The Folkway Remembered

Folkway Remembered Project

In recognition of the fond memories of The Folkway and of the cultural and social impacts that it had to our community, the Peterborough Historical Society is producing an exhibit and concert series devoted to The Folkway’s legacy, entitled “The Folkway Remembered.” We hope that this will allow everyone to share and celebrate the memory of the Folkway. 

Admission is free for all concert goers.  Admission is $3 (free for members) during reguar museum hours.

We also hope that it nourishes the current folk music scene in the Monadnock Region, notably provided by the Peterborough Folk Music Society and The Monadnock Folklore Society, ,which evolved directly from the original Folkway model. These organizations have assisted us greatly in this project.

The Folkway Exhibit includes photos, tables, chairs, the famous batik stage wall hanging, menus, schedules, posters, artist publicity photos, record albums, live recordings, videos, and more.  It has been assembled by Michelle Stahl, Director of the Peterborough Historical Society.  

The story of The Folkway is fascinating, especially since so many intriguing people were involved with this modest coffee house which so many talented artists "had to come to play at".  

Who played at The Folkway between 1975 and 1996?  Hundreds of artists!  A volunteer is developing a list of everyone!  The big names included:  Suzane Vega, Greg Brown, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Stan Rogers, Vance Gilbert, John Gorka, Tom Paxton, Tom Dundee, Jim Post, Johnathan Richmond (Modern Lovers), Tom Chapin, and so many more.  (Including ALL of the artists appearing in our concert series.  It is almost unfair to do a brief list from memory since I have forgotten far more than I can remember!

The Folkway was a great place to see an artist perform but it was also an excellent restaurant.  It seated about 60 for dinner but for concerts they would fit in another 50 or more at extra seats around the tables, along the aisles, and on the stairway.  Everyone gave their full attention to the artist and as a result, the artists loved playing there.  "The Folks Station", WSLE 92.1 FM, originating from studios in Peterborough, did a wonderful job of attracting audiences from all over New Hampshire and Massachusetts.  

The story of The Folkway is not complete without discussing Widdie Hall, who co-founded it in 1975 with her husband, and then devotedly ran it by herself as a single mom with 2 young children from 1978 until 1988 when she unfortunately died of breast cancer.  The artists loved Widdie for all the love and support that she gave them, and they miss her dearly.  So many of them were considered "part of the family" and they would stay additional days before or after the concerts in the guest rooms provided for the artists within The Folkway building.  Widdie's family remains in Nelson and around the region today.  Her mother, Cia Iselin, passed away a few years ago.

The Folkway Exhibit will be in our rotating display space and open to the public from March 3 through the end of September.  The Society is open each week, Wednesday through Saturday from 10 until 4.  

Contact us for more information.

A Brief History of the Folkway

On February 28, 1975, Jonathan and Widdie Hall opened The Folkway, a restaurant and coffee house, in an old Victorian era home at 85 Grove Street in Peterborough. Creating this business was a labor of love—a love of folk music. It was not long before The Folkway became known as one of the best venues in the northeast for folk music. And the food was pretty good, too.
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Folkway Videos

Folks reminisce about the Folkway	Claudia Schmidt  1/22

Folks reminisce about the Folkway.

Folkway Remembered Concert Series

The concert series includes a handful of the hundreds of performers who were Folkway favorites. Concerts will be held at the Peterborough Historical Society’s Bass Hall, a cozy wooden-walled space that lends itself nicely to this purpose. Seating is limited to 120, so early ticket purchases are recommended. The Peterborough Historical Society, Peterborough Folk Music Society and The Monadnock Folklore Society are co-sponsoring the concerts.

Handicapped Access:  Take driveway to the left of the building to access Rear Entrance.
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Monadnock Folklore Society