The Castle Preservation Society,  non-profit operators of the Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough, has received a grant from New Hampshire Humanities for a multi-faceted project celebrating the Granite State’s deep Franco-American roots.

 

The project begins on Saturday, May 7 with the opening of an exhibit titled French Speaking Culture in the Granite State. French speakers have been an integral part of New Hampshire’s state fabric for generations. The exhibit, on view through July 16, will honor Franco-American Thomas Plant, the original owner of the Lucknow estate, by exploring the history and impact of Franco Americans in New Hampshire from the 19th century to today. Admission to the exhibit is free. There is a fee to visit the rest of the Castle in the Clouds site.

 

On Wednesday, May 18 the Castle in the Clouds will host an Academic Symposium: French Speaking Culture in the Granite State from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The symposium will be moderated by Castle in the Clouds Programs Coordinator Jennifer Belmont-Earl. Speakers include Dr. Katharine Harrington,  Associate Professor of French at Plymouth State University and author of Writing the Nomadic Experience of French in Contemporary Literature; Dr. Mark Richard, Professor of History and Canadian Studies at SUNY Plattsburgh and author of Not a Catholic Nation: The Ku Klux Clan Confronts New England in the 1920s; and Robert Perreault, faculty member at Saint Anselm College and author of Franco-American Life and Culture in Manchester, New Hampshire: Vivre la Différence. 

 

The day’s activities will include a guided tour of the exhibition and of the Lucknow mansion. Educators attending the symposium will receive certification for 5 credit hours. Teachers will also receive a guide on utilizing the project’s oral history resources in their classrooms. The symposium is open to the public, as well as to teachers, but space is limited. Register here. 

 

The Castle in the Clouds will host a free gallery reception on Friday, June 3 at 5:30 p.m. The scholars who helped create the exhibition will be on hand to answer questions. Complimentary wine and crudites will be served.

 

For more information, e-mail Castle in the Clouds.