In late 1966, following a very successful first fair venture in the Kingston, NH Congregational Church vestry, ground rules were drawn up for the Rockingham Craftsmen. Ruth Stimson and the Rockingham County Cooperative Extension Service provided guidance and assistance to establish a market, originally only for Rockingham County craftspeople, and starting in 2001, open to all. Rockingham Craftsmen is an unincorporated, not for profit, association.
Prospective members are evaluated with feedback and when accepted, are assigned to a committee. Members have come from all walks of life. Some are teachers, nurses, and school bus drivers who �create� in their spare time. Others are mothers of young children who find it convenient to work at home. Still others are professional artisans who have their own shops. Included have been silversmiths, leather workers, potters, calligraphers, quilters, stained glass artists, woodworkers, and crafters on scrimshaw and Nantucket Lightship baskets -- some offer custom services such as chair caning, rug braiding, and knit wear � totaling over 30types of crafts available to the public. These craftspeople are bound together by a love of handcrafts, a desire to market them and a willingness to work together for mutual benefit. Forty years of effort have earned the Rockingham Craftsmen a well-deserved reputation for continually maintaining the quality standards of creativity, marketing and craftsmanship.
Rockingham Craftsmen continually strive to adapt traditional crafts to meet current trends in style, color, and materials.
We hope to inspire you also.