New Hampshire Room
The New Hampshire Room in the Derry Public Library opened to the public in 1990 as part of the addition to the original 1927 building. It houses a local history and genealogy collection. Some of the resources available in the NH Room are:
- New Hampshire Manual for the General Court (1897, 1899, 1905, 1913, 1917-1945, 1949-present)
- New Hampshire Register (1956, 1958, 1960-present)
- Provincial, Town and State papers of New Hampshire
- Derry Town Reports (1848-present)
- Annual school district reports (1951-1978, 1981, 1988-present)
- City directories (1888, 1904, 1932, 1937, 1939, 1942, 1947, 1967, 1973, 1977, 1980, 1997, 1998, 2000-01 to present)
- American Legion war records
- Pinkerton Critic (1904-1922, 1935-1949)
- Pinkerton Yearbooks (1960, 1962-present)
- Historical house surveys
- Cemetery plot maps (Forest Hill, Glenwood, Sunnyside)
- Histories of Derry, surrounding towns, counties, New Hampshire and New England
- Local family genealogies and biographical histories
- Archival collections pertaining to local celebrities including Robert Frost and Alan Shepard
- Works by selected New Hampshire authors
- Legends and folk tales of New Hampshire and New England
- Microfilm of historic Derry newspapers from 1891 to present
- Microfilm of the Derry and Derry Depot Sanborn Fire Insurance maps 1921-1950, 1897-1902
(A separate cabinet with historic Derry maps is kept near the Reference Desk, although technically part of the New Hampshire Room collections.)
Guidelines for Use
Only Library Trustees and Library Staff may use the New Hampshire Room for anything other than historical research. The New Hampshire Room may not be booked for meetings or study.
The room will remain locked except when in use, and admission must be requested from a Reference Librarian. Patrons must sign the user log.
Photocopying of any New Hampshire Room item requires the approval of the Reference Librarian on duty. If the material seems too fragile or if handling a very large item may put it at risk, permission may be declined.
No child 6 years old or under may enter the room. Any children 13 years old or under must be accompanied by an adult (18 years of age or older). Exceptions shall be at the discretion of the Reference Librarian.
Patrons may take only paper and a pencil, PDA’s, laptop computers, and/or digital cameras, into the New Hampshire Room. (A secure place will be provided by the Library for other belongings.)
MacGregor Stained Glass Window
In 1923, wealthy capitalist and philanthropist Henry F. MacGregor died and left provisions in his will for the construction of a new building to house the Derry Public Library, as well as for an adjoining public park. He was the descendant of one of Derry's first settlers, the Reverend James MacGregor, who left Londonderry, Ireland in 1718, and helped found the town of Nutfield, which eventually became Derry. Henry's widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Stevens MacGregor, oversaw the fulfillment of the terms of his will.
A parcel of land was purchased on East Broadway, the main street through the center of town. An attractive red brick building, designed by architect George G. Adams of Lawrence, MA, was constructed on the site. The MacGregor Library Building opened in 1927. A stained glass window taken from the MacGregor home in Houston, TX was installed in the center of the rear wall of the new building. Although the exact age of the window is not known, it was presumably created in the late 1880's. The window features the full achievement of the MacGregor coat-of-arms and supporters, and is flanked by side panels depicting claymores crossed under shields.
In 1990, an addition to the Derry Public Library was opened, which greatly expanded the space and added many amenities including the New Hampshire Room. The MacGregor stained glass window was reinstalled in this room and lends it an air of distinction and history.