Yesteryear Little Towns

Yesteryear

Little Towns

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Tuftonboro, Sanbornton, New Hampton, New Durham, Potter Place and many others. These are historic towns located around the Lakes Region. Most have been around since before and after the Revolutionary War. Some explorers settled in the area and clusters of homesteads grew to become villages. However, some outposts stayed tiny and never grew to become larger towns.

One such town is New Durham, located on the outskirts of the town of Alton. Originally called Cocheco Township, the land was settled by a group of seacoast area residents who asked Mason Grant proprietors for acreage; in 1750 the land was mapped and auctioned off. 

According to The History of New Durham by Ellen Cloutman Jennings, the town was settled in 1748 when Captain Jonathan Chesley and Ebenezer Smith drew up a document staking their claim. Soon, the land was divided into grants, with a lot reserved for the “first minister of the Gospel”. Nearby, land was set aside for a church and meetinghouse, a school and cemetery. The town was incorporated in 1762.

Although men from New Hampshire’s seacoast region took many land lots, few of these landowners settled in New Durham permanently. It was a remote area and dangerous, due to unrest between the newcomers and the native peoples who had inhabited the land for generations. 

Eventually, as the conflicts ended, people came to the New Durham area to settle permanently.

Travel north from the town of Bristol on Route 3-A, and you will pass through Bridgewater, a small town near Newfound Lake. At one time, Bridgewater was part of New Chester (later to be renamed Bristol.)

 Long before explorers settled in the wilderness around Newfound Lake, native peoples lived on the land. According to Newfound Lake, by Charles Greenwood, before the lake was named Newfound, it was called Baker's Pond or New Found pond. After the granting of the township of New Chester, the lake was called New Chester Pond for many years.

The land was fertile and hunting and fishing plentiful. When the first settlers ventured into what would later become the town of Bridgewater in the 1750s, they discovered a pastoral, beautiful area.

The early settlers secured a tract of land containing over 20,000 acres. That property, located west of the Pemigewasset River, became New Chester, later divided into the towns of Bridgewater, Hill and Bristol. 

It would, however, be years before anyone settled in the Bridgewater region. As with much of central and northern New Hampshire, travel was abandoned during the French and Indian War. 

In the late 1760s, the war had ended. Settlers returned to the New Chester territory, and were the first to settle permanently there. Today summer homes and cottages dot the landscape of Bridgewater, but the early men likely saw forest when they began to build. It remained a sparsely settled area for many years. 

Another small community founded in the 1700s was Sanbornton. It began in 1770 as a town, but its history goes back to 1748 when 60 men petitioned King George II for a township. Mildred Coombs wrote in “Sanbornton N.H. 1770-1970,” that 80 lots were drawn with the area named “Sanborn Town” since at least 12 of the original grantees had the last name of Sanborn. Each man had to clear three acres, build a house, and live on that land for six years. According to early records, by 1768 there were 32 families in the area. In March of 1770, King George III granted a petition to incorporate the community with the name Sanbornton.

Near Wolfeboro, New Hamphsire, the village of Tuftonboro includes Melvin Village, Mirror Lake, Tuftonboro Center, and Tuftonboro Corner. Interesting to note, the town is the only one to have once been owned entirely by one person, John Tufton Mason (the community was named for him). The town was incorporated in 1795.

John Tufton Mason inherited the claim to the undivided lands of northern New Hampshire and in 1746, he sold it for 1,500 pounds. The sale was to a group of Portsmouth businessmen. They saw a chance to prosper and made grants to prospective settlers after the American Revolution. The town of Tuftonboro was mapped out to be six miles square, with about 23,000 acres. Today, Tuftonboro is a charming community, with a population of second-home owners and year-round residents.

Near the Newfound Lake area, the village of New Hampton has an interesting history. It was granted in 1765 by Governor Benning Wentworth. New Hampton started out with the name Moultonborough Addition. It had this name because the town moderator was Colonel Johnathan Moulton, a much respected man in the village. In 1777, Mr. Moulton changed the name of the community to New Hampton. (Perhaps he was a modest man, and did not like having a town named for him?)

In 1821, the New Hampton School, which was a Free Will Baptist institution, was founded. The school continues today as a private preparatory institution. Other interesting information about New Hampton includes the fact that the New Hampton Fish Hatchery was founded in the town. It is the oldest fish hatchery in the state. 

Potter Place is in a quiet, tranquil setting near Webster Lake and Franklin. It is a hamlet of the town of Andover. It is known for Richard Potter, Potter Place’s namesake, a man unlike anyone Andover farmers and villagers had seen when he arrived there in the early 1800s. He was a famous magician and a skilled ventriloquist. He stood apart for his fame in this hamlet of New Hampshire, but what set him apart most of all was the fact that he was a Black man. Potter, whose mother was a freed slave of a British seaman, lived in Boston. His childhood was difficult, and he signed on as cabin boy on a British ship at a very young age.

The ship carried him to England, where he soon realized his dream of becoming a circus performer. Potter toured around Europe, and became famous to the entertainment-loving Europeans. The circus taught him many things, among them how to perform magic tricks and ventriloquism.

When Richard returned to America, he continued his career as a magician, and part of his act was performed with his wife, Sally. Potter was welcomed in entertainment-starved Andover when he stopped to perform there on his New Orleans to Quebec schedule. All who saw his show were thrilled by his magic and ability to control his voice without moving his lips. He was a powerful performer and offered a glimpse into the bigger world of European actors and artists. 

As he continued to tour around country as a performer, Richard remembered scenic Andover and its friendly people. Eventually he bought a large amount of land in the town, although his work kept him from living there permanently. However, he built a house near what would later become the Potter Place Railroad Station.

The tiny hamlet of Potter Place is not really a town, but as part of Andover, it is a place steeped in a most unusual history.

Fourth of July Celebrations Around the Lakes Region

Fourth of July Celebrations Around the Lakes Region

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

The Fourth of July is fun. Adults love it and so do kids. Whether you are celebrating the holiday from your Lakes Region boat, deck, cottage or year-round home, this is the place to be for fireworks, parades and concerts for good, old-fashioned fun. Celebrate the birth of our country at these many holiday events.

Celebrate America at the 4th of July Weekend Craft Fair at Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford on July 2 and 3. Hours are Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm both days. There will be over 90 exhibitors with such items as handsome cedar wood furniture, hand painted glass/metal/wood/mushrooms, resin art, gourmet oils and vinegars, chocolate truffles, pressed floral art, NH maple syrups, hand poured soaps, soy candles, several jewelry styles, quilts and quilted wall-hangings, homemade blueberry sauces, charcuterie boards, children’s chalkboard mats, pet portraits, unique macramé furniture, alpaca products, wildlife photography, custom signs, amazing baked goods, and more. There also will be live music with North River. The fair takes place rain or shine under canopies. Admission and parking are free. Friendly, leashed dogs are welcome. Call Joyce at 387-1510. Gunstock is located at 719 Cherry Valley Road in Gilford.

Center Harbor starts the holiday with the Annual Footrace on July 4; register starting at 7:15 am in front of Town Hall at 36 Main Street. For questions and registration information, email parksandrecreation@centerharbornh.org.

Later in the day in downtown Center Harbor, see the town’s parade at 2 pm, with a theme of “All American BBQ.” The parade line-up is at Chase Circle in the downtown Center Harbor area at 1:30 pm. Enjoy wonderful fireworks over the harbor at 9:15 pm, after a 7 pm concert at the town bandstand. Visit www.centerharbornh.org. for details.

Many people say Ashland has the best fireworks display around. The town celebrates Independence Day with this year’s theme of “Live Free or Die”. The festivities kick off on July 2 with a movie in Ashland’s park at 8:30 pm. On July 3 there will be a Freedom 5K Race with 7 am registration at Todd Randlett Trucking located at 382 N. Main Street in Ashland; the road race starts at 8 am. From 2 to 5 pm, there will be Touch a Truck at the Freudenbrg lot and a live broadcast by Mix 94.1 FM. Bring your appetite to a Food Truck Festival from 2 to 5 pm at the Ball Field and from 4 to 9:30 pm there will be a concert at the park. (Get race information and registration at Ashland NH Independence Day Celebration on Facebook.) The day ends with fireworks on July 3 at 9:30 pm. 

On July 4 there will be the annual pancake breakfast at 7 am at the Common Man Restaurant on Main Street in Ashland, and the parade starts at 10 am. If you plan to be in the parade, arrive at the Ashland Fire Station on Mill Street between 8 and 9:30 am. The parade begins at 10 am and ends at LW Packard Ball Field. After the parade there will be a flag raising ceremony by the American Legion. A cookout will be offered from 9 to 11:30 am at the Ashland Community Church. Visit Ashland NH Independence Day Celebration on Facebook for more information.

Laconia’s celebration will be on July 3 with a Laconia Independence Day Celebration at Opechee Park on North Main Street. There will be events during the day and evening with family games, live concert music, and an evening fireworks display. 

Laconia will also have a parade on July 3 starting at 4:30 pm from Laconia High School on Union Avenue and ending at Opechee Park. Call the Laconia Parks and Recreation Department for details at 524-0521.

Hop aboard the M/S Mount Washington on the Independence Day Dinner Cruise on July 4 from 7 to 10 pm. Enjoy a dinner buffet and patriotic entertainment while the Mount takes in fireworks around Lake Winnipesaukee. The cruise takes place rain or shine. For more information and reservations, call 366-5531 or visit www.cruisenh.com. 

Moultonborough has an outdoor concert on July 6 with Tom Bartlett at the Moultonborough Function Hall Gazebo located at 139 Old Rt. 109 at 6 pm. The concert is free, and everyone is welcome. Bring a picnic meal and a lawn chair and enjoy the music. 

If you like books and dream of being in a place where you can find books galore, head to the Moultonborough Public Library’s Summer Book Sale with a preview on July 8 from 6 to 8 pm. The sale will run on July 9 and 10 from 9 am to 3 pm. The library is located on Holland Street. Call 476-8895.

Alton Bay is a great place to take in the fireworks. On July 3 come early for a concert at the bandstand by the water in Alton Bay (bring a lawn chair for seating). The concert will feature the Thursday Afternoon Band playing classic and modern rock music from 7 to 9 pm. Fireworks light up the sky on July 3 beginning at 9:20 pm and are quite a beautiful sight. (Fireworks rain date is July 7.) Call 875-0109.

Wolfeboro’s Independence Day celebrations begin with a Boat Parade on July 1 at 5 pm in Wolfeboro Bay; call Goodhue Boat Company for information at 569-2371.

On July 1, the Wildlife Adventures Animal Show takes place at 2 pm at the Wolfeboro Library on South Main Street in Wolfeboro. The Wooden Nickels Band plays in Cate Park from 5 to 9 pm. Visit www.facebook.com/Wolfeboros-4th-of-July-Festival for information.

July 2 brings a 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament from 9 am to 9 pm at Foss Field, sponsored by Kingswood Athletics in Wolfeboro. 

The Wolfeboro Lion’s Car Show will be held on July 2 from 11 am to 2 pm at The Nick, 10 Trotting Track Road in Wolfeboro. The event will be a lot of fun, with free admission. It is a no-classes, non-judged show and all cars and motorcycles are welcome. Also offered at the show will be concessions and a food truck, 50/50 raffle, and door prizes for participants. Call 651-6598 for details.

On July 3, bring your appetite to the Masonic Lodge Breakfast Buffet from 7 to 11 am at the Morning Star Lodge #17. The lodge is located at 35 Trotting Track Road in Wolfeboro. Call 569-4637 for information. Music will play at 2 pm and 4 pm at the Cate Park bandstand in Wolfeboro sponsored by End 68 Hours of Hunger. 

The Fourth of July in Wolfeboro kicks off with a Reading of the Declaration of Independence by Jon Shaer at 10 am on the Town Hall steps. 

Wolfeboro’s big parade on July 4 starts with a 10 am line-up at Old Lakeview Terrace and proceeds down Main Street to Crescent Lake Avenue. The rain date for the parade is July 5 at 10 am. (On July 4, there will be no parking along Main Street from Clark Road to Old Lakeview Terrace between 7 am and noon for the purpose of the Independence Day parade.)

Fireworks will light up the sky on July 4 at dusk over Wolfeboro Bay. Before the fireworks, enjoy the Cate Park Band from 6 to 9 pm in the Cate Park bandstand. 

Ongoing weekend events in Wolfeboro include festival headquarters at Dewolfe Field, Brewster Academy near downtown Wolfeboro with information about all happenings. A Girl Scout Troop #2271 Story Book walk is free and offers a self-guided walk along Bridge Falls Path to the Wright Museum. An art show by Governor Wentworth Arts Council will take place from June 27 to July 6 and is free. The show will be at the Wolfeboro Inn at 90 North Main Street in Wolfeboro. A Ladies of the Lake Quilting Guild Quilt Show will be held from July 1 to 3 and is free at Wolfeboro Town Hall’s Great Hall. A free, self-guided Wolfeboro Parks and Recreation scavenger hunt will have directions available at the Wolfeboro Town Hall, and at Parks and Recreation and Legion Festival Headquarters. The Abenaki Water Ski Club will practice daily in Back Bay, weather permitting from 8 am to 1 pm and at 4 pm/sunset each day.

Call 569-2200 for details or www.wolfeboronh.us/parks-recreation.

The town of Wakefield has a fun Fourth of July event planned for July 2 at the Wakefield Ballpark Complex at 1488 Wakefield Road. The celebration runs from 6 to 10 pm, with fireworks in the evening. For information, call Wakefield Parks and Recreation at 522-9977.

Bristol will present a number of July 4 events, with a theme of “Celebrate Country Living”, starting on July 2 with a boat parade at the foot of Newfound Lake at 1:30 pm with prizes. Boat line up is 1 pm.

Also on July 2, fireworks at light up the sky at dusk at the foot of Newfound Lake. 

On July 4, a Firecracker 5K Road Race starts with 8 am registration in Bristol. At 8:30 am, the road race begins. (Get race information at www.newfoundfitnessnh.com.) The 4th of July parade will start at 10 am in the downtown area. 

On July 5, the Bristol Summer Concert Series will feature the Morgan Nelson band at 6:30 pm in Kelley Park. Bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating. There will be refreshments by Bristol Fire Company. For all event information visit www.townofbristolnh.org.

The 4th of July in Meredith promises to entertain with the famous Rubber Ducky Race at 4 pm at the Mill Falls Marketplace in downtown Meredith, where you can try your luck at winning a prize. Call 527-8114 for race details. Fireworks light up the night sky over Meredith Bay at 9:15 pm on July 4. Call the Meredith Chamber of Commerce at 279-6121.

Weirs Beach will have fireworks at 11:59 pm on July 3. Spend the evening at Weirs Beach for music, food and fun all over the boardwalk area. 

Ossipee will hold the town’s annual Old Home Week (which kicked off on June 25). An Evening with Spirit Mediums Sara Moore and Kathleen Stone from 7 to 8:30 pm on June 27. Tickets for the Spirit event will go fast so please purchase and get information at 539-1307.

Corn Hole Games will be June 28 at 6 pm at the gazebo in Center Ossipee. Call 339-222-1548 for information.

On June 29, an Ice Cream Social at the gazebo in Center Ossipee will take place from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. This is a free event, but donations will be accepted. June 30 will bring a talent show to the gazebo in Center Ossipee at 6 pm. The event is free, and if there is rain, it will move to Ossipee Town Hall. 

At Ossipee Town Hall on July 1, the entire family will enjoy Wild Encounters at 5:30 pm. The event is free of charge.

Get together with friends and family on July 2 at the Ossipee Area Community Center, located at 26 Moultonville Road in Center Ossipee from 11 am to 4 pm for a family picnic/barbecue and games. The event is free.

 Ossipee’s July 4 starts with a parade at 10 am, followed by music and fireworks in Constitution Park from 6 to 10 pm. The rain date is July 5. For details on events, visit www.ossipee.org.

If you love the mountains, head to Waterville Valley for 4th of July fun. On July 2, there will be live music with Rhythm Method Trio from noon to 3 pm at the Town Square gazebo, and more music from 6 to 9 pm with Diversity Duo. Bring everyone to the Family Carnival on July 2 from 11 am to 3 pm at Packard’s Field for inflatables, music, relay races, a dunk tank, tie dye, mini-golf and more. The event is held rain or shine. 

On July 4, Waterville Valley will have a parade at 11 am, and festivities during the day. Live music and 4th of July fireworks end the celebration. Visit www.waterville.com for details.

Tamworth Family Day happens on the 4th of July in Tamworth Village starting at 8:30 am for a day of celebration and activities for people of all ages organized by the Tamworth Recreation Department, the Family Day committee, the Cook Library and Tamworth Distillery.

First up is the Cook Library’s Ordination Rock 5K race on July 4. You can get information by calling 323-8510 or register from 7 to 8 am on the day of the race at the Brett School. The race begins at 8:30 am at Ordination Rock and goes through the village.

The Annual Tamworth 4th of July Parade starts at 11 am at Depot Road, and will go through Tamworth Village. 

Following the parade, the village will be full of fun things to do. The Starlight Honeys will play music behind the Tamworth Distillery from noon to 2 pm. Games and activities for kids will run from 11:45 am to 2 pm in Remick Park, to the right of the Congregational Church, with an obstacle course, face painting, art projects, bubbles, and water play.

Games for all ages on the History Center lawn will include ping pong, badminton, corn hole, and more. Group games will happen on the long lawn behind the Distillery, including an egg toss, silly races, Ultimate Frisbee and more. In front of The Barnstormers Theatre, you can have your fortune told by Marion & Miranda Posner. Food vendors will offer burgers and hot dogs, ice cream sandwiches, lemonade, popcorn, fried dough and more in front of Remick Park. Activity schedules will be available during and after the parade.

Come back in the evening to the Brett School for a concert by the Jonathan Sarty Band at 7 pm, with food vendors, and fireworks at 9:30 pm.

For more information or if you’d like to help out on the 4th, email Tamworth Recreation Department Director Dan Beauregard at tamworthrec@gmail.com or call 677-6490. You can also contact Amy Carter at amy@tamworthlibrary.org or phone 323-2392.

At the NH Farm Museum, history abounds, and an old-fashioned 4th of July offers fun for the entire family. The museum is located at 1305 White Mountain Highway/Rt. 125 in Milton. The farm has a historic farmhouse, barn, gift shop and farm animals.

The Farm Museum has a Fourth on the Farm event on July 2 from 10 am to 4 pm. The day will feature a reading of the Declaration of Independence, strawberry shortcake, old-time craft demos and more. Call 652-7840.

Whether you’re taking in a celebratory 4th of July parade, watching the colorful firework explosions in the night sky, or enjoying a bandstand concert, there’s no better place to be on Independence Day than in the Lakes Region.

Interesting Museums to Explore by Motorcycle

Interesting Museums to Explore by Motorcycle

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

If you are in the Lakes Region for Bike Week and perhaps new to the area, you might want to know about some great and unusual places to visit during your stay.

Did you know there is a castle high atop a mountain, open to visitors to tour? Or a museum focusing on life during World War II? How about a museum in a beautiful brick mill that interprets, right down to the huge water wheels, how people worked in days gone by? Perhaps you would choose to visit a peaceful place where a religious group lived and worshipped for many years?

These are but a few of the wonderful museums and attractions in the area you can visit while here for Bike Week (or anytime during the season).

Starting with the historic Belknap Mill on Beacon Street East in downtown Laconia, you can tour the first floor of the 1823 former mill building. You will learn about when and why the mill was built, how it served as a textile business, what machinery was used, and a lot more.

According to information at www.belknapmill.org, the 1823 mill began operation by 1828, and replaced a wooden mill owned by Caniel Avery and earlier, by Stephen Perley. Investors who operated mills in Lowell, Massachusetts, replaced the original building with an industrial structure that was modern in its day. Lowell was a major place for big mills in those days, and the Belknap Mill copied a mill built in 1813 in Waltham, Massachusetts. The Waltham Mill was first in America to complete the whole textile manufacturing process, from raw cotton to finished cloth, in one place. 

The Belknap Mill was constructed of brick in a post-and-beam style. Wooden columns support the open floor plan, and exposed joists (horizontal beams) support the floors and ceilings. Multiple windows and the “double roof” provided natural light before the days of electricity. A waterwheel originally powered machines for weaving cloth, and it is the gigantic wheel in the Wheelhouse of the Belknap Mill that will amaze visitors today.

The historic Belknap Mill is the only remaining example of such a structure. While other such mills have been destroyed or altered over time, the exterior of the Belknap Mill remains unchanged. The bell in the tower was cast by George Holbrook, an apprentice to Paul Revere. 

The Mill has a knitting machine exhibit, a Powerhouse exhibit, and the building itself is well worth stopping by for a tour. Added to this, there is a first-floor gallery with changing art exhibits. On select Friday evenings at 6 pm, Rotary Park, next door to the Mill, has free outdoor concerts. Bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating.

For information on open hours of the Belknap Mill, call 603-534-8813 or visit www.belknapmill.org.

If you are in the area for Bike Week, a stop at the Northeast Motor Sports Museum at 922 N. Route 106 in Loudon (near the New Hampshire Motor Speedway), has a lot to offer visitors. The museum is a gem and has exhibits of helmets, engines, vintage racing attire, trophies, and cars. It also has memorabilia from the days of racing – both car and motorcycle – gone by.

A fundraiser for the museum will take place on June 12 when the AMA sanctioned Gypsy Tour starts at Laconia’s Motorcycle Week Rally Headquarters on Lakeshore Avenue in Weirs Beach. Sign-ups for the Gypsy Tour start at 9 am and leave the Weirs at about 10:30 am on June 12. The tour is a police-escorted ride from Rally Headquarters in Laconia to the museum/Speedway. 

For information about this fun museum, visit www.nemsmuseum.com or call 603-783-0183 for hours and admission prices.

A castle on a mountaintop with unsurpassed views? A place built by a rags-to-riches early 1900s entrepreneur. Hiking trails and a meal in a café with patio dining? All this and more are available to the public at Castle in the Clouds on Rt. 171/455 Old Mountain Road in Moultonborough.

Enjoy a ride from Weirs Beach on Rt. 3 to Meredith and on to Rt. 25 to the Castle. Once up the mountain road, you will find plenty of parking and a short walk to the Carriage House where you can see the yearly exhibit interpreting life at the Castle during the original owner, Thomas Plant’s, day. Purchase tickets to tour the Castle and take a trolley up, up, up the road to the mansion.

Once at the Castle, tour the interior of the beautiful estate, where Thomas lived year round with his wife, Olive. The home was quite inventive for its day, with household devices installed to make the servants’ lives easier and more productive. The exterior of the estate, with incredible views, is one you will not easily forget.

The grounds are extensive, and you can hike on trails and have a meal at the Carriage House Restaurant or grab lunch at the handy Café in the Clouds building for a light lunch and for course, ice cream.

The Castle is open Thursdays through Mondays from 10 am to 4 pm. For information and a schedule of events, visit www.castleintheclouds.org or call 603-476-5900.

There is no doubt World War II will remain in the memories of many people and the stories of that harrowing time have been passed down through the generations. To see the stories told through artifacts, old photos and stories, plan to visit The Wright Museum of World War II at 77 Center St. in Wolfeboro.

The Wright Museum is unique and unforgettable. The collection is extensive, and cover the years from 1939 to 1945, when the war began and raged, right up until the end of the conflict. With over 14,000 items in the collection from both the home front and the battlefield, visitors get to see how people from all walks of life – movie stars, average families and of course, the soldiers fighting for our freedom, lived during those years. There also are fully operational military vehicles, and the size and scope of the vehicles bring to life how the battles were fought.

This year’s special exhibits include Saturday Evening Post Covers from 1941-1946: The Art of Mead Schaeffer, Norman Rockwell, and Friends. The exhibit runs through June 22. 

Next up is the exhibit Let Me By Myself: The Life Story of Anne Frank. The show runs from July 1 to October 31. If you plan to be in the area beyond Bike Week, and here on July 1 or thereabout, visit the life-sized pictures of Anne’s world during the war.

Along with exhibits, visitors can take in lectures, special events, and more. There is plenty of parking at the museum, and after a tour, plan to have lunch or dinner in Wolfeboro. There are many restaurants, some with lakefront views. Visit www.wrightmuseum.org or call 603-569-1212. The museum is open daily during the summer and fall.

Do you like boating and a variety of boats from the early days to the present time? While in Wolfeboro, stop by the New Hampshire Boat Museum at 399 Center Street for a step back in time when boats were wooden, finely crafted and a pleasure to see and ride in comfort. 

The museum began in 1992 when a group of antique boat lovers wanted to preserve and share the heritage of boating on the state’s waterways. In 2000 the museum found a home and it is a place for displaying exhibits and offering boating workshops each summer season.

You will like the exhibit space, which is in a big barrel-round roofed structure once part of the Allen A Resort. When you visit, you will walk into a huge exhibit space with beautiful antique wooden boats, old photos, and boat replicas on display. You also will get in on programs and workshops, and you can book a ride on the museum’s Millie B, which is located and offers rides at the Wolfeboro Town Docks. The 28-ft. mahogany, triple cockpit “woodie” is a replica 1928 Hacker-Craft, accurate down to the seat colors. Riding in the Millie B, you will experience the golden age of boating, when such boats ruled freshwater lakes.

Visit the museum at www.nhbm.org or call 603-569-4554.

If you want to spend a few hours, or an entire day doing something completely different, visit Canterbury Shaker Village at 288 Shaker Road in Canterbury. You will feel the peace and quiet the moment you walk onto the grounds of this special place. The community was started in 1792, when the followers of leader Mother Ann Lee started the seventh Shaker gathering place. The religious group remained in existence for 200 years. When the last living Shaker sister, Ethel Hudson, passed away, it began operation as a museum (in 1992). 

As you tour the grounds and see the beautiful buildings, you will be amazed at the breadth and scope of the peaceful village, where at one time an astounding 300 people lived and worked. There were many buildings and about 3,000 acres at the Canterbury Shaker community, all dedicated to living peacefully and following a religious system of beliefs. It was their generosity to “the world’s people” as they called outsiders, that set the Shakers apart. Not to mention their fine craftsmanship of everything they made, from Shaker baskets to woodworking and the construction of their buildings.

You can tour the village, learn how the Shakers lived, shop in the Village Store, and feel the peace and quiet of the special place. There also are guided tours from Tuesdays through Sundays; visit www.shakers.org for information or call 603-783-9511.

Old Time Entertainment in the Lakes Region

Old Time Entertainment in the Lakes Region

By Kathi Hopper

In the olden days, entertainment was a rare treat for those who lived in rural New Hampshire. Perhaps that is the reason area clubs were formed. The local musical concerts, dances and social gatherings sponsored by social clubs, granges and businessmen were eagerly anticipated in the 1800s and early 1900s.

By Lake Winnipesaukee, in Alton Bay, entertainment was offered to those vacationed in the area. The movies – first silent and then talkies (talking movies) or roller skating, or the luxury of listening to a live band made summer seem magical.

Alton Bay Pavilion, once a popular dance hall

The original (Alton Bay) Pavilion was built in the 1920s and it was at this spot that vacationers could enjoy an evening of dancing or other entertainments. The original Pavilion burned in the late 1920s, and a new building was constructed, with dancing still very popular. Big bands, some well-known and others just starting out, played the Pavilion, such as Count Basie and Tommy Dorsey. 

By the 1940s, roller skating was added. Roller skating was extremely popular at the time, and you could skate morning, noon or in the evening at the Pavilion. 

Everyone – Bigs Band musicians to locals to tourists – enjoyed a meal or snack at the Victoria Pier, located not far from the Pavilion. The Pier had a little gift shop and coffee shop, with a marble counter where ice cream was served. 

At Weirs Beach, summers were relatively sedate, but that would soon change when James Irwin Sr. arrived. As a band musician from Boston, Irwin wanted to play in a New Hampshire band at Weirs Beach. As well as being a musician, Irwin could see the area had possibilities as an entertainment center. 

By the 1920s, Irwin created a music hall where he played with a band. It was popular and brought entertainment to vacationers and local people. After a fire destroyed the building, a new dance hall was constructed and became very popular at Weirs Beach. The hall was named the Winnipesaukee Gardens. Big name bands – including the Glenn Miller Band, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and many others - played at the Gardens each summer. Visitors enjoyed dressing up for a night of music and dancing to Big Bands and later, rock’n roll music at the Gardens. 

Along with big names in entertainment, local musicians offered shows via social clubs. In the central New Hampshire towns of Northfield and Tilton, many groups were formed solely for the purpose of entertainment. As early as 1840, a band was organized in Northfield, to furnish music for old-time trainings and musters. The band also, according to the “History of Northfield”, “enlivened gatherings of its members and friends.” No matter what the season, the band also was committed to serenading newly married couples.

The Tilton/Northfield Cornet Band began in 1850 at Sanbornton Bridge. The leader and founder of the band was Alonzo Bond of Boston, with musical aid from another local musician.

In the Christmas season in 1885 another club was started. It was fitting the club began in the season of goodwill and peace, and the group was initially called “Friendship.” 

Friendship Grange, as the group came to be known, started out with 17 charter members who met in an old brick church commonly called the Northfield town house. It is interesting to read in the “History of Northfield” that the most prosperous year for the club in the 1800s was when the only woman to hold office, Mrs. Maude W. Gilman, presided in 1899. 

Over the years, the Friendship Grange enjoyed programs relating to home life, farm life, social and ethical society, dramas, and songs. On the Grange’s 10th anniversary - December 26, 1895 - a celebration took place although the weather was bad. Rain fell in torrents and the wind was fierce. However, two neighboring granges battled the elements to come to Northfield for the celebration. 

In more seasonable weather, many successful fairs were held on the Franklin and Tilton Driving Park grounds, made possible by the interest and donations of Charles E. Tilton, the wealthy local man who gave much to the area. The park grounds were fitted with all the requirements to produce a great fair, and the first event was held by the grange in September of 1886. The grange fair was huge for its day, with the governor of New Hampshire, Hon. Moody Currier, presiding. Also present were the governor’s council and staff, Senators, and members of Congress. Politicians attended such events in the hopes of gathering votes, and many candidates for governor socialized at the fair.

It was surely a great event for the towns of Tilton and Northfield, and the festivities ended with a meal and reception given by Mr. and Mrs. Tilton at their mansion. After the noontime reception, the distinguished guests were escorted by Rublee’s Band, to the fairgrounds. At the site, political addresses and speeches were given. In the evening, the Tilton grounds and the charming village were brilliant with illumination; cannons boomed, lights burned and those who witnessed the event never forgot its splendor. The exhibits of cattle, horses, sheep, swine, poultry, and farm crops were many, while in the domestic department, the ladies offered many items for display.

The Grange continued the fairs for the next 13 years, with a reputation of being a showcase for farm displays and providing entertainment. 

In the late 1800s, social events could be rare in such small rural towns as Northfield and Tilton. Yet, residents seem to have made their own fun by starting clubs devoted to music, charitable works, and farming. One such club was the Union Picnic Association, which started in the summer of 1875. Locals Mrs. W. C. French and Willie Keniston invited friends to a scenic, shaded grove on the bluff east of the railroad station at Northfield Depot. There the group had an entertaining social gathering, with literary exercises, music, and abundant food.

The event was a success, and another picnic/social was held later in that same season. Word spread about the event, and many people came from all parts of the towns to attend. A table of 130-feet in length held the weight of 90 loaves of frosted cake and other foods. A brass band entertained the group, and there was a squadron of horses.

The owner of the grove saw how successful and entertaining the outdoor event was, and generously granted use of the site. Seats and stands were erected, and meetings were held there for many years. During the warm weather months, ministers, doctors, lawyers, and Congressmen gave rousing speeches on a variety of subjects. Local talent was also given a chance to flourish, with Sunday schools giving musical concerts.

The third year of the picnic was notable, with 1,000 plates filled from the 100-foot table. The Laconia Band gave a concert, and it was hard to decide which was more impressive: the band’s music or the enormous cake served at the picnic.

While men were organizing fraternal clubs, women’s clubs came into their own in the late 1800s. The Tilton and Northfield Woman’s Club was organized on November 16, 1895, with 33 charter members. The object of the club was to establish a social center for united thought and action and at the same time, to investigate and discuss the many questions pertaining to the club, and to the community and the world at large; lofty material in an age when women were encouraged to be decorative and not much else.

In the first years of the club, local women gave presentations on a wide range of subject matter. The club meetings were a chance for women to meet socially on a year-round basis, and were popular for that reason, as well as the worldly topics covered. Soon, membership grew, and outside talent was made available.

Musical nights were a high point of social entertainment for the local Woman’s Club, and a “gentleman’s night” brought husbands into the meetings now and then. From the “History of Northfield”, it was written, The Club “was acknowledged to have broken down many of the old walls of church and class prejudice and been the occasion of pleasant and profitable friendships.”

From picnics to Grange fairs to Woman’s Club meetings and famous bands and dancing, old-time entertainment brought the larger world to the Lakes Region.

Wonderful Lakes Region Wineries

Wonderful Lakes Region Wineries

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Wine has been around for centuries. It was a popular drink in Europe as early as 4,000 BC. In the early days of winemaking, grapes were placed into big vats and crushed with the feet of workers. The juices were collected and fermented, and wines was the product. 

Exterior of the winery at Whiteface Hollow, Tamworth.

Italy was one of the first, but not the only place, to make wine. Egypt made wine around 3,000 BC. Many countries made wine and the popularity of the beverage spread through trade around Europe and as far away as China.

Over the years, wine making was done everywhere and became a drink in America as well. Interestingly, it was not until the 1970s that wine gained the popularity it enjoys today in this country. Grapes were always referred for winemaking, but now other fruits are used as well.

Wine tastings have become quite popular, and the Lakes Region of New Hampshire has some wonderful wineries with tastings, offering a variety of wines made on-site.

In the Newfound Lake area, Crazy Cat Winery, owned by Claudette Smith, is located at 365 Lake Street in Bristol. “We offer over 36 wines,” Smith says. “Those include rose, reds, white wines and dessert wines.”

Crazy Cat Winery started when the Smith family moved from Virginia to Bristol in 2017. After finding an appropriate property with room for the business, Smith’s husband began to make wine. “He has been a wine maker since his college days. He started out by brewing beer and hard cider and then expanded to winemaking. We took it to a commercial level in 2016,” Smith explains.

When asked what her favorite Crazy Cat Wines would be, she says the dry red wines, such as Stormy Skies and Bull on the Hill. 

Crazy Cat has a tasting room, so visitors can learn about and sample the variety of wines made at the business. “We also serve entrees, salads, soups, stews, paninis, and desserts, all freshly made,” Smith says. “Our charcuterie boards are popular, and we also do wine slushies. We are starting to offer fondues as well, but those must be reserved ahead of time.”

Crazy Cat Winery also has art classes, crafting events and hopefully, according to Smith, line dancing and pop-up yoga classes this summer.

Why the name Crazy Cat Winery? “We adopted a cat when we lived in Virginia,” Smith explains. “He was the craziest cat. Sadly, he passed away and we now have two resident cats.” 

For hours and information, visit www.crazycatwinery.com or call 603-217-0192.

Hermit Woods Winery, located at 72 Main Street in Meredith, is among the most popular wineries in New Hampshire. Owners Bob Manley, Ken Hardcastle and Chuck Lawrence got started making wine at Manley’s home in Sanbornton. They became friends over a shared interest in winemaking, and their knowledge of wines grew. “It started as a summer through fall and a weekend activity,” says Manley. “We quickly grew out of that space, and we needed to expand. We bought the Meredith property in 2014.”

Manley says Hardcastle has taken the craft of winemaking to the level of artistry, garnering the business respected reviews. Oprah Winfrey named Hermit Woods Winery as one of the top things not to miss if visiting New Hampshire, and USA Today voted the winery the fourth best tasting room in America.

Says Manley, “We make our wines from whole ingredients, produced at 72 Main Street.” One of Hermit Woods most popular wines is Petite Blue Reserve, made with 100% low-bush blueberries from a farm in Maine. 

According to www.hermitwoods.com, “Hermit Woods Winery is a small boutique winery. We strive to make wines of the highest quality with the greatest emphasis on locally grown fruit and raw honey. We have a small organic vineyard, and we work closely with local farmers and pickers to find the best possible fruit, ideally organic, to make our wine. We make our wine available in our tasting room and local wine shops and restaurants in our surrounding communities.”

Some of the wines include Apple, Crabapple, Blueberry, Mead, Kiwi, Peach, Pear, Blackberry, Elderberry, and various blends of all the above. These are just a few of the many varieties of fruit the winery produces. They seek to identify the depth and breadth of fruit that can be found in abundance in the local community and make the best wine they can from it.

Manley says his favorite Hermit Woods wine is the one that is in his glass. His choice of wine is attributed to the season, the music he might be listening to, the people he is socializing with, etc. “We try to have favorite wines for each occasion,” he adds.

Wine tasting at Hermit Woods Winery.

Offering about 35 wines, Hermit Woods makes the wines on-site at their 72 Main Street, Meredith location. Hermit Woods offers wine making tours for six or more people. 

Soon, there also will be a new patio on the front lawn for outdoor dining. The business name will be changing to reflect exactly what the winery is: Hermit Woods Winery and Eatery. Says Manley, “We are more than just a deli, and our restaurant offers farm-to-table foods. We have also launched The Loft at Hermit Woods, a listening room experience. It will offer a live music series on Thursday nights, 52 weeks a year. We will have artists from all over the country performing here.” The first show will be on May 19, with Wangari Fahari, a Kenyan singer, writer, and founder of The Fahari Brand. Visit http://hermitwoods.com/events/list for a schedule.

Hermit Woods wines also are widely available at NH State Liquor Stores, small wine shops and Hannaford. Visit www.hermitwoods.com, or call 603-253-7968 to learn more about the many offerings at Hermit Woods and about their popular tasting room and tours.

Gilmanton is steeped in history and beauty. It is the site of the Gilmanton Winery, which makes fruit, white, rose and red wines, according to co-owner Marshall Bishop. (His wife, Sunny, is the other owner.)

“We learned to make wine by reading a lot and listening to others; we have been making wine for about 13 years,” says Bishop. He continues, “We make all the wine here, and we have a vineyard with about 854 grape vines.”

Gilmanton Winery is beloved in the area for not only their wines, but also for their weekly Sunday Brunch. Once a month, they serve dinner, and will offer a Murder Mystery event on June 4. “We also cater to parties on the property,” Bishop adds.

With a wine tasting room and events, the winery is a busy place. Asked what his favorite wine might be, Bishop says, “I like our Green Apple Wine and white wine and fruity wines. Sunny likes a red wine we have called Jack the Ripper.”

The winery property has an interesting history and was once the home of the author of “Peyton Place”, famed writer Grace Metalious. For more on Gilmanton Winery, visit www.gilmantonwinery.com or call 603-267-8251.

In Tamworth, Whippletree Winery is located at 372 Turkey Street. Owner Lauren Barrett has an interesting history with winemaking. “I did not like wine; I found it undrinkable. As a retirement venture, I decided to create some wine that was friendly to the palette. I discovered there is a niche around wineries if the wine is smooth and balanced.”

Using new world wine making methods with old world chemistry, Barrett made delicious wine that changed her opinion of the drink. With at least 30 wines in a variety ranging from rose, white, red, and fruit wines, Whippletree is a popular spot for wine tastings. Barrett says Whippletree has a wine for everyone, from sweet to off-dry to dry wines.

Barrett explains that different wines age at different times. Depending upon what one wants for a result, production and aging times vary. 

The tasting room at Whipple Tree has been in operation for seven years, seating about 50 people for indoors and 50 people outdoors with a great view of the Ossipee Mt. range. Along with the wines that are popular with customers, Whippletree serves cheese and crackers, and guests can bring their own food if they wish. 

Barrett’s employees are trained and very knowledgeable. They understand the wines and how they are made. When a person comes for a wine tasting, it is almost like a wine consultation, and it is a friendly, relaxed experience.

Barrett says her favorite wines are dependent upon the season and the job the wine needs to do. “For example, if I am sitting on my deck at home and I have just mowed by lawn, I might want a lime coconut wine. It would be a different wine for an Italian dinner, for example My favorite wine is the one that does the job best for the situation.”

Barrett does wedding wine consultations and is a wedding wine planner. Whippletree also offers custom wine labels and gives advice about the pairing of wines. Visit www.whippletreewinery.com or call 603-323-7119.

Beautiful Whiteface Hollow Farm has a rich history. Says John Ferreira, who owns the property with his wife, Jennifer, “In the early 1800s both on this farm and in nearby fields in the area, farmers cultivated native grapes to produce wine. If you look closely, you can still see some remnants today from that era on our venue.”

The first vineyard beds at Whiteface Hollow were prepared in the fall of 2017 with the planting of 1/4 acre the following spring: an expansion in the spring of 2020 brought the vineyard to nearly 1/2 acre. Seven cold hardy grape varieties, four red and three whites, were selected from the University of Minnesota’s and Elmer Swenson’s special viniculture grape breeding programs for their ability to produce superior tasting, medium and full bodied aromatic wine that can grow and mature in the New England climate. 

Ferrera continues, “We have a fantastic micro-climate for cultivating hardy wine grapes; our hilltop location is perfectly situated and receives all-day sunlight throughout the growing season. The hilltop was carved by glaciers, a unique area between the White Mountains and Lake Winnipesaukee and provides fertile soil and an environment for hardy grape varieties to thrive. It typically takes three to five years for vines to mature and produce a ‘good’ harvest suitable for high-quality wine production. 

“Whiteface Hollow took our first harvest from a portion of the vineyard in the fall of 2021, and we currently have four varieties that are aging well. We plan to begin bottling the very first vintage sometime in the summer of 2022. Most of our wine will be sold directly to guests at the venue.” (Whiteface Hollow Farm has become extremely popular since the Ferreira’s transformed the farmhouse and barn into a beautiful wedding/event venue.)

“One-hundred percent of the wine is grown, made and bottled on the property,” says Ferreira. “The wines are handcrafted in small batches. We do not import grapes from elsewhere.”

 John Ferreira is the winemaker at the boutique winery. He was self-taught and took some courses. He speaks highly of the New Hampshire Wine Association, where there are good learning opportunities.

He says, “The Winery building has a Tasting Room and large patio for intimate, year-round gatherings and events. It is our intention to open to the public mid-weeks in the future.”

Visit www.whitefacehollow.com for information or call 603-409-7028.

Capturing – and Preserving - History

Capturing – and Preserving - History

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Photos courtesy Zechariah Boodey Farmstead Committee 

Many people do not know the Free Will Baptist religion began in the parlor / home of New Durham’s Zechariah Boodey. This, among other things, is the reason a group of local citizens are working very hard to preserve the Boodey Farmstead. 

If Zechariah Boodey, who was born in 1745, could see the work the present-day Zechariah Boodey Farmstead Committee is putting in to save the historical gem, “He would, I think, be very proud,” surmises committee chairperson, Cathy Orlowicz.

The project, when completed, will provide a permanent home for the farmstead. The home is a good example of a post-Revolutionary War farm and gives us an idea how people in the area lived long ago.

The idea for the project was planted when Cathy was an assistant to Eloise Bickford, New Durham’s town historian. It was Eloise’s dream to see the old Boodey farm preserved for the future, largely because of the 1780 Free Will Baptist history that took place there. 

In 2006, the home was donated to the town of New Durham by the Ferguson Family Trust. By the terms of the trust, the Boodey home would be donated but it had to be moved from the location. Rather than see the building lost, the committee and town representatives decided to dismantle the house and have the structure moved, and that is how the project began. A barn was gifted to the town in 2018, for the project. The barn was in Alton, once known as New Durham Gore. The addition of the reconstructed barn, and replacement of the log cabin and ell, with the Cape house, would restore the farmstead to its original layout.

When completed, the homestead will be reassembled on another property in New Durham where it will be used for private and community events, and for small weddings and other celebrations. 

With the approval of the New Durham selectmen, two acres of land at the corner of Berry Road and Stockbridge Corner Road have been chosen as the site. 

Dismantling the Boodey house took about a week, and it was not an easy task. The home was built in 1769 but had been unused since the 1950s. When the committee began their work, the rooms were empty, and some sections had severe rot. But it was dealt with by experts and everything from the Colonial period was saved as well, such as a lot of floor joists and timbers. The style of the house was a timber-frame Colonial Cape.

“We also dismantled the central fireplace,” explains Cathy. “The home had three working fireplaces and a beehive oven. We also found things in the basement, such as pieces of old pottery and wood molding and windows.”

All this suggested to the committee what the house had been like in its days as a working farm. In another stroke of luck, Boodey descendants found old family photographs of the homes’ interior. The gave a glimpse at what the home had once been like, with finished woodwork and wallpaper.

The dismantled homestead is now in storage trailers at a secure location, waiting to be reassembled when fundraising is completed. 

“We hope to create a museum in the house to share New Durham’s history and for educational purposes,” Cathy says. “Also, events and activities could be held for such things as weddings. The facility could address the town’s space needs for meetings and voting.”

The plan is to reassemble the rustic barn first and to put in parking, making the historic property perfect for today’s popular rustic barn type of weddings and events. 

The philosophy of the committee and others is to respect and hold onto our past. “We believe we do not need to flatten pieces of our past,” Cathy says. “Our motto is ‘Preserving the past to support future needs’ and we have pride in our community.” The homestead project is the perfect example of that belief. It is hoped the committee will have raised the funds and a groundbreaking will take place in about two years. Rental fees from the barn as an event venue will help with the money needed to complete the project. 

Once reconstructed, the building will be used as a house museum for educational purposes and a function hall for meetings and events.

“Our plan is to do it in phases, and we know it will be easier to take it in pieces versus trying to do it all at once,” Cathy explains.

The committee answers to the board of selectmen of New Durham. The farmstead is owned by the town, as is the property it will be erected upon. 

But what of the Boodey family and their history? Zechariah was born in Madbury, New Hampshire in 1745 and he relocated to New Durham. At that time, the French and Indian War had ended, and it was safer to settle in the more remote areas in New Hampshire. 

Thus, Zechariah obtained 140 acres in New Durham and built a log cabin there. It is likely other family members settled on the property or nearby as well. Zechariah’s brothers, Joseph and Robert, were friends of Elder Benjamin Randall, the man who organized and began the Free Will Baptist Church. 

Randall started the movement because he felt a person did not need to earn their way into heaven but rather that it was a choice. He broke away from the more organized Baptist religion and articles of the new church were signed in Zechariah’s New Durham house in 1780. 

One can only marvel that the Free Will Baptist religion began in the tiny local community of New Durham and grew to be worldwide. Cathy says some leaders in the religion have made the trip to the homestead to honor the original site where their church began.

As a local farmer, Zechariah and his wife, Mary, stayed on the property their entire lives. Zechariah was well known in New Durham and served for many years as a selectman. He was part of the town when it began and as an older man, he probably had many stories to share about the history he remembered. 

When Zechariah passed away in 1821, the family continued to live at the home. His son, Joseph, who was born in the log cabin on the property, was then the head of the Boodey family. Eventually the property passed to daughters who summered there and the 1950s was the last time the home was lived in on a full-time basis.

All this rich history underscores the importance of saving the homestead and reassembling it to bring the past to others. A fundraising effort that is but one of many to see the project to fruition is a cookbook. “It was an idea of a committee member who had always wanted to have a local cookbook,” says Cathy.

Last spring, the committee researched the costs for printing the book and sent out a call seeking recipes from the community. Although most of the recipes are from the current time, the cookbook’s sections are divided with local historical photographs. The cookbook is titled “Hometown Cookery” and is published by The Zechariah Boodey Farmstead Committee.

“In November, there is a craft fair in New Durham, and our goal is to have the cookbook back from the printers so we can sell copies at the fair as part of the fundraising effort,” explains Cathy. The recipes are from fine cooks all over the country, and from Boodey descendants, who are known as good cooks. 

Another event sure to please visitors and locals will be the July 16, 2022, event called the Boodey Hometown Revels. (Revels is a Colonial name for party.) There will be demonstrations of old-time skills which will give attendees first-hand exposure of how things were done in the olden days. “There will be demonstrations, entertainment, and music. We will be asking for donations for the homestead project at the Revels event,” says Cathy.

Cathy says all evidence is that Zechariah Boodey was an honest and sincere man and very hard working. He was an integral figure in starting the town and building his farmstead. His place in New Hampshire’s history is rich, and well worth saving, as is the Boodey Farmstead.

For information on the Boodey project, donations, and events, please email cathyo@tds.net.

Sweater Mittens: Recycling for Warmth

Sweater Mittens: Recycling for Warmth

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

The idea of repurposing a sweater for a pair of mittens may seem unusual but take one look at the beautiful handmade mittens from Linda’s Repurposed Sweater Mittens and you will covet the products.

Linda Gadwah of Plymouth, New Hampshire has always been a creative crafter, a certain type of person who sees the possibilities and creativity in everyday things such as a colorful sweater. Linda enjoys making things.

Thus, when her daughter bought a pair of sweater mittens eight years ago, Linda was intrigued. “It was when the mittens had first come into existence,” she recalls. “I loved them, and I was determined to learn to make them.” 

Linda took the mittens apart in order to study how they were made, and although it took some observing, she eventually figured out how they were made from a sweater. With trial and error, Linda began to make sweater mittens.

She stresses that the mittens are ideal for those people who are taking a walk on a cold autumn or winter’s afternoon and are very attracted to the patterns of colorful sweaters.

Having done many sewing projects in the past, figuring out how to make the sweater mittens was a bit easier for Linda. She says the best and longest lasting sweater mittens are made from a highly durable sweater such as one from LL Bean or a handknit sweater. These sweaters are well made and will stand up to being cut and put back together into a mitten. 

“I don’t use sweaters that are too bulky,” Linda says, “because they are hard on my sewing machine. I have always done simple sewing projects in the past, and I liked to crotchet.”

Linda haunts thrift shops to find the right (and most durable) sweaters for her mittens, and she is particular about using wool sweaters. “I try to come home from thrift shops with good, patterned sweaters. I always wash the sweaters first because they shrink a bit. I can get three pairs of mittens from a sweater, and I use the cuffs off the sweater’s sleeves and waistband for pairs of mittens.”

Linda explains that a pattern consists of three pieces and that her finished mittens have a polished, boutique-type look. Her mitten colors match and she adds the embellishment of a button on each pair of mittens, which is her signature visual. “My sweaters mittens don’t unravel, and I want them to last,” she stresses.

After Linda took apart some sweater mittens and learned how to make them, she had many pairs of mittens but had to ask herself, “Now what?” What could she do with all the sweater mittens that she had made?

Luckily, the public loved Linda’s mittens and clamored to order and purchase them. Linda says she’s made thousands of sweater mittens and she decided to take them to Off the Hanger in Plymouth to see if she could sell them. The reception was great, and this gave her confidence to continue and to also seek out other locations where she could sell her sweater mittens.

The unusual sweater mittens were unique and made from beautiful sweaters and were an eye-catching and immediate hit with customers. As she sought out more locations to sell the mittens, Linda says her confidence only grew. The business is seasonal and in her best winter, Linda sold 40 dozen pair of sweater mittens.

She says as with many things, it has become more difficult to find sweaters in secondhand stores for her mittens, but she enjoys the hunt to find the best sweaters she can possibly locate for the mittens. 

Linda describes the sweater mittens as having two layers: the outer layer is wool taken from a thrift store sweater. The inner layer is fleece. “I buy new fleece,” she explains, “and I have fun picking out just the right button for the mitten’s sleeve. I buy buttons off eBay; I like to buy metal buttons because they look ‘antiquey’.”

The process from start to finish of making a sweater mitten is first going to a thrift shop and finding a sweater in the pattern and color or colors that Linda likes. She always washes the sweater first, so it shrinks a bit. Then she sews the mittens together and finishes them with a metal button.

One of the nice things about Linda’s sweater mittens are the memory mittens she sometimes makes. She had a sweater that once belonged to her mother, and the year before her mom died, Linda made three pairs of mittens for family members from the sweater. The idea caught on and others have asked Linda to make mittens from a beloved family member’s sweater.

The mittens come in one size only and Linda makes them just for women. She admits she could expand her list to include other sizes and men’s mittens as well, but she is comfortable with the work load she already has.

Now retired from a career in insurance, Linda enjoys making the sweater mittens, but wants to have time for other things once springtime arrives. “And it has certainly become challenging finding good wool sweaters; I like to use wool,” she stresses. “LL Bean makes good wool sweaters and I like Nordic patterns, but I can use a variety of colors for the mitten’s lining.”

In the summers, Linda begins to sew mittens for September sales, and on into the late fall and winter. People love the mittens for keeping their hands warm when they take a walk on a cold day.

She says Bernie Sanders iconic political figure with his warm mittens certainly brought back the popularity of mittens and gave things a boost as well!

If the mittens need washing, she says you can simply hand wash them and lay them flat to dry or wash them and put them in the dryer instead. Either way will get the mittens clean.

It takes Linda about an hour to make a pair of sweater mittens, and with the shortage of wool sweaters, she sometimes uses wool jackets to make a pair of mittens. “I just love to find a patterned sweater, and I love to make a sweater into mittens,” she adds.

One event Linda and her family look forward to is the Rumney Old Home Day, where she sells her sweater mittens. She loves to see people’s reactions to the sweater mittens, and it offers her a good location to sell mittens. Because the Old Home Day takes place in August, the upcoming cooler weather is on everyone’s minds, and it offers a great place to sell mittens.

Planning for the future, Linda has started to make sweater pillows. “I made some pillows with sweaters, and I took them to the Country Store at the Tanger Outlet. They loved them!”

With a future goal to make a dozen mittens a week, Linda is always ready for her next big adventure. 

Those who want to purchase Linda’s sweater mittens can find products at Moulton Farm in Meredith; Squam Marketplace in Holderness; Off the Hanger on Main Street in Plymouth; the Common Man in Plymouth and Claremont and the Sugar Shack in Thornton. To contact Linda, email lgadwah@hotmail.com.

Gilmanton’s Beginnings

Yesteryear

Gilmanton’s Beginnings

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Picture this idyllic New England scene: old, well-kept, whitewashed homes. Stately elm trees bursting with fall foliage or summer’s greenery on streets and scenic backroads. All this and much more describes rural Gilmanton, New Hampshire, a town with a long and fascinating history.

Whether a blessing or a curse, most people know Gilmanton as the setting for Grace Metalious’ widely read novel “Peyton Place”. Tourists find it odd that this tranquil village so steeped in history was said to be the setting that gave Metalious the inspiration for “Peyton Place”, a book which reached best-seller status.

The town that was to become Gilmanton was incorporated in 1727; Colonial Governor John Wentworth signed a charter on May 20.

At that time, the Lakes Region as a whole was unsettled country, full of wild animals, thick forests and sometimes unfriendly (and who can blame them, given the track record of some white settlers to live peacefully with the native people) Native Americans. Still, as with all land in the new country, men were eager to stake a claim and try for a better life.

In the case of Gilmanton, the land was granted as compensation for 24 members of the Gilman family and 153 other men who fought in defense of the Colonies.

The conditions of the charter were that proprietors must build 70 dwelling houses and house a family in each within three years of charter. Also, they must clear three acres of ground for planting; each proprietor must pay his portion of town charges; a meetinghouse must be built for religious worship within four years. The members had to build a house for a minister and another for a school. All these conditions were to be met, if the peace with the Indians lasted the first three years of settlement. 

If any settler defaulted on those conditions, he would lose his share of land. 

As to why the town was named Gilmanton, the name Gilman appears time and time again in early records, and the family, originally from Exeter (indeed, most of the proprietors were from the seacoast area), had fought valiantly during war times.

Because of the fear of Indian attacks, the original conditions were not met, and it wasn’t until 1749 and 1750 that settlers came to town to pick out lots and work the land. Even then, these men did not stay long for many reasons.

Over and over again, through the years to follow, the settling of Gilmanton was a stop and start affair, due largely to the dangers of warring Indian parties. Town meetings for Gilmanton were held in the safety of Exeter, where most proprietors still lived.

If Governor Wentworth had given much thought to the land grants, he would surely have chosen a more populated area to gift land to these proprietors. While they may have fought valiantly in war times, most Exeter residents hailed originally from Massachusetts, or England. Massachusetts was already more populated, with such cities as Boston echoing a taste of the fineries of life in England. The grant of land in Gilmanton may have been very unsuitable for the Exeter men.

In 1730 a committee of proprietors petitioned the Governor to allow a longer time to settle the town. In 1731 Edward Gilman and others traveled to Gilmanton and marked out boundaries.

They didn’t stay long, as the French and Indian wars were about to begin. The Lakes Region, and Gilmanton, was a dangerous place for English settlers to live. The French and Indian war parties used nearby Lake Winnipesaukee as a rendezvous for scouting parties, and any campfire smoke seen at likely settlements was an easy target for attack.

By October 1748, a peace treaty was signed and the French and Indian war parties retreated to Canada. At that time, the Gilmanton proprietors could resume settlement.

Another snag in their plans happened around this time, when the deed of John Tufton Mason of Hampshire County, England (it is said New Hampshire gets its name from Mason’s home county) was brought forth. Mason held huge amounts of land in New England, and mostly in New Hampshire. He had transferred his claim of the Gilmanton area land to friends in Portsmouth. This could be a real problem for everyone, it was felt. Once again, the proprietors refused to till the land and settle in Gilmanton, when the land might not really belong to them.

The dispute was settled in 1752, and all seemed well for settlement of Gilmanton.

Once again, plans were shelved when the old French and Indian wars resumed. The wars were mostly about who owned what land. Unlike the previous war, the English decided to become aggressive to end the fighting. They staged attacks on unsuspecting French forts, and among the soldiers who fought bravely were men from Gilmanton and Exeter.

After the war was finished, life could return to a sense of normalcy.

Progress in settling the new town finally took hold. By the summer of 1761, proprietors had selected, cleared and begun building on their land. Among the first to live year round in Gilmanton were the Mudgett brothers, John and Benjamin. After building houses, they brought their wives to Gilmanton. 

According to “The History of Gilmanton” by Daniel Lancaster, Benjamin Mudgett and his wife Hannah traveled on snowshoes in deep snow and under very cold conditions, to arrive in Gilmanton from Epsom. They arrived at their new home on December 26, 1761, after snowshoeing a remarkable distance from Epsom in a short period of time. Hannah was among the first white female settlers in Gilmanton. Soon John Mudgett arrived with his wife, and a friend, Orlando Weed followed with his wife.

Hannah Mudgett lived in Gilmanton until there were about 5,000 settlers. How different it must have seemed in comparison to her first winter in the wilderness of Gilmanton! She lived her last years with a son in Meredith and died at the remarkable age of 95. Her son Samuel was among the first male children born in the Gilmanton area.

In 1762 more families arrived and by 1767, 45 families lived in Gilmanton. Soon town meetings were held there instead of in Exeter. A physician arrived in the 1760s and a minister also about this time.

The town was growing, and new and interesting people settled and built homes in the town. Years sped by, progress marked many areas of the town.

The town saw settlers and citizens come and go, and with them, their hopes, dreams, and their good and bad deeds.

The town that had struggled so many years to see settlement, was on its way.