Tuesday, June 29 at 7p.m.
Fire Fighting during WWII - Jason Cleary, Assistant Fire Chief, Durham Fire Department
Learn about the Civil Defense Auxiliary firefighters who supplemented departments on the home front, the little-known Army Engineer Firefighting Platoons, and the civilian firefighters who protected our stateside military installations.
Tuesday, July 6 at 7p.m.
Vintage Gas Stations, 1910-1960 – John Warner & Mark Foynes, Wright Museum
Take a drive down memory lane with this nostalgic look at an icon of the American roadside. Explore the gas station’s development and examine some vintage “petroliana” - as well as the architecture that helped define the landscape of 20th century America. In addition, we’ll discuss the recent history of Melvin’s Garage, a local landmark in Melvin Village.
Tuesday, July 13 at 7p.m.
The Snowmobile in N.H. and American History
Brian Moriarty, Vintage Snowmobile Collector
The first snowmobile – a converted Model T - was made by Virgil White of W. Ossipee, N.H. In 1913 He patented his “Snowmobile,” selling complete units for $750 and conversion kits for $400. Recreational snowmobiling has since become a favorite pastime for thousands who
traverse the Granite State’s snow-covered terrain each winter.
Tuesday, July 20 at 7p.m.
Those Who
Served, Those Who Waited , Delores Stephens, Author & Museum Volunteer
Dodie Stephens’ Those Who Served, Those Who Waited chronicles the experiences of dozens of WWII veterans and the loved ones they left behind. She is also the author of “Wright Moments” a regular column in the Wright Times and a devoted volunteer.
Tuesday, July 27, 7p.m.
The Three Stooges Take on the Axis, Part II - Dan Schroeder, Museum Volunteer
This is a follow-up to the museum’s wildly popular recent lecture on the same topic, which looked at Stooges’ short films made prior to the U.S, entry into the war. Schroeder will pick up where he left off, looking at how Moe, Larry, and Curley satirized the Axis in films made after Pearl Harbor. Sorry, no Shemps allowed.
Tuesday, August 3, 7p.m.
Gremlins: The Allies’ Curious Crisis of Invisible Imps, James J. Kimble, Seton Hall University
WWII pilots often attributed unexplained equipment trouble to rascally critters called gremlins. Roald Dahl, a former RAF pilot, wrote The Gremlins, a fairy tale about the hazards of combat flying, in 1942. The book was published by Walt Disney and serialized in Cosmopolitan. A cartoon of one such gremlin – Fifinella – became the insignia of the Women Air Service Pilots (WASPs) who were recently honored in a presidential ceremony.
Tuesday, August 10, 7p.m.
Lecture & Display -
Victory! Home Front Memorabilia of WWII Mark Foynes, Wright Museum Director
Drinking glasses, children’s toys, war bond posters, and even handkerchiefs were emblazoned with the ubiquitous “V for Victory” symbol in the WWII years. Explore how one letter came to express America’s greatest hopes in the darkest days of the war.
Tuesday, August 17p.m.
Lecture -
Ambassador J. Gilbert Winant: Our Man in England
Mike Pride, Editor Emeritus, Concord Monitor
Former N.H. Governor John Gilbert Winant (R-Concord) succeeded Joseph Kennedy as U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain. Unlike his predecessor, Winant was a staunch advocate of America’s entry into the war. Learn about one of the most important WWII figures you’ve likely never heard of before.
Tues., August 24, 7 p.m.
Lecture & Book Signing -
New Hampshire: War and Peace, John Clayton, Author & N.H. Union Leader Columnist
In New Hampshire: War and Peace, you meet heroes like Lancaster's Col. Edward Cross, commander of the N.H.
regiment that took more casualties than any other in the Civil War and Sgt. Michael Neider - the “Bow Scudbuster” - who made the skies safe over Kuwait in the Gulf War. In his Wright Museum appearance, Clayton will highlight the stories of WWII veterans such as machine gunner and POW Gerry Hebert, Pearl Harbor survivor Walter Welch, and shipmates Marcel Pinard and Bernie Lee, who were aboard the cruiser that secretly transported FDR to the Yalta Conference.
Tues., Aug. 31, 7pm
Combat! Dan Schroeder & Randy Cook
Combat! was a one-hour TV series set in WWII that followed an American frontline infantry squad as they
battled their way across Europe. With surprising realism, the show depicted men striving to main-tain their own human-ity in the midst of a world torn by war.
Tues., Sep. 7, 7pm
Love Letters on the Front Lines Mark Foynes, Wright Museum Director
For millions of American men serving overseas, letters from home - especially love letters from spouses and sweethearts - were a vital link to those for whom they were fighting. Join us for a special look at several such letters from the museum's archives.
Tues., Sep. 14, 7pm
Adventures of Billy Boyle - Lecture & Book Signing by James R. Benn
Plot twists and compelling characters are hallmarks of the Billy Boyle mysteries, set in the Allied High Command. Meet the author and learn about how he brings the past
to life through the actions of his hero as he wends his way through history!
