America 250: Powderhouse Bench Dedication Presentation

The Exeter 250 Celebration Commission invites the public to attend the Powderhouse Bench Dedication Presentation on May 2nd, 2026 at 11 AM.

As Exeter marks its 250th anniversary, we gather to honor the people, places, and stories that shaped our town’s character. This year’s celebration includes a special memorial bench dedication at the historic Exeter Powder House—an enduring symbol of the town’s Revolutionary War spirit and its long tradition of civic service. 

Built in 1771, the Exeter Powder House safeguarded the town’s precious stores of gunpowder and ammunition during the tense years leading up to the American Revolution. It stood watch as Exeter became the seat of New Hampshire’s Revolutionary government and played a vital role in the fight for independence. Today, it remains a powerful reminder of the courage, resilience, and community resolve that have defined Exeter for generations.

It is fitting, then, that we dedicate on May 2nd a memorial bench in partnership with the Exeter Rotary Club—an organization whose mission of service above self echoes the very values that sustained our town through its earliest trials. Exeter Rotary Club maintains the Powder House grounds, preserving Exeter's history for future generations. And it is even more fitting that this bench  dedication honors someone who embodied both the Revolutionary and Rotary Club's values with unmatched energy and heart: Dorothy "Dottie" Milbury.

 Dottie was the first female Exeter Rotarian, the first female President of the Club, and the driving force behind so many of the traditions that knit our community together. She was the  person who began Exeter's beloved Christmas Luminarias which for over 28 years has provided joy and hope every Christmas. 

Today’s dedication celebrates not only 250 years of Exeter’s history, but also the people like Dottie who carried that history forward through service, leadership, and love of community. 

As this bench takes will take place beside the Powder House, it becomes a bridge between past and present—a reminder that the same spirit that fueled our town’s Revolutionary beginnings continues to live on in those who give of themselves for the good of others.