Hilda Hildreth

Born in 1907 this shy activist received many 95^th birthday messages thanking her for what she had done for the writers individually and collectively.  One sees twinkling deep blue eyes and hears a soft giggle.  Behind this is a bundle of energy that can put people half her age to shame. She is a specialist observant and knowledgeable, a walker who seems to know every spot in Hollis, can give a composite of its history in terms of people, occupations, how things work, architecture, landscape, place in the historic time line, and where certain plants did and will grow.  Her ability to remember and correlate information and draw analogies is extraordinary.  And she has imparted this both in written and oral form to anyone who asks a question or consults the many documents that she has archived and given the Historical Society.  A private collection from her historic photographs is on this site.  She is a Teacher, an Archivist a Gardener and Botanist, a Reader, a seeker of new knowledge, a Family Person, and an Animal Lover. She is an Artist with a camera or in the garden. She has a strong ethical code of honor that is seen in her devotion to high standards, church, friends and organizations that she has joined and supported. 

She is also a quiet Activist who began and followed through on both anti Poison Ivy and anti Litter campaigns, which have helped the Town.

Behind these talents are a Mother, Grandmother and a devoted wife.  After early years in New Boston on a small farm she moved at a young age to Hollis to a larger farm with her brother and sister and parents Arthur and Hattie Lull.  Helping on the farm and attending school in Hollis she learned the solid values of responsibility and work ethic.  After some college, finding that there were not many jobs for young women in Hollis she became a telephone operator.  The telephone office was in a building that housed the Town Clerk and the Town Paper and she helped with records of all types.  As she married the boss’s son, Henry Hildreth (see his history and family 8^th generation in Hollis), she became even more involved in these varieties of new types of communication in a small town and, keeping her own counsel, she also stored away a great deal of information which has made her a valued historian.  If someone wonders about a question, the response is likely to be “Hilda will know.”

For more information listen to her oral histories on CD – Early Telephone Operators, and Early Memories.  Much of the information on this site has been offered or corroborated by Hilda.  We thank her.