Down at the bottom of the hill from our farm in Wolfeboro NH, is the charming Water Village, so named because of all of the mills that operated there in the 18^th and 19^th centuries.  Several milled lumber, others grain, and at least one was for fiber – think sheep shearing.  The village never had a large population, but it had its share of makers.  And proudly in the center of it all were the church and the Ossipee Mountain Grange Hall.

Not many granges left in NH, but this has a large, open dance hall on the second floor, and when we first bought our place in 1986, almost 35 years ago, Gerald McDuffy ran it as an antique shop, followed shortly after by Cathy Dragonfly, who took over his place.  Gerald was a wealth of information about Water Village, the people in it, and the way it was many years ago.  He told us the story of the 12 person bob-sled that used to be taken out once or twice a year, when the snow was right, and run down the hill from our place to the bottom of the hill.  We only did it once, and on a much smaller, slower sled.  And we will remember that white knuckled ride as long as we live. 

And on Memorial Day, we remember Gerald and his wife Martha.  Part of the fabric of life in Water Village.

-Richard Oedel, Fine Furniture Masterr