Dear Stratham Residents,
Please read below for news and notes from the Town of Stratham. In this edition:
To sign-up for these updates and other notifications, please visit this section on our website and check the "Select Board" box under News and Announcements.
The Select Board
Michael Houghton, Chair Allison Knab, Vice-Chair Joe Anderson
Stratham has joined communities which are experiencing drought conditions. The Select Board is urging water conservation and is advancing its lawn watering restrictions in accordance with RSA 41:11d. At this time, the Town is moving to Level 1 lawn watering restrictions.
Until further notice, lawn watering will be limited as part of a statewide strategy for preserving groundwater supplies that serve as critical resources for Stratham households and businesses. All efforts to curb and reduce use of water during this time will benefit water supplies we all rely on. Residents should be aware, the Board may advance to additional restriction levels as drought conditions persist or worsen.
Following are Level 1 restrictions:
i. Lawn watering by odd numbered addresses is allowed on odd numbered days.
ii. Lawn watering by even numbered addresses is allowed on even numbered days.
iii. Lawn watering shall not occur between the hours of 8am and 7pm.
Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
The Stratham School Board is currently seeking letters of interest for the vacant School Clerk position. This is a great chance to get involved, make a meaningful contribution, and support your local schools.
No applications have been received yet, so if you've been considering it, now is the perfect time to step forward. Please submit your letter of interest to the Superintendent of Schools today. Click here for full details and how to apply.
Coming this Veteran's Day: a "Field of Flags" display at Stratham Hill Park. The local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution invites you to honor your veterans and active duty personnel in a large display of American flags to be planted at the park this November. Each flag will bear a name, rank and military conflict they were involved in. The display will stay up for Veterans Day week (Nov. 6 - 16). Order forms are in the lobby of the Stratham municipal center, 10 Bunker Hill Ave. Place your completed form with payment in the drop box. Deadline for submission is Tuesday, October 14. The five dollar donation for each flag you order will be used to support several veterans organizations as part of DAR's mission.
Important Notice to Our Customers
On August 22, the Stratham Police Department proudly welcomed its newest officer, Patrick Storie, following his successful completion of the Officer Academy, which he attended from May through August. Officer Storie has now returned to Stratham to complete his Field Training and begin serving the community.
If you see him around town or at the station, feel free to introduce yourself and offer a warm welcome. Congratulations, Officer Storie—we’re glad to have you on board!
On Monday, September 15, at 6:30pm, the Stratham Historical Society and Stratham Select Board will be recognizing Stratham's oldest resident. In a ceremony steeped in tradition, a certificate and the Boston Post Cane will be presented to Ruth Paul. The tradition of the Boston Post Cane began in 1909 at 700 New England towns within reach of the Boston Post Newspaper (1831-1956). We are thrilled that Ruth, the next Stratham recipient, has a terrific history with the Stratham Historical Society including her lifetime membership and active participation over many years. There never would have been a pizza booth at the Stratham Fair without Ruth Paul setting the worker schedule. The 30-minute ceremony will take place in the Wiggin Memorial Library's Meeting Room. Everyone is encouraged to show their support by attending.
On Wednesday, September 17 at 12 noon in the Town Municipal Center Senior Room, the monthly History Lunch & Learn speaker will be Stratham Historical Society's Skip Stearns. Skip will trace the origin of the "Postcards from Stratham" column that has been distributed monthly since 2015. The program will be filled with vintage visuals of our town dating back over 100 years. It doesn't get any more Stratham-centric than this. Lunch & Learn is sponsored by the Stratham Parks & Recreation Department. Lunch consists of pizza, salad and beverages. The meal is free for Stratham residents and $6 for non-resident guests. Space is limited. Register in advance at stratham.recdesk.com.
STRATHAM COMMUNITY GARDEN CELEBRATIONThe Stratham Community Garden is now in full bloom at 10 Bunker Hill Ave!
Since spring we have been busy with approvals, fundraising, construction, and of course, gardening! To celebrate this exciting first season, please join us for our ribbon-cutting celebration on Sunday, September 14th, from 2 to 4 pm. You’ll be able to tour the garden, meet other local gardening enthusiasts, and enjoy food, games, and plenty of fun.
The Stratham Community Garden is a place for individuals from the community to grow their own food, learn from others, and give back to those in need. This season members planted and tended 25 individual raised beds filled with vegetables, flowers, and herbs. In addition, 14 dedicated plots were used by the garden committee to grow fresh produce for donation. So far, the garden has contributed 211 pounds of produce to Gather and the Newmarket Community Church Food Pantry!
If you are interested in your own little slice of gardening heaven, sign-ups to reserve a 4x8 raised bed are now open for the 2026 gardening season. Find an application on our website or send an email to strathamcommunitygarden@gmail.com for more information.
The public is invited to the Stratham Fire Station to watch the Patriot Riders drive by the station in honor of First Responders lost on 9/11. Flyer here. The riders will go by at 11:30am on Winnicutt Road, where fire apparatuses and members of the department will be lined up. Visit this site for more information.
The Town of Stratham completed a Septic System Vulnerability Assessment with FB Environmental Associates and the Piscataqua Regional Estuaries Partnership to inventory septic systems and identify at-risk areas in a select area of the town. A public outreach event will be held September 18, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM in the Hutton Room at the Municipal Center, 10 Bunker Hill Avenue to present the completed assessment. The event will also be held virtually on Microsoft Teams. To attend virtually, please contact the Planning Office at planning@strathamnh.gov to request the link. Click on the following link to learn more about the assessment and to view the Public Outreach Flyer: Septic System Vulnerability Assessment
Prepare now for Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day!
Mark your calendars—Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Day is scheduled for Saturday, October 4th. Now’s the perfect time to start gathering items from around your home that qualify as hazardous waste. As in previous years, advance registration is required. For full details, including how to register and applicable fees, please refer to the flyer linked here. There is a new and important update this year - please note, fluorescent bulbs will no longer be accepted at the collection site. Check out this flyer for information about how to properly dispose of bulbs.
PRESENTATION TO ASTRONAUT SCOTT POTEETOn Tuesday, September 2, the Select Board presented retired Air Force Lt. Col.Scott "Kidd" Poteet with a plaque commemorating his historic voyage on the Polaris Dawn. Read the proclamation here.
You've seen them crossing the roads, darting through fields, and poking around your yards. You've seen pictures of them on your trail camera and you've seen the pictures of them on Facebook's Stratham Talks. You've heard them skulking and howling at night. Now come and join your neighbors at the library to learn all about what's "Wild in Your Backyard!" This is a 3-part series of events. To kick off this series of events on September 9, we will welcome Chris Schadler, an ecologist and wildlife educator known famously across the state as "The Coyote Lady.” We will learn about coyotes and Eastern wolves, and if you haven't seen her before, she is fantastic! We'll learn about bears in part II of the series on September 23 and on September 30 we'll discuss bobcats, lynx, mountain lions and other cats of prey. All events start at 6PM. Please register on the library's calendar for each!
