. Bartlett LibraryNH Humanities CouncilNewmarket Public LibraryNorth Hampton Public LibraryPelham Public LibrarySociety of the Cincinnati in the State of ConnecticutTuftonboro Free LibraryWiggin Memorial Library

FOUNDATION AND NON-PROFIT SUPPORT

COLLECTIONS ACQUISITIONS

In 2016 the Museum added these wonderful pieces to our Museum and Education collections:

GundalowTo the Memory of Frank Butterworth Jr. by People’s United Bank in Portsmouth, NH

Model of a Gundalow sailing vessel, contains moving sail, rudder, mast, and other details. There is writing on the ship ‘Captain Edward H. Adams’. Circa 1982.

Scarificator In Memory of Lee Fisher

A metal scarificator used by physicians, most commonly in the 19th century. The box contains a set blades that are held in by a spring that, when released by the button on the top of the box, are sent out quickly then retract. The scarificator would be placed on a patient’s arm to draw blood to prevent or cure illnesses.

Receipt of Payment to Joseph Chandler of New Hampshire. Anonymous Gifter

Letter is written in the name of two men, William Thom-son of Sandbornton and Daniel Tilton of Exeter. They are writing together to John Taylor Gilman, Treasurer of New Hampshire, for the sum of one hundred pounds to be paid to Joseph Chandler for wages due for his service from 1781 to 1782. Dated 1783.

For Educational Purposes:Ladderback ChairsGift of Susan and William Patton

2nd NH Regiment FlagsGift of David Welch

Assortment of Replica 18th Century Medical Equipment In memory of Lee Fisher

In an effort to preserve our collection, and continue to acquire new items to tell our story, the Museum added a Collections Fund in 2015.

Please call us for more information.

One Governors Lane, Exeter, NH 03833 • 603.772.2622www.independencemuseum.org