KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) A new exhibit opening this spring at the Historical Society of Cheshire County aims to bring the region’s Revolutionary-era history to life by focusing not just on battles, but on the difficult choices faced by everyday people.

“Beyond the Battlefield: Cheshire County in the Revolutionary Period” debuts April 15, marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. The exhibit highlights a range of local experiences during the late 18th century, from soldiers who marched to Battle of Bunker Hill to residents who resisted pledging loyalty to the Patriot cause.

At the center of the exhibit is New Hampshire’s 1776 Association Test, a document that required residents to publicly declare their support for the Patriot cause. Organizers say the document serves as a window into the personal decisions people faced at the time — whether to sign, refuse, or avoid the declaration altogether.

According to organizers, the exhibit challenges the idea of a unified push for independence, instead portraying a community shaped by disagreement, divided families and competing loyalties.

Visitors will encounter life-size silhouette figures representing real Cheshire County residents, including military leaders, civilians and marginalized individuals whose stories are often overlooked. Among them are a Rindge colonel who served as both a commander and sheriff, an enslaved man who enlisted in exchange for his freedom, a widow maintaining her farm during wartime, and a Chesterfield resident who refused the loyalty test and supported a controversial effort to align with Vermont.

The exhibit also explores how the Monadnock Region’s status as a developing frontier influenced its response to the Revolution. In the years following the war, the area played a role in the Vermont Controversy, a regional dispute that drew attention from George Washington and the Continental Congress.

An interactive feature invites visitors to step into history by taking on the identity of a real resident and deciding whether they would have signed the Association Test, encouraging reflection on themes of loyalty, risk and community.

The exhibit opens with a public reception from 4 to 6 p.m. on April 15 and will remain on display through July at the society’s Putnam exhibit gallery on Main Street.