A Little Info. on Mayflowers…and Lilacs!

A Little Info. on Mayflowers…and Lilacs!

By Sarah Wright

Have you heard of the mayflower? Not the ship made famous by Columbus, but the state flower of Massachusetts and the provincial flower of Nova Scotia. In the early 1900s, the Massachusetts State Board of Education let school children decide on the state flower. The students picked the mayflower over the water lily, two to one. The flower can actually be found in every county in Massachusetts. Although less well known today, the mayflower once grew all over wooded areas in New Hampshire and was a favorite of many people.

The mayflower (also known as winter pink, trailing arbutus, or ground laurel) actually refers to a spring-blooming wildflower native to eastern North America and Canada, found in sandy or rocky soil in the shade of pines. What’s in a name? Well, according to plant folklore, the mayflower plant was the first blooming plant the pilgrims saw after their first very difficult winter in this new country. Historians believe that the mayflower is an ancient plant that may even date back to the last glacier period. Now, that’s a hardy plant! 

The mayflower is a trailing plant—a small evergreen creeping shrub—with fuzzy stems and clusters of waxy, pink, or white blooms that have a fragrant, sweet smell which intensifies over time. (The scent has been compared to orange blossoms in Florida.) The flowers peak from March through June. Years ago, people would collect the leaves for wreath-making, and at one time, mayflowers were used to treat kidney stones. Early in the season, the blooms are often hidden from view by the leaves.  

Here’s the tricky part: the flower is unusual in that it grows from a specific type of fungus that nourishes the roots. Ants disperse the seeds, but the plant rarely produces fruit, which means that the plant has become rare in recent years. Thankfully, many states protect the flower with laws prohibiting its removal. If you’re enjoying the outdoors, and find a mayflower growing in the woods of New Hampshire, feel free to take a photograph, but don’t pick it. You might find them growing along trail edges and in forest clearings; it’s a real treat if you find one.

Fortunately for local gardeners, the beautiful perennial wildflower is produced and sold by some garden centers and nurseries as an ornamental. Because it is difficult to transplant, many garden centers will order it only if requested. The mayflower trailing arbutus is a native plant, growing where other plants fail to thrive—under tall trees in the dense woods. The flower needs moist soil and partial to full shade, and likes acidic soil, which is good news for many residents of the Lakes Region. Cold climates as low as USDA zone 3 are actually better for the plant than the warm, humid weather of zones 8 and above. Those living below the Mason Dixon line are out of luck! Gardeners should plant the mayflower so that the top of the root ball is about one inch below the soil surface. Water deeply after planting, and then mulch lightly with organic mulch like pine needles or bark chips for best results.

Emma’s Perennials in Bristol stocks the mayflower. The greenhouse is located at 398 Borough Road and can be reached at 603-744-3805 for business hours. Cackleberries Garden and Gift Shop in Meredith also sells mayflowers and can order more if requested. The shop is located at 419 Daniel Webster Highway. For business hours and further information, call 603-279-8728. 

Check with your local garden center, and you might find it. If you can’t find the flower, many landscapers can recommend something similar. Perhaps Lakes Region residents can help revive this beautiful and traditional flower. 

The New Hampshire flower is a little more obvious, as it grows all over the place. It’s the beautiful and very fragrant purple lilac. (When I moved to the state years ago, I kept thinking, “Wow, so many people have lilacs growing in their yards.” Then I found out that it was the state flower and it all made sense.) I love lilacs, which can come in white, red, blue, pink, mauve, yellow, and of course, various beautiful shades of purple. The history of the lilac goes way back. It’s believed that they were growing in 1750 around Governor Wentworth’s mansion. Settlers most likely brought them over on the journey to this new world. 

The purple lilac became the official state flower in a 1919 legislative session. Many flowers were considered, like the apple blossom, purple aster, water lily, mayflower, and goldenrod. The top three were placed into a hat, and a blindfolded senate clerk drew the name of the purple lilac. The House didn’t like the Senate’s choice and preferred the apple blossom. To resolve the stalemate, a 10-man conference committee took on the task, and with the help of two college professors of botany, they held another vote and the purple lilac won. It was noted that the lilac, “symbolized the hardy character of the men and women of the Granite State.” The next time you see a lilac, think of how close we were to having the apple blossom as the state flower. 

Here are some helpful hints for homeowners considering planting a lilac bush. A new lilac takes about three to four years to establish. Lilacs are hardy from zones 3 to 7, and need a cold dormant period to start flowering. They also need well-drained, acid-to-alkaline soil. For full flowering to occur, a sunny location is a must. The root clump must be watered about one inch a week, and fertilizer or compost should be used in the spring. Most lilacs flower in late May. 

Both the mayflower and the lilac are very fragrant, but very different types of flowers. Celebrate New England history and consider one of these plants for your yard this season. Happy spring planting!

Butterfly on a mayflower.

Bargains, bargains, bargains at Lakes Region’s Town Wide Yard Sales!

Bargains, bargains, bargains at Lakes Region’s Town Wide Yard Sales!

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Who can resist the lure of a good yard sale? During the summer and right into fall, there are town wide yard sales taking place throughout the Lakes Region. The convenience of a town wide sale means you can find a lot of sales in one community versus driving from area to area in search of bargains.

Getting ready for yard sale season.

If you like a good sale, Meredith is the place to be on Saturday, May 18 as the Meredith Area Chamber of Commerce sponsors the 25th Annual Community Yard Sale. At the Chamber of Commerce Information Visitor Center at 272 DW Highway, maps identifying the locations of the various sales will be available beginning at 8 am on the day of the sale. 

According to Chamber Executive Director, Susan Cerutti, the town wide sale will be held from 9 am to 3 pm, with over 30 locations in the Meredith, Center Harbor and Moultonborough areas.  

In addition to the sales taking place at individual homes, several businesses and organizations will also participate. In Meredith, The Trinity Episcopal Church, located on Route 25, will hold a sale. The Friends of the Library will have their annual book sale at the Meredith Public Library at 91 Main Street. 

The Meredith Historical Society’s yard sale will be held at the Society’s Farm Museum on Winona Road. The sale is a fundraiser for the Historical Society, and especially important as the organization is raising funds to make critical repairs to the Farm Museum building. For more information, call 603-279-2275. 

Businesses participating are the Meredith News on Water Street and Waukewan Village Association on Waukewan Street, Calvary Bible Church at Main Street and the Center Harbor Congregational Church in downtown Center Harbor.

There will be Upper Mill Point sales and also yard sales at Skyview Circle, Meredith Neck and in Center Harbor, Preston Road off Waukewan Road.

The Meredith Community Yard Sale will be held rain or shine. Signs will be posted at the individual locations so those attending can easily identify participants.  

The community spirited event is sponsored by the Meredith Area Chamber of Commerce as a service to both residents and businesses and at the same time provides those attending with the opportunity to shop for treasures at the various sales and frequent local stores and restaurants.  

For more information about the event, call the Meredith Area Chamber of Commerce at 603-279-6121.

Elsewhere, town wide yard sales will be held in many area towns. Tuftonboro will hold its annual Town Wide Yard Sale on Saturday, June 1 from 9 am to 1 pm. Plan on attending the sale that features everything from antiques and used goods to household items, etc. For information, visit www.tuftonboro.org. Email Tuftonboro Parks and Recreation at parksandrec@tuftonboro.org.

Wakefield (and Brookfield) will be holding a town wide yard sale on Saturday, May 25 from 8 am to 2 pm. This charming town will be busy with many yard sale locations offering everything from household items to antiques. Call 603-522-9977 for details. Yard sale location maps will be available around town. 

Alton will be hosting an Annual Town Wide Yard Sale on Saturday, June 1. The sale starts at 9 am, and there will be many, many yard sale sites around the town, including many in-town locations as well as sales at homes in more rural areas of Alton. Thus, it is important to pick up a map featuring all yard sale locations to make sure you “hit” all the sales. The maps are free and available at the Parks and Rec. office at Alton Town Hall on Main Street, the Gilman Library and local banks. There are over 45 yard sale locations. Call 603-875-0109 for details.

A mammoth Multi-Town Yard Sale will be held May 31, and June 1 and 2 in the towns of Gilmanton, Barnstead, Chichester, Epsom, Loudon, Northwood and Pittsfield. Imagine how many bargains and treasures you will find as you wander from town to town in the area, where many sales take place! With many individuals and organizations registered to participate, the Pittsfield Chamber of Commerce has information on the event. Maps will be available on May 30 at www.pittsfieldchamber.org. 

Bristol near Newfound Lake will hold its annual Town Wide Yard Sale on Saturday, July 27 from 8 am to 1 pm with yard sale locations all around the community. For details, call Kenny Rogers at 744-3321.

The Plymouth Town Wide Yard Sale has become a major event for the college town at the entrance to the north country of NH. The date for this year’s sale is Saturday, September 7 from 9 am to 3 pm. The town wide yard sale features many sale sites, as it has done for a number of years. Individual families, as well as service organizations will take part, making this end-of-summer sale one not to be missed. Go to Plymouth NH Town Wide Yard Sale’s Facebook for updates.

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.

Running the Rapids – Rain or Shine to the Finish Line

Running the Rapids – Rain or Shine to the Finish Line

By Rosalie Triolo

Spills, chills and thrills. Smiles and laughter. Race participants paddling their canoes and kayaks keep “Rollin on the River.” The Great Smith River Canoe and Kayak Race, that is. The race, sponsored and organized by the Lions Club of Wolfeboro, is held each year the Saturday before Memorial Day. This year’s event is the 45th year running, and in keeping with tradition, the race will take place on Saturday, May 18. 

The Great Smith River Canoe and Kayak Race

As in any race, there are pre-race preparations. Lions Club member since 1989, Roger Murray III, organizer and chair of the committee for “The Great Smith River Canoe and Kayak Race,” pointed out the tasks required of committee members to ensure a safe and successful race. The necessary permits must be acquired. Before opening the dam there is a careful inspection of the race course, which involves looking for obstacles that potentially may cause mishaps to the canoers and kayakers. Arrangements are made for medical aid and an ambulance to stand by on sight. Murray went on to describe the route of the course and the places participants will have to portage canoes and kayaks. “The four-mile race begins at Allen Albee Beach located in Wolfeboro on the north side of Lake Wentworth. Participants paddle across Lake Wentworth and on to the Smith River. At the Smith River canoes and kayaks are maneuvered under the Whiten Neck Bridge and come out onto Crescent Lake, continuing down the length of the lake to the dam. At Crescent Lake dam, a short portage is required to the right of the dam and on the participants charge through the one-quarter mile of Class II rapids on the Smith River.” (In an article written by L. Herbert Gordon for Paddling.com, Class II rapids are “Moderate. Medium-quick water; rapids with regular waves; clear and open passages between rocks and ledges. Maneuvering required.”) There is another portage area in Wolfeboro Falls and then into Back Bay and on to the finish line at the Town Docks in Wolfeboro on Lake Winnipesaukee.  

Families, friends or those of us who want to vicariously experience the thrill of shooting the rapids are welcomed to stand on shore to watch, cheer and encourage the participants onward. An exciting experience for observers is the sight of canoes and kayaks swerving down, around and through the rapids. Not often, but occasionally, where there is a bend in the river, participants quickly maneuver their canoes or kayaks to avoid collisions with other canoes or kayaks, or from bumping into the shore as they go into the turn. Two of the best places to watch the race is at Crescent Lake dam or the finish line. 

For the participants, in addition to having great fun, the race is a test of their expertise, stamina and spirit of adventure. In years past, some creative participants have worn horned Viking helmets, a bear’s head and even yellow-billed duck hats as they shoot the rapids!

John Askew, a 20-year member of the Lions Club, sits on the committee and is the official starter of “The Great Smith River Canoe and Kayak Race.” From novice to expert there are 19 classes of racers who are sent off at five-minute intervals. Paddlers range from Old Timers, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Father/Daughter, Father/Son, or families and all are welcome. Official Race Rules require participants to inspect and remove from the bottom of their canoes or kayaks any plants, animals or algae which may have become attached.  

The Canoe Racing Classes are: Long (any length to a maximum of 18’6”); Two Women (Any length to a maximum of 18’6”); Long (Sawyer Cruiser, Mohawk Jensen & Whitewater boats); Mixed (Male and Female - Any length to a maximum of 18’6”); Short (Any length canoe up to 16’6”); Family (One paddler 15 or under and the other paddler 30 or over, 18’6” max.) and Single (Any length canoe up to 18’6”).  

Canoe Conventional Classes: These are non-racing canoes, not over 18’ with a minimum width of 34”. Two Men; Mixed (Male and Female); Family (One paddler 15 or under and the other paddler 30 or over); Boys (Both 15 or under); Two Women; Two Girls (Both 15 or under); Novice (Anyone who has not placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd in any organized canoe race may enter this class.); Business (Owners or employees of a business); Old Timers (Combined age of paddlers must be 100 years).

KAYAK CLASSES: Kayak (Single Female Paddler); Kayak (Single Male Paddler); Kayak (2 Paddlers). 

The course should take approximately 30 to 60 minutes to complete and results are computed immediately. Prizes will go to the first three finishers in each of the classes. 

The first 50 participants to register receive free T-shirts donated by Wolfeboro Oil Co. The registration fee is $20.00 per paddler and the starting time is 1:15 pm. Registration entry forms and a list of the official rules are available at the Wolfeboro Chamber of Commerce located in the old train station on Railroad Avenue. Participants may register on race day from 10 am to 12:45 pm. The day of the race there will be a 50/50 raffle.

With the proceeds derived from the race, the Lions Club offers six $500 book scholarships to deserving Kingswood High School seniors and the same to two local students who attend Brewster Academy. The Lions Club also offers two $500 for book scholarships to two Leos (young Lions) at Kingswood. An additional $1000 scholarship is awarded to a student, who is an accomplished musician, in honor of the late Lion, Doug Cady, who was instrumental in the creation of the Cate Park Bandstand, and who was himself an accomplished musician.

For additional information on the race, call Roger Murray at 603-569-5454.

Celebrate Mother’s Day Around the Lake!

Celebrate Mother’s Day Around the Lake!

By Sarah Wright

Milton Berle once joked, “If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?” Yes, being a mother is certainly a juggling act, but the love, nurturing, and patience of a mother for her child are hard to match. Mother’s Day, on May 12, is a chance for us to show “Mom” our appreciation. Some of us also choose to celebrate other women who have held a similar role in our lives, like grandmothers, stepmothers, and aunts. As we grow older, our relationships with our mothers may ebb and flow, but that special bond always remains.

Castle in the Clouds is a great place to take Mom on Mother’s Day.

Many people show their gratitude for their mothers with flowers, breakfast in bed, or a thoughtful card, but there are lots of other ways to show her you care. This year, as always, the Lakes Region offers a number of memorable ideas for spending the day with Mom. 

Mill Falls Marketplace on Daniel Webster Highway in Meredith starts celebrating mothers on Saturday, May 11 with a “Mom’s the Word” event from noon to 3 pm. Shop the stores, or peruse the wonderful artwork for sale by talented local artisans. (The first 100 mothers to arrive will receive a special, handcrafted gift from Artisans by the Bay.) There will be live music and light refreshments to enjoy as you shop, and you’ll even be able to enter for a chance to win a $100 Marketplace shopping spree! Come back to Mill Falls on May 12, and stay for a lovely Mother’s Day brunch in the elegant Church Landing Ballroom. The Lakehouse Grille will provide a delicious brunch buffet from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm, with dinner specials to follow. All mothers who attend will received a flower while supplies last, in support of the New Beginnings Crisis Center in Laconia. Call 603-279-5221 to make a reservation.

All day on Mother’s Day, moms can tour beautiful Castle in the Clouds in Moultonboro free of charge with their child’s admission (this can be a child of any age). Moms can get free admission at the Front Gate located on Route 171 or at the Gift Shop if you enter via the service entrance, on Ossipee Park Road. Call 603-476-5900 or visit www.castleintheclouds.org.

Tanger Outlets in Tilton is holding a Food Truck Festival on Saturday, May 11 from noon to 5 pm. Find a great gift for Mom while she enjoys delicious food truck menu items like tacos, burgers, barbecue, Cajun cuisine, ice cream, baked treats, and more! There’s even a beer tent courtesy of 405 Pub & Grill. Don’t miss this event that will also have live music and a classic car cruise-in. Visit www.tangeroutlet.com and click on May events for more information. 

The Gilmanton Winery at 528 Meadow Pond Road in Gilmanton offers a beautiful view with their delicious Sunday Brunch, from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. The brunch is served family style, and previous brunches have included fruit; fried dough; French toast and bacon; scrambled eggs, home fries, and sausage gravy over sweet bread. This year’s menu will be posted online soon! Reserve your place today, by calling 603-267-8251. 

Start off a day of shopping in Wolfeboro with brunch at Wolfe’s Tavern at The Wolfeboro Inn on Main Street. Brunch is served from 10 am to 3 pm, and the full buffet will include salads, a carving station with ham and prime rib, haddock, an omelet station, waffles, desserts, and more. For reservations, call 603-569-3016.

Schuster’s Tavern and Steakhouse at the Gunstock Inn on Cherry Valley Road in Gilford is holding the Second Annual Mother’s Day Brunch and Benefit for Belknap House on Sunday May 12 from 10 am until the last seating at 4 pm. Reservations are strongly suggested; call 603-293-2021. The M/S Mount Washington has donated tickets for a cruise for four, G.I. Fitness, Jerico’s Salon, Eden Nails, Hermit Woods Winery, Nu-Do’s Salon, Salon 603, SunDay’s Salon, Johnson’s Seafood and Steak, Fratello’s Restaurant, Weirs Drive In, and D.A.D.S. Painting have donated generous gifts for the silent auction to benefit Belknap House. (The Belknap House is located at 200 Court Street in Laconia and assists local families in need during the cold winter months.) For information on Belknap House, email contact execdir@belknaphouse.org, visit www.belknaphouse.org, or call 603-527-8097.  There is a “wish list” on the website for needed items, such as laundry detergent and baby wipes; please bring items from the Wish List to the Mother’s Day Brunch.

Other restaurants around the lake offering brunch on Mother’s Day include the Homestead Restaurant in Bristol (603-744-2022); the Common Man restaurants (www.thecman.com); Hart’s Turkey Farm in Meredith (603-279-4433); the Hilltop Restaurant at the Steele Hill Resort in Sanbornton (603-524-0500); and the Corner House Inn in Sandwich (603-284-6219). 

Take advantage of the warmer weather and enjoy brunch on the waters of Lake Winnipesaukee, courtesy of the M/S Mount Washington. While taking in the view, choose from three chef’s choice entrees; enjoy eggs and bacon, fruit, Belgian waffles, carved London broil, salads, assorted desserts, and a complimentary mimosa. The boat leaves from Weirs Beach at 10 am and at 2 pm. Call 603-366-5531 to order tickets, or visit www.cruisenh.com. 

Experience an old-fashioned train ride with the Conway Scenic Railway and enjoy brunch and a beautiful view! Spend Mother’s Day journeying on historic rail routes in vintage passenger cars from the 1874 train station in North Conway Village to Bartlett and back again. Departures are at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm for this round trip of just under 2 hours. Complimentary appetizers will be served in First Class, or you can upgrade to a dining car and enjoy a three-course brunch. Call 603-356-5251 or visit www.conwayscenic.com for ticket information. 

Why not treat your mother to a show? The Winnipesaukee Playhouse at 50 Reservoir Road in Meredith is featuring the musical comedy, Company, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. This Tony-winning musical takes place in 1970s Manhattan, where we meet Robert, an unhappy and single 35-year-old. It’s funny and endearing, witty and wise; the genius of Sondheim shines in a score that celebrates friends and the joy of “being alive.” Show times for May 9, 10, and 11 are at 7:30 pm, and on Sunday the 12th at 2 pm. Call 603-279-0333 for ticket information. 

If your mother has a love for history, spend the afternoon together at The Wright Museum on Center Street in Wolfeboro. Travel back in time to WWII through the many exhibits, and experience what life was like in America at that time. The museum is open from noon to 4 pm on Mother’s Day. Moms get in free with another paying adult. For further information, call 603-569-1212.

What mother doesn’t enjoy flowers? Surround yourself with spring at Tarbin Gardens on Salisbury Road in West Franklin. Mothers are admitted free when accompanied by another ticket payer. Take a leisurely walk through the only English landscape-styled garden in New Hampshire. Bring a picnic lunch and relax on the Rose Garden Patio. Maps are provided and all the plants are labeled. According to the blooming schedule, Mother’s Day features flowering trees and shrubs like magnolias, spring bulbs, flowering cherries, and forsythia. The gardens are open from 10 am to 6 pm. Call 603-934-3518 for more information or visit www.tarbingardens.com.

With all these options, it’ll be easy to make the day special for Mom. After all, spending time together is what it’s all about. Happy Mother’s Day! 

Castle in the Clouds is a great place to take Mom on Mother’s Day.

Go Sailing With the Lake Winnipesaukee Sailing Association

Go Sailing With the Lake Winnipesaukee Sailing Association

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Kids sailing

“Our goal is to introduce people to the sport of sailing regardless of financial means, age or ability,” says Al Posnack, a member of the Lake Winnipesaukee Sailing Association (LWSA) in Gilford, NH. Al serves as Youth Sailing Chair for the LWSA Sailing School, and if you happen to talk to him for just a few minutes, it becomes clear that he is very dedicated to introducing kids to the sport of sailing and making sure they enjoy it in a safe manner.

The goal of getting people of all ages interested in sailing might seem a simple one. After all, who wouldn’t want to get out on Lake Winnipesaukee in the summer? Who wouldn’t want the freedom of being in charge of a graceful, beautiful sailboat? Who wouldn’t want to compete in a race as a heat wave summer’s day gives way to a balmy evening in July or August?

Indeed, many people love to sail. If you are interested in sailing, no matter if you are a young person or an adult, the LWSA can help you “get out on the water.” 

However, the Association has a special interest in getting kids involved in sailing and to that end, they run a well-respected sailing school that teaches the basics of sailing – and a lot more. The goal is to teach kids how to sail safely and to have fun but it doesn’t end at that. The Association has crafted all sorts of programs (and generates a lot of encouragement) to keep kids interested and involved in sailing as they mature. Once students reach the teen years, there are opportunities to become teaching assistants for the summertime youth sailing program and eventually nationally certified senior instructors.

The Association was founded in 1988 as the Lake Winnipesaukee Yacht Racing Association. From the start, the main focus has been on youth sailing education, as well as promoting sailboat racing on the lake. 

Al smiles as he recalls the start of the sailing school. “At first there were just four sailiboats, a motorboat and one instructor for the school. Now we have 35 sailboats, six motorboats and eight nationally certifided instructors and five junior instructors.”

For many years, the sailing school was generously hosted at Fay’s Boatyard by Merrill Fay. they also used space next door at property owned by the Winnipesaukee Yacht Club, but as they grew, LWSA leaders and members dreamed of having their own location. 

Eventually, the LWSA realized a long-term goal of expanding capacity and reaching more young sailors when it moved into a permanent space on Smith Cove in Gilford near Fay's Boatyard. Generous donations from large benefactors and small donations from many, many donors enabled the Association to turn a lakeside cottage with dock and beach into the Dave Adams Memorial Sailing Center. (The center is named after a local person who started out sailing at LWSA, but sadly, passed away as a young adult.)

Al’s eyes light up as he speaks of the Center, which was formerly a modest-sized cottage. “It has space to launch several boats side by side. And it gives us the room we need for our programs.”

The cottage has been transformed into classroom and gathering areas for students and sailing school staff. Smith Cove is very protected and provides a great place for beginning sailboat students to get a feel for being in a small sailboat.

Overseeing the entire youth sailing program is Amy Tripp, who serves as executive director. A non-profit board of directors works with Amy to coordinate all that the Association accomplishes. 

“We have the sailing school, adaptive sailing programs and we run the J80 Fleet races on Thursday evenings in the summer and mixed fleet racing on weekends,” says Amy. And the Association hosts Camp Resilience in the summer as well. (Camp Resilience offers sports and life skills to wounded warriors.)

The Youth Sailing program saw 175 children participating last summer, with 225 overall enrollments. Programs are geared for 8 to 10 year olds and 11 to 16 years olds. “People tell us it is a great program, and we have certainly grown over the years,” reflects Al.

Lest one assume sailing is an expensive hobby/sport, Al says, “We want to change people’s idea that it is a rich man’s sport. We have scholarships, so any student wishing to learn to sail can do so without worry about affording the lessons.”

Al recalls students who have learned to sail with LWSA; some have made careers of sailing, such as a boy from a family of five kids. He had not sailed previously, but he took youth sailing lessons in Gilford and now, has been accepted at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. 

“The sailing lessons are life changing for kids,” Al says. “Another of our students came up through our sailing program and eventually became a head instructor. Now he is part of an America’s Cup team on the engineering side. For so many people, sailing becomes part of their lives. We have seen a family where a child saved up and got a sailboat and now the whole family enjoys sailing.”

The sailing school now offers a springtime after-school sailing program for ages 8 to 16. All students are welcome and are divided by age and ability in the after-school program. Says Amy, “We are hoping this offering allows a lot of kids with no boating exposure try out the sport of sailing!”  Nationally certified instructors teach the classes using Optimist dinghies, 420 collegiate boats and O’Pen Bic sailing dinghies.

For all sailing programs, safety is first and foremost in importance, Amy stresses. There is a swim test the first day. “All students must wear life jackets at all times. If any student does not have a life jacket or the means to purchase one, a jacket will be provided. 

“Students will use Optimist dinghies when they start out,” says Amy. “Session one for the after-school program is May 28 and 29 and June 3 and 5 from 4 to 7 pm at the Dave Adams Memorial Sailing Center at 25 Davis Road in Gilford. The second session takes place June 10, 12, 17 and 19 from 4 to 7 pm at the Sailing Center.”

Students in any of the sailing programs learn a lot, including, on the first morning of lessons, how to recover from a capsize (they must also take a swim test). Two kids are launched in each sailboat right in Smith Cove, and instructors are close by on the water. “We keep the beginners in Smith Cove, because it is an enclosed area. Under the right conditions, we will go out on the open lake,” says Al. Instructors are nearby at all times, often in kayaks to coach their students one-on-one. 

There also is a lot of teaching done right on the lawn of the Sailing Center; kids learn how to rig their own boats, which is part of responsible sailing. Al says they are purposely overstaffed in order to be prepared for all contingencies. 

At the end of each week of summer youth sailing classes, there is a Friday school outing to Ragged Island or other destinations on the lake. “We also have a Friday ice cream bar and treats!” Amy adds.

Other sailing programs at LWSA include private and adult sailing lessons. For ages 16 to adult, LWSA offers hands-on group classes for beginners and intermediates. 

This is a great way to try out sailing and master essential skills. Whether you want to try sailing for the first time, giving the gift of sailing lessons to a family member, or you want to get back into sailing after many years away from the helm, LWSA can help you meet your goals. Many adult group participants are new boat owners of small sailboats and find this the perfect way to safely gain confidence. Others want to brush up on skills before getting involved in the yacht-racing scene on Lake Winnipesaukee.

Classes include Adult Learn-to-Sail Level One for ages 16 and up. Four three-hour classes are geared for those with little or no sailing experience. They will be taught in small groups in stable and comfortable 23-foot Sonar keelboats and a 26-foot J/80. The Adult Learn-to-Sail Level Two for ages 16 and up offers four three-hour classes for adults with some sailing experience. It will be taught in small groups in stable and comfortable 23-foot Sonar keelboats and a 26-foot J/80. Students will gain the skills needed to explore local waters with confidence. 

The LWSA is quite excited about their growing Adaptive Sailing program, which removes barriers to enjoyment of the sport of sailing. Says head instructor Ben Crosby, “We believe that sailing can foster water safety, self-confidence, teamwork, honesty, positive sporting values, and an appreciation for our environment. Therefore, LWSA has reached out to various community organizations over the years to provide opportunities for people who are physically or mentally disabled or recovering from trauma to experience and enjoy sailing.”

The Association’s website explains, “LWSA also has the goal of developing greater capacity and permanent programs that it can offer to people of all abilities, regardless of limitation or adaptation. Adaptive sailing is something that we aspire to and we believe can play an important role in the life of our community.”

The LWSA’s various programs come with expenses and people are stepping forward to donate boats that LWSA sells to offset the costs of the program. 

It seems, at Lake Winnipesaukee Sailing Association, everyone, no matter age, ability or physical limitations is encouraged to experience the joys of sailing. 

If you have spotted the colorful sailboats on Winnipesaukee on a summer’s evening, and marveled at the beauty and grace of the boats, you likely saw the Association’s Thursday evening races. LWSA provides three pathways for kids, adults or families to participate in racing and group sailing:

A fleet of J/80 type boats sail against and with each other in single class events. Whether you are an owner of a J/80 or wish to volunteer as a crewmember on someone's J/80, there is always lots of action from spring through autumn.

The Mixed Fleet brings together different types of sailboats to sail together and race against each other utilizing a handicap system known as PHRF. Whatever type of boat you have, there is a way to join the fun.

The Youth Racing Club offers Lake Winnipesaukee racing as part of courses at the sailing school. There are also youth regattas that LWSA young sailors participate in every summer in New England, a few of which are in New Hampshire, including the Winnipesaukee Annual Regatta.

No matter your age, ability or whether you own a sailboat or not, the members and staff of LWSA urge you to learn more about the sport. There is nothing like being out on Lake Winnipesaukee on a summer’s day or a foliage-bright and sunny autumn afternoon in a sailboat.

Once you try sailing, you will surely see why, for the LWSA members and staff, the goal is to get everyone out on the water.

For information about the many programs of the Lake Winnipesaukee Sailing Association, visit www.lwsa.org or contact sailing-school@lwsa.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

Bluegrass and Mountain Music Coming to Tuftonboro

Bluegrass and Mountain Music Coming to Tuftonboro

Michelle Canning

Join renowned five-string banjo virtuoso and singer, Michelle Canning, along with award-winning mountain dulcimer player and singer, Sarah Kate Morgan, for a lively evening of bluegrass and old-time mountain music. The concert will take place at The Old White Church of Center Tuftonboro on Saturday, May 11 at 7 pm. The Mother’s Day weekend event will feature two very up-and-coming musicians in the field of bluegrass and mountain music.

Michelle Canning, originally from North Andover, MA, currently resides in Nashville, TN. Canning is known as one of the most energetic performers of bluegrass and country music. A first-rate banjo player and vocalist, Canning plays a variety of instruments, including guitar and bass. Recognized for her vibrant stage presence, she has toured several states and seven cities in the People’s Republic of China. In 2009, Canning became the youngest person and only female ever to earn the title of New England Banjo Champion. She has recorded and released two CD’s in 2015 and 2018, which include several of her original compositions. Canning studied traditional music in Kentucky at Morehead State University, where she graduated with BA and MBA degrees. 

Canning has performed on prestigious stages, including the Carter family Fold, the IBMA World of Bluegrass, Song of the Mountains and the Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour. According to Raymond McLain, Director of the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music, 2018, “Michelle Canning is one of the most diligent and creative entertainers I have known. She works hard for her audience and plays the dog out of the five-string banjo!” This will be a homecoming for Canning as she has delighted the musicians and audiences of the Tuftonboro Country and Bluegrass Jam Session with an annual visit since she was 14 years old. To learn more about Canning and listen to samples of her songs, visit https://MichelleCanning.net.

Sarah Kate Morgan, a native of eastern Tennessee, incorporates the rich musical heritage of the area into her music. Morgan’s music embodies her respect and joy of folk music. When backing traditional Appalachian melodies and haunting old-time tunes with fresh harmonies and a progressive drive, Morgan lends a new feel to seemingly “old” tunes, while accompanying pure and heartfelt vocals with the unique sound of the Appalachian dulcimer. Folk, Americana, and Old-Time roots are brought together as Morgan and her dulcimer create a subtle yet powerful sound that brings the relevant music of the past to today’s audience.

Sarah Kate Morgan

Morgan has performed and taught dulcimer throughout the southeast. Her musical journey began when she was 7 years old, and over the years, developed into her love of traditional and folk music. At the age of 16, Morgan placed third at the 2010 National Mountain Dulcimer Championships in Winfield, KS and has since won many titles, including Mid-Eastern Region Mountain Dulcimer Champion, Kentucky State, and Southern Region Champion. In 2010, Morgan’s original song “Shepherd of the Hills” received second place at the New Songs Showcase at the Walnut Valley Festival. The same year, she was awarded a concert slot at the Walnut Valley Festival, Acoustic Kids Concert as the first dulcimer player to be awarded that recognition. In 2010, Morgan recorded and released her first album, Simply Sarah, and is currently recording her second. Her website is www.sarahmorganmusic.webs.com.

The Old White Church is located on Route 109A, just across from the Tuftonboro General Store & Post Office. Everyone is invited to attend the concert. Admission is free but a $10 donation is suggested. Parking is available in front of the church, along Rte. 109A and at the General Store and Post Office. For more information, call Joe Ewing at 603-569-3861.

Don’t miss this dynamic duo and a great evening of bluegrass and mountain music on Saturday, May 11 at 7 pm.

Crafting a Forever Home

Crafting a Forever Home 

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Photos courtesy Dakota Kate Photography

What do you do when the kids are grown, and you have the house to yourselves? Might you look forward to a quieter, more sedate life?

 If you are Jerome and Jennifer Libby, you build a barn. Not just any barn where tools or vehicles could be stored. Not a place for livestock or hay. Rather, you build a big barn where you will live and enjoy your hobbies and where you can work from home.

 The barn the Libby’s have created was designed and built for their lifestyles: hard working, independent people, Jennifer a real estate agent with an on-the-go schedule and Jerome, a builder and these days, with additional responsibilities as the head of maintenance at Camp Birchmont in Wolfeboro, NH. The couple has lots of friends and family and active grandchildren who love to visit their grandparents. Jerome and Jennifer have hobbies that include hunting and doing all sorts of outdoor activities. Their lifestyle couldn’t be farther from sedate. When the Libby’s made the decision to build a new home on the rural acreage in East Wakefield NH, they wanted something that would fit their lifestyle, something personal and not a pre-packaged design. 

“Jennifer and I designed the house and barn,” Jerome says as he gazes at the rolling fields and distant mountains from the large windows in the space that will soon be their completed dining room and kitchen. Even in late winter (when this interview was conducted), with snow covering the ground, the 11 1/2-acre property is beautiful and quiet, reminding one of the history of the area. Indeed, Jerome explains that the property was once a working farm, they purchased from the Blackwood family.

Reclaimed wood in Jerome Libby's workshop

History abounds inside the home as well, in the large amount of old reclaimed wood Jerome is using for floors and walls throughout the home. The wood floors are made of King’s Pine, and average 250 years or older.

 While other people might collect antiques or coins, Jerome has been a collector of old barnboards and wood from historic homes and barns. When a friend or acquaintance calls to say they are tearing down an old building, Jerome looks over the wood and often, salvages old lumber. He always knew he would make use of the reclaimed wood someday, he just did not know how or when until he began to design the barn property that would become the home he shares with his wife and often, with their children and grandchildren, who love to visit. 

All floors in the main area of the home have reclaimed wood and it makes for a beautiful, unique style. Mellow old pinewood emits softness and fits together like a unique puzzle. One of the great things about reclaimed wood is that no two pieces are just alike. It is fun to gaze at the wood and imagine the decades of service these boards have had in barns and old farmhouses before being salvaged by Jerome.

 Within the barn home, which is a long, red board-and-batten sided structure, part of the space is for living and part for a workshop and a big garage to store Jerome’s work vehicles. In that workshop area, Jerome has at hand the stacks of reclaimed lumber. 

To the untrained eye, the wood may just seem like piles of boards. However, as Jerome singles out a beautiful pattern in a piece of lumber, or points to a board that is many years old, it is clear this wood is more than a stack of boards. It holds history and it was made, over 200 years ago, to last. Jerome marvels at the fact the wood was planed by hand at a time long before electricity and timesaving modern tools. Some beams and lumber came from a cigar factory in Massachusetts and some from homes in Alton, Effingham and in Maine. 

Because of his years as a skilled carpenter, Jerome can tell rotten wood from usable timber. He pulls a long board from a pile and show where there is potential rot that will have to be cut away. In honesty, the unskilled eye would have a hard time spotting the slightly darkened area as rot, but Jerome has worked with enough reclaimed lumber to discern any issues. 

A portion of the floor crafted from reclaimed wood

Given the square footage of the home – over, 4,300 feet in total with a footprint of 50’ x 100’ - it is amazing that skilled carpenters Bill Lessard and Bob Todd (friends) have taken the wood, and with Jerome’s help, created beautiful floors. Select walls in the living area also are of reclaimed wood and the kitchen cabinets will be faced with reclaimed pine. 

How difficult is it to find reclaimed lumber these days and what might be the challenges of using it in a home? “The biggest challenge is finding the lumber these days because more people are using it in their homes. It is a supply and demand issue,” explains Jerome. “People want authenticity and they like the wood that is reclaimed from old homes.

” Jerome and Jennifer’s home is certainly unique and one can see why the grandchildren love to visit. The design includes such unusual features as a 100-foot-long archery range on the top floor and also a cupola off the range area. The cupola has windows on all four sides and with amazing views in every direction, it is certainly a great place to be as the sun sets and the sun rises, or fall foliage brightens the landscape. 

There are four bedrooms in the home so there will be plenty of room for visiting relatives and friends and of course, those active grandchildren.

 As of press time, Jerome and his crew were finishing work on the kitchen and bathroom and some deck work is also on the list to be completed. It has been a 1 ½ year-long construction project, but Jerome and Jennifer took their time to sell their former home, move to the barn property in the winter of 2018 and craft a forever home featuring all the beautiful reclaimed wood. 

The first order of business when Jennifer and Jerome were designing their home and barn/garage was to make sure the noisier portions of the structure (the garage and workshop) would be well away from the living area. After all, who needs the noise of a truck or even a table saw when you are entertaining friends or trying to sleep? The plan works well, and the garage areas are thoughtfully separated from the main living space.

 While construction was in progress in the main living area, the couple has resided in a cozy and convenient basement-level space. It would make, in the future, a beautiful in-law living apartment and it is as far from “living in the basement” as one could imagine. A large open living area has a dining room with views of the fields. There is an open living room area and a full kitchen with leathered granite countertops. Heat in the space, as well as throughout the entire house, is a central system that will also emit air conditioning in the summer. It is a moist heat, due to the system the couple chose, and it will keep the air at a good humidity level year round.

The barn in winter

 When completed by the summer, the couple will move to the main floor and enjoy their new space. The basement level will still offer a guest room and the kitchen with modern appliances. It will be a nice getaway space for guests or family. Jennifer, a busy realtor, will also have office space in the basement level.

 Looking at the rolling fields and distant mountains, Jerome says, “This is something we always wanted to build. We want our kids and grandchildren to enjoy it too. This is our forever home. Our family means everything to us, and includes our daughters Amber, Dakota and Allison and their husbands Rob, Adam and Holden. Our five grandchildren are RJ, Gretchen, Weston, Carter and Reed (with one on the way to soon make six), love it here.” 

100 Years and Going Strong at Irwin Marine

Video Produced by: Laker.TV | Videographer: Aaron Marinel

100 Years and Going Strong at Irwin Marine

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Way back in 1919, did Jim Irwin Sr. have any idea what he was starting? When Jim arrived by train to the Weirs Beach area in around 1914, his focus and passion was music. Trumpet playing to be exact. 

Jim Irwin Sr.

Why did a musician who grew up in South Boston end up in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire? In those days, travel was slower and the Lakes Region wasn’t the tourist Mecca it is today. While vacationers rented rooms and stayed at hotels and inns in the area, fewer people had boats or would have known what to do with one if they had a sailboat or other boat. 

Jim Irwin came to the area to play music, it was as simple as that. He knew the meaning of hard work and had an eyes-on-the-prize focus. He had been working since he was a kid in the State Street financial district of Boston as an errand boy, running orders and taking messages from office to office. He saved enough for trumpet lessons and persevered. Eventually, he had the musical skills to form a band and began to play for parties and weddings. The band’s popularity grew in Boston and soon they were traveling outside the area, and found themselves north bound to Lake Winnipesaukee. Jim Irwin played on hot summer nights on the shores of the lake and people loved the sounds he created with his trumpet.

Jim Irwin and his band.

Just because Jim had gained popularity as a musician, it didn’t mean things were easy street. He was around age 25 and World War I was looming. He enlisted in the Navy, and of course, he brought his famed horn with him and low and behold, he formed a band while serving his country. His popularity grew after the war and the band played all over the East coast. But still Jim was drawn to the Lake Winnipesaukee/Weirs area each summer. It was an omen of what was to come: he did not forget the lake and the fun he had playing music there.

Jim was what we would today call an entrepreneur. Back then he might not have put such a fancy name to his strong-work-ethic personality and big ideas. It takes someone like that to succeed, and Jim was certainly a visionary. 

He saw the chance to expand in 1921 and he bought an old music hall at the Weirs. It took courage to take such a financial risk, but Jim never let a little fear stop him. 

Jim’s ability to try new things led him to promote the Weirs area, and he brought musical and other types of acts to perform during the summer. (One such act, the Wizard of the North, was handcuffed to a bicycle on steep Tower Hill and rode a steel wire into the lake, according to information on the www.irwinmarine.com website.)

Jim saw the many opportunities the Lakes Region could offer to vacationers and he wanted to bring it all to the Weirs and surrounding area. He saw the new sport of skiing as a great thing, and then he brought power boats races to the lake for weekly regattas at the Weirs. And he brought a Boston pilot to the Weirs to give airplane rides and eventually started the country’s first air mail service.

There is no doubt Jim sensed opportunities galore on Winnipesaukee. He was interested in boating and bought a boat business and a wharf. When his dance hall burned in around 1925, he had to move his dances elsewhere and the waterfront mammoth boat shed fit his needs to become a music hall. Like so much else Jim Irwin did, the choice of building the dance hall over the huge wharf was visionary. He took the property he had, instead of looking to build or buy elsewhere. He literally put the music over the water and it was an instant success. 

It isn’t difficult to conjure up images of what Jim Irwin Sr. brought to the Weirs and what he did to build the area up in those days. There were dances and top-name bands playing on balmy summer nights. There were moonlight boat rides. To this day, older people speak fondly of meeting their future spouse at an Irwin’s Winnipesaukee Gardens dance or taking a ride in one of Jim’s Miss Winnipesaukee boats. It was pure magic for residents of the Lakes Region and for vacationers.

Back in 1919, Jim started a motor boat business and he had 55 inboard motorboats of around 20 ft. each. The motorboats were one cylinder with 5 hp motors. The boats were rented for $8.00 per week in those days. Irwin’s had a fleet of row boats and a showroom offering marine fittings and motors. Irwins also started building and selling a standardized Winnipesaukee Runabout that was 24 ft. long. 

In around 1945, after World War II, Irwin Marine was built on Union Avenue in Laconia. It was a large operation from the beginning, with a boat plant covering two acres under one roof and about 40 boat wells, according to an article titled “New Hampshire Boat Company Celebrates 45th Anniversary”. 

A capacity crowd at the weirs in the early 1960s

Jim Irwin Jr. had been around boats all his life and it was natural that he work alongside his father in the boat business. When Jack Irwin got out of high school, he attended Boston College but soon the Korean War loomed. Jack and some college buddies enlisted in the Marine Corps. When he got out in the 1960s, Jack returned to the Lakes Region where his father was, of course, running the thriving boat business. It was natural for the Irwin kids, now grown up, to work with their Dad as they had always done. When most people were winding down and contemplating retirement, Jim Irwin Sr. was working in the thriving boat business. 

He told his sons that he knew there was a fortune to be made in boating. He wanted to go into boating with his sons but he warned that they would have to be willing to take on a lot of the work. Of course, they were willing and today, the Irwin name in boating, storage and cars is among the most recognizable in the area. 

It would be interesting, from the perspective of our modern-day world, to sit down and chat with Jim Irwin Sr. Unfortunately, Jim passed away some years ago, but he left a family and a legacy; his story and his work and impact on the Lakes Region lives on.

The closest we can come to speaking with Jim Irwin Sr. is to chat with his son, Jack, who has been working in the family businesses since he was a kid. Jack and his family built Irwin Marine into a multi-store operation with locations in Lakeport, Alton, Alton Bay and Hudson, NH, with lots of winter boat storage.

Jack speaks fondly of his father when recounting the Irwin story. Jack learned his strong work ethic from his father, helping out in the business from a young age. If you are an Irwin, it seems, you cannot be afraid to get your hands dirty with axle grease, your feet wet when towing boats and your outlook expanded to do whatever is necessary to get the job done.

“We lived in Laconia when I was a kid,” Jack recalls from his office at Irwin Marine on Union Avenue in Lakeport. “My Dad told me he was going to be fixing up a boat, so he needed me to drive the boat and fill it up with gas and take it back to the boat slip. It was one of the old Laker boats. I was 7 or 8 years old,” he laughs at the memory.

Certainly things were different back then in the 1930s and 40s. Boat traffic was not heavy and there were fewer restrictions on who could drive a boat. And the Irwin kids were comfortable around boats and the water, because they grew up that way. Indeed, Jack recalls that he used to swim off the Pier at his father’s Winnipesaukee Gardens.

He remembers the music at the Gardens. “We had some really great musicians like Duke Ellington and Harry James. I used to run a spotlight at the Gardens when I was a kid. The dances in the summer were Tuesday through Friday nights and they ended at midnight.”

He paints an image with words of the hard work that seemed more like play because it was so interesting and fun. (What kid wouldn’t have wanted to grow up around a dance hall and famous musicians, as well as power boats and daring acts?) 

“In 1929, we had the Miss Winnipesaukee speedboats because my Dad had the Chris Craft franchise. But then the stock market crashed and people couldn’t afford boats any longer. My Dad took back the boats that people could not afford to keep.”

Suddenly, Jim Irwin had six or seven boats and, never short of new ideas, decided he could recoup any losses by offering Miss Winnipesaukee speed boat rides at the Weirs. “They were 26 to 28 foot boats, and they were numbered; people said boat number 5 was the fastest so everyone wanted to ride that boat. People would wait in line for a ride and we ran the boats seven days a week,” Jack recalls.

Jim Irwin Sr. had been around boats since the day he stepped off the train, ready to carve out a career as a musician. He may not have known, way back then, what he was starting and how his talents would shape the area he came to call home. But he saw the boats here and there on Winnipesaukee and he heard the excitement as vacationers talked about being out on the lake in a boat.

And he likely knew that, no matter what happened, from stock market crashes to war to good times, boating was here to stay.

Bed & Breakfast Muffin and Scone Tour Coming Up in April

Bed & Breakfast Muffin and Scone Tour Coming Up in April

The Lakes Region Bed & Breakfast Association invites you to the Annual Muffin & Scone Tour on April 27 and 28 from 1 to 5 pm. The ticket price is just $10 per person and you get a lot for that price!

Imagine visiting a group of charming bed and breakfast inns and peeking inside each place on your tour. You will see beautifully decorated common areas at the inns and meet the innkeepers, and you will be welcomed at each stop with warmth and friendliness.

History will be on the agenda as well, because the inns are steeped in years and years of service as lodging facilities and many were once working farms in beautiful rural locations. Some are on or near a lake or other body of water, others in wooded settings, but all are a joy to visit.

As you make your way to see the bed and breakfast inns, you will work up an appetite, but don’t worry. Each inn will offer you delicious baked goods – specifically muffins and scones and beverages.

You will stop at the Pleasant View B&B in Bristol; the Inn on Golden Pond in Holderness; the Tea Rose Inn in Plymouth; The Lantern Inn in Laconia; the Nutmeg Inn located in Meredith and the Lake House at Ferry Point in Sanbornton. Tour participants will enjoy take-home treats at each participating B & B.

You can make it even more enjoyable by booking the weekend at one of the participating inns and receive a special package deal of 10 percent off a one-night stay or 20 percent off a two-night stay. If you book a night’s stay at one of the participating inns, you will receive one tour ticket per guest.

Those who go on the Muffin & Scone Tour will be entered to win either a one-night stay at one of the participating bed and breakfast inns or a gift certificate and basket from King Arthur Flour. Please note that in order to be entered for the prizes listed, you must visit all six participating inns listed above.

For tour ticket and information, please call Kelli at 603-968-7269. Visit the Lakes Region Bed and Breakfast Association at www.bedandbreakfastnh.com 

Visit the Blue Heron House and Trail in Effingham

Visit the Blue Heron House and Trail in Effingham

 By Sarah Wright

I love being outside in nature, whether alone or with my kids. Spring is upon us, and that means we’ll be hitting the trails again, trekking out into the woods for a much-needed dose of natural exploration. Many studies have shown that spending time in natural surroundings improves one’s wellbeing. Even Einstein said, “Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better.” You could say that it puts things in perspective. Every year, I look for new areas to explore, and this year, we’ll be checking out the recently opened Blue Heron House at Patricia & Charles H. Watts II Conservation Center in Effingham.

Photo courtesy Green Mountain Conservation Group

The Green Mountain Conservation Group celebrated the grand opening of their new home at the Blue Heron House on Saturday, July 21 of last year. Located directly on the Ossipee River in Effingham, the property of the Blue Heron House at Patricia & Charles H. Watts II Conservation Center includes the Lawrence B. and Jacqueline M. Leavitt Water Resource Center, the Jann Leeming & Arthur Little Community Room, the Stan and Gladys Brown Natural Resource Library, class room, and office space. 

The Blue Heron Nature Trail in the surrounding acres currently consists of an easy, quarter-mile walk around a vernal pool and out toward the Ossipee River. Two AmeriCorps members are currently working with The Green Mountain Conservation Group (GMCG) to help implement new trails and extend the trail system so that it loops through several riparian habitats, including the wetland and river bank, in addition to the vernal pool. Beginning this spring, the GMCG is inviting the public to volunteer and help clean up the trails, if interested. Plans also include implementing a kiosk with an interpretive map, as well as placing signs and markers to indicate points of interest and educate hikers about the natural surroundings. 

Naturally, Blue Herons have been seen flying overhead above the river, but the property is also home to native species such as the blue spotted salamander, various turtles and frogs, bob cats, black bears, and a beaver that’s already building a dam on the river. If you enjoy bird watching, sign up for the Blue Heron Bird Club and help collect data for a Cornell program called Project Cedar Watch. If you have an hour to spare, all you have to do is relax and monitor the site’s bird feeders, keeping track of the birds that you see. (Check the event information at www.gmcg.org or call 603-539-1859.) Or you can spend some time in the cozy nature library, perusing books about the natural Lakes Region surroundings, or educating yourself on topics such as land trusts. There is also a small viewing area for watching the library’s DVDs. 

The Blue Heron House is already hosting educational programs and talks, like a History of Logging presentation this past January. There is also a quarterly newsletter available and plans for summer activities oriented toward families. Upcoming events on the schedule include an Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 20 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. Participate in trail clean-up, crafts, recycled t-shirt bag making, chair decorating, and a picnic with hot dogs, veggie dogs, iced tea, and lemonade. This event is free and great for families.

Then on May 4, from 10 am to noon, join Wetland Scientist Rick Van de Poll at a Vernal Pool Ecology Workshop. This short workshop will provide an overview of vernal pool ecology, including landscape position, basin characteristics, typical breeding species, and their importance for local and regional biodiversity. Participant will explore the two-year-old vernal pool on the site for evidence of amphibians, fairy shrimp, and other macro-invertebrates that are typically found in such habitats. Get ready to get your hands wet and explore!

On Tuesday, May 14, from 6 to 7 pm, join Harris Center Hawk Watch Coordinator, Phil Brown, for a presentation about Raptor Migration. This talk will be about hawk watching in the state, raptor identification, and species’ natural histories. Phil will discuss what he has learned from observing the fall migration spectacle at Pack Monadnock Mountain each autumn for the past 14 years, as well as sharing anecdotes from the observatory and handy identification techniques. 

Come explore the Blue Heron House and its trail this spring and marvel at what was under renovation for four years, and accomplished through many volunteer hours. The opening of the property is a landmark achievement for the Green Mountain Conservation Group, and a significant expansion for their water quality program. Located just before the Maine border on the Ossipee River, it is the exit point for all the water flowing out of the Ossipee Watershed, a symbolic and beautiful venue for water education. The GMCG believes in “healthy water, healthy communities” and staff members travel throughout the Ossipee watershed areas, educating the public at libraries, and other community buildings.

The Green Mountain Conservation Group is a community-based, charitable organization dedicated to the protection and conservation of natural resources in the Ossipee Watershed in central Carroll County including the towns of Eaton, Effingham, Freedom, Madison, Ossipee, Sandwich, and Tamworth. GMCG also partners with friends across the border in Parsonsfield, and Porter, Maine through the Saco River Corridor Commission. Founded in 1997, GMCG is also a networking and referral resource for area residents concerned about land use issues in their communities. The organization encourages individual and small group activism based on common sense and science-based approaches to resolving problems. 

Support the GMCG and their work, and check out the Blue Heron House and trail, located at 236 Huntress Bridge Road in Effingham. The trail is open from dawn to dusk, and the building is open from 9 am to 4 pm on weekdays (open on weekends during events only). For more information about the group, or to check the event schedule, visit www.gmcg.org or their Facebook page. It is welcome spring by venturing out into nature. The sights, sounds, and smells of spring will nurture your soul! 

Get a Jump on Summer Activities for Kids

Get a Jump on Summer Activities for Kids

By Sarah Wright

Once school lets out for summer, parents scramble to sign their kids up for all sorts of fun activities. There are many options out there for kids of all kinds, such as summer theatre, day camp programs, parks and recreation events, and much more. Often these activities fill up quickly, so it’s good to start thinking about what your kids would like to do now, before summer arrives.

When kids are involved in summer activities, not only does it chase away the boredom blues, but kids can learn important skills like creating or crafting, and teamwork. Often these programs also boost a child’s confidence, helping them make new friends and create great summer memories. Here are just some of the exciting options available in the Lakes Region this year; plan ahead and sign up your kids early for the classes of choice.

If your child enjoys the spotlight, there are some great options for summer theatre workshops. The Winnipesaukee Playhouse in Meredith has a summer program for children ages 5 to 14, beginning in July. Campers will collaborate with a teacher and each other to create their own productions using storytelling and improvisation. They can also take beginner’s workshops in art, dance, and music. Each week features a theme and will end with a stage performance for friends and family. The Winnipesaukee Playhouse is located at 50 Reservoir Road in Meredith. For information about the camp schedule and weekly themes, or tuition cost for the program, visit www.winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org or call 603-279-0333. 

The Kingswood Children’s Summer Theatre in Wolfeboro is entering its 49th season this summer with a production of “Beauty and the Beast Jr.” Kids will meet at the Kingswood Arts Center from 8:30 am to noon on weekday mornings after the local schools close. Performances will be held on the last weekend of July. If your child is unable to commit to the entire month of production and performances, you can sign up for a special one-week enrollment where children can take part in the acting, art, singing, and dancing for the show, and see what it’s like to be part of the ensemble. For detailed information, call 603-630-7952 or visit www.wolfeboro-arts.org for updates.

As always, there are many local nature camps to get your kids outside this summer. At Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center on White Oaks Road in Laconia, campers age 4 to 14 can make awesome outdoor summer memories at the WildQuest Camp. There are different themes each week, from June 24 to August 23, with days filled with activities like animal and plant identification, arts and crafts, Quests, games, hands-on learning, a weekly all-camp project, and much more. Registration has already opened for this very popular day camp. For more information, call 603-366-5695 or visit www.prescottfarm.org.   

At Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness, kids ages 4 to 14 can explore nature and science through its Guided Discoveries day camp. Experienced naturalists and educators lead kids through the week-long outdoor adventures that run from June 24 to August 16. Kids will learn about creatures of the land, water, and air; make ceramic sculptures, learn how wild animals survive; create fantasy homes for fairies and gnomes; participate in some mad science experiments; and much more. To register or find out more about the summer program, call 603-968-7194 ext. 7, or visit www.nhnature.org. 

The Libby Museum of Natural History on North Main Street in Wolfeboro is a lovely little museum, chock full of amazing taxidermy, Native American artifacts, antique money, and old household tools, among many other interesting items in the collection. The museum’s summer program for Young Explorers age 5 to 7 is popular for its creative play, crafts, exploring in the museum, and time on the nature trail, all beside beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee. The program will be offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10 am to noon, from July 9 to August 8. Sign up at www.thelibbymuseum.org. Kids ages 11 to 14 won’t want to miss the museum’s Wilderness Skills Week, offered this year from 10 am to 3 pm, the week of June 24 to the 28. Day campers will learn important skills like fire safety, shelter building, tracking animals, identifying trees, spoon carving, and more! Register at the above link for this fun program, or call 603-569-1035. 

Are you looking for a fun experience for your kids involving boating, lake ecology, crafts, and games? Then you’ll want to sign them up for the Lake Discovery Camp at the New Hampshire Boat Museum, also in Wolfeboro, on Center Street. Session One is for kids in grade kindergarten through second, and it runs from July 22 to 26, and Session Two for grades 3 through 6 is held the week of July 29 to August 2. Both sessions meet from 9 am to noon, and will include crafts, games, science experiments, rides on Molly the Trolley, a tour of the Marine Patrol’s boat, sailing model boats with the Back Bay Skippers, the Watershed Warrior program, and a Lake Winnipesaukee boat tour on The Millie B wooden boat.

The museum also offers a Youth Sailing course for kids ages 9 to 15. Taught by a U.S. Sailing certified instructor, participants will learn the basics of sailing, boat handling, and knots—all on beautiful Lake Wentworth. For boys and girls age 12 and up, the museum provides an amazing opportunity for kids to build their own boat. From July 29 to August 9, kids will work on boat kits from 9 am to 3 pm, and can choose to build a two-person canoe, a one-person kayak, or a Bevin’s skiff. During the class, kids will use the provided tools, and learn boat-building skills from experienced staff and volunteers in a friendly environment. At the end of the 10-day session, there will be a special launch on Lake Wentworth to celebrate the completion of the boats. (Families can also choose to build a boat together from July 6 to the 14.) To register for any of the museum’s above programs, or to find out more, visit www.nhbm.org or call 603-569-4554.

Kids can also learn to sail in Gilford with the Lake Winnipesaukee Sailing Association. With sessions offered for kids of all levels between the ages of 7 to 16, top-notch instructors will teach budding sailors all the important skills they’ll need to gain confidence on the water. There’s even a Racing Club for kids who feel ready for a more independent sailing experience. Further information about the session schedule and registration is at www.lwsa.org, or call 603-589-1177. 

These are just a few of the amazing opportunities around this summer for kids of all

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. 

Fascinating, Lovely and Unique Littleton

Fascinating, Lovely and Unique Littleton

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Littleton is unique. There’s something different (in a good way) about the town. Is it the old buildings that cluster in the downtown area, seeming to crop up from nowhere in the mysterious mountains? Is it the artsy feeling that lends a creative vibe to many of the shops? Is it the variety of shopping, or the many little eateries, or simply the fact that you can find so much that would seem to belong in a larger city right in this town in the White Mountains that draws me to the area?

It is all those things – and more - that make Littleton, NH a great place to visit. I have been there a number of times; once because my daughter’s high school softball team played the Littleton high school team and my husband and I made the drive north from the Lakes Region. On that first visit, I was puzzled to see so much in a seemingly isolated area. We got off I-93, after traveling through the Cannon Mt/Old Man area and there we were, in downtown Littleton with its wonderful shops. In the outlying area of the downtown, there were some big box stores and that surprised me a bit too. 

“There is so much here,” I probably observed to my family as we toured the town. I was curious enough to make another trip and then another and another. I have seen the area in summer and winter, but on my last trek, it was a wintery day and snow flurries seemed to be the order of the afternoon.

Although this is a winter issue, the things I did and saw are just as applicable to a nice summer or autumn day because many of the shops are open year round.

The day I visited, my daughter, Megan, and I were on a typical let’s-just-get-in-the-car-and-see-where-we-end-up type of day. We started with a pancake breakfast (with real maple syrup of course!) at Polly’s Pancake Parlor in on Rt. 117 in Sugar Hill (off I-93). It is among our favorite places for the old-timey décor and atmosphere with beautiful views and incredibly delicious foods. 

After a filling feast, we decided to get back on I-93 north and head to Littleton. My daughter likes to poke around in trendy shops and I like arts and crafts, so it seemed likely we would find everything we hoped for in Littleton and we weren’t disappointed.

There is nothing like seeing the Old Man of the Mountains/Echo Lake/Cannon Mountain area and there probably never will be, in my opinion. You can get some good views of the mountains as you drive through the “Notch” area, but there are a number of places where you can get off the highway to explore the scenic sights.

Past the Notch, we drove on to Littleton and headed for the downtown Main Street. Parking is plentiful and we easily found a spot - quite close to Thayer’s Hotel, an historic, large business that has always intrigued me. As we locked the car, I told my daughter, “We’re going to explore that place before we head home today.” She gazed at the white columned inn and I saw her eyes light up with curiosity. She nodded, and said, “It does look kind of interesting.”

With no particular plan in mind, we ambled through a sporting goods store and into a bookstore with a wide variety of titles. 

We browsed around and found ourselves at the League of NH Craftsmen - Littleton Fine Craft Gallery at 81 Main Street on the Lower Level, not far from the bookstore. A friendly staff member greeted us and we were soon immersed in all the things the shop offers, all handmade with high quality.

I love the League shops and the organization because it promotes the work of NH artisans and has high expectations that all work we well made. You won’t find anything in the shops that isn’t made to perfection, from pottery to woodwork to jewelry and much more. 

Back on Main Street, we noticed there are a lot of fun shops featuring second-hand items and handmade goods. As a lover of colorful paintings, I just could not walk on by a very unique gallery/shop at 33 Main Street titled Sign of the Times Art Gallery. The owner/artist Mike Bouton was painting in the shop when we visited and he was eager to chat, telling us something of his background. He specializes in creating daring and robust depictions of inner city life. His highly interpretive works portray colorful, raw emotions from every inch of canvas. While most of his works characterize “life on the street”, they are not ‘copies’ of the action.  Inspired by the style of well-known Mexican artist Diego Rivera, every one of Michael’s creations is an original-formed in the mind and heart of the artist.

A section of the popular Just L Modern Antiques in Littleton. The shop features all sorts of great mid-century modern antiques and more.

The walls were filled with his amazing paintings, so colorful and alive they seem to beg the viewer to stop and take in all their action and hues. The gallery/shop is large and paintings fill every wall space. If you visit Littleton, take the time to stop at this gallery and chat with Mr. Bouton. Then browse the unique paintings, and maybe take home a work of art. 

My all-time favorite antique/second-hand shop when in Littleton (it also ranks my top 10 shops anyplace) is Just L Modern Antiques at 35 Main Street. The shop’s “Oh my! I remember that from my childhood!” factor is huge and the day we visited the place was busy. I was amused to see Millennials oohing and ahhing over burnt-orange upholstered chairs and avocado green dinner plates like my Mom used in the 1970s. If you want a true walk down memory lane, this is the place to come.

One of the thrills of antiques shops for me is discovering something I have not seen before. Serendipitously, I had recently come across an old newspaper article on a fabulous mid-century painter named Omer Thomas Lassonde (1903 to 1980). He lived and had a painting studio in Penacook, NH and was one of the founders in the 1940s of the NH Art Association. I am a bit fascinated with Lassonde, and imagine my delight and surprise when, upon entering Just L Modern Antiques, there were some of Lassonde’s paintings for sale on a wall. To see some of the paintings of this masterful artist was certainly an unexpected treat. There were other wonderful pieces of artwork in the shop as well.

Just some of the jars of candy at the “world’s longest candy counter”, Chutters, Littleton, NH.

There always seems to be something new at the shop, and if you collect toys or kitchenware or furniture or lighting…or just about anything from the mid-century mod era or the years before or after, this is a great place to shop. 

“We have to get candy before we leave!” Megan reminded me. It seemed a great time to take a break from shopping and stop in to Chutter’s at 43 Main Street. The shop boasts “the world’s longest candy counter” -  because the row of candy jars full of oh so many candies just seems to run on and on forever. My daughter loves penny type candy and you can fill a bag with your choices at Chutter’s, as well as browsing through the large store for all sorts of gift items and fudge and more.

Of course, before we headed back to our car, we had to stop at the Littleton Public Library on Main Street to say hello to the large statue of Pollyanna, the Glad Girl. (The author of Pollyanna, Eleanor Hodgman Porter, grew up in Littleton.) It is said if you rub your hand over the Pollyanna statue’s little booted foot, you will have good luck. For us, it’s always fun to have our photos taken standing near the statue of the Glad Girl, with her big smile and arms open wide as if to embrace the world.

We decided to peek into the lobby of Thayer’s Inn at 111 Main Street just because I had always wanted to view the hotel’s interior. It is a large inn, with big columns on the front. Inside, it was a bit like stepping into a beautiful time tunnel. Everything was very well kept and it brought to mind a classy hotel of the early 1900s. The friendly hotel worker invited us to take a look around and we were intrigued with a hallway off the lobby with old photos of such politicians as Richard Nixon, who once campaigned in the area.

Historic image of Thayer’s Hotel, Littleton, NH during the gala premier of a Bette Davis event. The name of the hotel was later changed to Thayer’s Inn. (Photo courtesy Littleton Historical Museum)

With a late afternoon appointment to keep elsewhere, we had to leave Littleton, but when we come back again, we plan to stop back in to Thayer’s Inn to learn more about the historic hotel (they also have a dining room on premises.)

There is a great deal to see and do in Littleton, and we only scratched the surface. In the future, we will return and mosey around down by the riverfront area, and make a stop at the wonderful Littleton Historical Museum on Union Street in the Town Building/Opera House to see their exhibits is also on our to-do list. Indeed, this town in the mountains is full of wonderful, entertaining surprises and well worth a visit no matter the time of year.

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.

Snowmobiling Trails…and a Little Snowmobile History

Snowmobiling Trails…and a Little Snowmobile History

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Snowmobile trails in NH

With 7,000 miles of snowmobile trails throughout the state, it’s easy to see why snowmobiling is one of New Hampshire’s most popular winter sports. Those who enjoy snowmobiling look forward to high snow totals because they know the trails in the White Mountains are some of the best around, with the opportunity to experience the beautiful scenic vistas that make New Hampshire so naturally wonderful. 

Whether you are new to the sport or an experienced rider, here is some basic information about snowmobiling in New Hampshire. Be aware that snowmobilers can only ride on trails designated and signed as a snowmobile trail. While there are a number of trails on state owned or managed land that are maintained by the New Hampshire Bureau of Trails, the majority of trails are on private land. The well-maintained snowmobile trails that everyone enjoys in New Hampshire are due to an enormous volunteer effort by the snowmobile clubs throughout the state. Without these dedicated, hardworking volunteers, snowmobiling in New Hampshire wouldn't be the sought after sport that it is. It is essential that snowmobilers respect the land. While you don’t have to join a club to use the trails, being a part of a snowmobiling club is a good way to meet others who are passionate about the sport and to learn more about it. 

Riding on ACTIVE railroad tracks is illegal and extremely dangerous. Riders should not operate along, within, or across active railroads. Railroads that become snowmobile trails are signed open for winter use and are listed below.

A statewide corridor snowmobile map (maintained by the New Hampshire Snowmobile Association) can be accessed at www.nhstateparks.org by clicking on “snowmobiling” under “activities.” For information and updates, call New Hampshire Bureau of Trails at 603-271-3254. The corridor map provides an overview of New Hampshire’s trail system. Maps for the trails maintained by each local club can be obtained on a club’s website or by contacting the club directly. A list of clubs can also be found on the state parks website. Keep in mind that your snowmobile must be registered when operated anywhere other than your property. Registrations can be obtained in person at authorized registration agents throughout the state. You can also get one at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Headquarters, or by calling Fish and Game at 603-271-4300. If you belong to a club, you’ll pay a discounted registration fee. 

Here are suggestions of trail systems in the White Mountains, listed according to which club maintains the trails. 

The White Mountain Snowmobile Club is a non-profit organization, founded in 1970. They maintain the trails in the Lincoln-Woodstock area, located in the heart of the White Mountains. The trails include a wide variety of riding terrain like mountains, ponds, railroad beds, and fields. Their main trail is Corridor 11, which allows access to many of the areas most popular lodging and dining establishments. For further information about these trails, visit www.whitemtsnowmobileclub.org.  

Twin Mountain Snowmobile Club at www.twinmtnsnowmobile.org has a large network of beautiful trails, with updates posted on their website. The club is a non-profit organization that maintains and grooms the snowmobile trail system just north of Franconia Notch in NH. Corridor 11 passes thru our town with scenic White Mountain views within the national forest. The clubs’ volunteers are dedicated to snowmobiling and ensuring a great place to ride. 

The White Mountain Trail Club is a small club whose goal is to provide an integrated trail system that can accommodate the needs of private, public and business interests while promoting a good community relationship. Volunteers spend over 400 hours per year clearing, grooming and maintaining the trail system; there are now approximately 50 miles of trails open to all types of use. While the group is rooted as a Snowmobile Club, over the years they also to recognize and support all outdoor enthusiasts. The vast majorities of the trails are on state or federal land and through responsible and respectful use will provide all users a way to enjoy nature at her finest. Please keep in mind that there are others on the trails, some using skis or snowshoes and perhaps even dog sleds; please pass safely and courteously. Obey all trail signs including speed limit and Closed Trail signs. Be aware of and stay off Cross Country Ski Only Trails. View a map of trails or check for trail updates at www.whitemountaintrailclub.com.

Some NH Snowmobiling History

While times have changed, trails are many and snow machines are sleek, modern and fun to ride, snowmobiling has evolved over the years. When did snowmobiling begin in earnest in NH? According to www.nhsa.com (NH Snowmobile Association), the new form of recreation began in about 1959 in the state. It didn’t take long for the sport to gain popularity, and people of all ages were soon giving this new form of winter fun a try. 

Soon, snowmobile clubs formed. An umbrella group formed in around 1969 with a meeting at Christmas Tree Island in the Lakes Region. Some of the early clubs that had formed attended the meeting, along with many individual snowmobilers. Soon, the NH Snowmobile Association was formed. 

Historically, it is believed the first over the snow machine was built in about 1909. It was 10 feet long using and track design, a “one lunger engine” and it steered.

Virgil White, an Ossipee, NH Ford dealer invented an early machine. He created a track and ski unit that could be converted for a Model T Ford. White was the first to use the word “snowmobile”.

White got a patent for an attachment to convert the Model T into a snowmobile. He put it on the market in the winter of 1922. He knew it would have a chance of gaining in popularity in a snowy state such as NH where winters were long and snow made travel from place to place quite difficult.

The conversion units were sold exclusively through Ford dealers and revisions and improvements were made over time. Country doctors and postal mail carriers found the snowmobile very helpful in their jobs. Now they could reach remote homes and areas that might have been cut off due to deep snow; lives were saved (and probably many babies delivered at home!) due to the snowmobile.

However, sales were not as good as White and the Ford Company had hoped for and manufacturing rights were sold to a Wisconsin company. They sent reps to run a factory in West Ossipee, where until 1929 they made about 3,000 units a year. The company closed its door in 1929 and a fire took the factory. 

This was only the beginning of snowmobiling. While some years lagged before it became a full-fledged, highly popular sport to sweep the country and beyond, by the early 1960s it was back on the scene. It didn’t take long for snowmobiling to become the wildly popular pastime it is today.

If you are a fan of snowmobiling history, visit www.nhsnowmobilemuseum.com for a wonderful look at old snowmobiles by Polaris, Yamaha and more. The museum is located at the Bear Brook State Park Museum Complex. You may also call 603-722-7069.

Recycling and Creating Beauty at Simple Sacks NH

Recycling and Creating Beauty at Simple Sacks NH

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Photos courtesy Simple Sacks NH

If you live a house or apartment, you have furniture. If you have furniture, you likely have an easy chair or a sofa. And if you have a chair or sofa, it is covered with fabric. It stands to reason the fabric has to be a bit thicker and more durable than mere cotton or another material of which a shirt or dress would be made. Usually, that material is upholstery fabric.

When it comes to upholstery fabric, the sky is the limit. Colors and patterns and fabric textures vary greatly, because the tastes of the buying public vary as well. Your home might have a muted color scheme and you want a quiet, patterned fabric for your sofa. Or you might prefer a brighter color palette or a certain pattern, such as stripes or a floral design.

What does all this mean? The furniture we purchase in stores often have upholstery fabric samples galore. You have probably seen such samples, which are swatches of various fabrics in an array of colors and patterns, held together on a single large circular clip or hanging from a display wall in a store. 

Styles and tastes change with the seasons and each successive year, and it that, upholstery samples come and go. But most people have no idea what becomes of all those samples once they are no longer needed. Sadly, the fabric often ends up in landfills, because it can’t be used for much, once it has outlived its display floor usefulness. 

That is where Eileen Russ and her business, Simple Sacks NH, come in. Eileen has found a clever, beautiful and functional way to repurpose all those fabric samples, creating gorgeous handmade bags of all kinds and sizes. 

With a studio in North Conway, Eileen has a lot of upholstery fabric that finds new life in bags that have become extremely popular with customers far and wide. 

“Furniture stores keep upholstery fabric samples for about six months,” she explains. “Then the fabrics get thrown out.”

Eileen is originally from Watertown, Massachusetts, and she has a Master’s degree in creative arts and learning. She worked with children in after-school programs where arts and crafts were part of the agenda. Her sister had moved to Bartlett, NH and 20 years ago Eileen felt it was time to leave the city as well and relocate to a quieter, more rural area. 

Working in an after-school program, Eileen was looking for art supplies for student projects. She went to furniture stores asking for donations for children’s projects. A furniture store responded with a call saying they had a lot of fabric and would she be interested in it?

“A friend, Cheryl Hurst, and I got our hands on a windfall of upholstery fabric and leather and started experimenting making bags,” Eileen recalls. Working with fabric was nothing new to Eileen, because she had previously made and sold laundry bags. 

In order to get a true sense of the beauty of upholstery fabric, just imagine a rainbow of textures and patterns and colors. Now imagine having all those fabrics at your fingertips, ready to be repurposed into handbags and other items. For someone like Eileen, who is creative and has a knack for sewing, it must have been a dream come true.

“I now have about five furniture stores that call me when they have a couple bags of fabric and I go pick it up,” she says. It makes her very happy, and provides the material she needs for making bags, and the furniture stores feel good to have found a new use for the material rather than tossing it out.

According to Eileen’s website, www.simplesacksnh.com, “After a year of cold calling furniture stores around New England, we now have furniture stores calling us to come and collect their fabric samples. It’s a blast collecting and organizing beautiful fabrics with such a variety of colors, textures, weights and designs. Each fabric is really one of a kind. There’s one for every personality. It is a good feeling for the furniture stores, our customers and us to know that we are all doing our part to support the recycling and conservation effort that is vital to our environment.”

Because she had the sewing machines anyhow (she had used them previously to make laundry bags), it wasn’t necessary to purchase any new machinery to make bags once Eileen saw how popular her products were with the buying public. She had in her studio an industrial sewing machine with the capacity to do single stitch, serging and double stitching.

Her first foray into making bags was a small purse and her first attempt at selling bags was participation in an artisan fair. She quickly came to see that the events were a great way to get started and her purses and other bags made from the recycled upholstery fabrics were a hit from the start. But doing fairs, setting up a tent outdoors in the summer and carrying all the products got to be tiring. Now, Simple Sacks of NH does three fairs a year, all great events for displaying and selling the bags. 

Stores around New England sell the bags, and there are a number of locations in New Hampshire where shoppers can find the handmade bags. Eileen also has a website where products can be ordered.

A lot of the stores that carry Simple Sacks products have the small purses and coin purses, always popular with customers. Fields of Ambrosia in North Conway is one location that Eileen says carries her bags, as well as Flossie’s General Store in Jackson, NH. 

Eileen saves fabrics with moose and bear designs for bags she makes for Flossies, because she says is seems to be a store where customers love moose products!

The bags are all one-of-a-kind and made with a high degree of quality.

Eileen is picky about the construction and makes the bags to last. “I have a personal relationship with every bag I make!”

Photos courtesy Simple Sacks NH

Construction is key, and customers like it that all the purses have zippers and all the bags are lined. Originally, Eileen was using shoelaces for ties on the big totes, but that morphed into flaps with a button closure over time. 

Clearly, nothing is as exciting for Eileen as getting a call that a furniture store has a few bags of fabric to give her (and when she says “bag” she means a garbage bag size not a grocery store sized bag). Once she is back in her studio with the fabrics, she sorts them by dark, light, summer and fall styles of fabric. Samples vary in sizes, such as a 17 in. wide by 24 in. tall piece of upholstery fabric that could be used to make a tote if Eileen likes the colors and pattern. “Or I might use it for lining a bag. I’ve been getting really good fabrics.”

One feature of Simple Sacks that Eileen finds particularly fulfilling and fun is working with a client who knows with a color scheme in mind. If someone calls and says they saw one of Eileen’s bags on the web, but that customer has specific colors, for example, blue and black, Eileen will send photos of fabric in those colors and the customer can pick and choose whatever fabrics they want. Then, Eileen gets to work making a bag in the material the customer hand-picked.

Another great thing about Simple Sack products is that, because the fabric is donated, Eileen is able to keep her prices very reasonable. If she had to go out and purchase the fabric, prices would rise accordingly. 

Because Simple Sacks reuses the fabrics, the furniture stores no longer have to feel bad about tossing out upholstery fabrics that would end up in the landfill. Eileen has the satisfaction of knowing she helped the recycling effort while creating bags and bringing something useful and beautiful to customers. And customers reap the benefit of being part of the recycling stream, and buying a bag at a reasonable price. 

The next time you find yourself in a furniture store, you might take a second look at the rich textures and colors of upholstery fabric samples. Imagine, for just a moment, those fabrics finding new life and purpose when Eileen takes such materials and creates handbags, coin purses and all sort of bags that brighten and bring pleasure to the lives of all those who purchase a Simple Sack.

(For information and to view products, visit www.simplesacksnh.com or call Eileen at 603-356-4138. If you would like to visit the studio or you have fabric samples to donate, please call ahead to make an appointment to visit Simple Sacks NH in North Conway.

You can find Simple Sacks of NH products at Flossie’s General Store at 12 Main St., Jackson, NH; Cardigan Mountain Country Store at 231 Lake St. in Bristol, NH; Fields of Ambrosia at 13 Norcross Place in North Conway village; Just Naturals & Co. at 176 S. River Road in Bedford, NH and the Willey House on Rt. 302 in Crawford Notch (from June to October).

The White Mountain

The White Mountain 

For 365 days in 2017, experiential writer Dan Szczesny focused on Mount Washington. He dug deep into its history and followed the trails of people who left the mountain but still found inspiration in it through their pursuits, their character and idiosyncrasies. (Barbara Wilson photo)

By Barbara Neville Wilson

Mount Washington. Just by name, New England’s highest peak, is royalty—or at least as royal as we claim in a democratic society. Looming against the sky, often crowned by white clouds or snow, it is a destination difficult in the doing, but rewarding in the done. 

Since Darby Field ascended it twice in the year 1642, “bagging” its peak has become a goal for many. And in true American fashion, it inspires people to reach its heights for a broad variety of reasons and huge diversity of way.

For 365 days in 2017, experiential writer Dan Szczesny lived Mount Washington. In researching his book The White Mountain: Rediscovering Mount Washington’s Hidden Culture, he reached its peak countless times by foot, by SnoCoach, by car and by Cog Railway. He dug deep into its history and culture. He lived in its Weather Observatory. He interviewed its lovers. He followed the trails of people who left the mountain but still found inspiration in it through their pursuits, their character and idiosyncrasies.

Of course, you probably already know the peak is home to the Mount Washington Weather Observatory where the world’s highest surface wind speed, 231 mph, was recorded by man. But do you know the human story behind it? Szczesny tells us weather observer Alex McKenzie, who recorded that speed in a wooden hut literally chained to the mountain, was near-certain he would fly off the mountain in the cabin that memorable night in 1934. Afterwards, he attributed the cabin remaining intact not to the chains, but to the inches of ice accumulated on the cabin by the storm that formed the Big Wind. 

You may be aware that the nickname of the Cog Railroad is the “Railway to the Moon.” But do you know that the name was given it in derision when Sylvester Marsh proposed the idea to New Hampshire lawmakers? Plans had hardly been drawn up by the NH native son, and at the time one of the nation’s richest men, when he went before the New Hampshire Legislature with a model of his novel engine and asked for a state charter to build a cog. Not believing his outlandish idea would ever come to fruition, representatives granted his request laughingly, with one quipping that the state could as well “let him build a railway to the moon.” They were shocked when he fulfilled his charter and subsequently sold him a 99-foot corridor up the mountain for a total price of $91.50, just $19.50 more than the cost of a single round-trip ticket today. 

Perhaps you’ve heard of records set in the ascent of Mount Washington: by auto, by bicycle and by foot. And you also may have heard of contests that called for descent of the high mountain: teenagers who raced the Cog locomotive to the bottom and in the winning earned the huge prize of …ice cream sundaes. Or the annual winter race to the bottom organized by the “Paul Bunyan of the East,” Joe Dodge, in which Appalachian Mount Club workers were challenged to reach his front porch first by any means necessary. Stories are told of sleds screaming down Tuckerman’s Ravine and wily paths through unexpected terrain.

But it’s likely you have no idea that every year Mount Washington hosts an event specifically for people to create new entries in the Guinness Book of World Records. It’s called Alton Weagle Day, after a native son who claimed dozens of records on Mount Washington, including that he climbed it 531 times—“That would be once a month, every month, since he was one month old,” reports author Szczesny—and that he once pushed a wheelbarrow full of sugar up the mountain without once letting it rest. Every year in late May, competitors attempt to set records while traveling the 7.6 miles of the Auto Road and ascending the 6,288 feet of Mount Washington. Contestants have dressed like the Cat in the Hat and Thing One & Thing Two; jumped up the mountains on a pogo stick, and juggled while on a unicycle. Szczesny garnered his own spot in the Guinness Book by reading Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass aloud while walking the length of the road dressed in 19th century garb.

The White Mountain: Rediscovering Mount Washington’s Hidden Culture is a well-researched, thoroughly entertaining collection of facts and trivia, heartwarming stories, reflection, and almost-unbelievable connections between New Hampshire’s high peak and the development of a region, a state, and the nation. And it includes a grand bonus: author Dan Szczesny is as thorough and entertaining in his promotion of the book as he was in the writing of it. Last year he lived Mount Washington. Now he is sharing The White Mountain with audiences all over the state.

In his presentations, Szczesny is intent on bringing his audience along as he recounts his adventures, introduces fascinating people, and encourages his guests to share their own stories of the White Mountain that shapes our state. To find out where you can find him next, go to www.danszczesny.com and follow him on his Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/yearonwashington.

Winter Fun at Tin Mountain in Albany

Winter Fun at Tin Mountain in Albany

By Sarah Wright

Tin Mountain Conservation Center is a beautiful place to spend a day exploring the woods. My family enjoyed a wonderful hike there in the fall, and saw a lot of colorful foliage on display. However, with the temperatures dropping, many people retreat indoors, and miss out on the beauty of nature in the wintertime. 

Winter camp activities

Tin Mountain Conservation Center at The Rockwell Sanctuary, located on 138 acres of rare plant conservation land on Bald Hill Road in Albany, offers some great winter programs as well as a fun, winter camp for kids. The Nature Learning Center serves as a gathering place for the community, with year-round programs that foster natural science education and community awareness. There is also a fully preserved barn on the property, circa 1800, an extensive trail system, a four-acre pond, numerous unique plant species, and a small granite quarry that was active from 1885 to 1890. Mark your calendars now for these upcoming winter activities.

Learn about Winter Bird Ecology on Thursday, December 6 at 7 pm. Brush up on your winter bird identification in this review of local winter bird field marks. You’ll also get some bird feeding tips for the upcoming winter season. The information will be especially useful for this year’s Christmas Bird Count! 

Join the staff of the Conservation Center for the Owl Prowl on Saturday, December 8 at 7 pm. Explore the Rockwell Sanctuary in the dark to see “whooo” is out and about on a mid-winter’s night. The program will begin indoors with a brief presentation on local owls and their adaptations before the group heads out to the trail to listen for owls and other nocturnal animals. Reserve your spot today by calling 603-447-6991. Dress warmly for this nighttime walk.

This year’s Christmas Bird Count will take place on Saturday, December 15, all day. Participate in the 30th annual North Conway Christmas Bird Count by tallying the birds at your feeder. Observers are also needed for traveling routes by foot, cross-country skis, snowshoes, or by car. At 5 pm, meet back at the Nature Learning Center to tally up the counts and share stories from the day! Call 603-447-6991 to participate. 

Explore the Geology of the Presidential Range and learn about its bedrock history and ancient tectonics. On Thursday, January 17 at 7 pm, Dr. Dykstra Eusden, Professor of Geology at Bates College and author of several books on the topic, will show there is a lot to discover about the snow-covered White Mountains. 

On Thursday, January 24 at 7 pm, learn about the Bears of Katmai! Katmai National Park is a spectacular four-million-acre national park and preserve, located on the Alaskan Peninsula in southwest Alaska. Katmai is famous for its geology, salmon, and the world’s largest protected population of brown bears, estimated at around 2,200. David Govatski will discuss his visit to the region and share information about how other adventure seekers can plan a trip to a remote region like Katmai.

Kids enjoying Tin Mountain's winter camp

Kids will have tons of fun at Tin Mountain’s Winter Camps, offered in February during the school district’s winter vacation. The day camp programs are for children in kindergarten through the 6th grade, and the programs provide campers with an opportunity to learn outdoor skills like building snow shelters, identifying wildlife tracks in the snow, looking for winter birds, snowshoeing, and playing games. All camps are conducted on Tin Mountain’s 138-acre Rockwell Sanctuary on Bald Hill Road. Registration forms are available online through www.tinmountain.org, or call 603-447-6991 for more information. Here are the topics for the upcoming Winter Camps:

Kids in grades 1 through 4 can explore Winter Art on Tuesday, February 19 from 9 am to 3 pm. The possibilities for the day include snow sculptures, sketching, and winter watercolors, as some of the ways to enjoy art indoors and out. Dress warmly and bring a lunch. Craft materials, snowshoes, and hot cocoa will be provided. 

Kids in grades 2 through 6 can join the team of CSI: Tin Mountain Winter Edition on Wednesday, February 20 from 9 am to 3 pm. A wildlife “crime scene” has been discovered in the forest! The kids will be the detectives to crack the case, while learning about winter plant and animal adaptations and tracking skills. Dress warmly and bring a lunch. Hot cocoa and snowshoes will be provided. 

Young children in kindergarten through grade 2 can sign up for Wonderful Wildlife on Thursday, February 21 from 9 am to 3 pm. Kids will discover the wildlife of winter as they follow tracks through the snow, observe winter birds, and search for other signs of wildlife written in the winter landscape. It’ll be like a winter treasure hunt. Dress warmly and bring a lunch. The Center will provide snowshoes and hot cocoa. 

Do your kids think they have what it takes for Winter Survival? Older kids in grades 4 through 6 can test their skills on Friday, February 22 from 9 am to 3 pm. Learn the basics of staying warm in the winter and find out how to light a fire, build a snow shelter, or boil water for cooking to survive the winter cold. Dress warmly and bring a lunch. Snowshoes and hot cocoa will be provided. 

Tin Mountain Conservation Center is located at 1245 Bald Hill Road in Albany. To find out more about the organization, including information about its other properties, visit www.tinmountain.org or call 603-447-6991. 

New Hampshire is beautiful year-round. Don’t let another winter pass by while you huddle indoors.  Explore the natural beauty of the wonderful winter landscapes all around us. It’s an experience you won’t forget.