An Autumn Squam Lake Pontoon Boat Cruise

An Autumn Squam Lake Pontoon Boat Cruise

By Mark Okrant

Photos courtesy Squam Lakes Natural Science Center

More than 10 million out-of-state visitors can’t be wrong . . . New Hampshire is a treasure-trove of fabulous natural and cultural attractions. While the majority flock to the most popular destinations, there are hundreds of additional places from which to choose. Having lived in New Hampshire for more than 40 years, one of my favorites is Squam Lake. Situated immediately northwest of Lake Winnipesaukee, Squam’s 6,791 acres qualify it as the second largest body of fresh water contained entirely within the state. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to view Squam in a new way, as a passenger aboard one of the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center’s (SLNSC) lake cruises. Taking exit 24 from I-93, I followed Route 3 south to Route 113/Holderness for about 10 minutes. At the Science Center, I was greeted by the Center’s Marketing and Visitor Services Manager, Amanda Gillen. Amanda directed us to the Center’s dock, where a canopied pontoon boat, The Loon, awaited. Within moments, we (my wife and I) were introduced to the captain for the day, Tom Thomas, an affable retiree who has spent the last five years familiarizing passengers with this gem of a water body.  

Beloved loons on Squam Lake.

Two themes became apparent before the bulbous silver pontoons were fully wet. Throughout the delightful 90-minute experience, we were to learn about the glacial origins of the lake and its surroundings, and how the highly acclaimed 1981 film,On Golden Pond, influenced preservation of the shoreline. 

Leaving the dock, Captain Tom briefly took us past the site where Norman had gassed up his boat in On Golden Pond. After turning around in neighboring Little Squam Lake, we headed back along the Squam River and entered Big Squam, where our informative tour began in earnest. 

Passing by Colton Cove, one of 20 coves in Squam Lake, we learned that this was the first area along the lake’s shoreline to be developed. Tom instructed us to note several characteristics of the older houses, which he would compare with newer developments later. Those first homes were built within inches of the water’s edge; many had boathouses that hovered over the lake itself. Neighboring houses on Colton Cove were close enough to one another to hit with a child’s peashooter.

Tom’s presentation addressed the aftermath of having an internationally acclaimed movie set in what was largely an undeveloped, environmentally sensitive area. Within weeks of the appearance of On Golden Pondin theaters, the five communities surrounding the lake were met with demands to accommodate residential and other forms of development. Acting quickly, and in concert with one another, plus the state government, strict restrictions were passed.

As we cruised along, those quick actions were in sharp evidence. While structures pre-dating the film were grandfathered, newer units were required to be constructed a minimum of 50 feet back from the shoreline. No clear cutting of property was to be allowed, nor were boathouses. 

As an additional way to conform with surroundings, all new structures were painted in earth tones . . . no orange or chartreuse houses. 

While the pontoon boat powered along, we learned about the formation of Squam Lake and its surroundings. The last continental glacier had moved forward, then retreated 13,000 to 15,000 years ago, scouring out the region’s lakes and rounding the surrounding mountains during the process. Squam Lake consists of 18 separate basins, divided from one another by granite ridges called reefs. These reefs extend from the lake floor to within two-to-three feet below the water’s surface. Therefore, a keen awareness of the locations of those rocky hazards is essential for safe boating on the lake. 

Squam Lake scene during the foliage season.

As we looked into the distance, it was explained that there are three sets of mountains within the lake’s 44,000-acre watershed: The Squam Range, the Ossipee Range, and the Sandwich Range. To illustrate the continental glacier’s thickness, Tom pointed to nearby Red Hill, the tallest point of elevation in the Squam Range, and asked us to imagine that the ice was three times the height of that impressive rock sentinel.  

Moving along, we learned that there are 30 named islands in Squam Lake. Passing Potato Island, we observed that there was an impressive house hidden beneath a canopy of trees. Owing to its location close to the shore, Potato is one of four islands served by electricity from the surrounding community. I think each of us imagined making a real estate transaction as soon as we returned to the dock.

At this juncture, The Loonwas nearly an hour into our cruise. While no one commented, we all knew that something important was missing from our checklist of expectations. We had viewed cormorants, with their sleek black bodies and giraffe-like necks. There was an abundance of gulls and great blue herons, and we passed nesting sites that had been abandoned by bald eagles. As we traveled, Tom informed us about the abundance of fish—rainbow trout, landlocked salmon, lake trout, whitefish, small and largemouth bass, pickerel, horned pout, and white perch—that occupy the lake. All of these support an abundance of wildlife and attract recreation anglers. So, where was that one waterfowl we all had come to see?

Passing Livermore Cove, named for a signer of the Declaration of Independence, we learned that this is a loon preservation area, wherein one pair of adults and two chicks will consume six hundred pounds of fish during their season on the lake. Loons live on Squam Lake from late March until November or early December. Since loons can’t fish once the lake ices over, they spend winters in the Gulf of Maine. Each of us anxiously wondered where they were hiding on this particular beautiful early September day.

Passing Chocorua Island, known locally as Church Island, we learned that church services and weddings had been conducted on this small, wooded isle since early during the last century. Continuing on, we saw houses situated way up on the sides of surrounding hills . . . remnants of former farms, and logging operations . . . long since converted to condominiums and private estates. Soon we were passing the shoreline where Rockywold-Deephaven Camp occupies a peninsula that affords beautiful views of Squam. Another peninsula, Five Finger Point came into view. This one, managed by the Squam Lakes Association, provides naturalists and students with a place to study the local environment. 

As we reached Kimball Island, whose Purgatory Cove was the setting for a momentous boat crash scene in On Golden Pond, we spotted nearly a dozen kayakers, all patiently paddling along. Kayakers love Squam, as it is devoid of the large speedboats whose owners prefer the open water of Lake Winnipesaukee. The kayakers seemed to be looking at something in the distance . . . that’s when we saw them. 

First there were two . . . then three . . . then six Common Loons. Using binoculars supplied by our captain, we watched as the loons, with their black heads, spotted white backs, and cranberry eyes, formed a single group—a process called rafting. Tom quickly shut off the engine and we simply drifted along, getting no closer than 50 yards away. Obviously, those gorgeous birds were the real reason a bunch of strangers spent a beautiful mid-day aboard a pontoon boat on Squam Lake. In this case, reality exceeded all expectations.

As we were returning to the Science Center’s dock, the leaves of the Tupolo trees were beginning to show red. As you read this, other people are traveling to Squam Lake to view all of this natural beauty and discriminating shoreline development, but with a wonderful addition. Very soon, the shoreline will be awash in their seasonal hues. Visitors will be greeted with a broad brush of beautiful colors while being serenaded by the haunting call of loons. So, what’s keeping you from joining them? 

Each year, more than 9,000 people experience a Squam Lakes Natural Science Center cruise aboard a pontoon boat. Tickets may be purchased at www.nhnature.org. The fee for adults is $27; seniors pay $25, while the cost for children is $23. Also, tickets for the Center’s Live Animal Exhibit Trail can be purchased at that website.

A Polar Caves Adventure

A Polar Caves Adventure

By Mark Okrant

Photos courtesy Polar Caves

Driving into the parking lot and spying the momma polar bear and her cub on the sign at the Polar Caves, I flashed back to my first visit as a pre-teen, during the mid-1950s. My parents, older brother, and I made the trip from Connecticut to Plymouth, New Hampshire in my father’s green Henry J automobile. Mom and Pop convinced us to suppress our boundless energy by promising we would do something special when the car stopped. The Polar Caves did not disappoint.

What makes this place so exceptional? The Polar Caves is actually what geologists and physical geographers would describe as the natural byproduct of an advancing continental glacier where it flowed over a mountain or hill. As the glacier advanced, it wasn’t able to sustain its enormous load of boulders, rocks, and smaller materials. While passing over what today is called Hawk’s Cliff in Rumney, the glacier deposited granite boulders, or erratics, in an enormous pile. 

Jump ahead thousands of years. The caves were discovered in 1900 by a group of local teenagers who were playing among the boulders. Years passed before automobiles were beginning to carry travelers into the White Mountains. An entrepreneurial individual named Edwin Collishaw determined that this impressive collection of rocks and caves would be of interest to people touring in the region; in 1922, the Polar Caves Park was opened for public viewing.

The massive rocks that form the Polar Caves are evidence of the amazing power of the continental glacier that covered New Hampshire until approximately 15,000 years ago. This is the difference between cavesformed by glacial deposition on a massive scale versus limestone caverns. As a kid, I saw something more spectacular and unusual than a cavern. 

Now, more than 60 years later, this summer I returned to Polar Caves. The gateway into Polar Caves is its Main Lodge building, a single story, log structure. Once inside the Main Lodge, visitors can purchase tickets, choose from a selection of t-shirts and interesting items and buy snacks to fortify themselves for the adventure ahead. 

The main feature of Polar Caves is a series of nine granite caves: Polar Pinch, Ice Cave, King Tut’s, Fat Man’s Misery, Indian Council Chamber, Bear’s Den, Devil’s Turnpike, Orange Crush, and the Lemon Squeeze. Each of these necessitates that visitors duck, squeeze, and shimmy their way through passageways that are alternatingly low, narrow, or both. 

During this season’s visit, I received my blue wristband, and then proceeded along gravel walkways, boardwalks, and steep stairs where I met four delightful people from Massachusetts, the Weiss family. Their story was common to the Polar Caves—repeat visits. Mare, the mom in the family, told me they visit every year, sometimes twice per season. Both parents said they use a trip through Orange Crush and Lemon Squeeze to test their fitness while proving they’re not getting old too quickly!

While we were exploring the caves, other visitors were taking advantage of the park’s six additional attractions:   

·           Glacial Wall is a rock climbing experience that provides five routes of varying difficulty. 

·           Polar Ascent is a 172-foot-long iron way. Here iron bars have been hammered into the rock face to make steps. At the conclusion, visitors repel back to a base camp. 

·           Maple Lodge provides a maple sugaring exhibit and offers fudge, Bavarian nuts, and other snacks for sale.

·           Animal Park is a small zoo that features three species of animals—Fallow Deer, pheasants, and ducks. Feed may be purchased and given to the animals.

·           Baker River Mining Sluice is an excellent educational opportunity for visitors of all ages. With signage that identifies the region’s geology, this attraction provides an opportunity to mine for gemstones using a sluice provided by the park. Fees are charged to purchase mining rough.

·           Rocky Ridge Way is a series of nature trails, including a wooden walkway that wind around the caves while offering spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and woodland.   

As a retired university professor, I continue to be impressed by the educational quality of the experience offered at Polar Caves. Excellent signage provides a primer about the region’s geology, geomorphology, flora, and fauna; small wonder that the park attracts 50-55,000 visitors per year.

If you take my advice, you’ll give this place a try. It is situated along New Hampshire Route 25, approximately five miles west of Exit 26 from I-93. During the 2019 season, the park is open seven days per week from May 11 to October 15. Hours of operation are 9 am to 6 pm until Labor Day, then from 10 am to 5 pm. 

For directions, group visits, and information about recommended clothing, visit www.polarcaves.com, or call 603-536-1888.

Canterbury Shaker Village: a very special place

Canterbury Shaker Village: a very special place

By Mark Okrant

Springtime at the VIllage; courtesy photo

Those of us who are passionate about heritage settings couldn’t be much more fortunate. New Hampshire offers many opportunities to view relics of our past, from traditional museum collections to historic buildings, landscapes, and communities. Among the best examples of the latter is Canterbury Shaker Village, located on Shaker Road in Canterbury, New Hampshire. Founded in 1969 to preserve the 200-year-old legacy of the Canterbury Shakers, the Village is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its incorporation. 

How did Canterbury Shaker Village come to be? The group we call the Shakers began in England during the 18th century, when Mother Ann Lee formed a religious society among a group of religious dissidents. Initially called the United Society of Believers, they were labeled Shaking Quakers because of a peculiarity in their manner of worship. During the 1770’s, these Shakers made their way to the United States. Once here, followers established 19 self-contained communities, and a number of additional sites, all situated from Maine to Kentucky. Twelve of these were in New England, with community number seven founded at Canterbury. Today, the only remaining Shaker community is at Sabbathday Lake in Gloucester, Maine.

Shakers just as easily could have been labeled “shockers,” for members of established Christian sects were scandalized by the group’s practice of engaging in dancing during worship. One can imagine the reaction from a visiting congregation of staid, sober Puritans upon viewing the Shakers as they whirled about and clapped their hands during prayer meetings.

The differences between the Shakers and others did not end there. Shakers practiced a form of communal, or shared, ownership. Members lived simply, believed in equality of the sexes, and practiced passivism. They also were aggressive entrepreneurs, adopting new technologies and reinvesting their earnings into enterprises that benefitted both themselves and the surrounding community. It did not take long for Shakers to earn a reputation for quality, integrity, reliability—as well as generosity toward the region’s poor. 

Shakers practiced celibacy; therefore, propagation of the sect necessitated the ability to attract new members from outside. Amazingly, despite this limitation, the village achieved a population of 300 during the 1850’s. Moreover, the community remained active for 200 years until 1992, when Ethel Hudson, the last Shaker, died.  

Canterbury Shaker Village was established as a National Historic Landmark in 1993. Each year, tens of thousands of visitors follow Routes 393 and 106, before taking a left-hand turn, then traveling 2.7 miles along bucolic Shaker Road to reach the Village. Most arrive for the purpose of learning about the heritage of this interesting religious group. However, once immersed in the Village’s atmosphere—during a stay that typically lasts from two to three hours—many guests use visits as a time to reflect upon contemporary society, while renewing the human spirit in the process.

The entire site is 694 acres and includes structures, fields, forests, gardens, a nature trail, and mill ponds. Thus, there are both indoor and outdoor components to be experienced at Canterbury Shaker Village. Visitors should be prepared to walk moderate distances on paths of dirt and gravel, and be ready for the vagaries of New England weather. The 25 restored, original buildings, most dating to the 19th century, are fascinating and harken back to a time when buildings did not have air conditioning or heat.

Highlights of a visit include a first-generation meetinghouse and a dwelling house, both of which date to the 18th century. All of the buildings in the Village exemplify well-preserved architecture, and contain objects, manuscripts, and/or photographs. Visitors may choose to explore, both indoors and out, on their own or join one of the guided tours provided daily by the Village. 

Highlights of a visit include a first-generation meetinghouse and a dwelling house, both of which date to the 18th century. All of the buildings in the Village exemplify well-preserved architecture, and contain objects, manuscripts, and/or photographs. Visitors may choose to explore, both indoors and out, on their own or join one of the guided tours provided daily by the Village. 

Highlights of a visit include a first-generation meetinghouse and a dwelling house, both of which date to the 18th century. All of the buildings in the Village exemplify well-preserved architecture, and contain objects, manuscripts, and/or photographs. Visitors may choose to explore, both indoors and out, on their own or join one of the guided tours provided daily by the Village. 

During my visits, my favorite activities have been the demonstrations, which include broom making, letter-press printing, oval box making, woodworking and chair taping, spinning, weaving, rug braiding, and sewing. After a fulfilling day, we have never been able to resist the museum store, which offers artisan quality goods that represent the workmanship and resourcefulness of the Shakers. Some of the more popular craft items include oval boxes, baskets, brooms, and personal care products. 

No Village experience is complete without a visit to the Creamery Café. Here, the Concord Food Co-op and the Crust and Crumb Bakery provide light lunches, snacks, and drinks. Items in the museum store and café are locally produced, and prepared with Shaker traditions in mind.

This season, Canterbury Shaker Village will be offering a series of outstanding events. These include:

June 29 and 30 Traditional Craft Days

July 6 The Woodwright’s Apprentice

July 7 Medicinal Plant Walk

July 13 What Are Angels and How to Communicate With Them

July 14 Learn to Tape a Shaker Chair

July 23-Aug 3 Arts Week

August 4 Mushroom Walk

August 17 New Hampshire Permaculture Day

August 17 Shaker Oval Box #3

Each of these events necessitates purchasing tickets; it is recommended that interested people do this in advance.

The Village operates on a seasonal schedule, and is open from 10 am to 4 pm. During the summer, Shaker Village is open from Tuesday through Saturday. From Labor Day to October 27, it is open seven days per week, while only on weekends during November. Finally, during the first two Saturdays in December, the very popular Christmas at Canterbury is observed.

Canterbury Shaker Village is located at 288 Shaker Road in Canterbury. For more information, to purchase tickets, and to schedule a group tour or other event, call 603-783-9511, or use the Village’s user-friendly website, www.shakers.org.

Storm Chasing: A Twisted Pleasure

Storm Chasing: A Twisted Pleasure

By Mark Okrant

There are a number of people who get their kicks by driving all over the landscape in search of violent storms. Many do this in the name of scientific investigation, while others are adventure seekers or simply curious. These adrenaline junkies are known as storm chasers. Most are searching for tornadoes; however, others prefer to track lightning and thunderstorms, cumulonimbus clouds, tropical cyclones, or hail storms. 

Severe thunderstorm with lightning from 2017.

Dr. Eric Hoffman is one of five professors in Plymouth State University’s (PSU) meteorology program. New Hampshire’s only undergraduate meteorology degree program is housed in the state-of-the-art Judd Gregg Meteorology Institute, on the top floor of Boyd Hall at PSU. Like his colleagues, weather phenomena have been a lifelong passion for Dr. Hoffman. However, unlike many in his profession, he has experience as a storm chaser.

During interviews of storm chasers conducted more than a decade ago, participants listed a range of motivations for this pastime. These include the mystery of the unknown, the open road, being one with nature, and thrill seeking/risk taking. However, for scientists like Dr. Hoffman, the purpose of the chase is for collecting scientific and empirical data that will enhance future efforts to predict the nature of these violent bursts of nature. 

Who are these storm chasers? While it is not a requirement, many have backgrounds in meteorology, the branch of science concerned with the processes and phenomena of the atmosphere as a means of forecasting the weather. The vast majority are males in their mid-thirties; most have college degrees, are lovers of nature, and reside in the central or southern U.S. states.

Unless storm chasers are working in a faculty or researcher capacity at a university, or have obtained rare funding from a federal agency, these hardy souls generally are not paid. Recently, a handful of entrepreneurs have developed chase-tour services, a slightly crazed form of niche tourism.

According to historic information, the first recognized storm chaser was a man named David Hoadley, whose efforts to track tornadoes in North Dakota began in 1956. Hoadley founded a magazine called Storm Track, where he published his findings. Another pioneer of storm spotting was Neil Ward, who tracked storms in Oklahoma, during the 1950s and 1960s. The first coordinated activity sponsored by an institution dates back to 1969. The Alberta Hail Studies (AHS) employed a small fleet of vehicles fitted with meteorological and hail catching equipment. Field personnel were kept abreast of weather phenomena and directed where to travel by a radio controller at a radar site. A major breakthrough occurred in 1973, when a team comprised of University of Oklahoma and Severe Storms Laboratory personnel completed a successful chase of that state’s Union City tornado. 

Beginning in the late 1970s, the media brought attention and funding to storm chasing. Four events are credited with the emergence of widespread interest in this activity. These are: The Weather Channel (1982), development of internet activity (1990s), the movie Twister (1996), and the Discovery Channel’s reality series, Storm Chasers (2007 to 2011). Meanwhile, improvements to an innovation called Mobile Doppler Radar Intercept allowed people in the field to have greater freedom in finding storm paths, thereby expanding storm chasers’ ability to get closer to tornadoes.

Even with the aid of the National Weather Service (NWS), Weather Channel, and improved radar systems, there is no guarantee that a chaser will actually view a storm event. Countless hours—labeled “extreme sitting”—are spent waiting, while analyzing data and forecasting probabilities before speeding toward a hopeful event. During a typical outing, storm chasers may drive hundreds of miles to position themselves for the chase. In this ultimate gamble with nature, exact timing and a good deal of luck are needed to view these spectacular, albeit short-term, meteorological events. Just as any professional poker player can attest, more often than not, all of the preparation and sudden action produces a “bust,” when the storms they are chasing don’t fire.

This is a seasonal activity. In the southern states, spring and early summer—especially the months of May and June—are peak times. In the Midwest as well as Tornado Alley, sobriquet for the Great Plains, the summer and fall months are the peak period for chasing. 

Why is the Great Plains region a preferred place to view tornadoes; and why not New England? When you visit the plains for the first time, the feeling of openness and exposure to nature is commensurate with being in a small boat on the ocean. In this region, there are no mountains or forests to block your view of the onset of storms. Therefore, a forming cyclonic system—the type that produces tornadoes—can be viewed from a substantial distance. Additionally, the low moisture profile of the atmosphere makes it possible to view the full structure of the tornado.

Meanwhile, here in New Hampshire, the atmosphere rarely produces systems that are conducive to forming a tornado cell. Even when one develops, all of those beautiful mountains and forests make storm viewing extremely difficult. Furthermore, according to Dr. Hoffman, this region tends to produce high precipitation super cell thunderstorms, wherein the large amount of rain near the storm’s center acts like a curtain, rendering any tornado activity nearly impossible to spot.

The tornado of July 24, 2008 provides evidence of what Dr. Hoffman described. That day, a one-half mile wide tornado spent 90 minutes on the ground, cutting a swath between the towns of Deerfield and Freedom. The storm destroyed a dozen homes, damaged 200 more, and caused the first tornado-related death within New Hampshire in more than 60 years. Despite the fact that the NWS measured wind speeds of up to 135 miles per hour, and labeled it an EF-2 (on the Enhanced Fujita scale of 0 to 5) tornado, there was no credible sighting of a funnel. 

Storm chasing is not for the weak of spirit. Along with the threat from the tornado’s winds, one needs to be very concerned about lightning, large hail, flooding, hazardous road conditions, wandering animals, downed power lines, flying debris, and dramatically reduced visibility. Then there is another great risk—the presence of other storm chasers madly in pursuit of the same quarry.

Being in the right place at the right time allows one to see nature in one of its most violent and spectacular states. In discussing Dr. Hoffman’s two experiences as a tornado chaser, he emphasized the respect one must have for both nature and human life. One must know the physical structure of these magnificent storm systems, as a slight miscalculation could place the storm chaser in immediate peril, or miss the event entirely. While these stalwarts live for the chase, all are cognizant of the value of human life, and are continually respectful of the people whose lives may be instantly disrupted by one of these powerful storms.  

Make Tracks to The North East Motor Sports Museum

Make Tracks to The North East Motor Sports Museum

Story & Photo by Mark Okrant

Much like a treasure chest, New Hampshire is home to a number of jewels in the form of historic museums. One of the gems awaiting the auto racing enthusiast, or any traveler seeking something different, is the North East Motor Sports Museum (NEMSM), situated at 922 Route 106, in Loudon. As you approach the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) grounds from the south, you will see a big blue-and-white sign on the east side of the road. You owe it to yourself to visit this facility.

Opened on June 10 of 2017, the museum’s mission is to preserve the northeastern U.S. racing history, with a focus on New England. Walking through the door, you can’t help but be inspired to continue your visit. Visitors are greeted by the museum’s executive director, Tom Netishen, or volunteers from the board of directors, who willingly donate their time as docents. The enthusiasm of these people is infectious, and you will soon find yourself being guided through the impressive collection housed inside.

Display at the museum

A few steps from the entrance, visitors encounter two of the museum’s showpieces, a 1915 Duesenberg race car and a Stanley Steamer car dating back to the 1890’s. Like the other objects in the museum’s collections, it is apparent that a great deal of time and effort has been expended to keep these in mint-condition and properly displayed.

Other than the two classics described above, a wealth of motor sports history awaits. There are cars with a New England background from virtually every racing discipline. At the far end of the building, there is a display showing two vintage dragsters pre-staged at the starting line, waiting for the Christmas tree to signal them to begin the race. Another highlight is one of Joey Logano’s orange and white sprint cars. Logano is New England’s most successful driver, having won the 2018 NASCAR Cup Championship—the equivalent of a golfer winning the Masters.

A number of racing motorcycles also are on display. Other items of interest include cases of championship trophies, and a case filled with driver helmets that enables one to see how design and technology have improved the safety of drivers. Mounted on the museum walls are posters and a number of action photographs. There is even a soap box derby display that will be of particular interest to young visitors.

Built entirely by donations of money and services from the motor racing community, the museum attracts an audience of approximately 5,000 visitors annually. Many of the people who were on site the day I visited were seniors. As a long-time tourism industry researcher and educator, I’ve witnessed the decline and demise of hospitality businesses and tourism attractions that failed to recognize their audience was aging. I asked Director Netishen how he planned to ensure that the museum would survive and thrive.

Netishen didn’t pause for an instant to answer this question. While the museum’s primary purpose is to preserve the region’s racing history, he told me his board’s intention is to “inspire a wider audience to be involved in motor sports.” To accomplish this, the museum has begun to reach out to other racing fans, including a younger audience. Board member Bob Bianchi has constructed a slot car track that allows four players at one time to compete on a scaled one-quarter mile speedway. Children, teens, and young adults are the primary participants at the slot car track, but older attendees are an attentive audience, and occasionally partake. Another new feature is the iRacing Simulator. This gaming chair-computer screen apparatus provides museum guests the opportunity to simulate driving a powerful race car on one of a number of race tracks. (The sights and sounds of the device completely captured the attention of a teenager who was at the controls during my visit to the museum.)

Netishen has other ideas as well. As funds become available, he plans to add more interactive displays that will appeal to young and more mature audiences alike. Two of these will simulate activities that long-time racing competitors know very well. One is a display that will allow museum guests to change a race car’s tire inside the museum. A second is a cutaway race car engine that will allow patrons to see first-hand how one of those powerful motors works.

Netishen intends to give rally cars—popular with an under-age-25 audience—a prominent position in the museum’s collection. Then, using a piece of adjoining land, he is considering offering rally school classes that may include a driving component.

One element designed to attract a larger audience is already in place. Netishen and his board recognize that events are critical to attracting larger audiences. Toward that end, the museum is presently raising funds to add an 8,000 square foot function space on adjacent land that was obtained as part of a 2017 90-year lease agreement with NHMS. With this new space, the museum will be able to dramatically increase what is already a busy event schedule.

On May 4, NEMSM held its first annual Historic Motor Sports Exposition. The event hosted all of the region’s mobile and fixed museums devoted to car racing. An estimated audience of 500 to 700 attended this year’s event. As a result, the exposition is scheduled for May 2 in 2020.

Other events during the 2019 season are:

May 25-26 - Super-modifieds, featuring a display of these cars on the museum floor

June 1 - New Hampshire Muscle Cars – a car show featuring 50 to 75 cars

June 9 - Gypsy Tour Ride – in conjunction with Motorcycle Week – travel by motorcycle from the Weirs to NHMS, then breakfast at NEMSM

June 30 - Regional Pontiac Show – 100 cars of Nor’eastern Pontiac members

July 19 - Honoring Joey Logano – the greatest New England race car driver to date

Speaking with Tom Netishen, one cannot help but catch his enthusiasm. A man of 30 who has worked in most positions on every side of auto racing, his vision for NEMSM is extremely compelling. Netishen sees the facility as a “social gathering place and the hub of motorsports in New England.” He envisions the museum as much more than a venue to view racing memorabilia. It is a place for racing industry people to share their stories with enthusiasts and soon-to-be enthusiasts. With this goal in mind, NEMSM will be a compelling place to visit for all generations well into the future.

The North East Motor Sports Museum is open two days per month during winter; then every Saturday until Memorial Day. After June 1, the museum is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from 10 am to 4 pm. General admission is $10, $7 for people age 65+, and free admission for children under the age of 12. The public is encouraged to join the museum as members, and donations are gratefully accepted. Netishen will be happy to discuss hosting events in this most interesting facility. www.nemsmuseum.com

A Visit to the Wright Museum’s Exhibit “Righting a Wrong” is a Valuable Lesson

A Visit to the Wright Museum’s Exhibit “Righting a Wrong” is a Valuable Lesson

By Mark Okrant

Photos courtesy Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service

Preparation for this story took me to one of my favorite museum venues in New Hampshire, Wolfeboro’s Wright Museum of World War II. This time, my purpose was not to examine the museum’s ongoing, outstanding display of the battlefield and the home front during that war. My assignment was to visit the newly opened Smithsonian traveling exhibition, “Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II.” The Smithsonian describes the exhibit, which will be housed at the museum from May 1 to July 7, as “an examination of the complicated history and impact of Executive Order 9066 that led to the incarceration of Japanese-Americans following the attack on Pearl Harbor.”   

I had several concerns during my one-hour drive to Wolfeboro. The first of these was: why don’t we as Americans know more about this episode in our history? Most of us were exposed to U.S. History classes during the third year of high school. Others elected history coursework in college. Yet, up until the present, we have been taught very little about this unfortunate chapter in our nation’s past. 

A second thought was whether the people at Smithsonian could provide an exhibit that a range of Americans—from the GI and Silent Generations through Generation Z—will connect to easily.

My third concern was more mundane. In an attractive space that houses more than 14,000 items—from tanks to refrigerators—would the exhibit receive the attention it deserves at the Wright?

Entering the exhibit, which is housed on the second floor of the museum, one is immediately immersed in a series of dramatic, well-captioned posters that describe the events leading up to internment. A copy of the infamous Executive Order 9066 is displayed early in the exhibit. It explains that, following the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan on Dec. 7, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt signed an executive order that sent both Americans of Japanese ancestry and Japanese nationals to ten large, barbed wire-enclosed incarceration camps and dozens of other installations, situated west of the Mississippi, between March 1942 and March 1946.  

We learn from the exhibit that people were crowded together into the hastily built camps, enduring poor living conditions, and were under the constant watch of military guards for a period lasting from two-and-one-half to four years. While all of this was occurring, many Japanese-American men risked their lives fighting for the United States in the European theater. 

Making our way through the exhibit, the story of how more than 100,000 people were rounded up and led to internment centers is presented in a clear, but concise manner. Given the fact that three-quarters of these people were American citizens, one can’t help but remember the words from Emma Lazarus’ sonnet, The New Colossus: “Give me your tired, your poor. Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” Since 1903, those words have been inscribed on a bronze plaque fastened to the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. 

The Smithsonian has clearly captured the themes of immigration, prejudice, civil rights, heroism, and what it means to be an American. However, while making one’s way through the exhibit, it becomes apparent that this privilege has not been granted ubiquitously; and, one is immediately mindful that the exhibit, which portrays events from three-quarters of a century ago, has current relevance.  

Visitors have an opportunity to explore the complex history of the events leading up to, during, and following incarceration. The exhibit uses large, colorful posters and display cases showing historical photographs and drawings, personal stories, and objects from those incarcerated at the camps to tell its story. A simple duffle bag used by the Imada family, when they were relocated to the Gila River camp in Arizona, has a powerful impact. It reflects the restrictions on these people who, with very little warning, were told to sell what they could and bring only what they could carry. 

Stories are shared in a variety of ways. We see Takeo Shirasawa’s 1943 high school diploma from the Poston camp in Arizona that exemplifies the experience of thousands of other teens who had to complete their high school education in camps. Also, a poster display titled, The Language of Incarceration, shows how words can soften the truth in the minds of the public.

A set of beautifully executed touch screen devices creates a dramatic introduction to what transpired. The first is an interactive map. By touching the name of a specific camp, we see scenes depicting the desolation of the location, and see photographs of ways that these amazing people, at the height of their mistreatment, devised activities designed to maintain their culture and to keep their pride and spirit from waning. 

Another touch screen feature introduces us to a number of former internees, who describe the circumstances in which they were rounded up, deprived of their possessions, then forced to live in the direst of circumstances. Despite their insistence that they were loyal Americans, they were forced to endure this mistreatment because their heritage was Japanese—the nation with whom we were at war. Viewing this exhibit brought one elderly observer to tears, as she was reminded about Hitler’s treatment of Jewish people during the same war.

As we learn from the exhibit, four decades passed before members of the Japanese-American community worked tirelessly to persuade the U.S. government to address the wrong it had done. Finally, the U.S. Congress formally recognized that rights of the Japanese-American community had been violated and President Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, “providing an apology and restitution to the living Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during World War II.”

“Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II” was developed by the National Museum of American History and adapted for travel by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. The national tour received Federal support from the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, the Terasaki Family Foundation, and C. L. Ehn & Ginger Lew.

This is an exhibit that every U.S. citizen should see. However, while you are in the Wright Museum, you should spend an additional hour or more viewing the facility’s permanent collection. Even if you have visited before (I’d been there on at least three previous occasions), there is much to see. Every time I visit the Wright, I find objects that I’d never noticed before. To my delight, this time I found a number of items that were recently added to the collection. 

If the massive tank crashing through the museum’s front wall doesn’t set the mood for your visit, a new life-size diorama in the foyer, depicting soldiers during winter at the Battle of the Bulge, is sure to accomplish the task. Once inside, head to the Battlefield side of the museum, where you will see a large new poster depicting the words of Rosie the Riveter, “We Can Do It.” This is the perfect spot for visitors to take a selfie. In the Home Front side of the museum, be certain to view the exquisite display of Gould’s 5¢ and 10¢ Store, which is sure to bring back fond memories to those of us born in the 1950s or earlier. It doesn’t seem possible that the museum’s Time Tunnel could be any more interesting. However, there are new displays in both the 1944 and 1945 rooms that you won’t want to miss.

There is much more in store for visitors to the Wright during the weeks ahead. Following the departure of the present exhibit, “Esquire Magazine: The World War II Years,” will be on exhibit from July 14 to September 8; this will be followed by “The Last Good War: The Faces and Voices of World War II,” from September 15 to October 31. 

To obtain information about these exhibits, or any of the other events offered at the museum, email info@wrightmuseum.org, or visit www.wrightmuseum.org.

Fishing Guides: a line on a most favorable experience

Fishing Guides: a line on a most favorable experience

By Mark Okrant

One of the best aspects of writing for The Laker is that the assignments take me out of my comfort zone. Things were no different this time, when my editor asked me to do a piece on fishing guides. As many readers are aware, a fishing guide is a person who shows, helps, and/or teaches people how to fish.

My first and only exposure to fishing, or angling, occurred more than six decades ago when, as a nine year old grammar school student, a friend convinced me to give the sport a try. The experience consisted of using a drop line while standing on the end of a dock in my hometown of New London, Connecticut. After what seemed like an eternity, I landed a small, very boney fish called a conner. My victory was short-lived, as a seagull immediately swooped down, snatched my prize, and left a small deposit on my brand new Keds. 

Tim Moore, owner and guide at Tim Moore Outdoors.

Photo Courtesy of Stack 9 Photography

This undistinguished experience aside, the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) tells us that, last year, an estimated 49 million people in the United States engaged in recreational fishing. This makes fishing in freshwater the second leading form of outdoor recreation in the country, trailing only various forms of walking, jogging, or running. According to the ASA, recreational fishing had a $115 billion impact on the nation’s economy, and generated more than $15 billion in state and federal taxes.

Close to home, more than 165,000 people purchased New Hampshire freshwater fishing licenses during 2018. Sixty-four percent of these were in-state residents, who paid $45.00 for the privilege of fishing for the 57 species of resident fish that inhabit New Hampshire’s rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds. Meanwhile, out-of-state residents paid $63.00 each for licenses. 

While I am not a fisherman, I do not need convincing about the important role played by well-trained freshwater fishing guides. It doesn’t take a genius to understand that, with so many recreational fishermen out there, conditions are rife for both good and bad behavior. Years ago, I experienced the latter up close as a tourism management consultant in the state of Alaska. While evaluating tourism potential in Quinhagak, a village of approximately 600, (mostly Yup’ik people) situated along the Bering Sea coast, some of the community’s elders exhibited enmity toward me. I soon learned why. Several years earlier, a small company had obtained permission to conduct sportfishing camps a few miles upstream, on the bank of the Kanektok River—the village’s sole source of drinking water. Apparently, the village’s directive to avoid dumping bodily waste into the river was ignored. As a result, there was a health concern. 

In order to get a grasp of freshwater fish guiding in New Hampshire, I decided to take two steps. First, I sought out New Hampshire Fish and Game (NHF&G), guardian of the state’s fish, wildlife, and marine resources. From NHF&G, I learned that 87 residents paid a $100 guide’s licensing fee during 2018, while 12 non-residents also became licensed guides. I also learned that New Hampshire’s freshwater guides offer a wide range of fishing techniques. These include watercraft (boats, canoes, and kayaks) and ice fishing, trolling (i.e., tailing a baited line behind a moving boat), bass fishing, and the most popular of all—fly fishing.

My next step was to seek out a licensed fishing guide to provide a first-hand explanation of the services that are provided. It was my good fortune to be directed to Tim Moore, owner and guide at Tim Moore Outdoors, LLC. After growing up in Portsmouth, Moore followed his childhood dream to become a fishing guide by filling out a state application form, passing a 50-question written examination, and paying the $100 licensing fee. 

Things are not quite that simple. The state requires that its fishing guides be at least 18 years of age, hold both a guide and a freshwater fishing license, and have a spotless Fish and Game background, with no criminal record. All fishing guides must be certified in both CPR and first aid. According to RSA 207:1 XIII, the guide’s license allows her/him to direct, aid, assist, or instruct other persons in taking wildlife within the state; it also permits the guide to charge a fee for services.

Moore’s guide service differs from that of the majority of his counterparts. While most fishing guides operate only during open water conditions, he offers year-round fishing charters within the Lakes Region. According to his company website, Moore leads fully-guided ice fishing trips on Lake Winnipesaukee; kayak trips for striped bass, northern pike, largemouth and smallmouth bass, trout, and other species; and freshwater trips by boat for landlocked salmon on Lake Winnipesaukee, lake trout, northern pike, crappy, and bass.

I asked Moore to talk about what services are typically provided by a licensed guiding service. He told me that guides are on the water almost every day in order to maintain a store of local knowledge, which consists of keeping up with what the fish are doing and where they are going. In this way, a guide knows the waters and where to fish safely and as successfully as possible. Naturally, guides are experienced anglers. They know the best equipment and which bait to select for a particular species of fish under specific conditions. As a member of the New Hampshire Guides Association, Moore keeps up with information he may need to provide his clients with an optimal experience. 

Fishing guide services require a substantial outlay of money. For fishing styles that necessitate traveling across waterways, a boat and motor must be provided by the guide. In addition, guides supply their clients with fishing rods, hooks, nets, and bait. Further, there can be a substantial cash outlay to produce brochures and to advertise in travel guides, newspapers, and magazines, Additionally, if a boat is necessitated, the fishing guide must obtain a commercial boater’s license through the New Hampshire Marine Patrol. (Moore also informed me that his company pays a yearly fee for insurance coverage.)

Asked what clients are expected to provide while fishing with a freshwater guide, Moore says he requires his clients to arrive with a current fishing license, their own food and beverages, and proper clothing for the conditions. 

I was interested in the minimum and maximum party size for his services. “It’s not unusual to provide guide services to one-person parties.” For those who want to fish from a boat, Moore has a 17½ foot center-console craft that seats two adults. His largest parties are for ice fishing occasions, when he has accommodated as many as 24 fishermen. 

Moore is frequently called upon to teach people how to bait a hook, fish, and to assist them in cleaning their catch. These necessities aside, I was curious about what constitutes an ideal guided experience. Moore described the optimum experience as one that provides good fishing, comfort, customer service, good weather—ideally, cloudy with light winds—and great conversation. 

If that’s the case, I wondered what the fishing-experience-from-hell would looks like. Moore was quick to respond, “People who show up for ice fishing poorly dressed. Nothing ruins a good fishing experience like cold, wet clients. They’re freezing, so it doesn’t matter whether they’re catching anything or not.” 

Unfortunately, this is one factor that Moore cannot control. Apparently, you can lead a fisherman to water, but you can’t make him think.  

I wondered what other factors can produce an unhappy experience. “Sometimes people in a fishing party just don’t like one another.” Another potential problem—one similar to that experienced by Arctic wildlife guides—is unrealistic expectations. Anglers arrive anticipating a large haul of fish. “They’ve paid good money to hire a professional fishing guide and expect amazing results.” Most people realize that conditions can be unpredictable, but not everyone is understanding. 

When I asked Moore about his favorite angling style, I expected him to choose fly fishing, as it is the bread-and-butter of most New Hampshire freshwater guides. He surprised me when he said that kayak fishing is his favorite. Asked to explain, he replied, “Kayaks provide a much more intimate experience (than boats). You sit right on the water line. It’s quiet . . . no motor noises . . . you’re really in touch with nature.”

Tim Moore, owner and guide at Tim Moore Outdoors during Kayak University on Squam Lake.

Photo Courtesy of Stack 9 Photography

In fact, Moore enjoys kayak fishing so much that his company, Tim Moore Outdoors LLC, offers an annual Kayak University at Cottage Place on Squam Lake. This year, Kayak University will be held from May 31 through June 2. The event brings together professional kayak anglers and people interested in this type of fishing. There will be seminars, opportunities to fish together for a day and a half, and plenty of time to socialize. 

After talking with the people at New Hampshire Fish and Game as well as Tim Moore, I feel confident that the state’s lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams and the future of freshwater fishing are in very good hands. 

For additional information, NHF&G’s main telephone number is 603-271-3421. Moore can be reached by telephone at 603-842-3572, or by email at tim@timmooreoutdoors.com. 

http://timmooreoutdoors.com

Vintage Snowmobiles Bring By-Gone Age to Milton

Vintage Snowmobiles Bring By-Gone Age to Milton

Story & Photos by Mark Foynes

Paul LeBlanc and his 1918 Model-T

Paul LeBlanc stands proudly by his 1918 Model-T Ford, which has been outfitted with a West Ossipee snowmobile converter kit. He was among the enthusiasts who converged at the Milton Town Beach recently to meet with fellow enthusiasts and provide rides for the general public at no charge.

The atmosphere was upbeat. The Milton Historical Society added to the festivities and the spirit of local heritage. As a fundraiser for their non-profit, Society volunteers served hot dogs, popcorn, and grilled cheese sandwiches donated by The Pink House restaurant.

Snowmobiles at the event were of the original sort - converted Ford Model-Ts and Model-As. Many of them rolled off Henry Ford’s assembly lines a century ago as road vehicles. They were inexpensive, dependable, and easy for the dooryard mechanic to fix. Historically, these early cars handled poorly in the snow.

A Little “Snowmobile” History

Back in 1917, Virgil D. White operated a garage and Ford Dealership in West Ossipee. This was a time when winter road maintenance was geared more toward horse-drawn sleighs. Roads were not plowed. Rather, town agents combed the roads with massive wooden rollers to compact the snow and ice. It was perfect for sleigh blades. Not for cars.

This was an age before four wheel drive and snow tires. Virgil, in talking with customers, noted that early motorists had difficulty traversing New Hampshire’s winter roadways. It was the beginning of the automotive era, and a period of transition.

This was especially the case with folks who needed to be out and about in bad weather conditions, such as electric linemen and doctors who made house calls, sometimes in very remote areas.

Virgil White had a light bulb moment. He reckoned that replacing the front tires with a set of skis, adding a rear-end axle, and fitting the rear wheels with treaded tracks could help folks navigate the ice and snow. He devised a conversion kit that allowed motorists to turn their daily drivers into “snowmobiles.”

While snowmobiling is now considered a recreational activity, having a motorized method of transport in the snow was a game changer. Logs could be hauled more easily out of the woods. Sickly patients could receive desired care. And newly-electrified homes could be rewired when the lights went out.

A Henry Ford hood ornament on a Model-T snowmobile that was recently on display on Milton Three Ponds. The snowmobile was in West Ossipee. The rally took place as part of town's annual winter carnival.

White charged $395 for each kit. According to the website managed by Measuring Worth, this cost in 1918 equates to $4,350 in terms of today’s spending value. So the conversion kit, while brilliant, was not an impulse buy. 

In 1917, White devised the kit. The following year, he applied for a patent and copyrighted the term “Snowmobile.” By 1922, he’d negotiated an agreement with the Ford Motor Company, which had exclusive sales rights through its dealerships.

Fun at the recent snowmobile event

As my family and I drove to the event in Milton, there were bob houses aplenty. We even saw a fisherman working an auger to drill a fishing hole through the pond’s frozen surface to angle his quarry. Some fishermen were successful, walking along carrying buckets with some good sized perch, trout, and bass.

The event kicked off at 9:30 am. Among the early arrivals was Paul LeBlanc, who showed off his one-ton 1918 Model-T snowmobile. He trailered up his rig from Brentwood in the Southern Tier and noted that his machine was original, including a vintage West Ossipee conversion kit.

The only exception are the tracks - bright yellow. Clad with the original metal grippers, they do kind of stand out.

 “They’re rubber re-fabbed from old firehose,” he said. LeBlanc explained that fire departments can only use a hose for just so long and then it goes to auction. While not original, looking at the refab, we channeled the spirit of Henry Ford, who was known to innovate using the materials at hand. 

“Henry would be proud,” we said, pointing to the tracks.

“I’d like to think so,” LeBlanc chimed in, standing beside his one-ton rig.

He noted that he acquired the Ford several years ago and spent “six or seven years” collecting the necessary parts.

 “It’s a passion and kind of a bug,” he explained in describing how he got involved. He was one of several folks who brought their snowmobiles to put on display.

We also caught up with Peter Quinn from York, Maine. He owns a Model-A that he acquired from an old-timer from Sanford. 

Quinn noted that snowmobiling on the ice is wonderful; but he urged caution. Recalling his 12-year stint with the Newington Fire Department, he said vintage and modern snowmobiles are a great source of recreation, but that those going out on the ice should be aware of the risks of taking machinery on the frozen water.

 “It’s a little apples and oranges, because that’s salt water,” Quinn said, adding that ocean water freezes less quickly and has more places where there are thin ice.

Paul LeBlanc was joined by his brother Ken. His 1926 Model-T came from a dairy farm over in Vermont, and the snowmobile converter kit came from another. Everything on Paul’s machine is authentic.

We brought our daughter, Cadie and her “bestie” out onto the Pond to check things out. Both 10 years old, they had fun slip-sliding on the ice. Ken invited the girls to hop on the back of his 1926 Model-T. They literally jumped at the chance, leaping about three feet into the bed of his converted truck.

 “C’mon,” Ken urged me. I was planning to hang back and just chat with some of the other exhibitors who came out. In a blink of a moment, I decided I couldn’t fully tell the story without the experience of going out for a cruise on one of these rigs. So I hopped on back alongside the girls, and off we went.

Ken was generous with his time: we did nearly a full round of the Pond. 

One might think that snowmobiling along a frozen pond would be pretty smooth. 

Nope.

Currents in the water, precipitation, and thaw-and-freeze cycles can create bumps akin to frost heaves on terra firma.

Model-T’s didn’t have suspension systems like our modern vehicles. Rather, they had leaf springs not too different from what you’d find on a horse-drawn buggy. We were in for a bumpy ride and lots of giggles, confident of Ken’s sturdy hands at the wheel.

About 30 seconds into our ride, we found a bumpy spot on the ice, and all of us were jostled upwards maybe a quarter of an inch from our wood-paneled seats.

The next bump was bigger.

“That was a good one,” my daughter Cadie exclaimed.

Her bestie said, “I hope the next one is bigger.”

It was and I stopped taking notes, unable to write legibly.

Nonetheless, the ridee, which many had a chance to experience, was great. 

The overall event was sponsored by the Milton Parks and Rec department - one of several events it supports over the course of the year. Each year the department plans a two-day winter carnival. For a calendar of upcoming events, visit miltonnh-us.com/milton-parks-recreation. 

Area Museums: Much More Than Glass Display Cases

Area Museums: Much More Than Glass Display Cases

By Mark Okrant

Wolfeboro’s Wright Museum

At the beginning of this decade, there were people in the U.S. tourism industry who felt the term “museum” was passé, an obstacle rather than an enticement to visitation. One thing is certain, culture and heritage-related activities are immensely popular in this country right now, as more than three-quarters of all travelers participate in them. For their part, American museums host nearly 850 million person-visits each year, a total that would make the most successful major league sports franchise envious.

New Hampshire is not without its share of excellent museums and, in 2014, seventeen of these properties formed the New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail. Their cooperative purpose was to share resources and to better promote programs, collections, and events. The result was an excess of 200,000 annual visitors during 2018.   

What follows is a brief examination of four of these outstanding institutions, each of which contributes to entertainment, education, and the place-ness of their communities. Three are situated in Wolfeboro: the Wright Museum of World War II, the New Hampshire Boat Museum, and the Libby Museum. We also will visit the Museum of the White Mountains in Plymouth.

Given that the directors of these institutions have elected to call themselves museums, one might expect a significant amount of commonality in their makeup. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Wright Museum of World War II was founded in 1994, for the purpose of making future generations aware of the sacrifices and contributions by countless Americans during the Second World War. The museum offers two large galleries: one devoted to the military theater and a second that presents the way lives were lived here in the states. The clever design of the museum simultaneously satisfies those with an interest in the strategy, technology, and regalia of the battleground, while others can experience the film, fashion, culture, and innovations that evolved on the home front. The Wright Museum offers a wealth of special artifacts and dioramas, highlighted by three different types of tanks and a 1939 to 1945 time tunnel that depicts changes occurring at home. It is the attention to detail about the home front that truly sets this museum apart. While older visitors will revel in the photographs and artifacts provided by the curators, the museum is certainly relevant to every generation and both genders. 

Attendance at the Wright Museum has been growing steadily during the past five years, reaching 18,911 during 2018. In addition to its excellent permanent display, this museum has become increasingly interactive—with three touch screens and four sound stick displays. During the 2019 visitor season, the Wright will offer three exhibitions, a symposium, and 20 Tuesday evening lectures. 

From May 1 through July 7, 2019, the museum will host the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History traveling exhibition called, Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II. Next, from July 14 to September, 2019, there will be an exhibition examining one of American’s most influential magazines in an exhibit called, Esquire Magazine, The WWII Years. 

Finally, from September 15 to October 31, 2019, a third exhibition called The Last Good War: Faces and Voices of World War II will be offered. On July 23, there will be a Symposium on D-Day, in Honor of the 75th Anniversary of Operation Overlord, featuring National Best Selling Authors Patrick O’Donnell and Alex Kershaw.

This season’s Tuesday Evening Lecture Series will address a variety of topics, with a number of authors making presentations that range from the Holocaust, to Japanese Internment, to Patton, to actress Donna Reed. Specific dates and times will be available on the museum’s website, www.wrightmuseum.org.

The Wright Museum is situated at 77 Center Street in Wolfeboro, and is open annually from May 1 through October 31. Museum hours are 10 am to 4pm (Monday to Saturday) and noon to 4 pm (Sunday). Admission is free for members and children 0-4; $6 for children 5-17; $10 for adults; and $8 for military and seniors. Call 603-569-1212.

New Hampshire Boat Museum Exhibit

The New Hampshire Boat Museum (NHBM) was founded in 1992, with the mission to inspire an understanding and appreciation for the boating heritage of the fresh waterways (lakes and rivers) of New Hampshire. One cannot possibly overstate the significance of this slice of the state’s culture.

This museum is widely recognized for boat rides on the Millie B, a replica 1928 Hacker Craft wooden boat named for longtime area resident, tourism director, and state legislator, Mildred Beach. The NHBM offers an exquisite collection of wooden watercraft, highlighted by the zip boat, a middle class powerboat built by the Laconia Car Company, circa 1900.

Just because this excellent institution calls itself a museum, one should not form preconceptions about a stagnant experience. If ever a museum has the right to call itself “experiential,” this is it. During a visit to the NHBM, one will be immersed in the lengthy history of this region’s water-based culture. 

The Boat Museum is truly a terrific place for families, as numerous hands-on educational opportunities await boating enthusiasts of all ages. Complementing their excellent collection of vintage powerboats, an army of volunteers offers boatbuilding programs for youths, adults, and families. There is a two-week program that teaches participants to build, and then operate, a powerboat. For those adults and children who prefer sail to power, the museum offers a program in conjunction with the Town of Wolfeboro, titled Under Wind Power. This program teaches participants the intricacies involved with navigation while under sail.  

During the 2019 season, the museum’s theme is Racing on the Waterways of New Hampshire, highlighted by a vintage race boat regatta during September 12 to14, hosted by the museum. Other programs for families with kids include Back Bay Skippers, a model yacht building and navigation program, and numerous interactive games designed to prepare young people to be responsible boaters. These include, but are not limited to, navigation sign interpretation and the rules of boating. 

The Boat Museum is located at 399 Center Street in Wolfeboro. NHBM is in the midst of a capital campaign for its nearby Bay Street property. Once completed, the new facility will substantially enlarge the organization’s boat restoration space. 

AttendaMarnce at the New Hampshire Boat Museum reached 10,000 during 2018. The New Hampshire Boat Museum’s normal visitor season is from Memorial Day through Columbus Day. During the 2019 season, construction projects will push the opening back to late June. The public is encouraged to select from a choice of membership levels. Admission for members, active military, and non-members aged 13 and under is free, $7 for both senior citizens and students 14 to 17, $9 for adults 22 to 64. The fee for tour group participants is $5. For more information, call 603-569-1212.

Dr. Henry Libby founded the Libby Museum in 1912, with the goal of educating visitors about the natural world. Entering this eclectic jewel, patrons will encounter a12-foot tall moose, a polar bear, a huge alligator, a mummy’s hand, and a human skeleton. However, these are a small sample of the treasures this museum offers. The Libby provides opportunities to view a range of colonial pieces, as well as artifacts from China, the Middle East, and other corners of the world. 

As the Libby is more than one century old, one may mistakenly believe that it offers little beside fixed displays in glass boxes. In fact, the Libby provides an opportunity—rare among similar institutions—to handle the merchandise, including fur, feathers, and hides. Furthermore, subsequent directors have continued the founder’s directive to allow visitors to experience regional flora and fauna, by taking advantage of the property’s beautiful surroundings and vistas. 

While the museum serves the interests of patrons of all ages, children will find its nature programs and nature trails particularly inviting. Nature programs for 5 to 7 year olds and 11 to 14 year olds are available, and the Libby is a favorite stop for third grade school groups. For adults, there are wonderful art programs on Saturdays, with opportunities to sketch animals in the Libby’s collection, as well as a wide range of area vistas. 

Annual visitation is approximately 3,000. However, there is much new activity planned for the 2019 season, including intended renovations to the property. A number of rotating art exhibitions, including the works of two artists—a nature photographer and a water color painter—will be provided during a busy schedule that is being developed. For the second year, the Libby will be participating in the Museum Loop. On Thursdays and Friday mornings, people can travel by antique boat from downtown Wolfeboro to the Libby, then subsequently by trolley to the Clark House, New Hampshire Boat Museum, and Wright Museum.

The Libby Museum is open from June 1 through Columbus Day. Admission is $5 for adults; children under 16 and military veterans are admitted free of charge. For more information, call 603-569-1035.

The fourth institution featured is the Museum of the White Mountains (MWM). Situated 30 to 60 minutes from most locales in the Lakes Region, the museum was founded on the campus of Plymouth State University, in 2013. The MWM is a collaborative design, open concept facility that provides opportunities to learn about the history, arts and culture, environmental, and tourism legacies characteristic of this 3,440 square mile area of New Hampshire. Unlike the other museums in this story, the MWM has no permanent exhibits. Rather, visitors have an opportunity to view archival and digital learning resources in the form of individual and collaborative works by faculty, students, as well as contributions by local residents and others who share a passion for this idyllic region. 

Special exhibitions during 2019 will include: “19th Century Tourism in the White Mountains,” “Taking the Lead: Women in the White Mountains,” as well as an excellent display of historical photographs.  

The Museum of the White Mountains serves 10,000 visitors per year, 3,800 of these during the summer months. It is situated at 34 Highland Street in Plymouth. The museum is open year round, as long as Plymouth State University is in session. Museum hours are 10 am to 5 pm, Mondays through Fridays, and 11 am to 4 pm on Saturdays; the museum is closed on Sundays. Admission is free. For more information, call 603-535-2646 or email ccrobinson@plymouth.edu. 

Mark Okrant joins The Laker after two years as a columnist for InDepthNH.org. He is emeritus professor of Tourism Management at Plymouth State University, and he coordinated tourism research for the State of New Hampshire or 26 years and received the 2016 Dick Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as special commendations from two former NH governors. Mark is the author of the popular Kary Turnell Mystery Series, set in NH tourism locales.