The GeneralThe Friends of Stark NewsPark Newsletter

starkpark.com |Spring 2017

Photo by Paule Houle A Hunting Trip Gone Awry: Inside this Issue: John Stark was born Aug. 28, 1728 in Londonderry, N.H. He left home at 23, on a hunting expe- I.D. the Trees… 2 dition with his brother and two others – Amos Eastman and David Stinson – in a wilderness that is

Trailblazing Beyond now Rumney. the Grave… 2 In March and April of 1752 they hunted and trapped, collecting furs worth 560 pounds. In late Growing things April, they saw signs of Abenaki Indians and decided to leave the hunting ground. It fell to John “Green”… 2 Stark to collect the traps. At sunset he was bending over to pick up a trap from Baker’s River Easter Egg Hunt when he heard a sharp hissing sound. He looked up. A war party of gun-wielding Indians Eggs-travaganza… 3 surrounded him.

Park Happenings... 3 The Indians, with Stark in tow, found the rest of the hunting party canoeing down the river. They Studio Two Tribute shot and killed Stinson and captured Eastman. Stark’s brother escaped after Stark yelled a warning Band… 4 – for which he was severely beaten. Live Free and JOIN... 4 The Indians took their two captives to their town, St. Francis, near Quebec.

According to Stark’s own account in the Memoir and Official Correspondence of Gen. John Stark, The Board President "The young warriors of the tribe arranged themselves in two lines, each armed with a rod or club to Kerry Schleyer strike the captive, as he passed them, singing some ditty which had been taught him for the occasion, Secretary and bearing in his hands a pole six or eight feet long, with the skin of some bird or animal attached to one end of it. Eastman advanced first, singing words which meant, "I'll beat all your young men." Ann Thorner The latter, considering themselves insulted, beat him so severely with their rods that he fell exhausted Treasurer as soon as he had passed the lines. Stephanie Lewry Stark followed, singing the words, "I'll kiss all your women," his pole being ornamented with a loon Peter Boisvert skin. After receiving a blow or two, he turned his pole right and left, dealing a blow at each turn, Tom Christensen and made his way without much injury, his enemies making way for him to avoid the sweeping blows Christina Dimos dealt by his pole. This feat pleased the old Indians, who enjoyed the sport at their young men's Diana Duckoff expense." Andrea Hecker From then on, Stark was treated well in captivity. Matt Labbe Veronica Lester The next spring, an agent from the Province of Massachusetts Bay ransomed him for $103 Spanish Robert Lord dollars, Eastman for $60. The captives returned to .

Kris Pelletier Visit our friends at newenglandhistoricalsociety.com for more articles like this one! Tom Snow The Friends of Stark Park is a 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to develop, revitalize, maintain, and protect the heritage and recreational use of Stark Park as a historic asset to the City of Manchester, NH.

The perfect venue Trailblazing Beyond the Grave: Ever wondered what is behind the Stark Gravesite? If you continue along for your special day. the road to the south, past the gate and past the old ball field, you’ll find a series of trails that connect to the Heritage Trail that heads north through the woods towards the John H Sunuhu Youth Services Center. Another trail brings you down to the wetlands by the river and the railroad track. There’s another environment in this back half of the park that most people never even knew about. Unfortunately, the trails stop because of the wetland and streams.

Our future goals are to work with the City of Manchester and extend those trails across the streams to create a full loop and maybe even ex- tend into the wetland so everyone can explore what all of Stark Park has to offer: wetlands, birds, wildlife, native vegetation, wildflowers and more. This is a big project so we plan to start small. Our first step will be to clear a lot of the invasive species in the lower 15 acres including burning bush, Japanese knotweed, garlic mustard, autumn olive, glossy buckthorn and spindle tree. Once the invasive species are cut down, we will have a certified applicator apply herbicides to the remaining plants to decrease the chances of those plants returning. It is unlikely we will rid the area of the invasive species completely with seed sources starkpark.com/weddings surrounding the park. However, we hope we will be able to manage it properly.

Our next project after the invasive removals will be to continue the trail I.D. the Trees! system. We have a bridge on the property that was constructed by an Can you identify the trees in Stark Park? Eagle Scout at the beginning of the trail over the first stream. If you This spring, be on the lookout for some know of any Boy Scout troops or Eagle Scout looking for a project, this new signs, as we will be identifying over might be the perfect project! Please email me for more information 20 trees in the park! Not only will you at [email protected]. learn what the tree's common name is, but you’ll learn it’s scientific name (which is in Latin) as well! Put yourself Growing things “Green” to the test and try to pronounce . . . with the Organic Lawn Care Institute “Gleditsia triacanthos,” which is the scientific name for the Honeylocust The Friends of Stark Park is delighted to Tree. Good luck!! partner with the Organic Lawn Care Institute (OLCA) based out of Amherst, NH! The Institute will be utilizing the park as an outdoor classroom and will provide free organic treatments to the lawns.

Last fall, OLCI students applied an organic fall fertilization and lime treatment as well as aerated and seeded several areas of the lawn. The partnership will continue in 2017, starting at the end of March weather and snow cover permitting. If you see the OLCI students out treating the park, be sure to give them a big thank you!

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Easter Sunrise Service Easter Sunday, April 16th at 6:00 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt Eggs-travaganza The Community is invited to join Brookside Saturday, April 15th at 11:00 a.m. sharp. Congregational Church for an Easter Sunrise Worship service at 6:00 a.m. in Grab your baskets and hop on over to Stark Park for Stark Park. There will be songs and prayers our annual Easter Egg Hunt EGGS-travaganza on and a brief meditation by Brookside’s new Saturday, April 15, 2017. The hunt begins at 11:00 pastor, Rev. Eric Jackson. Coffee and a.m. sharp for all children under the age of 8 years old. donuts to follow in the park immediately Come early for face-painting, festivities, and special after the service. guests! River Road will be closed between Rowell and Readey Street, so please plan to park on Elm Street. The event happens rain, shine, or snow, so we look 4/20 forward to seeing you then!

Photo Courtesy of the Burrito Foundation

6/9 Spring Clean Up Thursday, April 20th from 9:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. Eversource will perform a spring clean up in preparation for General John Stark Day! Feel free to stop by, lend a rake and a hand!

4/24

Boston Burrito 5K Friday, June 9th at 6:00 p.m. Run or Walk in memory and celebration of Cameron John Kosinski in the Boston Burrito 5K starting in Stark Park. Kids Burrito Dash begins at 5:45 p.m. and the 5K Race begins at 6:00 p.m.! Proceeds support General John Stark Day the Boston Burrito Foundation, who's mission is to help Monday, April 24th from 10:00 –11:00 a.m. families take the next step to heal, rebuild, and renew Please join us for General John Stark Day at their hope and strength after the loss of a child. the Stark Family gravesite to participate in a ceremony to honor the memory of our bostonburrito5kforcj.racewire.com great Revolutionary War Hero.

Friends of Stark Park Non-profit org. PO Box 1485 U.S. Postage Manchester, NH 03105-1485 PAID starkpark.com Manchester, NH Permit No. 424

Photo Courtesy of Studio Two

6/25 Live Free AND JOIN! Do you love Stark Park? The Friends of Stark Park invite you to join us! Stay informed on activities, events, and opportunities to help revitalize, maintain and protect the heritage and recreational use of Stark Park! Join the Friends of Stark Park or renew your membership via the insert in Studio Two Tribute Band this newsletter or by visiting starkpark.com/membership! Sunday, June 25th at 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Back by popular demand and thanks to our gener- Membership Dues: ous sponsors, Studio Two returns to Stark  Student: $10.00 Park to kick off our 2017 Summer Concert  Seniors: $20.00 Series! Band members are musicians of  Individual: $25.00 today’s generation dedicated to preserving  Family: $35.00 the memory and fan culture of The Beatles  Friend: $100.00 generation. By recreating the Fab Four’s  Corporate: $250.00 music, appearance, instruments, and onstage banter, Studio Two performs your most favorite pre-Sgt. Pepper hits that will bring you to the dance floor. Photo by New England Nomad