A hidden gem in JaffreyRecently, old friends from Boston who moved to Jaffrey some 25 years ago invited us for dinner. But they asked if we would first like to meet them at the Melville Academy Museum, 39 Thorndike Pond Road, Jaffrey, for a quick tour. The museum celebrated its 107th year as Jaffrey Center’s local history museum this year, and it continues to be a volunteer service of the Jaffrey Center Village Improvement Society (VIS). On the first floor, you’ll find carefully curated letters, books and ephemera from 1750 to the present, including a corner highlighting five prominent Jaffrey residents: Willa Cather, Jonas Melville, Hannah Davis, Laban Ainsworth and Amos Fortune. The museum is only open from 2 to 4 p.m. on weekends in July and August, so make a plan to drop by and support this gem before the season ends.