DERRY NH

DERRY NH

MacGregor Park

Built - 1965

Derry was originally known as Nutfield, then part of Londonderry. During the Revolutionary War, a large number of men from the area honorably served our country including such notables as General John Stark and Matthew Thornton who went on to become one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The town also provided much commerce during this period and became well known for its producing "Londonderry Linens."

In 1827, Londonderry separated with the eastern part - Derry becoming its own community. From that point on, Derry thrived with many family businesses, the most famous being H. P. Hood Company owned by Harvey Hood, who established a dairy farm in 1856 and supplied milk for business in Boston.

Derry is also known as the birthplace of Alan B. Shepard, the first U. S. astronaut in space whose famous orbiting voyage gave Derry the nickname, "Space Town." The famous poet Robert Frost also lived in Derry as a young adult.

Derry's bandstand was made possible through the will of Henry F. MacGregor of Houston, Texas who was a wealthy benefactor who left money in the 1920s to Derry for a MacGregor Pioneer Park and MacGregor Library Building and fund whose monies also paid for the current bandstand built in the mid 1960s in his own MacGregor Park. Originally the bandstand was built near the library as an expansion to the building, but parking problems were created. Thus the bandstand was placed in the rear of the park and above a slope for a more pleasurable concert with a sounding board at the base of the slope with plenty of room where people could sit in front of and even spread blankets out.

Since built 40 years ago, as of this writing, hundreds of concerts have been performed along with speeches given by traveling state and federal politicians and community events including the great Derry-Fest which is held in September.

MacGregor Park also serves as a park which is the locationof four war memorials made of granite for all to see and read and commemorate Derry's fallen heroes.

INFORMATION PROVIDED BY:

Donald Houston & Ralph S. Bonner

Members, Derry Historical Society