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Staff Writer

Eagle Scout Brian Anderson, 17, stands next to a bookshelf of Pembroke Town Reports starting in the 1860s to present day. Anderson organized this shelf and the rest of the historical society building as part of his Eagle Scout project. (Staff Photo)

Brian Anderson, 17, is making history by taking inventory of the contents of historical artifacts compiled by the Pembroke Historical Society for his Eagle Scout project.

Up until recently, you couldn't locate an item in the clutter at the historical society building located on the property of the Pembroke Town Hall.

Anderson decided to inventory and organize all the items, including town reports dating back to the 1860s, yearbooks and other historical artifacts collected over the years.

"It was quite an undertaking," Charlie Mitchell, president of the historical society, said about Anderson's project.

While he is not sure exactly how many artifacts he is organizing, Anderson has made a floor plan of the building and labeled all the bookcases to help people find what they are looking for.

"They really didn't know what they had," said his mother, Phyllis Anderson, who helped him out.

Last year, Eagle Scout Jack Menard redid the exterior of the building, a former one-room schoolhouse that used to be located on Buck Street. Anderson got the idea from Menard.

On Saturday, March 19, Anderson and a crew of about 10, consisting of other Scouts and parents, accomplished a majority of the project under Anderson's direction.

"It's a serious commitment they make to the Boy Scouts and to us to make these projects," Mitchell said.

By working on the inventory, Anderson said he has learned a lot about the town of Pembroke, where he was lived since he was 2 years old. He found some old newspaper clippings with stories of murder, including a story from around 1900 where a man killed his whole family. He also learned that there used to be a bowling alley in downtown Suncook.

"I guess it's just there under something, but it's not usable," he said.

While he is not a huge history buff, Anderson said he is interested in history.

Anderson expects he will be able to complete his project in a few more weeks.

"It will help preserve history," he said.