The Wilmot Historical Society (WHS) has been busy lately. WHS is conducting oral history sessions, planning to add more archival information to its expanded Web site at WilmotHistoricalSociety.org, and opening its History Room (a collection featuring artifacts related to the town and its residents) and its Curiosity Shop (which sells must-have collectibles and curiosities) on Saturday mornings in July and August.

Recently, longtime Wilmot resident Loretta Rayno shared her life history with the Society by agreeing to be videotaped at her home. A highlight of the interview was the story of meeting her husband for the first time.

Stanley Rayno and his buddy were shooting rats at the Wilmot town dump when Loretta showed up. They thought it would be funny to invite her to help out, and to their surprise she did just that – Woman at Ease with Shotgun Woos Mate!

Also of great interest was her story about working for the “Jelly Ladies” of Freedom Acres for over 20 years. A little-known fact that was revealed during the interview is that the name of the successful jelly business conducted by two former WACs on Old Winslow Road from the ’50s through 1986 had more to do with the idea of being free to lead your life as you like than anything having to do with freeing occupied Europe during World War ll, as was assumed.

Other interviews of interest can be accessed via the Attic tab on the WHS Web site. One interview of Esther Grace and her daughters and cousin Dolly Fowler and another interview of George Gove give the viewer or listener a good idea of what it was like to grow up in Wilmot Center years ago. More interviews are on file for checkout at the Wilmot Public library.

The Curiosity Shop is located next to the Wilmot Town Offices at the Wilmot Farmers Market, and the History Room is through a door off the meeting room in the Wilmot Town Office building at 9 Kearsarge Valley Road. Hours of operation for both are 9 AM to noon during July and August. Be sure to visit soon!