Donor Profile: Janet Pitman Anderson on Why She Supports New Hampshire Humanities

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It’s no surprise that a young girl who fell in love with New Hampshire and its deep cultural history at an early age would grow up to become one of the most steadfast supporters of New Hampshire Humanities.

With fond memories of her grandfather reading history stories to her and her brother when they were young, she instilled in her own children a love of literature, learning, and the importance of giving others a sense of history and connection to a place.

From her cozy living room in one of Pembroke’s oldest homes, Janet Pitman Anderson shared stories about growing up in New Hampshire, among them her experience working in the gift shop of one of New Hampshire’s historical treasures, the Summit Hotel on the top of Mt. Washington. Her future husband, Fred, served as Assistant Postmaster at the summit.

A retired teacher and mother of five grown children, Mrs. Pitman Anderson’s historical interests first drew her to a New Hampshire Humanities program about the author and explorer, Richard Halliburton. A member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Pierce Brigade, Janet has attended hundreds of humanities programs and continues to be an active and enthusiastic audience member.

When asked about why she supports New Hampshire Humanities, she says she believes in keeping the organization going strong on behalf of all the citizens of New Hampshire.

“I love history, and it’s wonderful to be able to learn about a topic and then ask questions afterward,” she said. “You can read the newspaper, but you can’t always get the information and insight shared at these programs.” We couldn’t agree more.

Thank you, Janet Pitman Anderson!