Boscawen task force advances interpretive panels and debates updated Hannah Duston marker language

The Duston Island Task Force on June 29 approved an accelerated schedule to produce three interpretive panels for the Duston Island/Commercial Street area as part of an EPA grant requirement and debated updated language for a nearby historic highway marker.

Chair Lorrie Carey said the plan calls for one panel on the railroad and Commercial Street mills, one on the area’s native peoples and fishing traditions, and one telling the Hannah Duston story as described by her family. Carey said each panel should be about 200 words, include three photos and a QR code linking to more information, and that drafts should be ready by an expedited August 1, 2026 deadline so the Deputy Director of the Division of Historical Resources can review them before production. Carey said the DHR recommended a vendor from Vermont.

The panel texts and photos will be positioned together on town-owned land opposite the Hannah Duston monument. The Boscawen Historical Society will be assigned to prepare the railroad and Commercial Street historical content, the minutes show. The group also discussed where panels would sit in relation to a proposed rail trail.

On the highway marker, Carey presented 1974 rededication language she described as historically significant: "to honor Hannah Duston and all women of courage of all races and creeds." Members reviewed alternative wording previously suggested by Barbara Cutter and David Dustin. Mason Donovan said he supported the 1974 language as broad and inclusive. Denise Pouliot said Barbara Cutter’s version resonated with local Native communities. Josiah Morrow said he wanted the proposed marker wording circulated in writing and said the marker should acknowledge context, noting "the story of the 27 killed in Haverhill" as necessary context for understanding how Duston came to be on the island.

The task force noted that the updated marker would require approval by the Joint Legislative Historical Commission following public-engagement meetings, per House Bill 1097.

Members discussed site logistics and nearby projects that could affect placement. Don Moyer, a guest/advisory member, said Concord plans to begin construction of a two-mile rail-trail extension in 2028 that will connect to the high trestle bridge and remove existing rails; he clarified that the NH Bureau of Rails and Transit owns main lines (valued in the discussion at $2,000 per 44-foot section) while some side tracks are not of interest to the state and could be retained for display. Moyer said he will research right-of-way information and report back to the group.

The task force also discussed a longer-term vision to develop Duston Island and the Commercial Street area as a town park with picnic tables, while raising floodplain, terrain and security concerns. Carey noted that electricity is available on the island and that a nearby gravel pit could be a potential housing site.

Action items assigned included circulating draft marker language for review; producing the 200-word panel drafts with photos for the next meeting; obtaining setback information for panel placement relative to the rail trail; requesting vendor samples from the recommended Vermont company; and preparing for a site walk at the next meeting. Drafts were requested for the next meeting so the group could discuss them further. The task force set a follow-up meeting for Monday, July 13, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

The task force did not make final content decisions at the June 29 meeting; members agreed to circulate revised drafts and gather additional information before any formal approvals.