To Develop & Advance Passion for History, Nature, and the Arts.
Woodman Museum
A visit to the Woodman Museum offers an intimate and personal opportunity for visitors to explore and experience history, natural sciences, and the arts.
Where Science, History, and Art Come Together.
The Woodman, founded in 1916, is a traditional early 20th-century style natural science, history, and art museum with exhibits for all ages. The museum’s collection includes hundreds of colonial artifacts; comprehensive mineral, shell and fossil gallery; mounted animal specimens; fine art and furniture; an extensive collection of militaria; local history objects; and much more.
Woodman House
Built by Captain William Palmer, for his private residence, in 1818. Palmer lived here until 1822 when he swapped houses with Charles Woodman, a wealthy Dover merchant; a member of the Legislature from 1820-1822, and in 1822 was Speaker of the House. His tenure in the house was short, however. In 1822 he died, aged 32, leaving his wife Dorothy (Wheeler) Woodman and three month old son Charles. The elder Charles’ widow remarried three years later to Daniel M. Christie, a successful attorney, head of the N.H. bar for many years, and the father of three N.H. chief justices. He lived there until 1849 with his wife and as a widower after that until his death in 1876.
Hale House
Built by Captain William Palmer for Dover Industrialist John Williams in 1813. Williams was the founder of the Dover Cotton Factory in 1812. He also built another cotton mill (Dover, later Cocheco Manufacturing Company), the Cocheco Printworks and a nail factory. This stately brick home on Central Ave was Williams’ residence until November, 1840, when he sold it to John Parker Hale. Williams, one the wealthiest and influential men in the state, managed to lose his fortune and died a poor man in Boston just three years later, although his efforts brought great prosperity to Dover.
Damm Garrison House
Built by Deacon John Damm and his son William around 1675 as one of fourteen fortified homes known to have existed in the colonial period of Dover’s history. Lived in for nearly 200 years by The Damm, Drew, Nute, and Hayes families of Dover, it remains the only example of Dover’s garrison houses and one of just a few to remain anywhere. To Mrs. Ellen (Peavey) Rounds belongs the credit of restoring and preserving this very interesting, historic house – the oldest house in Dover. Mrs. Rounds not only kept the house from going to ruin but, as the years went by, she collected valuable historic artifacts and has arranged them in the garrison for exhibition.
The Keefe House & Carriage Barn
Built in 1825 for Asa Tufts, owner of Tufts Apothecary. In 1847, his son Charles took over the shop as Asa became involved in banking and insurance until his death in 1884. The house was purchased in 1917 by F. Clyde Keefe, a local attorney and twice mayor of Dover from 1934-35 and again from 1942-47. The home remained in the Keefe family for three generations. The Museum acquired the Keefe House in 2004 through a fundraising campaign and used half of the over $500,000 raised for major restorations to the home throughout several years.
Events at the Woodman Museum
Partnerships and Awards
