Resources: Industry
Railroads and Economics
Grades 3-5. Mini Unit. This unit of study focuses on the economic impact of the railroad. Students learn about local and national history of the railroad and how it fundamentally changed the way business was conducted. They learn essential vocabulary and develop...
Kingsbury Toys for Boys and Girls
Grade School, video. The story of how toys came to be made in Keene, NH, from the 1890s-1940s. Introduction by Jennifer Carroll, Director of Education, Historical Society of Cheshire County.
Toy Manufacturing in Cheshire County
Middle School, High School. Online exhibit reveals technological innovations in Cheshire County, NH, the history of childhood play in America, the impact of popular culture on industry, and how both national and international forces impacted the toy industry. Toys...
Keene’s Early Neighbors
Grades: 3-4. Lesson/Story. Introduce students to some of Keene's real 18th and 19th century residents. Keene's Early Neighbors is a 2-part pdf, with biographies matching the city's 3rd grade program Keene Comes Alive. Written by: Horatio Colony House Museum director...
The Wyman Tavern and Horatio Colony House
Grades: 3-4. Lesson/Story. Students can read about the history of two of Keene's historical sites, the Wyman Tavern (1762) and Horatio Colony House (1806). They will be introduced to important events and people in Keene's history. Students will gain a better...
Flannels to Fuses
Middle School, High School. Film. Available on DVD or via Vimeo For over 100 years, textile mills were the foundation of the industrial economy in the Monadnock region. These were the cotton and woolen mills located at various sites such as Harrisville, Jaffrey, Troy...
Tools of the Trade
Eight historical tools of the 19th century are included in this hands on exercise. Students may try to determine what the tools are, how they were used and how the same task would be done today.
Logging & Woodworking Industries
Grades 3-6. Primary Source Packet. Designed to help students understand one of the most important industries in the region. This packet contains enlarged photographs depicting lumber-related industries in Cheshire County. Images range from the harvesting of trees to...
Industrialization in Cheshire County
Grades 3-6. Primary Source Packet. 10 photographs depict a variety of mill scenes in Cheshire County between 1875 and 1921. The packet may be used to discuss technological developments, labor conditions and the arrival of the Industrial Revolution in our region.