In the mid-1600s Passaconaway, Chief of the Penacooks, loved to fish in the Cohas. In 1663 a tract of land was deeded to Passaconaway by Governor John Endicott of the General Court in Boston, Massachusetts …starting in what is now Litchfield, a mile and a half on either side of the Merrimack and ending at the Cohas Brook.

In 1722 Col. John Goffe came from the historic Nutfield community and settled north of the Cohas at the Merrimack River. He was the first deeded landowner in what is now Manchester. He was Manchester's first Moderator. This neighborhood community assumed his name.

For one hundred years until the mid-1800s, a Colonial Mill Village thrived here. One of John Goffe's daughters, Rebecca Goffe Moore, sired a family that led the community in mill industry.

The Devonshire Woolen Mill located here in the mid to late 1880s, firmly establishing the community as an Industrial Mill Village.

At the same time, in the late 1800s, Samuel and Emma Coldwell opened their home as a boarding house for mill workers. By 1901 Emma had established herself as an outstanding cook, and in less than five years THE ELMS RESORT COMMUNITY WAS FOUNDED.

In 1901 the Manchester Power and Electric established PINE ISLAND AMUSEMENT PARK in this community at the end of its trolley line.

In 1927 the City of Manchester purchased 84 acres in this community on Pine Island Pond to establish an airport. It came to be called Smith Field. On July 25, 1927, Charles A. Lindberg flew over Manchester, just two months after his historic flight across the Atlantic. Amelia Earhart landed at the airport in 1933. Alan Shephard learned to fly here, taking his first flight from Manchester, in 1938.

In 1940 the Manchester Airport was chosen as a USAF base. By May 20, 1941, farms and houses had been taken, and a military base was established during WWII. In February, 1942, the military base was named Grenier Field by the War Department.

By 1955 civilian, commercial use of Grenier Base resumed, and with steady growth, Grenier Field was renamed the Manchester Airport in 1978. By 1994 major expansion of The Manchester Airport was under way, and its growth since has been legendary.

BETHANY CHAPEL is historically connected to all facets of its community life:

• Devonshire Mill Agent, Thomas Walker, Jr., was instrumental in founding the chapel.
• The first president of the Bethany Chapel Society was a descendant of Col. John Goffe.
• Descendant of Col. John Goffe gave Bethany Chapel its land on which to build.
• Master Machinist at Devonshire was chairman of the chapel's building committee.
• Samuel Coldwell, founder of The Elms, was on the Building Committee. Emma Coldwell, Sam's wife, was treasurer of the Ladies' Society that raised money to build chapel.
• By 1931 The Great Depression had hit and life was hard. Bethany Chapel closed from 1931 until 1941. With the coming of Grenier Army Air Base in 1941, Bethany had a grand re-opening and has hosted community life since.
• Among community residents frequenting Bethany Chapel was James M. Lurvey, America's last Civil War Drummer Boy, who at age 93 in 1941, attended the 90th birthday celebration at Bethany of his friend William Perkins. Lurvey's wife, Sarah, was an active member of Bethany, and it was members of Bethany Chapel who led a grand city-wide recognition of Mr. Lurvey's 100th birthday in 1947, which was quietly celebrated in his home. His beloved Sarah died in 1948, and Mr. Lurvey died in 1950.
  

Bethany Chapel has established itself as a steward of the rich history where the Cohas spills into the Merrimack. Life's transitions here have been enough to take the breath away, but Bethany is naming a spirit here that 'bends with the winds of transition'. Today, many community groups hold their meetings at Bethany, and again, Bethany bears witness that Goffe's Falls has a new community rising from the ashes. Bethany Chapel eagerly stands amid the rising.

RESPECTUFLLY SUBMITTED, April 28, 2003 - The Rev. Dr. Vera M. Wingate, Pastor Bethany Chapel Community Church, UCC
54 Newbury Rd., Goffe's Falls (Londonderry) Manchester, New Hampshsire 03103