The origin of the FARMINGTON FISH & GAME CLUB stemmed from the spirit of a community that always has dedicate its desires to shoemakin', shootin' and fishing , Ever since our hardy pioneers first traversed the length and breadth of the Cocheco Valley, taking from the stream, itself, and its bordering forests, their first sustenance, they, and. their progeny, have embrace piety and majored in shoemaking, but never have they failed to invoke favor from the old. pagan, god, "Pan".
During a long train of years, fish and game were plentiful. However, the time came when large manufacturing industry, commerce and, heavy settlement demands replaced the old regime. Everywhere necessity gradually was turning to organization that could command representation in legislation.
Long discussions of the need of such an organization to focus attention on improvement in supply of local fish and game resources was crystallized in a meeting of the local sporting fraternity at large, held at the old town hall on the evening of Sept. 2, 1926, This meeting was called to order by Carl Carney. than a deputy warden and New Hampshire guide. It was voted to organize a club to be known as the FARMINGTON FISH & GAME CLUB and the presiding office nominated Fred I. Shaw as President, Chester Smith as Vice President, Carl C. Blanchard, then a regular department ward , as Secretary and Arthur G. Webster as Treasurer. They were duly elected and, with the assistance of various committees, the club started to function immediately on a career of influence that has become an institution affecting such other important subjects as, forestry, public health, flood and water control and state law enforcement.
With only the collection of $1.00 membership dues, the club bought rabbits from Maine for restocking local depleted swamps,
The next year the club rented quarters in the former J. P. B. Roberts building, now property of the American Legion. To defray these added expenses dues were raised to $3.00 a year.
That year the old town hall was destroyed by fire end the club gave over its quarters to the Public library and dues were restored. to the original $1.00 status. The same officer's were retained with the exception that the offices of secretary and treasurer were merged and Mr. Webster became the incumbent, a post of trust and diligent interest which he continues to this day. An enlarged program of buying and importing rabbits and pheasant-food was continued that year. In 1930 and -'31 the N. H. Fish & Game department allotted the club a number of pheasant for winter keep' and spring liberation. This ingratiated the shooting fraternity and furnished improved hunting the next two years. In 1934 the club joined the Federated Sportsman Club Inc. of New Hampshire and started holding trap shoots at the old trotting park and this practice was continued at that location until the club acquired the New Durham Reservation properties, where the fish pond has been developed, entertainment and refreshments provided and practically all activities except the annual SPORTSMEN'S SHOW, transferred to that locality. The original board of officer's continued until 1935 when Charles Roberts was made Vice President of the club. The first field dog trial was run on Aug. 29, 1937 on the town land near the old bell field and most of us will long remember the event when the dogs and men overflowed the bounds end invaded hallowed property. In 1937 the field dog program ms enlarged to two events, one in the spring and one in the fall. Early in 1938 the club purchased the New Durham Reservation property and gradually has. developed these holdings until they now rival similar undertakings .throughout the state, The club was incorporated in 1938. In January 1939 the first Sportsmen's show was held at the town hall and grounds and, with the exception of the war years, it continues to claim attention and favor from the sporting fraternity in a wide area.
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