There are many organizations active in Francestown, covering a wide variety of activities and interests. This page lists some of them (in alphabetical order). If your group is not listed, or if you would like to correct or amend the information here, please Contact Us.

Boy Scout Troop 275 Scout Master: Brian Delahanty, 547-6639

Francestown has its own Boy Scout Troop sponsored by the Francestown Fire Department. The Scouts meet every other Friday during the school year at 7 PM. The troop of twelve Boy Scouts serves the community in many ways, including “Scouting for Food” for the local soup kitchens, cleaning the Town Forest, raking leaves, cleaning out barns, sponsoring car washes, popcorn sales, and much more. The troop committee consists of parents and Scout Masters, and new participants are always welcome. The committee meets the first Tuesday of every month at the Francestown Elementary School at 7 PM to plan the various Scouting activities. Parents of all Scouts are welcome to attend. Call Scout Master Brian Delahanty 547-6639 for further information.

Community Theatre Contact: Pam Nation, 547-3447

The Francestown Community Theatre is a non-profit organization committed to showcasing the talented residents of Francestown and surrounding communities. In recent years, the troupe has performed The Odd Couple (Female Version), The Foreigner, Harvey, and Plaza Suite. They are always looking for new participants. Interested in acting, directing or working back stage with this fun-loving group? Call Pam Nation at 547-3447.

Farming Fun 4-H Contact Lori at Hardway Farm, 588-2978

We are a small club working mostly with sheep, chickens, horses, and arts and crafts. We do dabble in other areas as well. 4-H stands for Head, Heart, Hands, Health; these are all important in life long learning. 4-H helps build confidence—it teaches self motivation, self discipline, responsibility, and so much more. There are many opportunities for children in 4-H.

Fellowship Circle Meets Thursdays from 10:00am—1:00pm at the Community Church

A group of volunteers organized to support the Community Church through fundraising efforts and social programs. The women of the fellowship circle hold an annual sale of their hand-crafted items in early December. Meetings are held on Thursdays from 10:00am to 1:00pm at the Community Church in Francestown.

Francestown Food Coop Contact: Martha Coutts-Eisenberg, 547-2164

Francestown is home to one of the oldest, continuously-running food co-operatives in New England. Founded in 1975, the Co-Op distributes food to its members twice a month at the Town Hall. Members get organic groceries and produce at wholesale prices in return for their work. For more information, contact Martha Coutts-Eisenberg at 547-2164.

Francestown Improvement and Historical Society (FIHS) 15 New Boston Road P.O. Box 147 Francestown, NH 03043-0147 Tel: (603) 547-3600   President: Charlie Pyle Tel. (603) 547-3934   1st. Vice Pres: Elliott Hersey 2nd. Vice Pres: Diana Place Treasurer: Abby Dawson Secretary: Irene Day Curatorial Committee: Elliott Hersey (contact), Priscilla Martin, Betty Murray At large Board Members: Carol Prest Barr, Ray James

FIHS's mission is to add to the improvement and welfare of Francestown, to support other local organizations in their service to the community, as well as to collect, preserve and share its significant historical heritage. Founded in 1911, FIHS has funded a wide range of projects, such as the recreation fields and tennis courts, Town Hall annex and horse shed restorations, F.I.H.S. park and benches on Main Street, Town Common flagpoles and American flags, and more. In addition to these visible signs, FIHS makes contributions to a wide variety of organizations and special projects.

F.I.H.S. currently maintains the Historical Rooms in the Town Annex, next to the Old Meeting House. The extensive collection includes hundreds of photographs and antique postcards, genealogical information, soapstone artifacts, old furniture,period dress, and much more. The rooms are open to the public. Consult the bulletin board or check with the library for hours. Membership is open to any and all who have an interest in Francestown. New residents to Francestown are especially encouraged to join FIHS—to help learn about your community, its rich history and its various volunteer opportunities.

Since 1917, FIHS’s major annual fundraiser, The Labor Day Weekend Celebration, has been a tradition that has become part of the town’s identity. Aside from the famous Labor Day Parade, the weekend-long event includes a road race, a mud volleyball tournament, a rock and roll dance and a contra dance, a juried art show, and various sales: white elephant, rummage, plants and books to name a few.

If you are interested in joining contact Elliott Hersey at 547-3915 for additional information.

The Francestown News P.O. Box 248 Francestown, NH 03043 Subscriptions: $15 per year Contact: Sarah Pyle, 547-3934

First published in 1997, The Francestown News is an all-volunteer town newspaper published monthly. The News covers town government, schools, community organizations and town events and often features profiles of interesting townspeople and historical stories written by some of our long-time residents. Articles are submitted by members of our community or written by the editorial staff. Guest writers are encouraged. For information call Sarah Pyle at 547-3934. To subscribe for one year (twelve issues), send $15 to The Francestown News, PO Box 248, Francestown 03043.

Francestown Village Water Company P.O. Box 154 Francestown, NH 03043 Contact: Ron Cheney, 547-2696 Click here for downloads

The Francestown Village Water Company is a private, non-profit water company operated by an elected Board of Directors. The company is registered by the EPA and licensed by the State of NH. The system is subject to an annual inspection by the Department of Environmental Services and conducts water test analysis with the State lab every month.

Originally known as the Francestown Village Water and Electric Company, the company was reorganized in the 1940’s and has provided only water service since then. The entire system was rebuilt in 1978 and serves the Village District of Francestown.

Our water comes from 400’ deep bedrock wells and is pumped to our storage tanks located on Oak Hill Road. From there it is piped to the users and hydrants by the same type of distribution system as you would find in any city.

Francestown Volunteer Fire Department 242 2nd NH Turnpike South Office number: 547-6664

The fire department in Francestown is a completely volunteer organization comprised of 20 to 30 active members from the town. Interested townspeople are encouraged to become members as firefighters, rescue personnel or both. Training, funded by the town, is available and recommended in many areas. State certification for “Firefighter 1” is strongly encouraged and available through the department. The Fire Department Dive Team is a specialized group of certified divers, trained for rescue under ice or open water. The Rescue Squad responds to all medical emergencies, vehicle accidents, water rescues, and/or any situation that may involve a health risk. Members are encouraged to have “First Responder” certification. The first Wednesday evening of each month is firefighter training, the second Wednesday of the month is the business meeting, the third Wednesday of the month is rescue training and the fourth Wednesday of the month is an Officers’ or Fire Wards’ meeting. Every Sunday morning at 10:00am is “radio check” with Mutual Aid in Keene. Visitors are welcome to drop by on any Sunday morning to see the station, or to attend a Wednesday training session. The Francestown Volunteer Fire Department has historically been blessed with the support of the townspeople.

Francestown Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary Contact: Karen St. Cyr, 547-3300

The Auxiliary of the Francestown Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1972, and became an official organization in 1973. Its mission is to help the Fire Department during emergencies, and to provide assistance to the department in other related matters. One of the first projects the Auxiliary undertook was providing first aid kits to firefighters. More recently, CPR mannequins were purchased for the FVFD for department training and classes for residents. The biennial publication of the Francestown Telephone & Business Directory serves as a fund raiser and provides a community service. Semi-annual blood drives, now held in May and November, were begun following 911. Scheduled meetings are held bi-monthly the first Monday of the month, 7PM, at the fire station, and are open to the public. Additional meetings are called as needed. We welcome new members!

Garden Club Meets 4th Monday of the month at the Community Church President: Judy Badot, 547-2696

Garden Club members are avid gardeners at all levels of expertise. The club meets the fourth Monday of every month in the basement of the Community Church and meetings often include guest speakers with garden tips. The garden club is involved with several community beautification projects.

Gourmet Club Contact: Sandy Lowery, 547-2352

The Gourmet Club, founded in 1992, is a great way to meet and socialize informally with people in town. The Club organizes dinner parties at the homes of various people approximately every other month. There is typically a theme—such as French, Italian, or Japanese—and everyone who attends brings a part of the meal. Watch The Francestown News for information on the next Gourmet event. All Francestown adult residents are welcome.

Monadnock Music P.O. Box 255 Peterborough, NH 03458 Phone: (603) 924-7610 or (800) 868-9613 Fax: (603) 924-9403 www.monadnockmusic.org

Francestown’s own James and Jocelyn Bolle founded Monadock Music in 1966. From its earliest days as the main event of Old Home Day in Nelson to the many free concerts performed today in towns and villages throughout the region to the active “Lend and Ear!” program in 21 area schools, the close connections between music and musician, musician and audience, audience and community, are the heart of Monadnock Music’s mission.

Oak Hill Grange #32 Meets 1st and 3rd Monday of the month

The Grange is one of the oldest volunteer organizations in the country. Founded in 1867, it was the first organization to give women an equal vote (1887), and full and equal standing with men. The Oak Hill Grange is composed of families and individuals who share a common interest in community involvement, agriculture, and the desire to work together in a family environment. The heart and soul of every local Grange is community service—an agenda which changes year to year based on community need. Examples of recent Grange service include electing Francestown Citizens of the Year, supporting the Francestown Fire Department’s CPR program, veteran remembrance programs, and veteran memorial upkeep. The Oak Hill Grange also sponsors candidates night and political debates at the town level, as well as a Deaf Awareness Program supported on the national level. The Oak Hill Grange meets at the Town Hall or in private homes on the first and third Thursday of each month.

The Old Meeting House of Francestown P.O. Box 213 Francestown, NH 03043 (603) 547-3035

The centerpiece of a New England village is its meeting house, not only as an architectural monument, but also as an enduring testimony to the character of the town. Francestown’s Old Meeting House, first raised in 1801, has been expanded, renovated, and repaired numerous times, always presenting a handsome prelusion to the village. In 1987, title was transferred to the Old Meeting House of Francestown, Inc., a non-profit corporation responsible for preserving, restoring, maintaining, and managing the building while retaining its historical and architectural integrity and usefulness to the town. The Meeting hosts a wide variety of activities ranging from events such as concerts, recitals, and art exhibits, to christenings and weddings. Proceeds from these activities, as well as membership fees and individual and corporate donations, support ongoing maintenance and renovations.

Piscataquog Watershed Association (PWA) 5A Mill St. New Boston, NH 03070 (603) 487-3331 http://www.pwa-nh.org

The PWA is a membership organization serving Francestown and 10 other communities since 1970 by working to conserve the natural and scenic environment of the Piscataquog River watershed and protect the purity of its waters. The South Branch of the river drains from Pleasant Pond and is seen at many river crossings in town. The Middle Branch originates with Scoby Pond and flows east through New Boston. Through the efforts of the PWA, the river was accepted into the NH Rivers Management and Protection Program in 1992, one of only 14 such state-designated rivers. The PWA's work includes permanent land conservation, water quality monitoring, watershed research, advocacy, and education. A number of PWA programs may be familiar to townspeople, including the Adopt-a-Salmon program at Francestown Elementary School, purple loosestrife control, and “Keeping Track”. The board member from Francestown is Len Allen (547-8863). Pat Nelson is the editor of the PWA newsletter.