Timelines

Era 10: 1960-1980

Timeline: 1970 to 1993

Era 10: Contemporary United States – Early 1970s to Present
Compiled by Tom Sullivan

1970
The population in Keene was 20,467.

1973
The Cheshire Hospital opened, which replaced the old Elliot Hospital.

The Keene Clinic moved to its present location.

1974
The world’s Horseshoe Tournament was held in Keene.

1976
President Gerald Ford visited Keene. Schools closed so student could go see him.

1979
July
Keene’s first Street Fair was held. Before that, the event had been known as Sidewalk Sales or Crazy Days.

October First Lady Rosalyn Carter dedicated the E.E. Bagley Bandstand in Central Square.

1980
The population in Keene was 21,449.

Henry David’s Restaurant opened. It was located in the Asa Dunbar house, which was built in 1785. The restaurant was named for Henry David Thoreau whose mother was born in the house. Henry David’s was once known as the Crystal Restaurant.

Work was completed on the expansion of the Keene Public Library.

1982
November
Colony Mill Marketplace opened for business.

1983
16 August
Franklin 0’Neal Field at Wheelock Park was dedicated. 0’Neal was a long time black softball player for Keene.

1984
Sun Foods, largest supermarket in Keene, opened.

1986
The new Recreation Center on Washington Street was built. The main part of the building consists of a portion of the original structure, which was the Cheshire County jail that was built in the late 1800s.

1988
Fall
Monadnock Children’s Museum opened.

1989
February
Keene begins a city wide recycling program of paper, plastic, and tin.

May
Keene dedicated a memorial to those who fought in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and who spent time as POW’s. This is the reflecting pool at the Recreation Center on Washington Street.

24-26 August
The Women’s National Modified Softball Tournament was held in Keene. A crowd of 65,000 people attended the three day event. The tournament was won by a Keene, New Hampshire team representing Kulick’s Market.

1989 and 1990
Cedarcrest, a home for children who have mental or physical handicaps, was built.

1990
June
Children begin to move into the home at Cedarcrest.

December
Keene Mill Outlet opened. The building was the former railroad repair shops and Central Screw.

The population of Keene was 22,430.

1991
October
The first Harvest Festival in Keene was held.

The Keene Bambino Baseball champs won the state tournament and went to the National World Series in Colorado.

The first run into the New Year was held at 11:45 p.m. at the First Night events.

1992
Keene’s first celebration of Chinese New Year was held.

A new baseball field at Wheelock Park was dedicated. Toby Barrett of Keene helped to organize the construction of this field for the children of Keene.

October Keene was entered into the Guiness Book of World Records for having the most carved pumpkins at the Harvest Festival.

1993
Goodnow’s Department Store closed after serving the people of Keene for many years.

Keene had its second Chinese New Year celebration.

August
Keene’s 12 year old Bambino baseball team made it to the World Series, coached by Tom Barrett, Conrad Fisk, and Kevin Watterson.


Tom Sullivan teaches elementary school in Keene.