Arts and Culture in the Great North Woods: Museums, Galleries and Theaters

New Hampshire's Great North Woods is known for moose, lakes and long stretches of forest. It is less known for culture, but the region has a small and rewarding arts scene built by volunteers, historical societies and local artisans. The venues are modest, often housed in historic buildings, and they tell the story of the North Country better than any highway sign. This guide covers museums in the Great North Woods NH, along with arts centers and artisan shops worth a stop.

The North Country in brief

The Great North Woods is the northernmost part of New Hampshire, in Coos County. Colebrook is one of its main towns. It sits on the Connecticut River, which forms its western border, and the 2020 census counted 2,084 residents. The town was first granted in 1762 under the name Dryden, then regranted in 1770 and renamed Colebrook. It was incorporated in 1796.

Colebrook's history is a good lens for the region's museums. According to an 1874 gazetteer cited in local history, Colebrook was once the potato capital of New Hampshire, with much of the crop milled into potato starch. The starch industry declined after 1880, and the area turned to dairy farming. Nearby, the Balsams Grand Resort Hotel was built in Dixville Notch in 1874.

Farther south, Berlin sits on the Androscoggin River. Its nicknames include "The City That Trees Built" and "Paper City."

Great North Woods Center for the Arts

The Great North Woods Center for the Arts is on U.S. Route 3 in Columbia, the town next to Colebrook. It occupies one of northern New Hampshire's most unusual historic properties. According to the center, the story begins in 1789, when Hezekiah and Margaret Parsons built a log cabin and barn on the land, the same year George Washington was inaugurated. Since then the site has been the Parsons family farm, a seminary, the Hampshire Inn and the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace. The property is listed on the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places.

Today the campus includes a hand-hewn timber-frame barn dating to about 1843, a farmhouse that later served as a dormitory, walking paths and outdoor gathering spaces. The center hosts concerts, theater, art exhibits, educational programs and community events. Its partners include the Connecticut River Artisans Group and the Carriage Lane Players, a community theater group that has performed on the outdoor stage.

The center's grounds tie into Colebrook's past. Wikipedia's history of the town notes that the Hampshire Inn on the Colebrook and Columbia line enjoyed its heyday in the 1890s and 1900s, and that the shrine that later occupied the land closed in 2014. A visit here is a chance to see that layered history in one place.

Colebrook Area Historical Society museums

The Colebrook Area Historical Society is a volunteer organization that promotes and preserves the history of the greater Colebrook area. The society was founded in 1992 and opened its Town Hall Museum on Bridge Street in 1995. In 2011 it added a second museum location in the Tillotson Center.

Between the two locations, the society says its museums hold about 15,000 artifacts, including fine arts, folk arts, costuming, textiles, manufactured goods and household goods, all connected to local history. The society also maintains an online digital library and publishes a newsletter.

Season note: The museums keep limited, seasonal hours and also open by appointment. Check the society's website before you go, particularly outside of summer.

The Tillotson Center

The Tillotson Center on Carriage Lane in Colebrook is a venue that hosts community events. It houses the historical society's second museum location, the Tillotson Annex, which opens to coincide with events at the center. If you are in Colebrook for a performance or event, it is worth arriving early to see the annex.

St. Kieran Community Center for the Arts, Berlin

In Berlin, the St. Kieran Community Center for the Arts, now operating as the Emerald Art Center, occupies a former Catholic church on Emery Street. According to its organizational history, the center was established in 2000 after St. Kieran Catholic Church closed, when community members, artists, educators and preservationists came together to keep the architecturally and historically significant building from being torn down.

The center's mission is to advance the arts and humanities in the Androscoggin Valley, and it describes itself as a "beacon of light" for Berlin and the North Country. It runs a performing arts series with concerts, theater, comedy and variety shows, and it hosts art exhibits and community programs.

Fiddleheads: local and regional artisans

For something to take home, Fiddleheads on Main Street in Colebrook features work by local, regional and national artisans. Its website lists pottery, glass, jewelry, wood, candles, balsam products and more, and it promotes USA, Canadian and fair trade producers. The shop also maintains an exhibit schedule for the Connecticut River Artisans Group, which makes it a natural companion stop to the arts center.

Planning a culture trip in the Great North Woods

The region's arts venues are spread out, so a little planning goes a long way.

• Build around an event. Many venues here open for performances, exhibits or special programs rather than daily hours. Check each venue's calendar first and plan your route around it.
• Pair culture with the outdoors. The Great North Woods is best known for hiking, paddling, fishing and wildlife watching. A museum or concert makes a good counterpoint to a day outside.
• Allow drive time. Distances between Colebrook, Pittsburg, Dixville and Berlin are long, and some roads are slow. Fill your tank in the larger towns.
• Support volunteers. Most of these places are run by small nonprofits. Admission, donations and purchases at artisan shops keep them going.
• Watch the season. Summer has the most programming. In fall, the foliage is a draw on its own, but some venues have limited hours.

A suggested weekend

• Day one: Start in Colebrook with Main Street, a stop at Fiddleheads, and the Town Hall Museum if it is open. In the evening, catch a performance at the Great North Woods Center for the Arts.
• Day two: Drive south to Berlin for a show or exhibit at the Emerald Art Center at St. Kieran, and see the city's riverside setting on the Androscoggin.

FAQ

Are there museums in the Great North Woods of New Hampshire?

Yes. The Colebrook Area Historical Society runs two museum locations, the Town Hall Museum and the Tillotson Annex, with about 15,000 artifacts related to local history.

What is the Great North Woods Center for the Arts?

It is a nonprofit arts center on a historic property in Columbia, near Colebrook, that hosts concerts, theater, exhibits and community events. The property is listed on the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places.

What is the Emerald Art Center in Berlin?

It is the current name of St. Kieran Community Center for the Arts, an arts center in a former Catholic church that was saved from demolition in 2000.

When is the best time to visit for arts and culture?

Summer has the fullest calendar. Check each venue's website for current events and hours.

Where can I buy local art in the North Country?

Fiddleheads in Colebrook sells work by local, regional and national artisans and lists an exhibit schedule for the Connecticut River Artisans Group.

Sources

• Colebrook, New Hampshire, Wikipedia (2020 census, 1762 grant, 1770 regrant, 1796 incorporation, potato starch history, Hampshire Inn, shrine closure): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colebrook,_New_Hampshire
• Berlin, New Hampshire, Wikipedia (nicknames, Androscoggin River): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin,_New_Hampshire
• Great North Woods Center for the Arts: https://www.gnwca.org/
• Colebrook Area Historical Society: https://colebrookareahistoricalsociety.weebly.com/
• St. Kieran Community Center for the Arts / Emerald Art Center: https://www.stkieranarts.org/ and https://theemeraldartcenter.org/
• Fiddleheads: https://www.fiddleheadsusa.com/