Kathi McGraw, vice president

To the editor:The Bartlett Historical Society wishes to thanks Theresa and Scott Stearns of the White Mountain Cider Company Restaurant for the wonderful evening that they shared with us on June 20. This dinner was held to name and dedicate one of their dining rooms in memory of former resident Bertha McAuliffe. Bertha owned the former farmhouse and raised her family there from the early 1930s until her death in the mid 1980s. Bertha epitomized the picture of a strong, hardworking, New England Yankee woman who had more energy than most of the young people who knew and worked with her during her years at New England Inn.This was the image conveyed by Bartletts Selectman Gene Chandler, who spoke at the dinner to a group of almost 30 society members and residents. One of Berthas sons, Tom McAuliffe, from Dalton, attended the dinner, and her other sons, Jack McAuliffe from Florida and Bill McAuliffe from Guilford, called to convey their appreciation to the Stearnses for the honor.Tom was amazed at the transformation of his boyhood home to the beautiful early American New England restaurant, cider mill and country store that it has become. He commented on the beauty of the colonial fireplace that stonemason and former property owner Chris Brown created in what is now the pub portion of the restaurant. In fact, the dining room where we were seated was the former woodshed, Tom recalled. As if the beauty of the building wasnt enough to comment about, the food truly was. Theresa and her staff served an elegantly tasteful dinner. The society was graciously welcomed by host Jeff Grdinich, who let everyone attending know that a portion of the dinner proceeds were being donated to the Bartlett Historical Society.We wish to thank Scott and Theresa for their generous donation as well as this most enjoyable evening.Leslie Mallett, board member