The Greater Nashua Chamber is the voice of business, shaping economic success to enhance the quality of life in the Nashua area.
GENERATIONS OF CARE, A CENTURY OF COMMUNITY
Just as the Chamber has championed growth and connection for a century, we remain committed to the health of every generation. We look forward to the next 100 years together.
COMPREHENSIVE CARE, CLOSE TO HOME
Since 1893, Southern New Hampshire Health has grown with the Greater Nashua community, caring for generations of families. We honor the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce’s 100th anniversary and celebrate our shared legacy of service and commitment to a healthier, stronger region.
As a non-profit health system, including a state-of-the-art medical center, primary and specialty services, and Immediate Care, every decision begins with one purpose: improving the well-being of our community. We reinvest in people, services, and care because health care isn’t a business. It’s a promise.
Learn more at SNHHealth.org or with this QR code.
Nashua! Welcome to
Welcome to the 2026 edition of N Magazine, your definitive guide to the Greater Nashua region. Known as the “Gate City,” Nashua is New Hampshire’s second-largest city, celebrated for its rich history, cultural diversity and thriving economic and educational opportunities.
This year marks a very special milestone: The Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce is celebrating 100 years of serving the business community! Since 1926, we have proudly supported, promoted and connected businesses throughout the region. We look forward to celebrating this incredible centennial with our members and community in March 2026.
Twice named one of the “Best Places to Live in America” by Money Magazine, Nashua continues to impress with its tax-free shopping, award-winning restaurants, scenic parks, historic landmarks, lively downtown and strong business climate. Our region offers a wide range of housing options, exceptional schools, cutting-edge health care and six outstanding universities and colleges.
Greater Nashua’s business sector is a key pillar of New Hampshire’s economy. From global companies like BAE Systems, Fidelity Investments and Oracle to dynamic startups and mission-driven nonprofits, Nashua businesses are fueling innovation, economic growth and thousands of quality jobs across multiple sectors.
Perfectly situated in New England, Nashua is easily accessible via major highways, nearby airports and we’re just an hour from the ocean, mountains, the Lakes Region and downtown Boston.
Our vibrant downtown is a destination in itself. Historic mill buildings have been transformed into homes for businesses, artists and
modern riverfront living. Main Street buzzes with fine dining, craft breweries, boutique shopping, lively events and stunning architecture, all set along the Nashua River.
Nashua also shines as a hub for arts and culture. We host the only annual International Sculpture Symposium in the United States, and we’re home to Symphony New Hampshire, local theater groups, art galleries and yearround music and cultural festivals.
A standout addition to our cultural landscape is the Nashua Center for the Arts, which opened in 2023. This $25 million, state-ofthe-art venue seats up to 1,000 and regularly features top national performers, live theater, family shows, and corporate events in the heart of downtown.
As one of New Hampshire’s most diverse cities, Nashua is also proud of its welcoming atmosphere and vibrant international community. That spirit is reflected in our culinary scene, cultural festivals and a citywide commitment to inclusion.
We hope you enjoy this year’s N Magazine.
A heartfelt thank-you to all of our Greater Nashua Chamber member businesses whose support makes this publication possible. Whether you’re a longtime resident, a newcomer or just here for the day, we invite you to explore all that Nashua has to offer — from its vibrant culture and diverse businesses to its unmatched quality of life.
Welcome to our community, and help us celebrate 100 years of connection, commerce and community in 2026!
Sincerely,
Wendy Hunt, President & CEO
The Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce
GROWING WITH THE CHAMBER
The Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce is a great place to meet today’s leaders, stay on top of today’s trends and get access to educational resources to propel your business — today.
The first step on your journey to success is joining our Chamber, with our footprint covering most of southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. The next step is taking advantage of your direct access to our multiple events throughout the year, optimized to refine and enhance your reputation and relationships and the business resources we provide.
From monthly networking events based around your work schedule to educational seminars featuring the area’s experts, marketing opportunities to help further promote your business and so much more, the Chamber is here to help you succeed!
BUSINESS EDUCATION RESOURCES AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Your membership provides you and your employees access to cutting-edge professional development and educational opportunities. We work with our membership to identify needs and opportunities and produce workshops, discussion panels, webinars and leadership programs designed to activate our workforce and inspire better ways to conduct business.
• Weekly Monday Business Resources email featuring educational workshops, events and information from outside resources and partners.
• Business Education Series — monthly webinars/seminars hosted by the Chamber.
CONNECTIONS AND NETWORKING
Your membership puts you front and center in the Greater Nashua business community. You will find yourself well positioned to identify new and strengthen existing relationships as well as ways to make connections and expand your network.
Our membership options provide visibility solutions for every size and style of business. We bring professionals at all stages of their careers together to learn and grow, from emerging trendsetters and entrepreneurs to tenured business and community leaders.
Through digital engagement and creative networking opportunities, our mission is to give you the opportunity to tell your story, build your brand and reach your goals.
• Business After Hours — hosted on the second Wednesday of every month at different member locations.
• Out of the Box Luncheons — hosted on the third Thursday of the month.
• Young Professionals Socials — hosted on the third Thursday of the month at various locations.
• Coffee Connections — hosted on the fourth Tuesday of the month.
• Professional networking groups meet every other week, with new groups forming.
ADVOCACY
Your membership amplifies your voice in legislation and government affairs. Advocacy at the Chamber does not start in session — it starts with your input, expertise and objectives. We work through existing relationships with legislators and with our lobbying team in Concord to effectively champion the best interests of the Greater Nashua business community.
Our Advocacy Committee identifies key legislative issues and those brought forth by Chamber members, and determines the Chamber’s involvement and strategy in responding to current affairs. We embrace nonpartisan, pro-business advocacy, and welcome all perspectives with the goal of developing a complete vision that will best serve the most people and organizations.
2026 Board of Directors
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Kristin Mendoza — Chairwoman, Abridge Law
Mario Andrade — Incoming Chair, Nashua School District
Alka Sen — Secretary, Rockland Trust
John Boisvert— Treasurer, Pennichunk Water Works
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sue Beaubien — Bellwether Community Credit Union
Dan Bergeron — SkyTerra
Tom Bishop — BAE Systems
Steven Chasse — SL Chasse Steel
Will Craig — Bernstein Shur
Erin Engstrom — Eversource
Liz Hannum — City of Nashua
Paul Hebert — SquareTail CFO
John Jurczyk — St. Joseph Hospital
James Keane — Nashua Community College
Kameo LeLievre — Southern New Hampshire Health
Stephen Lynn — Fidelity Investments
Russ Norris — Rivier University
Purvish Patel — Clarion Inn
Joseph Pipitone — M&T Bank
Lindsay Rinaldi — Nashua Community Music School
Vanessa Talasazan — Harbor Care
Christa Tsechrintzis — Greater Nashua Habitat for Humanity
Maryse Wirbal — The Front Door Agency
INTERESTED?
Contact the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce at: info@nashuachamber.com, 603-881-8333, or visit our website at nashuachamber.com.
BY PAUL HEBERT, CLASS OF 1995
Kickoff Retreat of Leadership Greater Nashua Class of 2025-26
Future-proof the economy with GREATER NASHUA LEADERSHIP
The business community in Nashua was at the forefront of the community’s response to two of the most significant crises in the community’s history: the Crown Hill Fire in 1930 and the reinvigoration of the local economy after the textile mills closed in 1948. In both of those instances, the economic future of the community was in serious peril, and the business leaders of the day came together quickly to lead the community’s responses and avert economic disaster.
In the early 1990s, the Greater
Nashua Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors determined that it was in the community’s best interest to ensure that future generations of leaders would be well equipped to respond to significant challenges that the city would inevitably face. Out of those discussions, Leadership Greater Nashua (LGN) was formed with the dual purpose of educating rising leaders about existing resources, institutions and systems in the community and giving those rising leaders a shared experience that would foster and encourage collaboration.
Are you ready to take your seat at the table?
Call the Chamber for additional details and to apply for the class.
The Chamber continues to run this program annually, and we invite you to see if you are a good candidate for a future class. As a Chamber, we make a significant investment in those who are accepted into LGN. We coordinate a nine-month-long educational series with the local business, government and nonprofit sectors that will educate you about the inner workings of local institutions and help you understand community strengths and weaknesses. In turn, we require that everyone who is accepted into the program provide a return on our investment in the form of a class project, something that provides a tangible benefit to the community and serves as a trial run for the participants in self-organization to solve a problem that they identify. N
“GNYP has provided me with invaluable connections to my community. I’ve not only made some amazing business partnerships but have also made some great friends. There’s always that excitement to go to events because they are truly fun, professional and educational.”
— Dina A., 35, Entrepreneur
GREATER YOUNG NASHUA PROFESSIONALS
The Greater Nashua Young Professionals (GNYP) is an initiative of the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce established in 2007 with a mission to connect young professionals with each other, the community, professional opportunities and civic engagement in the Greater Nashua area. Whether you are young in age, young in spirit, new to the area or new to your position, the Greater Nashua Young Professionals invites you to create new connections — both professional and personal — with us.
“GNYP was my first networking event, and everyone was so welcoming! Their monthly socials are a great way to meet new people and grow your network. I love how GNYP is a casual networking event that allows time to truly connect with other individuals, learn about their organizations and foster business relationships. I enjoy how the venue changes each month, and they occasionally mix in an activity, like ax-throwing or a holiday party. If you’ve never been to a networking event, I highly recommend having a GNYP social be your first!”
— Emma W., 26, Nonprofit
“I have loved attending the events hosted by GNYP. They are always so much fun — a great blend of casual conversation and valuable business development. Strongly recommend this for local business owners, professionals and anyone looking to meet a great community”
— Jeff M., 23, Banking
“I was nervous to attend these meetings at first, but I immediately felt welcomed. I’ve been able to network and make friends with so many new people! Now as the co-chair of the group, I try to ensure all our new members feel welcomed in, too.”
— Sam B., 25, Executive Director, Nonprofit
We invite you to join us at any or all of our
GNYP EVENTS :
MONTHLY SOCIALS: Held on the third Thursday of each month, these events are a casual way to develop relationships with both new and established professionals. With rotating monthly hosts, you have the opportunity to try out all the diverse restaurants and venues the Nashua area has to offer.
QUARTERLY THRIVE EVENTS: Not interested in the bar scene? Join us for one of our wellness events! From kickball and smoothies to ax-throwing, these events are always a great time and a unique way to meet new people.
ANNUAL JINGLE MINGLE MIXER
: Our signature holiday party got a rebrand in 2023 and was our most popular event of the year. All proceeds are donated to a local nonprofit selected by the GNYP Committee, and hard goods are collected at the door for a second local organization. Join us for delicious food and beverages, raffle prizes, an ugly sweater contest and our infamous ice-breaker game.
We’re breaking the mold when it comes to creating an access point for everyone. The Greater Nashua Young Professionals is a welcoming organization, and the only requirements to participate are a willingness to step into the community, an openness to meeting new people and the desire to have fun. Let us show you that the Greater Nashua community is an amazing place for engagement and empowerment of young professionals.
The Chamber’s Signature Events
ANNUAL GALA AND CITIZEN OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION
The coveted title of Citizen of the Year is determined via public nominations, with the final selection made by a committee of past recipients. This process ensures that each honoree exemplifies the highest standards of leadership, dedication and unwavering support for the Greater Nashua community.
In 2025, at the 97th Annual Gala and Citizen of the Year Presentation, we celebrated the exceptional achievements of Earl Prolman. His dedication and profound impact on the Greater Nashua community were honored in front of our largest audience yet, underscoring his invaluable contributions and inspiring others to uphold the spirit of excellence and community service that defines our Chamber’s mission.
THE EMINENCE AWARDS
The Chamber’s Eminence Awards is an annual luncheon honoring the incredible achievements of the Greater Nashua business community and its leaders. This event is an honor to host each year, as we recognize those individuals and businesses who do so much to make our Greater Nashua Community a vibrant and successful one.
For two decades, we have celebrated the Business Leader of the Year, General Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Nonprofit of the Year, Young Professional of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, and recently added Chamber Champion of the Year. N
Top: Chamber President and CEO Wendy Hunt and Board Chair Paul Hebert present Earl Prolman with the Citizen of the Year award.
Center: The Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce kicked off its 100th anniversary recognition at the 2025 Gala Celebration.
Bottom: Chamber staff including Vice President of Marketing, Ashley Theobald; Membership Relations Manager, Amelia Nee; President and CEO, Wendy Hunt; and Programs Manager, Emma Williamson, enjoy the Gala.
TOWN PROFILES
Greater Nashua
AMHERST
POPULATION: 11,770
LAND AREA: 33.9 sq. miles
Amherst features a classic New England village where you’ll find the town green, Colonial-era homes and lots of character from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Amherst was the Hillsborough County seat from 1769 to 1864, when it functioned as the center for law, transportation, agriculture and commerce for southern New Hampshire.
Today, while maintaining its historic district’s charm, the town has also grown a commercial district with national retailers alongside mom-and-pop shops. LaBelle Winery, with more than 2,000 vines, invites locals and tourists alike to expand their palates.
TOWN HALL: 2 Main St., Amherst; amherstnh.gov
BROOKLINE
POPULATION: 5,650
LAND AREA: 20.1 sq. miles
Brookline has maintained a strong rural feel despite its growing population, which has doubled in the last 30 years. You can embrace the outdoors by visiting Lake Potanipo, which was the “largest ice house under one roof in the world” some 100 years ago. Thousands of tons of ice that was cut from the lake in winter was shipped by rail to “refrigerators” in Massachusetts. The former railbed is a trail system, and the lake offers opportunities for swimming, boating and fishing.
TOWN HALL: 1 Main St., Brookline; brooklinenh.gov
HOLLIS
POPULATION: 8,720
LAND AREA: 32.3 sq. miles
Hollis has long been an agricultural community featuring mixed-used farmland primarily of orchards and fruit and vegetable fields. You may also spot some cows, goats or chickens during your visit. The town master plan includes an emphasis on preserving open space and managing residential and commercial growth. The town celebrates some specialty produce with its Strawberry Festival each June and an Apple Festival in early October. Hollis Old Home Days is held in September, part of a New Hampshire-wide homecoming tradition and celebration of the agrarian way of life.
TOWN HALL: 7 Monument Square, Hollis; hollisnh.org
HUDSON
POPULATION: 25,400
LAND AREA: 29.3 sq. miles
Fun and games abound in Hudson with attractions such as the 166-acre Benson Park, two 18-hole golf courses, a motor speedway and lots of outdoor recreational opportunities. Benson Park was formed in 1922 as Benson’s Wild Animal Farm where exotic animals were quarantined from overseas before joining circuses and zoos. It became a private zoo and amusement park in 1926 and operated until 1987. It’s now open to the public with trails, a restroom and a playground. The Friends of Benson Park are working to renovate the Elephant Barn to host a museum of memorabilia and provide educational opportunities.
TOWN HALL: 12 School St., Hudson; hudsonnh.gov
LITCHFIELD
POPULATION: 8,480
LAND AREA: 15.31 sq. miles
Litchfield is largely a residential community sandwiched between Merrimack and Londonderry, north of Nashua. Despite being about half the land area of adjacent communities, it does host two golf courses and several farms, and is home to Mel’s Funway Park. In the summer, Mel’s offers mini-golf, go-karts, batting cages and laser tag. When fall arrives, it transforms into Spooky World: Nightmare New England, a scary walkthrough theatrical experience. After Thanksgiving, it reopens as Holly Jolly Journey, a family-friendly holiday light show.
TOWN HALL: 2 Liberty Way, Litchfield; litchfieldnh.gov
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LYNDEBOROUGH
POPULATION: 1,700
LAND AREA: 30.2 sq. miles
Once a home for glassworks and pottery, Lyndeborough is now primarily a residential area. There are many home-based businesses and creatively skilled craftspeople, though most workers commute to jobs outside the town. The town hall (1845), town pound (1774) and Congregational Church (1837) form a historic district in the center of town.
TOWN HALL: 9 Citizens Hall Road, Lyndeborough; town.lyndeborough.nh.us
MERRIMACK
POPULATION: 26,600
LAND AREA: 33.4 sq. miles
Merrimack saw its first wave of expansion during the 1800s, particularly fueled by the saw and grist mills and the pass-through of goods (such as bricks) from north down the Merrimack River and railways. The 1900s saw the growth of woolen mills, tanneries and manufacturing plants for paper, furniture and electronics. Today, there are several large businesses, with more than 500 employees, in Merrimack including Atrium Medical, BAE Systems, Anheuser-Busch, Fidelity Investments, Elbit Systems, Merrimack Premium Outlets and Connection Inc.
TOWN HALL: 6 Baboosic Lake Road, Merrimack; merrimacknh.gov
MILFORD
POPULATION: 16,200
LAND AREA: 25.3 sq. miles
Milford is a notable blend of small New England town charm with access to urban amenities. Around “The Oval,” flanked by Bicentennial and Emerson Parks, you’ll find the Colonial-era buildings of the Olde Blacksmith Shop, the Colonel Shepard House and several historic markers. Plus, you can check out the statue of Harriet Wilson, an African American author. You can catch a show at the Amato Center for Performing Arts, run the track at the Hampshire Dome or shop at its many retail establishments.
TOWN HALL: 1 Union Square, Milford; milford.nh.gov
MONT VER NON
POPULATION: 2,650
LAND AREA: 16.9 sq. miles
In the late 1800s, Mont Vernon was home to at least five summer hotels that attracted tourists from cities like Boston. Following the Great Depression, the hotels fell out of popularity and the town saw a boom in chicken and egg farming. Today, the town owns and runs Lamson Farm, which provides hay for dairy cows and operates a farming museum. There are private farms including a sheep dairy, poultry, horseback riding and an orchard.
The town has one general store, which has operated for 120 years in the same location (minus a two-year hiatus).
TOWN HALL: 1 S. Main St., Mont Vernon; montvernonnh.us
NASHUA
POPULATION: 91,850
LAND AREA: 31.7 sq. miles
New Hampshire’s second-largest city’s population was fueled by the growth of the textile industry in the 1800s. Today, the city is diversifying itself with companies in defense industries, computer technology, entertainment and arts, education, retail and health care. Mill buildings have been converted into residences, office space and hubs of innovation.
CITY HALL: 229 Main St., Nashua; nashuanh.gov
WILTON
POPULATION:
LAND AREA:
Wilton puts its historic mill buildings to con temporary use with many conversions into office space, residences or commercial use. There are working artist studios and shops. Frye’s Measure Mill retains its 18th-century flavor and still produces wooden round and oval boxes, measures and piggins on water-powered machinery. The Wilton Town Hall Theatre, built in 1886 originally for live vaudeville shows, has been converted to cinema for silent films, but still hosts the stage shows of Andy’s Summer Playhouse, a children’s theater program.
TOWN HALL: wiltonnh.gov
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HISTORY
BY SARAH PEARSON
A Century of Connection Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce turns 100
Nashua whirled into the 20th century, pulled by the threads of its industrial era. By the 1920s, mill work had transformed the area where the Merrimack and Nashua rivers meet from a small farming community into a textile powerhouse of 29,000 residents.
Business and community life were built around the mills, and most retailers and services were located downtown. While there were many community organizations and industry associations, there wasn’t a Chamber of Commerce.
That would change in the spring of 1926.
The archives of the Nashua Telegraph,
on March 8 with some 200 members. Officers canvassed the city, and a week later, membership reached 250 businesses; they had a goal of 300 by the end of the year.
The Merchants, Employers, Manufacturing, and Professional Men’s associations, along with the Board of Trade, either disbanded and transferred their assets to the Chamber or became its subcommittees.
William Sullivan was elected the first president of the Chamber on March 17 and said in his address that “Nashua was the most prosperous city in New Hampshire with good factories, buildings and homes and by cooperation will be made the leading city of the state.”
The Chamber’s formation came at a pivotal time. The Great Depression arrived just a few years later, upsetting the national economy, hastening the decline of northern mills and triggering an evolution of New Hampshire’s second-largest
BUSINESS LEADERS
AND THE CITY FACE A CRISIS
The mills largely weathered the Depression despite some strikes and a shifting cotton market. In the 1930s, about one tenth of the city’s 30,000 residents worked in the mills. World War II investments buoyed the mills into the 1940s, but the market for textile production was shifting. Businesses were building factories in the South, closer to where cotton was grown. Automation in these new factories meant that older Northern factories either had to invest
in new machinery or have higher labor costs. For textile producers, it didn’t make business sense to keep manufacturing in the communities they had cultivated for a century.
“Monday, Sept. 13, 1948, earned the dubious nickname, ‘Black Monday,’” said Shalhoup.
Textron, which owned Nashua Manufacturing Co., released a memo that morning that it would liquidate the mill, sell the buildings and lay off more than 3,000 workers. It sent shockwaves through the community. Concerns ranged from families losing their livelihoods to the city government, which relied on mill taxes for 10% of its budget.”
The Chamber was already scheduled to meet that evening. Business leaders, including Chamber President Irv Spaulding; Eliot Carter of Nashua Gummed and Coated Paper Co.; lawyer Hugh Gregg; Bob Erb, president of the J. F. McElwain Company; and others vowed to act.
“I guess you could see this coming,” said Carter to a Nashua Telegraph reporter. “Of course, we didn’t want to see it. The cotton market is off, and I have an idea that these owners want to do like everyone else and move South. We’ll have to do something big. I know the company will help, and we have to do something now. If the Mayor will make a good statement, and if Irv Spaulding will have a good statement for the Chamber, they will help. Something appealing to everyone’s courage will buy us a little more time. We also need to see how
“Looking
back,
Nashua
earned a reputation as a resilient city, populated by resilient businessmen and residents
alike,
instead of allowing the city to become a ghost town upon the demise of the textile industry, Nashua succeeded in bringing about a nationally recognized rebirth.”
Top: In 1926, several industry groups and business leaders came together to form the Nashua Chamber of Commerce. Center: The chamber continues to operate an office on Main Street. Left: Some chamber members helped form the Nashua NH Foundation to convert the sale of the textile mills.
we can work with these owners. Maybe this is some sort of bargaining gesture. Maybe it’s just what it says.”
Spaulding’s statement in the next day’s paper said he was “surprised and shocked,” but it was also an opportunity. “This action presents a new challenge to the citizens of Nashua, and the Chamber will cooperate with the city government in a determined drive to bring additional new industry to this community,”
he’s quoted. In 1947, the Chamber had helped bring in at least seven new employers, providing information and locating factory space.
The solution wasn’t finalized that night, but in the weeks that followed, business leaders, including Chamber delegates, formed the Nashua, New Hampshire, Foundation. This nonprofit, somewhat modeled after the Manchester business community’s purchase of
HISTORY
the Amoskeag mills, sought to purchase Nashua Manufacturing’s assets and buildings from Textron and to preserve or replace as many jobs as they could.
Royal Little, Textron’s manager over the Nashua mills, worked with the foundation to transfer the mill property, but about 2,000 residents still lost their jobs during the transition.
Sprague Electric was among the companies courted by the Chamber to move to former mill space in the 1940s and ‘50s.
Nashua’s population grew over the next decades.
THE FRAMEWORK FOR REINVENTION IS SET IN MOTION
The Nashua, New Hampshire, Foundation purchased millions of square feet of mill space. While some textile production continued, diversification was the vision for the future.
Foundation representatives, city officials and the Chamber of Commerce set out to refill the mill spaces with new businesses and new industries. They advertised in magazines, first in the region, but then across the country. These business leaders also traveled to meet one-on-one with potential businesses to relocate to the city.
Among the new players to move or expand to Nashua in the 1950s was semiconductor manufacturer Sprague Electric, Doehla Greeting Cards, Edgecomb Steel and pinmakers W.H. Bagshaw. Several shoe companies moved in, and Nashua Gum and Coated Paper expanded to become the Nashua Corporation.
Defense contractor Sanders Associates, formed by 11 engineers and scientists from Raytheon, moved to Nashua in 1952. It would later become BAE Systems, which today employs some 6,500 workers at four facilities, including in Nashua.
The 1950s saw the construction of the Everett Turnpike on the west side of Nashua’s developed area. Nearly everything outside the area between the rivers and highways remained undeveloped. And that soon became a concern as
NASHUA EMBRACES ITS GROWING PAINS
John Sias was just 32 years old when he arrived in Nashua on Oct. 9, 1962, to take the helm of the Nashua Chamber of Commerce. He’d served in the Air Force, earned degrees from Colgate and Boston University before working for the Boston and Keene chambers.
He remembers a Greater Nashua region that was very different than today.
“From the Everett Turnpike to Milford, every bit of land was a farm,” Sias said recently from his home in Hollis. “There wasn’t an industrial building, business building, except for one little restaurant with a gas station. The whole Nashua population was inside the Everett Turnpike. No shopping centers, no malls.”
Sias saw three issues he wanted to address when he arrived in the city:
1) Nashua was isolated from Boston. The interstate system was still under construction, and traveling between cities was essentially a one-and-a-halfhour ride.
2) Residents of Hudson were increasingly commuting to jobs in Nashua. But the only way into the city was a single bridge over the Merrimack.
“It was the highest-traffic road in all of New Hampshire,” Sias recalled. “The backups were just awful.”
3) Nashua had not had a full tax re-evaluation in some 30 years. Newcomers’ homes were being assessed at the new rate, while their neighbors could be paying the same in taxes as they did
30 years ago. The chamber helped address those issues, much in the way it always had, by forming connections between businesses, residents and officials from the city and state.
Sias recalls the Chamber advocating at the state house on connecting highways to the Interstate at the Massachusetts state line.
“The new highway made the community a much more attractive place for companies in the south to move into Nashua,” he said.
The Nashua Chamber held meetings to discuss proposed locations for new bridges across the Merrimack River to Hudson, he said.
And when it came to taxes: “We had a slideshow to show how unfair and how much the community needed a revaluation,” Sias said, “which became quite unpopular in some places.”
The Chamber played a role in bringing in businesses to newly developed property along the Daniel Webster Highway, serving as a bridge between property owners, municipal leaders, the business community and residents.
“It took some time for business leaders to see that it was important that the community grew,” Sias said. “Growth was the primary goal of every Chamber of Commerce in the country for decades.”
TODAY’S NASHUA IS THE ‘BEST PLACE TO LIVE’
And grow Nashua has. From the 1960s to the millennium, the city saw double-digit rates of population increase. While growth is never without challenges, the community has managed it with balance and thorough planning. The result is a city where urban amenities and culture live adjacent to nature preserves, a historic downtown is encircled by high-tech industrial areas, you’ll find mom-and-pop shops and sprawling malls, and quality-of-life initia-
tives complement business advocacy.
Nashua has earned Money Magazine’s Best Place to Live recognition … twice. And the city made Livability’s Top 100 Best Places to Live in both 2024 and 2025.
The diversity of the economy and the city itself is a testament to the work started by business leaders of the Chamber a century ago, who came together to shape the “leading city of the state.”
“Looking back, Nashua earned a reputation as a resilient city, populated by resilient businesspeople and residents alike,” Shalhoup said. “Instead of allowing the city to become a ghost town upon the demise of the textile industry, Nashua succeeded in bringing about a nationally recognized rebirth.”
That spirit continues to buoy Nashua as the city, community and business leaders tackle new challenges and face new opportunities.
“Presently, the focus for city officials, civic advocates and residents themselves is on another phase of that rebirth — reimagining, and redeveloping, the historic Millyard — with today’s needs,” Shalhoup said. “Affordable housing, more public green spaces, quaint retail shops and unique dining nooks are some of the ideas being explored; perhaps chief among them being the redevelopment of the section of the Nashua River in conjunction with the ongoing Riverfront Development Project.”
As a key player in guiding those new visions, the Chamber’s mission remains as it was in 1926.
“For over a century, the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce has proudly played a vital role in the city’s growth and transformation,” said Chamber President Wendy Hunt. “As we look to the future, the Chamber remains deeply committed to supporting Greater Nashua’s economic interests and championing the success of its vibrant business community.”
From mills to microprocessors, the Chamber’s story has been inseparable from Nashua’s economic evolution and success. N
BY SARAH PEARSON
What’s Ahead for
MARKET NASHUA’S HOUSING
Housing availability and affordability are priority issues across New Hampshire. While the state recently implemented policy changes to try and address the challenge, Nashua is ahead of the game.
In 2020, the city did a comprehensive study and proposed a list of measures to grow its housing opportunities, said Nashua’s Community Development Director Matt Sullivan. Not all of the guidance from the study has happened yet, but the policy changes that are implemented are moving the needle. Here are some projects approved or underway that will be adding hundreds of new units to the city in the coming years.
PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE
Construction of housing doesn’t happen overnight. Months, or years, of planning go into projects before a foundation is even dug.
Sullivan estimates that projects totaling nearly 1,000 additional housing units have been approved by Nashua officials but not yet started. Some of those are expected to break ground in 2026. There are about 1,000 additional units being contemplated, though no official applications have been filed.
Two projects that have more immediate construction schedules are the Mohawk Tannery Redevelopment and Temple Street, which collectively will bring about 700 units to the housing market.
The Mohawk Tannery is an example of a more common source of housing in Nashua. As the city has grown, and buildable land becomes scarcer, the city has looked at converting underutilized former industrial sites. Located across the river from Mine Falls Park, this area will become more than 540 apartments and condos, plus a permanent green space. Of the apartments, 20% are set aside to be “affordable” units.
Redevelopment of sites like the former tannery requires coordination from the developer, city and federal departments like the Environmental Protection Agency, which has designated the land a Superfund site. Carcinogenic chemicals that were used in the tanning process will be remediated and sealed off before the housing is completed. Federal and
state grants, along with a bond from the Nashua Housing and Redevelopment Authority, will help pay for the cleanup. While remediation construction is expected to begin in 2026, apartment and condo building will run from 2027 to 2030.
“It’s going to be really significant,” Sullivan said. “There’s all sorts of neat little elements to it, like public recreation, a connection to one of our huge parks, Mine Falls Park. It’s a transformational development project for the city.”
Beylin Development is building a 162-unit apartment complex at 103 Temple Street in Nashua. This project includes Buildings B and C and is part of a larger 368-unit apartment complex, with Building A set to be developed by another party. This project will require the demolition of an existing building.
The apartments will be located adjacent to the Riverwalk and the Heritage Rail Trail, providing residents with easy access to downtown and two bus stops. This past year, the Nashua Board of
Aldermen approved development of the Nimco Property on Pine Street, which will include 300 housing units, with 20% designated as affordable housing.
While construction of these projects and future projects are ongoing, they are signs that Nashua’s housing pipeline is flowing.
PLANNING AND POLICIES FOR HOUSING NEEDS
The 2020 citywide housing study identified key areas of need and possible solutions that Nashua has or will implement.
“There were three critical things,” Sullivan said. “One being the need to update our land-use regulations or landuse code. The second being the need to explore an ordinance that would require or strongly incentivize the creation of affordable units, while also just generally increasing the number of units being created. And then lastly, there was a recommendation to create a housing fund that could be used to either preserve current affordable housing or create
new affordable housing opportunities in developments across the city.” These priorities are being addressed in a few ways.
Following the results of the housing study and a citywide master planning project, the city has drafted updated zoning amendments called Nashua ReCODE.
Re-CODE aims to promote walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods; diversify housing options; streamline development processes; and preserve community character.
Public comment on the draft will be heard through the end of 2026.
The city had already adopted an inclusionary housing ordinance in 2022, but it continues to review the effects of the policy and update it if needed.
Nashua established a housing revolving fund with $10 million in initial funding. Three projects have received between $4 and $5 million collectively from the fund, providing gap financing to promote the creation of affordable housing.
Blaylock Holdings has been working with the City of Nashua and the EPA to clean up and develop the former Mohawk Tannery site into housing and green space.
A proposed street view of the development by Blaylock Holdings in Nashua.
HOUSING
Meanwhile, the state of New Hampshire recently passed legislation seeking to spur housing creation. Since the legislation impacts rural areas as well as Nashua, they are not specifically geared toward addressing urban sprawl.
“There are a lot of very broad policy things in there that don’t work well for a city like Nashua,” Sullivan said. “We’ve tried to be very aggressive about housing growth, but also very deliberate about where it happens.”
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF HOUSING POLICIES
Housing is not just a resident issue; it’s a workforce and economic development challenge. As businesses grow and demand for local employees rises, housing can become a barrier to filling positions if workers can’t find affordable places to live. Livable neighborhoods with a high quality of life attract people seeking both employment and a place to settle. That’s why the voices of
executives are important to housing conversations.
“Business owners continue to be one of the most important voices in housing development, infrastructure investment and larger economic development work that cities like Nashua are doing,” Sullivan said. “Particularly where there are cases of NIMBYism or concern about projects of a certain scale, the ability for business owners to be active
participants and supporters of that type of work is really huge, and it doesn’t happen often.”
Cooperation among residents, the city, the Chamber and business leaders ties housing plans to a broader economic vision that includes long-term infrastructure investments. Nashua is putting forth creative solutions to the city’s most pressing issues and preparing for its next chapter of growth. N
The Nashua Planning Board has approved a 168-unit apartment complex on Temple Street, developed by ZJBV Properties.
ENTERTAINMENT
BY SARAH PEARSON
The 1,000-seat Nashua Center for the Arts welcomes local and national touring acts.
A Sure Bet for
ENTERTAINMENT
Greater Nashua’s stage is set with a full spectrum of arts and culture
No matter your tastes or interests, you can find something fun to do in Greater Nashua. With a prolific amount of sculptural and mural public art, a century-old symphony, a state-of-the-art performance center, summer baseball and gaming facilities that blend classic and electronic betting, experience the creativity and culture of the Gate City.
The arts ripple out from artistic venues to the sidewalks and onward to dining, shopping and lodging options in the city.
Nashua is a place where guests and locals can experience live music spanning genres, international sculpture, downtown galleries and casino nightlife — all within a short walk or drive. Often, the community is invited in, not just to spectate, but to contribute as an integral part of the creative process.
DIVERSE AND GLOBAL ART FUELED BY LOCAL SUPPORT
Nowhere is the impact of the community’s backing of art more obvious than in Nashua’s outdoor art displays. From the massive murals of Positive Street Art to the dozens of sculptures that are dotted across the city through the Nashua International Sculpture Symposium.
When the sculptors come to Nashua from across the country or the other side of the globe, they are
housed, fed and sponsored by locals.
While these artworks are available to any passerby to enjoy, residents who help sponsor them and the artists feel a particular sense of pride and ownership.
“The community feeds them and houses them,” said Gail Moriarty, managing partner at The Picker Artists and president of the sculpture symposium. “I love to watch all the community get so involved.”
The symposium operates as a nonprofit — all the sculptures are sponsored by donations. It costs about $10,000 per statue each year for the artists’ travel and stipend, materials and tools. For a $4,000 sponsorship, people can adopt a sculpture and receive an individualized plaque. The rest is covered by community donations.
“We’re not funded by the city. We used to get a state grant, but that’s not happening this year,” Moriarty said. “It all comes from private donations. People donate $50, $100, $4,000, whatever they can, because they believe in our program.”
As the only international sculpture symposium in the United States, the Nashua program brings a unique mix of renowned and emerging artists to Southern New Hampshire.
This past year marked the first time the board and artistic director Jim Larson selected an all-female cohort who hailed from Germany, France, South Korea, Italy and the state of Georgia.
And while the community certainly makes the threeweek-long symposium possible, they are treated to an artistic experience.
Spectators are invited to come to the Picker Artists studio to watch the sculptors work, talk to them about the process and be engaged with the community.
Sculptors will visit the schools during the early weeks of the symposium and give presentations. Later, students can take field trips to the work site to see the creation come to life.
Now, with 56 pieces placed across the city from outside the library to the shores of Lovewell Pond, to a rotary on Southwood Drive, community-supported art can be found in delightful pockets of Nashua.
“We have had people who tell me that they were offered jobs in other locations, but they chose Nashua because of our symposium and because of the arts that we contribute to the city,” Moriarty said. “Arts are everybody’s lifeline: you have podcasts, you have radio, you have music, you have albums,
you look at art, you take pictures. By doing these things, it proves to people that it is important to continue. Art is very important to everyone’s life. I think that’s the biggest thing that we can prove to everyone.”
A FULL SPECTRUM OF ARTS EXPERIENCES
Nashua’s stages span every scale, from the 1,500-seat Keefe Auditorium to the intimate 150-seat Janice B. Streeter Theatre to the new state-of-the-art 750-seat Nashua Center for the Arts. Professional artists and community groups — Actorsingers, the Peacock Players, Nashua Theatre Guild and Symphony NH, to name a few — bring those stages to life.
Founded in 1923 as the Nashua Symphony Orchestra, Symphony NH has called the Keefe Auditorium home for decades. With the Elm Street School now closed, this will be the Symphony’s last season there. However, it’s expanded its presence and can be found performing at the Center for the Arts, Manchester’s Palace and Rex theaters, and across the
With two active casinos — Gate City and The Nash — Nashua is a preeminent destination for charitable gaming in the state.
state in chamber ensembles as close as Nashua Community College and as far north as Berlin. This means the symphony will be sharing stages and performance schedules with a wide spectrum of other performances.
“Now, we have the Nashua Center for the Arts that’s bringing in different kinds of performance groups and individuals: comedy shows, tribute bands, things that are not typically part of what I would call an orchestra schedule,” said Deanna Hoying, executive director for Symphony NH. “So, where do we fit into that?”
Spectacle Live manages the booking of performances for the Nashua Center for the Arts.
The answer has been to recognize the strength of tradition while exploring new territory. Symphony NH performs works from classical masters to living composers.
“The canon of orchestral music is 400+ years, so there’s a lot to choose from,” Hoying said. Past performances of the symphony have included a Bollywood program, a John Williams showcase and an evening dedicated to video game scores, complete with accompaniment from the Nashua High School South chorus.
“We are very thoughtful about trying to make sure that we don’t just play one kind of music,” she said.
Audiences flock to these Nashua stages, large and small, with programs traditional and contemporary.
ECONOMIC RIPPLE EFFECTS
Nashua Community Arts, a nonprofit that drove the fundraising efforts behind the creation of the Nashua Center for the Arts, has numbers that back up the value that arts have on the wider community.
Using methodology from the 2015 Americans for the Arts study, the group projected that the Nashua Center for the Arts will generate more than $3.5 million in annual spending
Entertainment venues’ economic impact ripples to the wider community, like when attendees of a show at the Nashua Center for the Arts stop for dinner or a drink at a downtown restaurant or casino patrons book a hotel stay.
and job creation, based on an annual audience of 70,000 people. About 75% of these jobs are likely to benefit low-income people or residents of “Low-Income Communities.” The group anticipated that most of the added jobs would be in the restaurant and retail industries downtown.
“I have several folks that come down regularly from the North Country, and that’s a long drive after you’ve been at a two-hour orchestra concert on a Saturday night,” Hoying said. But, they turn the trip into an experience, perhaps coming down on Friday night, staying in a hotel, and doing some shopping on Saturday before the show. “That’s part of the loveliness of being a performing arts organization; you’re going to have people from all over that want to come and see what you do.”
by sponsoring local productions to the restaurants that serve patrons before a show, the arts add to the cultural vibrancy of Nashua and drive economic investment. It makes Nashua, and New Hampshire more broadly, a place where people want to live and visit.
But it’s not just out-of-towners coming to shows.
“Most of the people who are coming to our shows are probably within about a 25- to 30-mile radius of us,” Hoying said. “So, they may not need a hotel, but they’re making a night of it. They’re going to have dinner, or maybe they’re going to get drinks afterwards with friends.”
We know the cultural impact. We know the economic impact of the arts in the state and in our cities,” said Hoying, who is also a board member of Arts4NH, a statewide organization. “It’s a $3.4 billion industry.”
From the businesses that find advertising opportunities
The diverse lineup of music, dance and theater, plus accessible public art, keeps visitors returning again and again, sustaining local businesses.
While weathering cuts to state and federal funding, strong community support of Nashua artists keeps the city’s creative economy vibrant.
From outdoor sculptures to orchestral concerts to casino nightlife, Nashua offers a dynamic mix that strengthens both quality of life and the local economy. The city’s arts story is one of resilience and reinvention — building on heritage while embracing new forms of entertainment. N
Holman Stadium, home of the Silver Knights, has hosted festivals and concerts, in addition to baseball games.
CASINOS OFFER SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE ENTERTAINMENT
With its low overhead lighting and bright electronic games, The Nash welcomes visitors to an intimate gaming experience. However, it just so happens it’s also the largest charitable gambling venue in the state.
“We definitely focus on a friendly environment,” said Eric Althaus, general manager for the casino. “Every team member is put through a rigorous training program that touches on many different levels of guest service.”
When The Nash Casino opened its doors in March 2025, it had transformed a vacant Sears store at the Pheasant Lane Mall into a more than 130,000 square foot, “one-stop entertainment destination” with options for everyone.
Gaming is certainly the main draw. The Nash contains more than 1,000 gaming machines, including Historical Horse Racing (HHR), along with live table games such as blackjack, roulette and poker. A full-service sportsbook keeps the atmosphere lively during Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins and Celtics games. But its appeal extends beyond the casino floor.
Guests can dine at five distinct restaurants and bars. There’s the fine dining Proper Chophouse; Lucky Lantern, an Asian-inspired eatery; Stadium Social, a sports bar serving pizza, wings and burgers; Woodlands Café with three meals daily; and the Electric Pheasant, a lounge featuring craft cocktails, trivia nights and live music every Friday and Saturday.
For non-gamblers, Topgolf Swing Suites e-golf, billiards, shuffleboard and foosball provide plenty of alternatives.
Just up Route 3, Gate City Casino offers even more opportunities to play. That charitable gaming facility rebranded and expanded after it was purchased by Delaware North in 2023. It offers No Limit and Omaha Hold’em Poker, Vegas-style table games like roulette, blackjack, Spanish 21, Mississippi Stud, and nearly 540 casino gaming machines.
Gate City Casino has its own sports bar where you can watch games and participate in live sports betting through one of 12 DraftKings Sportsbook kiosks.
Delaware North also runs the Sheraton Nashua, and out-of-town visitors to the casino can get discounted rates on overnight stays there.
Variety has helped The Nash and Gate City Casino establish themselves as regional destinations. These casinos, close to the Massachusetts border, are drawing visitors not only from southern New England but also from Vermont, Maine, New York and beyond.
Surrounding businesses are benefiting, too. Althaus has heard from management at Simon, which operates the Pheasant Lane Mall, that restaurants and shops have reported higher weekend traffic, with some looking to extend hours to meet demand.
The casinos have ripple effects on the city’s wider economic footprint.
The Nash employs more than 630 people across a wide range of careers, from culinary and hospitality to finance, marketing and security. Meanwhile, Gate City Casino and the Sheraton Nashua employ more than 300 people.
In fiscal year 2024, charitable gaming in New Hampshire brought in more than $244 million in total revenue. Broken down, that includes $35 million for the state, $39 million for New Hampshire charities and more than $170 million for the respective charitable gaming operators, according to state data.
For example, in January, Gate City Casino presented more than $143,900 to the Granite YMCA.
“Our team at Gate City Casino is proud of how we support vital organizations such as the Granite YMCA in their efforts to positively impact the community,” said Andrew Gentile, general manager of Gate City Casino, at the check presentation.
“It just makes you feel good inside that you created something that just truly is impactful to the community,” Althaus said.
For Althaus, the goal is not just to operate a casino but to provide a welcoming, high-quality experience.
With the possibility of new games approved by the state ahead, The Nash and Gate City are poised to keep adding reasons for visitors to come — and return — to Nashua.
“We try to give people the best of what there is to offer, Althaus said. “The more people that come to this area, it definitely helps the entire economic impact of not just us, but the mall and the entire Nashua area.” N
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RECREATION
BY SARAH PEARSON
Connecting with nature in Nashua and beyond
Ample outdoor recreation in and around New Hampshire’s second-largest city
On any given weekend, you might find families picnicking under tall pines at Benson Park in Hudson, kayakers gliding past historic mills, runners logging miles along the Riverwalk or swimmers cooling off at Silver Lake. These natural spaces are places of leisure as well as cornerstones of community life: supporting local traditions, volunteerism and the regional economy.
A CONDUIT FOR CONNECTION
Spring will arrive with the anticipated completion of the first phase of Nashua’s Riverwalk project. Meandering along banks on both sides of the Nashua River, this 1.8-mile pathway connects physical spaces downtown and historical and cul-
tural touchpoints from Nashua’s past and present. The Riverwalk is more than a trail; it is a link that enhances quality of life and economic opportunities.
As Nashua’s former textile mills have been converted into housing, office space and restaurants, the Riverwalk has long been envisioned as a chance to join those areas with places like Bicentennial, Renaissance and Mine Falls parks. Along the walk, which includes gravel paths and cantilevered footbridges over the river, are sculptures such as the Mill Girl, which pays homage to the past, and contemporary works by international artists through the city’s annual Sculpture Symposium.
Outdoor theater spaces along the walk provide community gathering places.
The city hopes that this walkable connection will help drive economic activity, inviting more people to explore the trail or come to a show, and then patronize adjacent businesses.
“The goal is to get people out and using the riverfront, kind of reclaiming it from the mills,” said Liz Hannum, director of economic development for Nashua. “The vision is to reclaim that space and get people at restaurants and shopping downtown in the same trip, so that we can see a lot more activity in the downtown area.”
Whether you’re looking to get a breath of fresh air during your lunch break or spend a day exploring along the waterway, the Riverwalk aims to be a destination that weaves together outdoor opportunities in the area. It’s not uncommon to see kayakers or canoeists on the water, with several public and private launch points near the city center.
The Nashua Area Kayak Exploration Destinations is a group of paddling enthusiasts who plan outings on Nashua River and nearby waterways. They also lead the annual lighted paddle parade down the river through downtown.
NASHUA’S PARKS AND GREEN SPACES
When the industrial age came to Nashua, the Nashua River’s falls were a draw for their hydropower potential. In the early 1800s, workers used shovels and mules to dig the three-mile-long canal, which provided a vertical drop of 36 feet for the water at the mills.
Today, the canal and the area around it comprise Mine Falls Park, one of the city’s nearly 40 recreational sites. Nashua is home to 25 playgrounds, three boat launches, three swimming pools and two splash pads, courts, fields, trails and more, all of which are publicly accessible.
Purchased by the city in 1968, the 325acre Mine Falls Park is now largely used for hiking, biking and fishing, instead of manufacturing. Boating and fishing are available from the park. In the winter, cross-country skiing can be done on some trails.
Greeley Park, one of the city’s largest, hosts Parks and Rec’s summer concert series at its bandshell. It has fields for
baseball/softball, tennis courts, a community garden, a sledding hill and more.
On Nashua’s southern edge, the Conservation Commission manages several tracts of land with multi-use hiking and biking trails and mountain biking routes. This Southwestern Trail system is made up of the Terrell Homestead Conservation area, Dunstable Rural Land Trust area and city parkland.
With more than 300 acres connected by the trails, the natural area is home to forests, fields and wetlands, and a habitat for numerous wildlife species. The northern terminus for the Nashua River Rail Trail, and its parking area, can be found off Gilson Road.
The rail trail follows a former Worcester and Nashua Railroad route connecting Ayer, Massachusetts, and Nashua.
The 12-mile paved path begins in Ayer, across the street from the commuter rail station, and passes through Groton, Pepperell and Dunstable in Massachusetts
before crossing into New Hampshire. The Bay State section was constructed in 2001-02, and the trail was extended into New Hampshire in 2005.
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES AROUND GREATER NASHUA
Just over a hundred years ago, John Benson opened a business in Hudson to house exotic animals from overseas in quarantine before selling them to circuses and zoos. When his neighbors grew curious about the roaring lions and trumpeting elephants, he charged them a five-cent admission fee, hoping that would deter them from his property. It did not.
Benson’s Wild Animal Farm opened not long after, and even with increased ticket costs, the crowds persisted.
With giraffes, bears, gorillas, elephants, lions, llamas, yaks and more, families would come from near and far to see the creatures. A storybook section featured a brook and structures from fairy tales —
Top left: Benson Park in Husdon offers a playground, meandering trails with pond views and remants of its zoo past, like the Old Woman’s Shoe. Top right: Nashua paddlers take to the river in a light parade. Bottom left: Bedford Big Band plays at Greeley Park.
the last standing is the Old Woman’s Shoe.
Benson ran the Wild Animal Farm until 1942, when he closed it for World War II. He died in 1943. Post-war, the zoo operated under different owners until the 1980s. Many older residents recall working there or visiting with their families.
The Town of Hudson acquired the property, and it reopened as a public park in 2010. Though it’s owned by the town, the volunteer group, Friends of Benson Park, puts much effort into preserving its history and enhancing its amenities.
Today on the 165-acre property, there is a one-mile walking loop, several ponds, a children’s play structure, a 9/11 memorial, a firefighters’ memorial, a dog park and 84 park benches.
Visitors can take an audio tour of the park via the WalkNTour app with narration by a John Benson voice actor.
The Friends of Benson Park’s volunteers have turned it into a beautifully maintained green space. The General Federation of Women’s Clubs’ local chapter has planted
a butterfly garden. Clean-up days bring out volunteers for raking and maintenance tasks, and they’re treated to a Family Fun Day in September with games, treats, a petting zoo, vendors and more.
“People always say how much they love it,” said Nancy Newell, board chairwoman of the Friends of Benson Park in Hudson. “It’s a refuge. It’s quiet. It’s free.”
Older generations have nostalgia for visiting the park and love to share their memories with the younger generations. Many people who worked in the park still live in town. “It’s memories for a lot of families,” Newell said.
The Friends have put donations to use furnishing the park benches and picnic tables, while fundraising for a long-term capital project to build a museum and discovery center.
On the other side of Nashua is one of New Hampshire’s southernmost state parks, Silver Lake in Hollis.
Silver Lake is a year-round retreat with trout fishing, kayaking and winter ice activities.
Fish species include largemouth bass, yellow perch, sunfish, pickerel, hornpout/ catfish and a few very large common carp. There is a deep channel that runs through the lake. It’s fed by some natural springs and the outflow is controlled by a small dam. The lake’s depth and continual supply of cold, clean water from below can support both rainbow and brown trout.
In the early 1900s, when the lake was called Long Pond, it housed two dance halls, Wallace Grove and Morrills Grove. These dance halls were a very popular retreat on summer nights for many locals and even those from Boston who could take the train up. The lake was formerly surrounded by summer cottages, but most of these buildings have now been converted for use as year-round homes.
State Park beach access is on the north end of the lake with a bathhouse. From the parking area, you can access
The 9/11 Memorial (left) at Benson Park includes a piece of the twin towers. Right: Benson’s housed exotic animals for decades.
miles of hiking trails that can connect with the adjacent Spalding Town Forest, with views of Dunklee and Parker ponds.
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC VALUE
More than just a walk or paddle along the river, outdoor recreation in Greater Nashua is a powerful contributor to the area’s economic and social vitality. With
spaces like Nashua’s Riverwalk and Hudson’s Benson Park, the community comes together to build attractive places to live, work and visit.
For businesses considering relocation or expansion, especially when it comes to attracting its workforce, amenities such as trails, green spaces and waterfront access play an important role in talent recruitment and quality-of-life features. Real estate values and downtown commerce benefit as well, with dining, shopping and cultural experiences just steps away from recreational spaces.
This impact has ripples. Access to nature has well-documented benefits for health and social connections. Parks and
trails offer free or low-cost activities for families, reducing barriers to recreation and ensuring that nature is accessible to everyone. The physical and mental benefits of walking, running, cycling or simply enjoying the fresh air are within easy reach for Greater Nashua residents.
These outdoor amenities also serve as natural gathering places that strengthen community identity. From concerts at Greeley Park to volunteer days at Benson Park, and kayak parades on the Nashua River and future festivities at the Riverwalk’s Renaissance Park, these spaces are where residents come together for exercise, service and entertainment.
Outdoor recreation in Greater Nashua is not just about the trails, parks, rivers or lakes; it’s about connection. With places like the Riverwalk connecting downtown to the waterfront or parks providing opportunities to connect with community, public art and historical icons, spaces in Greater Nashua bridge the outdoors and well-rounded life. N
Nashua’s University Just Keeps Growing
CALENDAR
ONGOING
NASHUA FARMERS MARKET
Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., June through October Nashua Public Library downtownnashua.org/ nashuafarmersmarket
THIRD THURSDAYS
The third Thursday of the month, 3 to 7 p.m.
Enjoy live music downtown and exclusive deals from participating downtown businesses. downtownnashua.org
FEBRUARY
CHOCOLATE STROLL
February 7
This event allows you to taste chocolate treats through Downtown Nashua’s shops, boutiques, restaurants and breweries.
MAY
MEMORIAL DAY PARADE
May 25
Show our appreciation for those we’ve lost defending our democracy. nashuanh.gov
NASHUA INTERNATIONAL SCULPTURE SYMPOSIUM
A three-week-long project where four artists from across the country and the world come and create new works of public art for Nashua. nashuasculpturesymposium.org
JUNE
TASTE OF DOWNTOWN
June 3
More than 30 restaurants showcase Nashua’s eclectic dining scene. downtownnashua.org/taste
NASHUA PRIDE PARADE
Late June
Main Street and around the library nashuanh.gov/1217/Nashua-PrideFestival
NH BACON AND BEER FESTIVAL
June 6
Enjoy samples of beer and bacon, of course, plus live music and more. Anheuser-Busch Brewery, Merrimack nhbaconbeer.com
HOLLIS STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
June 28
the Hollis Town Band and the Hollis Woman’s Club host this annual event. The earliest newspaper reference to the Strawberry Festival was in 1946. www.hollisnh.org
JULY
INDEPENDENCE DAY
July 4
Silver Knights game and fireworks display at Holman Stadium nashuasilverknights.com/4th-of-july-tickets-available
SUMMER STROLL
July 28
Nearly 80 vendor tents, many food trucks and treat purveyors, and activities will be set up on Main Street for attendees to walk around and enjoy starting at 3 p.m. facebook.com/profile. php?id=61556883930459
AUGUST
COLORING ON MAIN STREET
August 15
The sidewalks of downtown will have drawings created on them by local artists in outline, and the public is invited to add color to the illustrations. downtownnashua.org
GREELEY PARK ART SHOW
During the month of August, Greeley Park in Nashua hosts artist booths and two art competitions: one for adults and the other for ages 6–18. NashuaArts.org
LYNDEBOROUGH 250TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
August 15
Events happening will be held at Center Hall and Memorial Park. There will be a dedication of new Revolutionary War Memorial. town.lyndeborough.nh.us
SEPTEMBER
WAGS TO WHISKERS
Labor Day Weekend
Wags to Whiskers is a signature event for the Humane Society for Greater Nashua. Enjoy vendors, food trucks, K9 demos, raffles and opportunities to adopt a pet at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, Merrimack. hsfn.org
HOLLIS OLD HOME DAYS
Sept. 18 – 19
Every September, the Hollis community honors its heritage with artisans, amusements, and entertainment for the entire family. hollisoldhomedays.org
NASHUA MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL
Mid-September
A celebration of food, art, dance and more. Meet your neighbors and share your culture at this fun, family-friendly festival.
Nashua Public Library Plaza nashuanh.gov/1237/NashuaMulticultural-Festival
OCTOBER
SCARECROW AND MAIN STREET MONSTER MASH
Voting continues through the month, with a celebratory bash as Halloween nears. Businesses, nonprofits and school groups are invited to create one-of-a-kind scarecrows that will line our streets and bring a pop of seasonal fun downtown. downtownnashua.org
MILFORD PUMPKIN FEST
Oct. 9 to 11
WALK FOR WHISKERS
Follow a scenic route through the beautiful trails at Mine Falls Park on behalf of the Humane Society for Greater Nashua. Walk at your own pace with all ages, and dogs too. hsfn.org
NOVEMBER
NASHUA VETERANS DAY PARADE
On Nov. 11, the parade begins at 11:11 a.m. at Holman Stadium. Refreshments are served after at Elm Street Middle School.
PLAID FRIDAY/WINTER STROLL
Last Friday and Saturday Deals at local retailers and holiday magic in downtown. downtownnashua.org
DECEMBER
GREATER NASHUA YOUNG PROFESSIONALS JINGLE MINGLE MIXER
First Thursday of December
There will be food, beverages and holiday cheer! nashuachamber.com/greaternashua-young-professionals
BROOKLINE ANNUAL WINTER HOLIDAY CELEBRATION
Annual Christmas Tree Lighting with a local fireman who dresses up as Santa Claus. brooklinenh.gov
AMHERST CHRISTMAS MARKET
The market brings a unique blend of American yuletide charm and traditional German Christmas festivities. It’s a community celebration, steeped in warmth and communal spirit. amherstchristmasmarket.org
Giant pumpkins on display, live music, Citizen of the Year, a haunted trail, running race and more. milfordpumpkinfestival.org The City of Nashua’s Offices of the Mayor and Economic Development congratulate the GNCOC on achieving an astounding century of service to our community!
MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY
1-800-Got-Junk? Nashua
1 Robert Road, Tyngsboro, MA 1800gotjunk.com/us_en/locations/junk-removalnashua
110 Grill
27 Trafalgar Square, Nashua, NH 110grill.com
AARP NH
45 S. Main St., Suite 202, Concord, NH aarp.org/nh
Anheuser-Busch/Biergarten 221 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, NH biergartenevents.com/content/biergarten/en/ merrimack.html
AP Cleaners LLC 216 Route 13, Brookline, NH apcleanersnh.com
Arcomm Communications 462 W.Main St., Suite 3, Hillsborough, NH arcomm1.com
ensure a seamless stay. And of course, the perks you love are always on us: free full American breakfast buBet, free Wi-Fi, and free parking. Enjoy the comfort, consistency, and care you deserve, all backed by the
Artistic Tile, LLC
650 Amherst St., Nashua, NH theperfecttile.com
At Home By Hunt
10 Allds St., Nashua, NH HuntatHome.org
ATA Outdoor Media
2 Alden Ave., Greenland, NH ataoutdoormedia.com
Atlantic Insurance & Benefit Company
375 Main St., Suite 100, Nashua, NH atlanticinsure.com
Automatic Equipment Service Inc.
5 Orchard Ave., Ravena, NY callaes.com
Aventura World†
250 Moonachie Road, Suite 308, Moonachie, NJ aventuraworld.com
Axe Play
142 Lowell Road, Unit 19, Hudson, NH axe-play.com
BAE Systems PO Box 868, NHQ1-747, Nashua, NH baesystems.com
Baird Home Solutions
134 Haines St., Unit 1-7, Nashua, NH bairdhomesolutions.com
Balin Books
375 Amherst St., Nashua, NH balinbooks.com
Bangor Savings Bank
69 Route 101A, Amherst, NH bangor.com
Bank of America
900 Elm St., 17th floor, Manchester, NH bankofamerica.com/newhampshire
Bank of New England 31 Pelham Road, Salem, NH bankofnewengland.com
Bank of New Hampshire 62 Pleasant St., Laconia, NH banknh.com
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust
188 Main St., Nashua, NH barharbor.bank
Baron’s Major Brands 531 Amherst St., Nashua, NH baronsmajorbrands.com
No one wants to be that person who sues or goes to court over the smallest problems. However, when a loved one is wronged, injured or incapacitated as a result of the carelessness of another, you want to enlist the right person to seek justice on their behalf. Whether it’s your spouse, child, parent, relative or friend who is injured, the time may come when the best option is to turn to a professional who can help you navigate the complicated path of obtaining justice.
David Gottesman has led Gottesman and Hollis, Professional Association for most of his more than 50 years in practice, facing just about every form of negligence and related injuries to individuals that you can imagine. Whether it be automobile or
motorcycle accidents, construction site failures, dog attacks, slip and falls or any other type of situation where injury occurs due to the lack of attention to safety, David has confronted it all. Some of these cases have gone all the way to trial and many have been resolved before trial when the facts are brought to bear.
As David says, “the real key is to listen to the client and then prepare the case so that the other side knows you mean business.” David has been active in his professional associations and has been recognized by his peers as a valuable resource for those in need of a qualified personal injury attorney. He stands ready to fight for you.
Learn more at www.nh-lawyers.com, or by calling 603-889-5959.
Gottesman and Hollis, PA is located at 39 East Pearl Street, Nashua, NH 03060
David Gottesman speaks of work at Gottesman and Hollis, PA
Lowell Five Bank
125 East Dunstable Road, Nashua, NH lowellfive.com
McLane Middleton PO Box 326, Manchester, NH mclane.com
McLaughlin Oil Corporation
20 Progress Ave., Nashua, NH mclaughlin-oil.com
McLaughlin Transportation Systems, Inc. 20 Progress Ave., Nashua, NH mclaughlin-transport.com
Meals on Wheels of Hillsborough County 46 Milford St., Manchester, NH hcmow.org
Merrimack Premium Outlets
Recognizing 25 years of compassionate care at the Community Hospice House — a place of comfort, dignity, and peace for patients and families when it matters most. To learn more, contact us today.
Launch your college & career journey at NCC! Welcoming all ages: High schoolers in Early College to Adult + Senior students pivoting careers, picking up new skills and finishing credentials. NCC credits are highly transferable to 4-year degrees.
DEGREE, CERTIFICATE & CAREER TRAINING
MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY
Nick Brigham – Edward Jones
170 S. River Road, Unit 2 & 3, Bedford, NH edwardjones.com/nick-brigham
Nordstrom Rack at Royal Ridge Center 213 D.W. Hwy., Space A-103, Nashua, NH nordstromrack.com
North Point Mortgage – Karin Duchesne 47 Constitution Drive, Suite 100, Bedford, NH mortgageswithkarin.com
Purpose Public Affairs LLC PO Box 7312, Milford, NH purposepublicaffairs.com
Quality Photo Booths
5 Dixville St., Nashua, NH qualityphotobooths.com
Real Property Management Absolute
2 Wellman Ave., Suite 260, Nashua, NH rpmabsolute.com
Realm of Media Possibilities
583 Main St., Nashua, NH
Recycled Materials Group
18 Celina Ave., Unit 8, Nashua, NH recycledmaterialsgroup.com
Red Brick Clothing Company
55 Carl Drive, Manchester, NH redbrickclothing.com
Red Door Title
47 Constitution Drive, Suite 400, Bedford, NH reddoortitle.com
Residence Inn by Marriott Nashua 25 Trafalgar Square, Nashua, NH marriot.com/mhtnr
Ripano Stoneworks
90 East Hollis St., Nashua, NH ripano.com
Rivier University
420 South Main St., Nashua, NH rivier.edu
Rock The Cup, LLC.
175 Coliseum Drive, Nashua, NH aromajoes.com
Rockland Trust Bank
88 Main St., Nashua, NH enterprisebanking.com
Home, Auto, Business and Life Insurance
For over four generations, Corriveau Insurance Agency, Inc. has been providing insurance solutions to the Nashua, NH area, and beyond. We are local, family-owned and operated, and most importantly—independent. We’ll compare rates and coverage together, and help you prepare for the unexpected, on a personal level, just like you deserve.
Thanks for voting us Best Insurance Agency!
Kane Kane Realty Group, LLC
Trafalgar Square Suite 101 Nashua, NH 03063
(603) 930-7703
stephaniekane.com StephanieKane@kw.com
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Roedel Companies
PO Box 598, Wilton, NH roedelcompanies.com
Roofing King 529 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, NH roofingking.com
Rotary Club of Nashua PO Box 401, Nashua, NH nashuarotary.org
Rotary Club of Nashua West PO Box 75, Nashua, NH rotarynashuawest.com
