OUR TOWNS Dublin, New Hampshire

It's fitting to write about Dublin in summer, a hot, bright season that's drawn tourists, artists, politicians and a slew of other interesting folks to the town for the last several centuries. Sheltered by the slope of Mount Monadnock and cooled by the dark, navy blue waters of Dublin Lake, as summer settings go, it truly is idyllic. &emsp;&emsp;All of that is not to mention the village's historic main throughway, which is dotted with the likes of the Dublin School campus, a classic general store, and the headquarters of Yankee Magazine. Visitors arriving at Yankee often remark that Dublin is exactly the New England backdrop they imagined. &emsp;&emsp;But the publication's president and CEO, Jamie Trowbridge explains, "The history of Yankee being situated in Dublin is really quite incidental." &emsp;&emsp;The business was first started by his grandparents, who happened to live in Dublin. The publication was small initially, and the couple ran everything out of their house. But as the operation grew, they rented space in the village. &emsp;&emsp;While Yankee found its home through happenstance, Trowbridge says, "It is where we are, and we love it." &emsp;&emsp;As office spaces go, the surroundings really are quite lovely. Outside, a glance around captures the flag, church steeple and beautiful architecture of the town hall and library. &emsp;&emsp;Trowbridge says, "One thing that works for us is that Dublin is a village, and Dublin is quite picturesque." &emsp;&emsp;For the magazine, New England as a destination is a big draw. &emsp;&emsp;"More than half of our audience is from outside of New England," he notes. Many people have a connection to this part of the country but don't live here full-time. Trowbridge says Yankee creates "a way to connect to this region that they love." &emsp;&emsp;For those who do live here, Yankee has found another great advantage of being in Dublin. A webcam situated with a view of the publication's main building and the church often attracts attention when it ends up feeding the weather report aired on WMUR. &emsp;&emsp;"I think they like the scene, and Dublin always gets bad weather," Trowbridge says with a laugh. &emsp;&emsp;Certainly, in winter, it is known for heaps of snow and sinking temperatures. But when summer arrives, it seems as though that was all a distant dream. Plenty to do in this tiny town: population 1,597 Visitors flock to vacation homes or drive in for the day. They grab sandwiches at Dublin General Store's deli or while they fuel up at Carr's Store just down Route 101. Foodies settle in for an evening at Del Rossi's Trattoria, a rustic Italian restaurant inside a 1789 Georgian Colonial. They drive home with full bellies and hearts, leaving reviews about the homemade pasta, gorgeous atmosphere, and exceptional service. &emsp;&emsp;Families often come to Dublin for their longtime favorite, The Friendly Farm, a historic farmstead that opens each spring and welcomes guests to visit with the baby animals. &emsp;&emsp;Massachusetts native, Carolyn Sellars, recalls, "My first trip inside the gates of The Friendly Farm was in 1985. Our two-year-old loved animals, so we spent our summer vacation on day trips to farms and zoos." &emsp;&emsp;After their first visit, they were hooked and returned regularly for years as a family tradition. &emsp;&emsp;"We loved everything about The Friendly Farm," Sellars says. Each visit piled on more special memories, from the sweet animals to the friendly staff and conversations with the farmers. &emsp;&emsp;With her children now grown, it's been many years since Sellars spent the day at the farm, but she recently had a lovely reason to return — her 15-month-old grandbaby. &emsp;&emsp;"Even though I hadn't been there in quite a while, it felt very much the same. Friendly animals and friendly people," she says. &emsp;&emsp;They planned a classic trip with a picnic lunch and even got to visit with the owner, Farmer Bruce Fox. &emsp;&emsp;"I think it's the love that makes the Friendly Farm such a magical place," Sellars says. The animals are cared for, and the grounds are always clean. "Everyone — people and animals — help create The Friendly Farm experience. It really is a perfectly named place," she says. &emsp;&emsp;For locals, the memories are similar but usually tie back to school. &emsp;&emsp;"When I went to Rindge Memorial, our teachers took us on a field trip there," recalls Lauren Barbour. Her favorite part was holding the baby chicks, of course. "They were so warm and fluffy and cute," she says. &emsp;&emsp;Now a mother herself, she's taken her boys to the farm for years, and no surprise, the chicks rank high on their list, too. &emsp;&emsp;"That's the best thing about it. I don't think anything has changed. It's so nostalgic … one of my favorite places to go," she says. A welcoming sense of place It's that sense of home, of coming back to something important, that seems to come up again and again in the story when you ask someone about Dublin. And it has been at the center of countless coming-of-age stories, with the well-known Dublin School positioned near the village's center. &emsp;&emsp;The hilly campus, with its countryside, retreat-like buildings, hosts a distinctive college-preparatory experience for young people during the school year. And in summer, programming shifts to welcome a broader age range and a concentrated infusion of music with the annual return of The Walden School. &emsp;&emsp;"Our founders chose The Walden School name, at least in part, to evoke the idea of a creative and productive time, away from day-to-day distractions, and amidst profound natural beauty. Little did they know at the time that Walden would end up in Dublin, a place Henry David Thoreau himself once lived," describes Seth Brenzel, Walden's executive director and the director of the Young Musicians Program. &emsp;&emsp;This year, Walden's time at the Dublin campus will be all the more special, as they couldn't run any in-person programs in 2020. &emsp;&emsp;"We missed being here terribly!" Brenzel says. &emsp;&emsp;In the meantime, the organization, which specializes in immersive summer music education programs, delivered lessons, concerts and forums virtually. Brenzel says many of their online programs will remain in place for the future. But they are thrilled to bring together their performers, composers, and faculty members once more this summer. &emsp;&emsp;"So much about being back in-person is exciting — group singing together, hearing music live and in physical space, the gathering of our creative community, reconnecting with friends and Monadnock neighbors," Brenzel says. &emsp;&emsp;Though locals typically love to witness the music that results from so many talented artists coming together in one place, this year, unfortunately, there will be no public concert series. Hopefully, that piece will be offered again in 2022. &emsp;&emsp;"In the meantime, we are excited to offer nearly all of our events live-streamed," says Brenzel. A complete schedule can be found at waldenschool.org. &emsp;&emsp;"We can't wait for the music to resound from all of the beautiful spaces—both indoors and outdoors—throughout the astounding Dublin School campus," Brenzel describes. Prior to his recent arrival from his home on the West Coast, Brenzel received an email from the Dublin School staff members full of excitement for Walden's return. It concluded appropriately with a single line: "Welcome Home." Caroline Tremblay writes from Richmond, New Hampshire.