Points of Historical Interest
The oldest cemetery in town is the Pembroke Street Cemetery, established circa 1740. The Reverend Aaron Whittemore, first minister of Suncook, is buried there. Other cemeteries of interest are: Pembroke Hill Cemetery, North Pembroke Cemetery, Richardson Cemetery and Buck Street Cemetery.
The oldest house in Pembroke is claimed to be the one owned by Mrs. Vesta M. Abbott. In a deed of 1764, Benjamin Thompson deeded to Nathaniel Thompson about one acre of land on the south side of Meeting House Brook. "Also a house standing on the northwest side of the brook." This dwelling is presently known as the Crafts' home on Pembroke Street.
The Kimball Tavern, built in 1780, was a stage stop on the old Chester Turnpike (Pembroke Street) where the teams of horses were changed for fresh ones, and also served as a tavern kept by David Kimball. In the 1920's, the Kimball Tavern was operated as a rooming house with prices ranging from $1.00 and up per room. This tavern was also used as part of the underground railroad, sheltering slaves on their way to Canada. The present Richard Diehl home on Dudley Hill Road was also part of the underground railroad. The shelter for the slaves was located in the home, reached by a trap door in the attic.
The Town-House (poor house) was built in 1811. At a meeting held July 6, 1813, the Town of Pembroke voted to build a "pound" of stone at "the corner of Mr. Lakeman's Pasture by the town-house", and raise $147.50 for that purpose. Christopher Osgood bid off the contract to build it at $135.00. Remains of the pound can be seen at the corner of Fourth Range Road and Pembroke Hill Road.
The Fiske Tavern is noted as the place where General Lafayette passed the night when traveling from Boston to Concord in 1825. After Mr. Fiske's death in 1826, it continued to be used as a tavern for many years.
Pembroke Town Hall was originally built in 1840 and was used as a school, lecture hall and gymnasium for 26 years. This historic building burned in 1965. A new town hall, which strongly resembles the old one, was erected on the original site on Pembroke Street in 1988.
As we can readily see from a copy of the "History of Pembroke, NH, 1730-1895", Pembroke was a thriving community and contributed greatly in the development of New Hampshire.
Historical summary courtesy of the Pembroke Historical Society