For 100 years, MVSB has been proud to be part of the Ashland community, serving generations of families, businesses, and neighbors through times of growth, change, and opportunity. As we celebrate our Ashland Branch’s centennial anniversary and look ahead to another century of service, we’re also taking a moment to reflect on the rich history that shaped the town we call home.
Ashland’s story began long before the branch opened its doors. Originally part of the Town of Holderness, the area was first granted to a group of proprietors in 1751. Settlement was delayed by the French and Indian Wars, leading to the township being regranted as New Holderness in 1761 before the “New” was dropped from the name in 1816.
The community that would become Ashland grew along the Squam River, where mills and factories fueled economic development and attracted workers and commerce. In 1849, the arrival of the Boston, Concord and Montreal Railroad connected the village to national markets, helping local businesses thrive and establishing Ashland as an important commercial center. As the village’s industrial and commercial interests evolved, residents sought local governance that reflected their needs, and in 1868, Ashland was officially incorporated as its own town.
A Century of Ashland Facts and Events
1926 – MVSB Ashland Branch Opens. Meredith Village Savings Bank established our Ashland presence in 1926 with our second branch, beginning a long relationship with the community and expanding local access to banking services in the Lakes and central New Hampshire region.
1927 – Plymouth Normal School, now Plymouth State University, earns a Grade A teachers college rating. Just a few miles from Ashland, the growing institution in Plymouth strengthened the educational and economic life of the region. Its rising stature helped reinforce the broader area as a center for learning and community development.
1934 – The Squam Lake House is destroyed by fire. One of Ashland’s best-known historic hotels was lost in a December 1934 fire. The event marked the end of a prominent chapter in the town’s hospitality history and remained part of local memory for decades.
Dr. Whipple Received Nobel Prize. George Hoyt Whipple, who was born in the Whipple House in Ashland in 1878, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine. He received the honor with Drs. George F. Minot and William P. Murphy for discoveries leading to a cure for pernicious anemia, a disease which killed over 6,000 persons annually at the time in the United States.
1937 – The town accepts the Emma Scribner bequest for a future library and community space. At Town Meeting in 1937, Ashland accepted the gift of Emma Scribner’s home and land, an important civic investment that set the stage for the library’s long-term home in the center of town.
1938 – Ashland votes to move the library into the Scribner Memorial Building. The 1938 Town Meeting approved funds to relocate and remodel the former Scribner home for library use, helping secure an enduring cultural resource for the community.
1939 – Ashland appears on film in The Movie Queen. A silent film shot in Ashland captured local people and places, preserving a rare visual snapshot of the town during the late 1930s. Today, it remains one of the most memorable pieces of Ashland’s local cultural history. You can watch it here. MVSB is shown at 11:57.
1939 – The Ashland Town Library opens in its current home. On September 11, 1939, the library opened to the public in the Scribner Memorial Building. The move gave Ashland a permanent and highly visible home for books, local records, and community learning.
1945 – Ashland dedicates its World War II Honor Roll. On Memorial Day 1945, a public honor roll recognizing local service members was dedicated on Main Street. It reflected the town’s shared wartime sacrifices and its commitment to remembering those who served.
1950 – Town meetings and elections move to a larger facility, and the old Town Hall begins a new chapter. As Ashland’s needs changed, the 1871 Town Hall stopped serving as the primary site for town meetings and elections. The building was later adapted for school use, showing how important historic structures were repurposed to meet community needs.
1959–1960 – Passenger rail service ends and the railroad station changes hands. Regular passenger service to Ashland ended in 1959, marking the close of an era when rail brought visitors and commerce through town. In 1960, the station was sold into private ownership, reflecting the broader national shift from rail travel to automobiles.
1968 – The Ashland Historical Society is founded. The creation of the Ashland Historical Society by the town’s Centennial observance. It gave the community an organized way to preserve local artifacts, documents, landmarks, and stories. Its work has helped protect Ashland’s heritage and make it accessible to residents and visitors.
1972 – The historic Town Hall returns to municipal use. After serving school-related functions for roughly two decades, Ashland’s Town Hall was returned to municipal use in the early 1970s, reconnecting the building with its original civic purpose.
1982 – The Ashland Railroad Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This recognition highlighted the importance of Ashland’s railroad era and helped preserve one of the town’s best-known historic buildings for future generations.
1983 – Ashland Town Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This designation recognized the architectural and civic importance of one of Ashland’s defining public buildings and underscored the town’s commitment to preserving its historic landmarks.
1997–1998 – The Ashland Railroad Station is restored and renovated. With the help of transportation preservation funding, the station underwent major restoration in the late 1990s. The work prepared the building for its next life as a museum and community resource.
1988-1990 – Squam River Covered Bridge was constructed by Milton Graton and Son and replicates traditional covered bridge style.
1999 – A renewed focus on local heritage brings the railroad station back to life as a museum. After restoration and renovation in the late 1990s, the Ashland Railroad Station was dedicated as a museum in 1999, creating a new home for sharing the town’s transportation and community history.
2002 – The L.W. Packard Company closes. The closure of Ashland’s last textile mill marked the end of a manufacturing chapter that stretched back generations. It was a significant turning point as Ashland continued its evolution into a residential, service, and visitor-oriented community.
2003 and beyond – The region continues to grow as an education, recreation, and service hub. The renaming of Plymouth State University in 2003 reflected the continued growth of one of the region’s key institutions. In recent decades, Ashland has continued to balance its historic downtown character with its role as a gateway to the Lakes Region and White Mountains.
2015 – Ashland creates a Heritage Commission. The formation of the Heritage Commission signaled a renewed public commitment to preservation planning, cultural programming, and support for community history projects in town.
2017 – Ashland prepares to celebrate its 150th anniversary. Community planning around the town’s 150th anniversary highlighted Ashland’s pride in its heritage and brought added attention to preservation, local storytelling, and town-wide events.
Over the last century, Ashland’s story has been one of resilience and reinvention. From banking and rail connections to manufacturing, preservation, and regional tourism, the town has continued to adapt while maintaining the small-town identity that makes it such a distinctive part of New Hampshire.
Thank You to Our Sources
- General Ashland background, early industry, railroad connection, and 2002 mill closure: Ashland Town Library, “Ashland History,” and Town of Ashland planning and community history materials.
- Intro, 1937, 1938, and 1939 library milestones – Ashland Town Library History Page
- 1927 – Plymouth Normal School Grade A rating; 2003 – Plymouth State University naming: Plymouth State University, “History.”
- 1934 – Squam Lake House fire; 1945 – World War II Honor Roll: Ashland Historical Society local history materials, including “World War II Monument.”
- 1934 Whipple Nobel Prize – Ashland Historical Society
- 1950 and 1972 Town Hall use changes; 1983 National Register listing for Town Hall: Ashland Town Hall historical summaries and National Register reference materials.
- 1959–1960 rail transition; 1982 National Register listing for the railroad station; 1997–1998 restoration; 1999 museum dedication: Ashland Railroad Station historical summaries, including Ashland Historical Society materials and National Register summary information.
- 1968 – Ashland Historical Society founded: Ashland Historical Society and organizational history references.
- 2015 – Heritage Commission formed; 2017 – 150th anniversary preparations: Town of Ashland Heritage Commission meeting records.
