Yesteryear: Camps and Cottages

Little Cape Codder Cottages circa 1950, Laconia, NH.

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Whether a family came to the Lakes Region to drop off their children for a week at summer camp or to settle in for a vacation, there were many options to suit every taste and pocketbook.

Vacationing during the summer in the late 1800s to mid 1900s was vastly different from today when we have easy access to all areas. However, in slower times, a good campfire, a cozy cottage, and a refreshing swim in the lake were all it took for a satisfying and memory-making family vacation. The same could be said for the simplicity and charm of a child’s summer camp experience.

On Newfound Lake, not far from Laconia, summer lodgings were plentiful. The Whip-O-Will had swimming, boating, and fishing, with a private beach. There were 30 pine-paneled cottages with fireplaces. Bungalo Village, on the west side of Newfound Lake, had 40 bungalow cottages and recreational opportunities galore.

If your family wanted to be on or near Lake Winnipesaukee, you might choose Proctor’s Pine Tree Lodge and Cabins in the Weirs Beach area, with charming cabins in a European plan. Another great place was Haley’s Birchland Cabins and Tea Room with housekeeping and a tea room serving three meals per day. The lodging establishment also offered boats.

Little Cape Codder’s Colony and Chick-A-Gami cottages had the attraction of the lake nearby. Mother Bear and Cubs Cottages and The Flaminco Motel were also well-known lodging options. 

In the 1960s, The Shangri-La Motel was an extremely popular and upscale place to vacation. It originally opened in 1879 and overlooked the area from its vantage point high on a hill. In the 1950s, it was purchased by George and Mary Spanos and named the Shangri-La. 

Alton and Alton Bay have been popular with vacationers for many years. In the early days of Alton, the Fifield House served as an important lodging establishment, according to Alton A Town to Remember. It offered rooms and had a dining room, as well as a saloon and a blacksmith shop with horses for hire. Over time, it was enlarged and renamed the Munroe House, and still later, it was called the Village Inn. Located on Main Street, it was a beautiful, large structure and probably a centerpiece of the village at one time. Like many old hotels, it eventually burned. However, it survived longer than most, not falling victim to fire until the 1970s.

A classy place to vacation was the Margate in Laconia. The Margate motel was AAA rated with over 30 brick units and a sandy beach. A travel brochure from the 1960s told readers some of the units had kitchens, and there were phones, televisions, and tiled baths!

A Little History of the Squam Lakes by Catherine Hartshorn Campbell mentions The Willows hotel on Little Squam Lake, which opened in 1895 and was run by Benjamin Pease and his family until 1964. Although the 40 guest rooms were simple, the establishment was popular with travelers and vacationers who returned every year for the good food and company at the hotel.

Summer camps of all sizes and in various locations sprang up around the area, from those privately run to non-profit organizations giving inner city children an opportunity to get away from urban areas.

The YMCA summer camps have a long and respected history and their programs originated in the late 1800s. Locally, YMCA Camp Belknap, located in Tuftonboro, started in 1903. At that time, roads to the Lakes Region were rough, and when kids arrived for the YMCA camp, they were there to stay.

The aim of YMCA Camp Belknap was to “make good boys better”. In its literature, Camp Belknap’s motto stated, “God first, the other fellow second, and myself last”.

Nearby, William Lawrence Camp sprang up a few years later in 1913. The boy’s camp has the distinction of being one of the oldest in the United States. Like many camps of the era, William Lawrence Camp was born from a religious affiliation. The Episcopal Church in Massachusetts had a respected Bishop, William Lawrence. The Bishop believed strongly in camping and good health for youngsters. When the camp was founded in Tuftonboro, it was named after the inspirational Bishop.

Girls were also provided for when Laura Lattoon started the first girl’s camp in the United States, Camp Kehonka. According to an early camp brochure, it was stated that Kehonka began in 1902 in Alton. For many years Kehonka was a complete summer camping experience for girls age 7 - 17.

Kehonka had swimming, sailing, canoeing, and mountain climbing. Also impressive was Kehonka’s dedication to offering diverse arts and crafts to its girls. A. Cooper Ballentine, a founder of the League of NH Craftsmen, was involved with Kehonka, and because of him arts and crafts were an important part of the camp.

The camp had weaving looms for the girls to use, some dating from the 1700s as well as modern looms. At Kehonka, the artistically inclined were as at home as sports minded youngsters.

Kehonka (which means “call of the Canada goose”) closed many years later.

The first girls’ camp in the Squam Lake area was St. Catherine’s in the Mountains, and it began in 1888. The camp was run by the Sisters of the Community of Saint John and was associated with a diocesan school in New York.

Social workers, clergy and doctors were deeply concerned about getting city children into the country for enriching summer experiences in the great outdoors. The “nature study movement” as some called it had an early advocate in Ernest Berkeley Balch, who opened Camp Chocorua on Chocorua Island in 1881.

Balch was from an influential Episcopal family who owned property in the Squam Lake/Holderness area. It seemed the perfect place to start a summer camp that would bring boys into the natural world. The first campers worked hard. As well as swimming, tennis, boating, camping trips and dramatics, the boys spent a portion of each day cleaning the tents and washing clothes.

The first summer of Camp Chocorua (1881) saw only six campers. Although it never had a large enrollment, the camp ran for nine years with Balch and his sister Emily in charge. Many look upon Camp Chocorua as the model for all other camps that came after.

Other Lakes Region summer camps soon followed, including Camp Algonquin (which taught grammar and other scholastic studies); Camp Asquam, which also stressed academics; the Groton School Camp, founded in 1893, and Camp Hale, begun in 1901.

Not far from Alton and Wolfeboro, a very special camp was established in 1989. Lions Camp Pride has a motto of “Where fun has no boundaries!” Located in the picturesque area of Merrymeeting Lake in New Durham, Camp Pride offers an escape from everyday life for everyone to enjoy. The camp particularly caters to hosting special needs groups but is also a venue for youth and corporate retreats and other special events.

Newfound Lake had a number of early summer camps, and many are still in existence. The first was Camp Pasquaney in Hebron, founded in 1895 by Edward Wilson of New York. He wrote of his camp, “Special attention will be given to physical development and the individual needs of each boy will be carefully studied, while the finest opportunities will be offered for baseball, tennis, fishing and swimming...”

Further, in an article in the Bristol Weekly Enterprise for Jan. 17, 1895, it was reported that Wilson would be “designing a camp to provide a spot where boys may spend their summer months in pure air and in the midst of beautiful environments.”

Also on Newfound, Camp Redcroft (for girls) opened in 1900. In 1911, its name changed to Camp Onaway.

In 1903, Mowglis Camp for Boys opened and was a companion camp to Onaway, being located just up the road. Mowglis was begun by Elizabeth Ford Holt, who purchased a farm on the shores of Newfound Lake. She was camp director from 1903 - 1924 and is remembered by those who knew her as “quietly dominant in bearing and character.” While always dressing simply and wearing a “dejected” old straw hat, she commanded respect from the boys under her care each summer. Early on, she obtained permission from author Rudyard Kipling to borrow the names of his Jungle Books, and named Mowglis buildings Toomai, Baloo and Akela, among others.

Lakes Region Memorial Day Observances

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

“When duty calls, that is when character counts.”

— William Safire

A special time is set aside each year in May to honor those who have sacrificed all for our country. Memorial Day takes place at the time of the year when flowers are in bloom. This has traditionally allowed families of fallen soldiers access to florals for decorating the final resting places of loved ones.

You may see people wearing a red poppy on Memorial Day and wonder what the flower stands for. The answer is that during World War I, in 1915 to be exact, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae saw red poppies blooming in abundance in Flanders Field in Belgium. He was so moved that he wrote the poem, “In Flanders Field.” The poignant poem was about fallen soldiers and it became a famous piece of writing. Thus began the practice of wearing a red poppy on Memorial Day.

We know Memorial Day as a time to honor the fallen who served our country, whether in the distant past, or at any time in the history of the United States. Memorial Day was once called Decoration Day, and it has always been a time for observances and decorating the graves of those who died while in service.

Decoration Day began in the 1860s, after the Civil War. The practice of decorating the graves of war dead with floral wreaths is where the name Decoration Day originated. The name was changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day in 1971 and it was scheduled to be observed on the last Monday in May.

The Civil War was a time of great distress but also determination to put an end to slavery and societal issues. One person (among thousands of others) who served with courage was Civil War nurse Harriet Dame. Born in Barnstead, New Hampshire in 1815, Dame lived a life of service far from her origins. She cared for her aging parents and in the 1850s, after her parents had died, Dame turned her family property into a boardinghouse.

When the Civil War broke out, Dame wanted to serve her country. The best (and only way) for a woman to do so at the time was to be a nurse. Dame volunteered to work as a nurse in the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment from Concord. She had no formal medical training, but she learned fast. Consequently, she nursed the soldiers until the group disbanded in 1865.

Dame’s courage knew no bounds and she worked in the camps, and later when her Regiment fought in the battle of the First Bull Run, she insisted on being on the front lines. Those in power tried to stop her request to be at the front lines, saying it was “no place for a woman.” Dame, however, did not give in. She joined a team of doctors to attend the sick and wounded.

Her service was risky and dangerous. At one point, Dame was captured by the Confederates and taken to be a spy. This nearly got her shot, but Confederate General Stonewall Jackson ordered her to be released.

After the war, Dame lived in Washington, D.C. and worked as a clerk and later became the president of the Army Nurses Association. She was an advocate for helping war veterans, and she worked to fund the building of veteran’s homes. As a testament to her respect among the troops, over 600 soldiers signed a petition asking the United States Senate to give Dame a pension for her service. The Senate agreed, making Dame among the few women to hold such an honor.

Memorial Day parades and commemorations listed take place in the Lakes Region:

The New Hampshire Veterans Home (NHVH) Memorial Day Ceremony will be held Monday, May 26 at 11 a.m. in the NH Veterans Home ‘Town Hall’ Great Room. The keynote speaker, Ed Harrington, is a Brigadier General (Ret.), Vietnam Veteran and Camp Resilience Board President. The NH Veterans Home is located at 139 Winter Street, Tilton; the NHVH ‘Town Hall’ Great Room ceremony parking lot entrance is on Colby Road at the corner of Winter Street and Colby Road. For more information, contact Sarah Stanley, NH Veterans Home Public Information Officer, at 603-527-4425.

Observances in Laconia will take place on Monday, May 26 with a Memorial Day Remembrance at 11 a.m. held at Veteran’s Square in Laconia with a wreath laying and speakers. After the Remembrance, there will be a free luncheon open to the public at the VFW on Court Street in Laconia. For information, call 603-524-9725.

Gilford observances will be held on Monday, May 26 with parade participants gathering in the parking lot of the Gilford Community Church on Potter Hill Road at 9:45 a.m. The parade will proceed to the WWI / WWII Memorial and Pine Grove Cemetery, where Reverend Michael Graham will lead a prayer. All veterans are invited to join in the parade. Please call the Gilford Town Hall at 603-527-4700 for further information.

Wolfeboro’s observance will be on Monday, May 26. According to American Legion Post Parade Marshal Paul Vivian, all veteran’s graves in Wolfeboro and Tuftonboro will be decorated. The annual Wolfeboro parade will form at 8:45 a.m. in Brewster Field (next to the Congregational Church). The parade will start at 9 a.m. and proceed from Main Street to dockside (downtown) for a lowering of the flag to half mast, and a ceremonial salute. Following this, flower petals will be placed into the lake water. There also will be a playing of Taps and the national anthem and patriotic music by the Kingswood Regional High School band. For information on the Wolfeboro observances and parade, call Paul Vivian at 703-798-8978. Vivian adds that all veterans are welcome to march in the parade.

In Alton, Memorial Day observances will be held on Monday, May 26. The parade will line up at 9:30 a.m. at Monument Square in downtown Alton and step off at 10 a.m. The observance will be under the Auspices of Claude R. Batchelder Post 72, American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, Sons of the American Legion and American Legion Riders. Services will be held at Riverside Cemetery and Monument Square. Following the services, everyone is invited to Post 72 for refreshments. In the event of rain, all services will be held at Post 72 on Rt. 28 in Alton. For information, call the Alton Town Hall at 603-875-3461.

Center Harbor’s observance will be held on Monday, May 26, with parade participants gathering at 11:45 a.m. at Chase Circle near the downtown area. The parade will begin at noon. There will be a wreath laying at the War Memorial. The parade will proceed to the Town Docks where there will be music by the Inter-Lakes Marching Band. Music will be “The Star Spangled Banner” and Echo Taps. There also will be a wreath tossing into Lake Winnipesaukee.

The final stop will be at the Lakeview Cemetery across from the Congregational Church in Center Harbor with music and a wreath laying. For further information, please email the Center Harbor Parks & Recreation Department at parksandrecreation@centerharbornh.gov.

Moultonborough will hold observances on Monday, May 26, with the parade gathering at the elementary school on Blake Road at 10 a.m., and proceeding to the Moultonborough Town Hall, located at 6 Holland Street. At the town hall there will be a remembrance ceremony. For information, call 603-476-8868.

The village of Center Sandwich will hold a Memorial Day Remembrance Program at the Honor Roll next to the post office on Main Street in Center Sandwich on Monday, May 26 at 11 a.m. During the ceremony, veterans will lay a wreath and other observances will be held. For information call 603-284-7139.

The town of Meredith will observe Memorial Day on Monday, May 26 stepping off at 10:15 a.m. from the American Legion Post, 6 Plymouth St., proceeding to the Meredith Library for opening remarks and Taps, followed by the parade going to Lang St. Cemetery, then finishing at the Hesky Park POW MIA memorial for a wreath laying. A free lunch for all will follow at the American Legion. Call 603-937-4278.

with a parade in the downtown area. No further information was available at press time. For updates visit www.meredithnh.org.

Plymouth will observe Memorial Day with a parade on Monday, May 26 starting at the Plymouth National Guard at 10:30 a.m. The parade will proceed south to Main Street and stop in front of the Town Hall for a ceremony starting at 11 a.m., concluding at that location after services. Participating in the parade will be police, fire, two bands, some state representatives, select board members, and the National Guard and Scouts. Call 603-536-1397.

While not technically in the Lakes Region, a Women in Military Service Memorial will honor the courage, sacrifice and contributions of New Hampshire women in the military with the unveiling of a meaningful tribute. The dedication ceremony of the memorial will be held on Thursday, June 12 at 1 p.m. at the New Hampshire State Veteran’s Cemetery at 110 Daniel Webster Highway in Boscawen with light snacks and beverages served. For information, call 603-796-2026 for information.

Franklin’s Native Artifacts Include ‘Indian Mortar'

By Thomas P. Caldwell

Or if the Smiling Spirit
Should beckon from the lake,
Up Willow Hill ascending,
Your happy way you'll take,
And pass the old stone mortar
Where squaws first ground their corn
It stands and waits in silence
Quite forlorn.
— Passage from Alice Shepard’s poem “Franklin”

Atop Willow Hill in the city of Franklin lies what at first glance appears to be a simple granite boulder. A closer look — most likely because of having seen the nearby historical marker or monument — makes it apparent that the depression in the boulder was not simply something carved by wind and rain. It purportedly served as a grinding stone for the Abenaki inhabitants and later European settlers who crushed corn into meal on its hard surface.

The official New Hampshire historical marker, installed in 1979, states that the Indian Mortar was a glacial rock, shaped first by water and then by the grinding of corn from both Native and settler hands. It also mentions another boulder nearby that carries a carving of a shad, “carved, perhaps, by the red man to preserve a likeness of his favorite fish, which swam up the Winnipesaukee River when the shadbush blossomed.”

Like many accounts of the native inhabitants, the origins of the so-called Indian Mortar are not clear. Franklin historian Albert Garneau believed the boulder was already on the site at the intersection of Central and Dearborn streets when lots were laid out in what at the time was part of the town of Sanbornton. (Today’s city of Franklin, named after Benjamin Franklin, was created from portions of Sanbornton, Salisbury, Andover, and Northfield.)

The mortar lot was deeded to the Franklin Woman’s Club on September 26, 1904, and in 1927, a monument was placed on the site, stating, “This lot contains the ancient stone mortar used by Abenaki Indians and pioneer settlers of Sanbornton presented to Franklin Woman’s Club by descendants of James Clark Esquire.”

Joseph Clark was the original owner of two lots comprising 400 acres that included the mortar site, and James was his grandson. It was James’ granddaughter, Mary W. Clark, along with Enoch Bancker of Jackson MI, who as the executors of Charles H. Clark’s estate deeded the Indian Mortar lot to the Woman’s Club.

The club added a millstone to the lot, with the Journal Transcript reporting that it had come from Johnson’s Grist Mill of Webster Street on Chance Pond Brook. Records provided to Garneau by the Franklin Woman’s Club told a different story, saying the millstone came from the Pemigewasset River.

The shad fish stone referenced by the state marker had been discovered by Frank Proctor while on a relic-hunting expedition in 1921, according to his sister, Mary Proctor, who wrote about it in her “Indians of the Winnipesaukee and Pemigewasset Valleys”. Frank found the boulder on Meadow Brook, which runs into the Winnipesaukee River.

“On this boulder,” Mary Proctor wrote, “was pictured — I might truthfully say sculptured — a perfect shad! It was done by the skillful fingers of a red man. It may be some boastful fisherman who, lacking the modern camera, desired to preserve a likeness of his champion fish for all time. At any rate, this pictured rock tells a story of the days when the bony shad came up our river, at the time the shadbush blossomed, in such numbers that the inhabitants had hard work to take care of them.”

It was not until 1933 that the Fish and Game Association, which built a rearing pool on a dammed section of the brook, came across the find.

“After the Fish and Game Association finished their project, they found that large birds were landing on a rock that projected above the water and were eating the small fish,” Garneau wrote in his Official History of Franklin, New Hampshire. “When they examined the rock closely, they found that this was the boulder with the carved shad fish on it.”

The Franklin Highway Department subsequently moved the 1,500-pound rock to the Indian Mortar lot.

Frank Proctor’s relic-hunting expeditions in the Franklin-Tilton area led to a large collection of native artifacts that now reside at Dartmouth College’s Hood Museum. Professor Jere Daniell II, who had Franklin connections, assisted in establishing Dartmouth’s Native American Program.

New Hampshire’s indigenous population lived in bark-and-skin wigwams but ranged the forests, hunting and fishing while their women cultivated crops such as maize, beans, squash, and pumpkins. The Indian Mortar is believe to be a remnant of that tradition, allowing them to pound corn into hominy which, mixed with beans, yielded succotash.

Hunters used the bow, spear, and a log trap known as a “culheag” and they caught fish at weirs — nets created from wooden branches — and by spearing them. They would relocate with the seasons, as Mary Proctor wrote in her account.

“The shad and salmon in their spring migration [up the Merrimack River] always parted company at the junction of the two rivers,” she wrote. “The salmon followed the clear, cool waters of the Pemigwasset up to its mountain sources, while the shad liked the warmer water of the Winnipesaukee and the Lake.”

The indigenous people moved around based on those seasonal resources, and they referred to the two rivers joining to form the Merrimack as “the Crotch” — the three-river area that became known as Stevenstown, then Salisbury, and, finally, Franklin.

Other local histories touch upon the native population that once gathered in the area. Richard Musgrove’s History of Bristol mentions the artifacts found near Whittemore Point on Newfound Lake and at the Fowler River. There once were several lakeside campsites around Newfound, as well as at Profile Falls on the Smith River which feeds into the Pemigewasset, and at a spring in Old Hill Village.

The campsites were connected by “Indian trails”, including the Pemigewasset and Pass-aqua-nik (Pasquaney) trails which joined the Mascoma trail along the Smith River to Danbury and Lebanon. The Kancamagus trail joined the Pemigewasset trail at Woodstock, and the Asquamchumaukee trail joined it at an old village site near the mouth of the Baker River, just above Plymouth.

The Indians taught the European colonists to develop the fishing, hunting, and farming skills necessary to survive in New England, and the relationship was amicable for many years. As the colonists claimed more of the land as their homesteads, that relationship became fraught, and Franklin become one of the sites of violent conflicts before the original inhabitants disappeared, leaving behind the archaeological relics for museums and the items such as Franklin’s Indian Mortar.

Treat Mom on Mother’s Day

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 11, and if you are wondering what to do for Mom, there are many ways to celebrate and honor that special person in your life. The following offers a variety of ideas for Mother’s Day activities.

For a fascinating look back at the days of World War II, head to the Wright Museum of World War II on Center Street in Wolfeboro. The museum opened for the season on May 1 with exhibits from its extensive permanent collection covering the years 1939 to 1945. The museum will be open on Mother’s Day with displays to show what life was like on the home front and the battlefield, together with military vehicles, allowing visitors to explore a seminal period in American history. 

The museum is open throughout the summer and fall and also has a series of informative programs with special speakers. This year’s featured exhibit opens on June 1 and is called “The Cold War – Spies to Satellites.”

Bring the entire family to the Wright Museum for a look back at a critical time in history; if the weather is nice, take Mom and the family for a walk at the nearby Bridge Falls Path with lovely water views. Call 603-569-1212 or visit www.wrightmuseum.org.

The Colonial Theatre on Main Street in downtown Laconia is the perfect place to take Mom for a show. Get tickets now for a variety of performances, including The No Apologies Comedy Show on May 15; an Evening with Sara Evans on May 18; comedian Juston McKinney on May 24 and many more concerts and shows throughout the season. Visit www.coloniallaconia.com or call 1-800-657-8774 for tickets.

The Lakeport Opera House in Laconia has a selection of shows that Mom will enjoy, such as Line Dancing Neon Nights on May 23; Yesterday Once More – a Tribute to the Carpenters on May 30 and shows throughout the summer. The Opera House is located at 781 Union Ave. in Laconia. Visit www.lakeportopera.com for tickets and information.

Castle in the Clouds is a fascinating place to spend a day. Bring Mom for a hike on a choice of 28 miles of hiking trails on the grounds. Trails are located at Shannon Pond with convenient parking. (The Castle, with tours of the famed estate, will open for the summer season later in May.)

If your Mom is a music lover, reserve tickets for dinner and live music as you watch the sun set over Lake Winnipesaukee from the beautiful outdoor terrace at the Castle’s Carriage House. Bring Mom for a memorable dinner and music throughout the summer. A variety of top-notch musicians will perform as guests enjoy their meal during Dinner Music Night evenings. The dinner night events are by reservation with two seating times (5:30 and 6:30 p.m.). Get tickets for the dinner with your Mom now and gift her an evening out this summer for a meal and show.

Many events will occur at the Castle during the season; from Opening Up Lucknow: An Interactive Play on May 18 to Shakespeare on Tap on May 29; Garden Tours; Creative Writing workshops and much more during the summer and fall.

For details and a complete list, visit www.castleintheclouds.org or call 603-476-5900. The Castle is located at 455 Old Mountain Road, off Rt. 171 in Moultonborough.

One of the best and most unique entertainment venues in the area is the Great Waters Music Festival. Located under a vast concert tent on the grounds of Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough, and with a second location called Concerts in Town (Wolfeboro), the series offers a variety of concerts. Get Mom tickets to one or more shows to take place this summer. The schedule includes the Great Waters Gala A Broadway Cabaret at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro on July 10; Human Nature Back to the Sound of Motown at the Castle in the Clouds on July 12; MTV Style Dance Show at the Castle on July 18; the Abby Mueller Trio You’ve Got a Friend The Music of Carole, Joni and James on July 24 at Brewster Academy; Brass Transit The Musical Legacy of Chicago on Aug. 2 at the Castle; Proud Tina - The Ultimate Tribute to Tina Turner at the Castle on Aug. 9; at Brewster Academy on Aug. 16 with Peter Cincotti; Elements Earth, Wind and Fire Tribute at the Castle on Aug. 23, and Ted Vigil Songs of John Denver in Wolfeboro on Aug. 27 in Wolfeboro. Order tickets at www.greatwaters.org or call 603-569-7710.

Get outside and enjoy the natural world with Mom. Trails are open at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness. On the walking trail (trails opened to the public on May 1), you will see animals rehabilitated from injuries, and learn about habitats, adaptations, interrelationships, and animal populations as you walk the path. The different animals you will see (living in large enclosures) include Black Bear, Fishers, River Otters, Bobcat, Coyote, Mountain Lion, Gray Fox, Red Fox and White Tailed Deer. Also on the trail you will see birds such as the Bald Eagle and Black-Crowned Night Heron, Great Horned Owl, Reptiles and Amphibians and fish. The trail is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Bring a picnic and enjoy a meal with Mom on the grounds of the Science Center. If you want to get out on Squam Lake, the Science Center offers many cruises during the season.

The Science Center is the perfect place for the whole family to learn about nature in a beautiful setting.

The Squam Lakes Natural Science Center is located at 23 Science Center Road near downtown Holderness. Call 603-968-7194 or visit www.nhnature.org.

The unique and fun Granite State Rail Bikes opens in May; reserve a spot for the whole family for an excursion Mom is sure to love. Located at 15 Veteran’s Square in Laconia, each Rail Bike has four seats per bike. Visitors will enjoy a two-hour, round-trip Rail Bike ride along the shores of Lake Winnisquam, starting the trip at the Laconia Railroad Station. The Rail Bike treks are a unique and fun way to get outdoors and enjoy the area with Mom and the whole family. To reserve, call 603-745-2135 or visit www.gsscenic.com.

Celebrate Mom by taking her on a unique cruise on Lake Winnipesaukee. This is the 152nd season for the M/S Mount Washington. The Mount offers a Mother’s Day Cruise on Sunday, May 11, featuring a grand buffet and entertainment. Located at Weirs Beach, the ship navigates around Lake Winnipesaukee. Choose from a 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. cruise; each cruise is 2 ½ hours in duration. Mom will surely enjoy a leisurely and memorable lake tour with her family accompanying her.

The Mount runs throughout the summer and into the fall with many cruise options, both day and evening. Or you can reserve a spot on the M/V Sophie C. The U.S. Mailboat provides postal service to island residents of Lake Winnipesaukee and is a unique way to see the islands up close. The Winnipesaukee Spirit is equipped for private events and charters. 

For tickets and a schedule, visit www.cruisenh.com or call 603-366-5531. Take Mom on a Mother’s Day Brunch cruise or get her a gift card to use during the season.

Canterbury Shaker Village sits on nearly 700 acres, with beautiful historic buildings, trails, ponds, and gardens for outdoor exploration. The Village opens for the season in May (date TBA). You can take your mother for a walk on the grounds, which are open to the public from dawn until dusk daily. (Check out a map of the village at www.shakers.org.)

Events this season offer something just right for Mom, from Mapping the Shakers on May 18; Special Tours on select days; Learn to Tape a Shaker Chair; Make a #3 Shaker Oval Box; and an outdoor Sunday summer concert series.

Canterbury Shaker Village was established in 1792 when members formed a Canterbury, New Hampshire community. The village existed for many years, with Shakers living and worshipping on site. It has operated as a museum focused on Shaker history and culture since the early 1990s. At its height in the 1850s, 300 people lived and worked in over 100 buildings at Canterbury Shaker Village. Call 603-783-9511 or visit www.shakers.org for information. Canterbury Shaker Village is located at 288 Shaker Road in Canterbury.

Interlakes Theatre brings Broadway to the Lakes Region and your Mom will surely appreciate tickets for the variety of shows that take place throughout the summer. The lineup includes She Loves Me; The Comedy Musical Tootsie; My Fair Lady and Menopause the Musical. The theatre is located at 1 Lake Lane in Meredith. For tickets call 603-707-6035 or visit www.interlakestheatre.com.

Choose from a wide variety of shows at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse in Meredith. Top-notch shows that Mom is sure to enjoy include The Wedding Singer from June 12 to 21; Potus from June 27 to July 5; Little Shop of Horrors from July 11 to 19; Fully Committed from July 25 to Aug. 2; Once on This Island from Aug. 8 to 16 and many more shows throughout the year. The theatre is located at 33 Footlight Circle in Meredith; call 603-279-00333 or visit www.winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.

Silent Film and the Art of Live Accompaniment

Jeff Rapsis provides live musical accompaniment to silent films.

By Thomas P. Caldwell

PLYMOUTH — Silent films that have survived from a century ago and now are shown at the Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center in Plymouth still can speak to audiences today, according to Jeff Rapsis, a musician who provides live accompaniment to those movies, most of which were made from the early 1910s to the late 1920s.

“It’s a combination of something fixed in time from long ago — you know, the movie — and something new and contemporary today that reflects today’s tastes,” Jeff says. “There’s not much I can compare it with in any other art form, where two time periods sort of work together to create an experience for today.”

When someone hears about silent movies, they often think of “the old rinky-dink silent movies you might have seen at Shakey’s Pizza Parlor in the 1960s,” Jeff says, but, “It’s a real art form that flourished for only a short time, and we’re only now discovering how universal and timeless some of the work that they did is. It still speaks to us across all the ages, and I think it will continue to do so in the same way that the great paintings and plays from Europe and Greece still speak to us.”

Jeff, who partnered with Alex Ray in bringing silent films to the Flying Monkey when it opened in 2010, had become interested in old movies before he was in junior high school.

“I was a weird child growing up,” he said. “I always had a thing for the older movies; I don’t know why. And in junior high, I had a music teacher who was a film collector also — and this was like in the days before home video, so to have a film collection was kind of an unusual thing. He had 16-millimeter prints of all these older films, and he would bring them in and show us Charlie Chaplin films during study hall, just to keep the kids kind of quiet and occupied.”

While most students did not seem interested, Jeff was fascinated by those films from earlier generations. He began going to the library to find out more, and began purchasing his own films. He did not pursue a career in film or music, but said, “The whole film thing kind of stayed with me like a low-grade infection for all these years.”

Jeff was in his forties when he became interested in making music again, and he began providing accompaniment to silent film screenings, saying it seemed to fit his musical abilities. He learned that there were a lot of opportunities: the Palace Theater in Manchester, Red River Theaters in Concord, the Somerville Theater in Davis Square. Today, he accompanies about 100 shows a year, using an electronic keyboard that allows him to conjure up the texture of a full symphonic orchestra, “including percussion and drums and everything I need”.

He reflects, “It’s weird. I collaborate with dead people, and I try to do it in a way that celebrates and channels what they were trying to do. I don’t do it to show off … I don’t want people to hear my music and not watch the movie. I want it to all work like the people making that movie would want to work it. And it’s best if it can cast a spell over an audience in a way that doesn’t happen when there’s talking going on in a movie. A silent film is like a ballet, almost, and the music enhances that. At its best, it can create kind of a trance with audience members, and you get so absorbed in it that the music almost disappears. And the best compliment I get afterwards is when people say, ‘Oh, I forgot there was some guy doing the music live.’”

Jeff says that, having started about 20 years ago, he has “built it up to where it’s kind of my big side hustle. I really enjoy being able to go around and present these films and do live music of my own creation all around New England.”

While based in New Hampshire and playing mostly in northern New England, he also has played at the Kansas Silent Film Festival and, in May, plans to collaborate with a museum in San Francisco.

Only about 20 percent of the old silent films made musing nitrate film survive today, the majority of them having succumbed to fire or decomposition. No one in those days was thinking about preserving the films for viewing a century later.

The films that survived have been copied onto safety film stock and, in more recent years, converted to high-resolution digital copies.

“We use essentially DVD or Blu Ray-level media projected at the Flying Monkey on the big screen,” Jeff said. “Film prints, if you can get them, are so old and battered up that they don’t do a good job at showing the films at their best. A digital restoration, where they can clean up a lot of the artifacts and the scratchiness and stuff like that, it’s kind of a revelation to see the film as it would have been seen originally in theaters 100 years ago.… At its best, it looks like an Ansel Adams photograph come to life.”

There are occasional surprises, when a film thought to have been lost is discovered in someone’s possession. One example that Jeff cites is a 1927 Lon Chaney film, “The Unknown”.

“It’s a terrific film. It’s one of  his best roles,” Jeff says. “But it was missing for many years because no prints had survived, and nobody knew if they’d ever see it again. It turned out the Cinémathèque Française had a print of it, but it was labeled ‘inconnu’ outside on the cans, which means ‘unknown’, so everybody thought it just meant, ‘Oh, we don’t know what that film is — unknown.’ … And it’s now a favorite film that we’ve got on digital that really is great for Halloween, because it’s really creepy melodrama that takes place in a circus in which Lon Chaney has no arms, and it’s just so weird that we wouldn’t have had it at all if it hadn’t been found.”

Another example is a 1921 film in the National Archives, “Strength Is The Way” — a single copy of the original film remained.

“Nobody famous in it, it was just an ordinary Paramount release in 1921 and it played in the theaters, was successful, and then it never got released again,” Jeff said. “It’s of interest to us because it’s one of the few films actually set in New Hampshire.”

The story is set in the fictional town of Hampton Center. A Maine film buff paid to have the film scanned, and Jeff has a copy.

“It’s a wonderful window into what Hollywood thought of New Hampshire back in the 1920s and, of course, it’s what you'd expect,” Jeff says. “We’re all a bunch of local hicks. You know, yokels. The police constable has a horse and buggy, and he’s a comical character. But it’s a great window into small-town America from 100 years ago, with a New Hampshire flavor to it.”

Upcoming shows at the Flying Monkey are Harold Lloyd’s “Speedy” on May 15; “The Sea Hawk” with Errol Flynn on July 17; Buster Keaton’s “Seven Chances” on Sept. 18; and Mary Philbin and Conrad Veidt in “The Man Who Laughs” on Oct. 23.

“Speedy” is Harold Lloyd’s final silent feature, serving as a tribute to New York City, baseball, and the idea that nice guys can finish first, and features an extended cameo by Babe Ruth.

“The Sea Hawk” starring Errol Flynn is a swashbuckling historical drama on the high seas, about an English noble sold into slavery. He escapes and seeks revenge.

In “Seven Chances”, Buster Keaton inherits $7 million on the condition that he gets married by 7 p.m. that day. He has to find the girl of his dreams while being pursued by an army of women eager to marry a soon-to-be millionaire.

“The Man Who Laughs” is a silent film adaptation of Victor Hugo’s historical novel about a man cursed with a permanent carnival-freak-like grin on his face. Conrad Veidt’s makeup inspired the look of Batman’s arch-nemesis, the Joker.

Jeff says he tries to find films offering something they have not presented before.

“I like to challenge myself to come up with music for a film that’s new to me,” he said, “but we want to do stuff that is going to be entertaining to people. So comedy is a big thread, but we try to do some dramas and some thrillers and adventure films and occasionally a documentary, like ‘Nanook of the North’. They had all these genres back even at the beginning, even science fiction. … So I plan the schedule kind of like a chef plans a menu, for variety and for interest. I guess, too, we want to show films that people are going to enjoy and not show clunkers that nobody wants to come see and probably didn’t want to see 100 years ago.”

For a schedule of films at the Flying Monkey, go to https://www.flyingmonkeynh.com/mec-category/film, and for Jeff’s own website where he lists all of the silent films he is featuring, see https://silentfilmlivemusic.blogspot.com.

Sweet Season in the Lakes Region

Canterbury Shaker Village Maple sugaring building. (Courtesy Canterbury Shaker Village)

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

"I am now endeavoring to procure as many as I can of the Sugar maple trees, to commence plantings of these."

— Thomas Jefferson in a letter to Hugh Rose, 1792

Imagine a world without sugar as we know of it today. Then imagine a world where the only sweeteners are molasses and brown sugar. This was the norm in pre-Civil War days in America.

What a blessing maple syrup was at the time and well into the future. During World War I, syrup replaced cane sugar and that was good news for places such as the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, where sap flowed abundantly in late winter.

If a farm produced a large quantity of maple syrup, it stood to reason the farmer would want to profit. Tapping trees for sap, boiling it into syrup and bottling it were time intensive endeavors, so why not sell syrup to an eager public? This could offset the cost of production.

Among the first places to sell syrup in the area was High Maples Farm in Gilford, as told in “The Gunstock Parish – A History of Gilford, New Hampshire” by Adair D. Mulligan. The production of syrup at the farm was staggering, overseen by owner Samuel Smith. The workload was lessened with the help of Smith’s 10 children who helped with the farm’s 1,500 buckets of sap from the farm’s orchard. The yearly output saw maple syrup sold to Lakes Regioners and customers out of the area/state.

At some farms with maple syrup production, mud season sap gathering and boiling became somewhat of a celebration. By the 1930s, High Maples Farm opened its door for sugaring off parties. Local children and teens, as well as winter visitors, enjoyed the parties where they could watch sap boiling and indulge in “sugar on snow” made when hot syrup was placed on snow.

In earlier times, making maple syrup was a fascinating pastime for the wealthy in America. A quote dated 1722 from New Hampshire’s Lieutenant Governor John Wentworth, says, “I sent a small box of maple sugar to a British nobleman. I hope to make this a very useful and profitable business.”

The tiny box of maple sugar candy Wentworth sent to a British nobleman showed the Governor had the right idea. Like many others in New Hampshire, Wentworth had a sweet tooth for the delicious syrup from the maple tree and saw it as a fine gift.

New Hampshire’s maple syrup was originally produced by native people. The early European settlers in the state likely learned from natives how to collect sap and boil it to make the syrup from the sugar maple trees around them.

In the early days of the country, sugar was not easy to obtain; discovering there was a natural way to get sugar from trees must have seemed like manna from heaven to settlers. But they soon learned it was a time-consuming, difficult process to make maple sugar and syrup.

In New England, if you could make and store maple products, you had a valuable currency to trade with others. It was just about the only sweetener in the United States in the 1700s and 1800s. By the late 1880s, around 300,000 gallons was produced for sale on a yearly basis.

The early colonists endured the harsh New Hampshire winters and once they knew the process of maple sugaring, they were eager for late winter and early spring to arrive. They knew this was when they could harvest sap for sugar, and they watched the weather with anticipation. (A successful maple year depends greatly on the weather and temperatures.)

The process usually started in late February when harvesters went into the woods where they had sugar maple trees. At that time, they drilled tiny holes into the trees. The process took time, because the clear sap in liquid form dripped slowly from the taps into buckets placed on the trees.

Bringing the buckets from the woods to a camp or farm was also labor intensive. Over time, harvesters began to use oxen or horses to transport the buckets of sap to the sugarhouses.

Once at the sugarhouse, the next step in the long process began. During the time of native people, hot stones were placed into logs they had hollowed out. They filled the log containers with the sap and boiled it over the fire. The process was time consuming but the results worth the effort and long boiling time. When the boiling produced dry sugar, it was formed into a cake of sugar or “block sugar” or it was stirred to make grainy sugar. The native people also made sugar on snow by pouring sugar onto snow to create a taffy-like, delicious product. Due to the danger of maple syrup spilling when transporting it, maple sugar in blocks was much easier to carry without losing any of the precious product.

In the early days of the country, maple syrup and sugar was used to season breads and beverages. According to historical information from the UNH Cooperative Extension, maple sugar was an important part of the typical person’s diet.

Over the years, the process of maple sugaring has certainly improved. Kettles and later, evaporators were much more efficient for use in sap houses.

The Shakers, with a village community in Canterbury, New Hampshire and elsewhere in the United States, were an ingenious group. They believed that doing any project correctly was important and godly. Hands to work, hearts to God was one of their sayings and they lived the belief daily.

Maple sugaring was done by the Shakers at their villages, among them at Canterbury. The maple products were later sold around New England and tourists eagerly purchased maple candies and syrup.

According to information from Canterbury Shaker Village, the Shakers once had a “thriving maple sugar camp. Throughout the 19th- and 20th-centuries, Shakers spent early spring days gathering sap and their nights boiling maple syrup and making candy. At the conclusion of the maple season, the Shakers would emerge from the camp and return to Shaker Village with their sweet harvest in hand.

“Records indicate that in 1864, at the height of the American Civil War, the Shaker Village Church Family set out almost 1,200 wooden buckets for the gathering of sap and produced almost 700 barrels of maple syrup. The syrup was not only an important sweetener for the many mouths they fed daily, but an important cash crop for sale to the outside world.”

It was said the Shakers at Canterbury once had a maple tree orchard with over 1,000 trees about a mile or two northeast of their village. From there, they tapped the trees and eventually produced candy, sugar cakes, syrup and other products which were sold to the public.

When a Shaker elder once visited Canterbury in the mid 1800s, he was shown the sugar camp and was impressed that they made around 2,000 pounds of sugar the year before. This was a very large amount of maple sugar and shows how important the sales of the product were to the Shaker economy.

Much as the Native Americans and early colonists had discovered, it was hard work hauling the sap to their homes once it was collected from sugar trees. Thus, they found a more efficient and less physically taxing way to harvest the sap and boil it down to make the syrup. The Shakers made an exodus from their living quarters in the main village and set up a temporary residence at a sugar camp a few miles away.

Located on Shaker property, the sugar camp was a great place to make maple products. The Shakers stayed at the camp for a month or more and had living quarters, a sugarhouse where they boiled the sap and other buildings.

The Shaker men took turns staying up at night to boil the sap, feed the fire and watch over the sap house. It was hard work, but much easier than hauling the gathered sap to the main village to be boiled down.

Shaker Sisters kept the buildings clean and made meals for the group.

A Canterbury Shaker, Nicholas Briggs, recalled maple sugaring as a boy, “The maple sugar season began soon after school closed, and it was an interesting time for the boys. They always were in requisition to assist in distributing the buckets to the trees and driving the spiles in the holes bored by the brethren.”

While the popularity of maple syrup never really caught on in England, Governor Wentworth’s plan to harvest and sell maple products was a good one. Americans used a lot of maple syrup. To this day, they still do so.

When the sap begins to run in the late winter, we eagerly anticipate, as did people many years ago, the sweet taste of maple syrup to come.

New Hampshire’s Maple Weekend

Grades of maple syrup.

By Mike Moore

As the sun starts to shine a little longer, and the temperatures finally start having two digits instead of one, a terrific tradition kicks off throughout New Hampshire that brings a rush of sweetness to make up for the sours of late winter. Maple Weekend in 2025 will be celebrated on Saturday, March 15 and Sunday, March 16 at many participating sugarhouses, including dozens throughout the Lakes Region.

Sap from sugar maple trees starts to flow as the weather warms; so, this tree not only provides some of the most breathtaking views of the New England foliage in autumn, but it produces a legendary topping to many breakfast options. The history of turning the sap collected from those trees into delicious syrup dates back to the indigenous tribes and early European settlers. There is a nuance to getting the perfect sap to flow, as it requires below-freezing temperatures at night, with warmer sunnier days. This is why March in New Hampshire produces some of the best maple syrup in the world. For hundreds of years, inhabitants of New Hampshire have developed creative ways to obtain the sap from the many sugar maple trees found throughout the state. Metal buckets or tubs have been the preferred choice for sugar makers spanning all the generations.

Over the centuries, most have agreed that boiling down the sap with a wood fire produces superior results. Modern technology has, however, provided the opportunity to come close to the quality and taste of some traditionally operated Sugar Houses. Alternative heat sources like propane and oil help regulate temperature and speed up the process. Some houses use hydrometers to regulate the density by tracking the sugar concentration in the sap. Utilizing an evaporator system has allowed sugarhouse owners to have more control over the process. While some debate that modern approaches don’t pay as much homage to the tradition, others debate that the traditional wood fire method is more time-consuming and harder to keep the temperature regulated. The combination of those valuing traditional methods and those looking to experiment with modern approaches has further increased the number of sugarhouses currently in operation, continuing to make it a popular event. New Hampshire and neighboring states have hundreds of sugarhouses currently in operation that open their doors to visitors every year for the festive weekend held each March.

The long-celebrated Maple Weekend offers tourists and local residents alike an enjoyable and educational experience for the whole family. Many of the sugarhouses that participate in the weekend are family-run, often nestled in the forest of their home’s backyard. For visitors to the woodsy haven of the Lakes Region, just finding their first sugarhouse stop on their Maple Weekend tour can be an adventure. But the plumes of smoke billowing out of the little house hidden away in the trees can often serve as a welcoming guide to their destination. Those wanting more assurance to find their destination can bring along a printed version of the Sugarhouse tour map that the New Hampshire Maple Producers Association provides on their website. This non-profit group formed over 80 years ago and continues its success in celebrating the rich history of maple production in New Hampshire. Maple Weekend is such a huge part of the NH Maple Producers Association, that they even have the governor of the state participate in a ceremonial tree-tapping event to kick off the season. But the group doesn’t limit itself to one weekend a year. They hold a yearly competition where sugarhouses can truly test the quality of their work against the best throughout the state.

Sugarhouses welcoming those on the tour offer a close-up look at how they turn the sap from their sugar maples into the tasty treats they have for sale to their guests. Sugarhouse owners explain or show the sap collection process, which could involve simply drilling a hole for the spile and attaching a bucket. Some houses might run multiple lines from the spiles to a collection area so they can produce a larger amount of their product. Once the sap is collected, it’s brought to the sugarhouse to begin the boiling process. No matter the technology used in the process, syrup makers take a meticulous approach to create the perfect syrup. Boiling the sap at the perfect temperature, filtering it thoroughly, and obtaining that perfect color are all important steps to take to ensure high-quality results.

For people touring a sugarhouse that offers a live demonstration of the process, they will be sure to appreciate the cozy warmth of the wood fire stoking in the sugarhouse on those chillier March days. The sweet aroma of the sugaring process will also have folks craving waffles in a matter of seconds. The care taken during the boiling process results in a terrific array of maple-based products available to those taking the tour. The bottles of syrup made right from the house they’re touring are enough to bring in visitors from across the country. Many houses offer a variety of options in traditional syrups, from the subtler golden and amber flavors perfect for the Sunday family breakfast, to the darker varieties that have a more robust flavor, and are ideally used for cooking. Some of the sugarhouses in the Lakes Region offer bourbon barrel-aged syrups that take months to reach perfection. Several of the retail shops at the local houses have granulated maple sugar to use when looking for a bit of a healthier alternative to cane sugar, as well as maple butter and maple cream to use as the perfect toppers for bread and pastries. Many stops on the Maple Weekend tour allow visitors to bring home an overstuffed goodie bag full of custom designed maple candies and homemade pastries. Maple ice cream can be hard to resist even in colder weather; maple-flavored soft serve has been a favorite for both locals and tourists alike for many years. Some houses even sell their own merchandise, including hats, T shirts, or recipe books.

Maple Weekend is such a popular attraction throughout the Lakes Region that some sugarhouse companies offer housing accommodations as part of their tour for maple fanatics to get an immersive experience. The New Hampshire Maple Experience opened a museum in Bethlehem to honor the “sweet tradition”. Their tours are offered multiple times a day, where people can see a working sugarhouse operation in addition to the museum. The museum offers an interactive experience, allowing visitors to participate in the process of identifying and tapping a sugar maple. The museum also has various displays of tools used in the sugaring process over the years.

Some of the sugarhouses participating in Maple Weekend around this year include Big Lake Maple in Wolfeboro, Smith Farm Stand in Gilford, Abbott Farm in Moultonborough, Young Maple Ridge Sugarhouse in North Sandwich, Eldridge Family Sugar House in Tamworth, and Seabrisket Sugarbush in Brookfield. While many of the houses will be fully operational and welcoming visitors for tours, it is recommended to call in advance to ensure there is availability, since tours often fill up quickly. Whether up in the Lakes Region getting one last day on the slopes, or living locally and looking for a family fun activity before the warm weather kicks in, there are an abundance of sugarhouses nearby to enjoy the celebration, and no sweeter way to bring on the springtime than taking home some of the tastiest candies and syrup made by hardworking, talented members of the local community.

Ice Harvesting: An Age-Old Tradition

A circular ice saw is maneuvered into place to cut a grid for the removal of ice from Squam Lake. (Courtesy Rockywold Deephaven Camps)

By Thomas P. Caldwell

In the days before refrigeration solved the problem of keeping foods from spoiling, people used to harvest frozen water from ponds and lakes and store it in insulated “iceboxes” or ice houses to keep it from melting. Old-timers still sometimes call a refrigerator an icebox, but the term is slipping away as people lose track of how important ice storage used to be. Entire businesses were built around the ice harvest, but today it is almost a lost art.

The Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm in Tamworth, whose mission is to teach the values and significance of the country doctor’s medical practice and agricultural way of life, has held ice-harvesting demonstrations through the years, but recent warm winters have interfered with those plans and Dawne Gilpatrick, the museum’s marketing coordinator, said there will be no ice-harvesting this year.

One holdout is Rockywold Deephaven Camps in Holderness, where ice-harvesting remains an important tradition. In late January, ice-harvesting took place as it has every year since the late 1800s.

When Rockywold Deephaven Camps purchased seven refrigerators as the first step in phasing out its ice boxes in the late 1960s, camp guests objected. During an interview in 2015, Norm Lyford of Ashland, who had helped with the ice harvest for 72 years, recalled, “The campers objected. They didn’t want [refrigerators]. They liked being able to take an ice pick and chop the ice off, and they said they wouldn’t come back again unless they got the iceboxes back.”

That camp relented.

It takes 3,600 of the 15.5-inch by 19.5-inch by 12-inch-thick blocks of ice, each weighing about 115 pounds, to supply the cottage ice boxes in the summer. That is more than 200 tons of ice to be harvested, moved, and stored — 2,000 blocks in the Rockywold Ice House and about 1,600 blocks in the Deephaven Ice House. The ice is insulated by sawdust to keep it frozen until it is delivered to the antique iceboxes in each cottage. It is not unusual to have some ice still sitting in the ice houses after the last guests have left in September.

Cutting ice into cubes. (Courtesy Rockywold Deephaven Camps)

History of ice harvesting

Harvesting ice is a centuries-old tradition, but it turned into a business for enterprising people in the 19th century. By the 20th century, there were companies springing up to satisfy consumers’ needs for cold food storage both locally and around the world.

In Bristol, the Charles A. Carr Company formed as a coal and ice supplier in the greater Newfound Region. The family harvested ice from Newfound Lake and stored it lakeside in an ice house. As electrical refrigeration became common, the company evolved from coal and ice to home heating oil delivery.  In the mid-1980s, Dead River Company of Maine purchased the Carr Company, and David Carr, the founder’s son, built a lakeside retirement home on the old ice house property.

In Laconia, the Morrill-Atwood Ice Company of Wakefield, Massachusetts, maintained ice houses around Lake Paugus to help supply large hotels in Boston in the early 1900s. The ice houses were built adjacent to the railroad tracks, allowing the company to load the ice onto freight trains and ship it wherever it was needed. Later, the Rudzinski family opened the Laconia-Lakeport Ice Company which, although still in operation, now makes its own ice, rather than harvesting it from Lake Winnipesaukee.

The Gifford-Wood Company, which evolved from an ice tool manufacturing company started by William T. Wood in 1845 and consolidated operations with Gifford Brothers of Hudson, New York, in 1905, made most of the ice-harvesting equipment that Rockywold Deephaven Camps still uses today.

The growing demand for ice led Frederic Tudor (the “Ice King”), to develop international trade routes, shipping ice to the southern United States, the Caribbean, and as far away as India.

Moving those heavy blocks of ice used to be accomplished by a yolked steer team, and the Remick Museum’s demonstrations highlighted how they pulled wooden sleds to transport the ice for storage.

It is much easier today.

Blocks of ice are moved up a conveyor into a truck. (Tom Caldwell Photo)

The process

Judging the right time for the ice harvest is important. The ice has to be at least 8 to 12 inches thick to support the weight of workers and equipment. The ice used to get thick enough to harvest in December, but with warmer seasons in recent years, it has taken until late January or even February to have sufficiently thick ice for the harvest.

Rockywold Deephaven Camps aims for a 12-inch ice depth. If the ice gets too thick — more than 15 inches deep — it can have irregularities that spoil the blocks. Harvesting such blocks serves another purpose, however: They are placed around the perimeter of the ice-harvest area as a warning to snowmobilers and others out on Squam Lake that any ice forming over the hole may be unsafe.

Before harvesting the ice, the crews have to remove any snow from the surface. Not only does that provide access to the ice; it also ensures that the ice is sufficiently frozen. Snow can act as an insulator to slow down the freezing process and lead to thinner or uneven layers of ice.

In the early days, those cutting into the ice used hand saws and chisels; today, there are power tools to make the job much quicker and easier.

The process begins by scoring the ice to create a grid pattern on the surface of the lake or pond. Ice saws then cut along the lines to sever sections of ice. Ice-breaking tools or bars work at the ice to free the blocks and guide them along channels to the edge for removal.

Workers then use ice pikes and ice tongs to grab the blocks and get them out of the water where they are loaded onto sleds, wagons, or trucks. It is rare to see oxen or horses perform that task today. Instead, the blocks are loaded onto a powered conveyor belt that lifts them onto the waiting transport vehicle.

Once harvested and loaded, the ice is transported to the ice house where more labor is required to unload and stack the blocks before insulating them with sawdust or hay. The ice house itself is designed with thick walls, which may be made of wood, stone, or brick to help maintain the temperature and keep the ice from melting.

Rockywold Deephaven Camps created a manual that establishes the procedures to make sure the ice harvest is efficient and safe. It begins with spending the weeks prior to the harvest making sure that the equipment is ready for service. When it is time for the harvest, a tool shed and loading chute are brought onto the ice, with an ice ramp making sure the trucks can get onto and off the ice safely.

The manual also includes guidance on accessories such as ice cleats to prevent slippage on the ice, and there are signs to indicate areas of thin ice.

The camp uses power equipment, including a circular ice saw and chainsaws, and they make sure to have a spare engine for the circular saw, because, if they miss their window of opportunity, the ice conditions will change and make the harvest impossible.

Yesteryear: Belknap Mill Beginnings

The Belknap Mill in old-time Laconia, NH. (Courtesy Belknap Mill Society)

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

The early 1970s was a perilous time for the old mill buildings on Beacon Street near downtown Laconia. The buildings were no longer the site for production of textiles and other goods,  and the rooms were empty and dusty. If you were to walk through the mill buildings, you might fancy hearing the call of one former worker to another or the sound of the loud textile machines.

By 1969, the Belknap Mill was no longer in operation; thus began the struggle to save the building from the wrecking ball.

All around the downtown area, old buildings were being demolished as the trend for everything new took over. There seemed to be little regard for anything historical and this was especially true for old mill structures.

But not everyone agreed with that mindset, and a group of such citizens must have been distressed to see the former downtown Laconia they knew and in some cases, grew up with, being torn down to make way for a parking garage, parking lots, modern buildings and busy throughfares. roads. The group asked themselves if there might be a way to retain at least a few of the buildings, specifically the two former mill buildings, built in the early 1800s of brick.

Today, we would look at these buildings and recognize their architectural beauty. But in the early 1970s, many saw the mills as an eyesore, having no purpose to hold onto the structures or fix them for later use.

An article in the Laconia Evening Citizen seemed an ominous prediction to the demise of the mill buildings. Dated October 23, 1970, the headline read “Mill Disposal Deadline Set”. The Laconia Redevelopment and Housing Authority reported to the mayor and city council that unless funds and plans were forthcoming, the Seeburg and Belknap-Sulloway mills would be torn down by June 1, 1971.

It is worth noting that the article also mentioned the Belknap Mill was reserved for museum use. It was warned, however, that plans, and funds would be needed by March 1, 1971, or demolition would begin on June 1.

Luckily, there were those already meeting and working hard to save the old mill. At the first annual meeting of the Save the Mill Society, President Richard Davis reported that for the first time ever, the National Trust for Historic Preservation contributed toward the preservation of something other than a Presidential residence. The amount given was $500 to go toward the preservation of the Belknap Sulloway and Busiel mills.

It was hoped the buildings would be placed on the National Register in Washington, which would be impactful in the goal of saving the mills.

No matter what the efforts were to keep the mills from demolition, deadlines were looming. An article in the Laconia Evening Citizen dates December 26, 1970, reported that a firm deadline of June 1, 1971, was set by Laconia Housing and Redevelopment Authority to decide on the fate of the buildings.

In the efforts to save the mills, the buildings had been under consideration in the past year in connection with the Urban Renewal project. Ideas for the mills was restoration as a city hall, and the Belknap Mill specifically for use as a museum and cultural center.

Authority chairman Richard A. Messer said, “In essence, what the authority advised … was what steps will have to be taken to demolish the mills if no development proposals assuring their rehabilitation for private or public use are firmed up by next June 1.”

Whether one agreed with the feeling of saving the mills or tearing them down, all seemed to agree that there should be a good look at the structural condition of the buildings and the work required to bring the mills up to local code standards.

A report by the Save the Mill committee on December 21, 1970, told that the members were regularly meeting each Friday for a noon time working lunch. They kept up with current trends and other mill-related business. The committee was not about to give up in their intense efforts to see that the historic buildings were preserved.

One can only imagine the sense of urgency among the committee members when they were informed that the Planning Board of Laconia had altered the schedule to hear plans for the use of the Belknap Mill by March 1. The new plan was to demolish the mill buildings – immediately.

Swinging into action, the Mill committee decided to attend a meeting to be held that same evening in the Mayor’s office. At that meeting, they would protest and lay out their plans for Mill renovations.

They would also meet with the Chamber of Commerce that very afternoon.

In the same report, Dorothy Buley presented a report on a plan for a museum and restaurant for the Belknap Mill. She wrote that the museum would not be a tale of an early elegant home such as those found in Portsmouth’s Strawbery Banke or a display of local farming equipment. In capital letters she wrote that a Mill museum would be THE STORY OF THE LAKES REGION AND THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.

A centerpiece for the proposed museum would be a display of the oldest, untouched brick mill building in the country. The story of weaving fabric for Civil War uniforms and the knitting of socks, both done at the mill, would be included in the displays.

A restaurant would be a possibility as well, according to Buley’s report. The dining establishment would make use of antique mill equipment and other items for decoration and even the dining tables would have lighted, locked displays on the tabletops.

It was a creative and worthy idea, but not all of it came to fruition; only the museum effort became part of the finished Belknap Mill.

There is no doubt that dedicated committee members at this time were totally committed to saving the mills. Their work was tireless, but they faced a long road with many meetings, trips to give reports and a constant effort to obtain funding for renovations to the buildings.

Today, it is worthwhile to look back on the early days of the Save the Mill effort. The early 1970s were a time of a desire to embrace the modern and new, while others wanted to move forward but preserve the history of the community. Eventually, both efforts were joined, and it is these herculean goals that created the brick mill buildings still gracing downtown Laconia to this day.

Due to its age (built in 1823), there are many things about the Mill that may be unknown to most people. The following is a list of facts the Belknap Mill, with some help from a former Belknap Mill board of directors member, and a former Mill executive director.

1. The original wooden mill burned in the early 1800s and was replaced by the brick mill that stands to this day, based on designs of an 1813 mill in Lowell, Massachusetts. It was listed in 1972 as one of the first buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.

2. A handmade stool was donated to the Belknap Mill by Gwendolyn and Rolland Gove and is a good example of the days of child labor in mills. This stool and others like it were used in mills as chairs for children as young as 10 years of age. The children wound bobbins and did other work. Their feet barely touched the floor as they sat at their tasks.

3. The historic Belknap Mill was nearly the victim of fire in 1860 when a huge blaze destroyed much of downtown Laconia. Luckily the Niagara Engine Company of Lake Village came to the rescue, and the brave men pushed into the area, showing the community “how fires were fought by real men!” as a newspaper reported at the time.

4. In 1973, members of the Belknap Mill Society had cast 150 replicas of the original Holbrook Bell. The number (150) was to reflect one bell for each year of the Mill’s existence until 1973.

5. When the Belknap Mill was built, fire was a frequent occurrence, and it took many buildings. To prevent a fire, the Belknap Mill was built mostly of brick and featured post-and-beam construction. The bricks were made at a brickyard in the Weirs area. The wooden beams of the Mill had shaved corners to make them fire resistant as much as possible. It is uncertain if these measures kept the Mill from burning but something went right, because the structure stands to this day.

6. Hollywood personality/TV host Jay Leno visited the Mill and signed the guest book around the year 2000. (Information from former Belknap Mill executive director Mary Rose Boswell.)

7. In 1977, a Proclamation was distributed to state that the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration regarded the Belknap Mill as a project of national scope with state focus and recognized it as an official program for the Bicentennial.

8. In the 1990s, the gallery at the Belknap Mill, had an exhibit featuring the work of Sandwich, NH artist Ted Sizemore. His detailed paintings were artwork for the covers of romance novels. The exhibit was one-of-a-kind, offering to the viewer a significant collection of unique and beautiful paintings.

9. The Belknap Mill’s summer outdoor concert series was started in the 1990s with the first band playing and making do with the back cement flat surface as a “stage” of sorts. The area is today the beautiful Rod & Gail Dyer Powerhouse Patio. Audience seating for the first concert was folding metal chairs placed in the former parking lot (now Rotary Park). What started as a one-evening concert morphed into the summertime ambitious lineup of outdoor concerts well attended by the public each year.

10. Politics, politics, politics! Before area citizens vote there is the campaign trail. That trail has led to the Belknap Mill on many occasions, from Bob Dole to Bill Clinton and many more. Over the last 45 years, visiting presidential candidates have included John Edwards, Marco Rubio, Newt Gingrich, Joe Biden, Edward “Ted” Kennedy and Jerry Brown. The candidates over the years stopped at the Mill to speak, meet voters and answer questions in their bid for the presidency and vice presidency. It is a true testament to the Belknap Mill’s title as the “Meetinghouse of New Hampshire.”

When the Theatre Came to Town

The Old Colonial Theatre, Bethlehem

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

The White Mountain region of New Hampshire is quiet in winter, and it was even more remote 100-plus years ago. In those days, when a concert or play came to town, it brightened long, cold winters. Such pastimes were few because bringing plays, movies and concerts north was a major production in the early to mid 1800s.

But all that was to change when outside producers and others set their sights on offering vaudeville and movies to the north country of New Hampshire.

This was a time when opera houses were springing up in cities and also in small towns. Some of the opera house buildings were part town halls with offices for local government and part theatre. Often, there was a meeting hall large enough – often with a stage – for performances.

In Conway, Bethlehem, Plymouth and Littleton, among other towns, opera houses brought the world of music and movies to the region.

North of the Conway area, Gorham was incorporated in 1836, but settlers lived there long before that date. At its start, Gorham was dubbed Shelburne Addition, according to “Some Highlights From Gorham’s History” by Guy Gosselin. It served as a stop-over spot for travelers headed elsewhere.

In the early days of Gorham the town was a small community of about 30 houses, a grist mill and a general store and inn. The community grew fast once the railroad arrived, and Gorham was a place to stop, rest, perhaps get something to eat at the inn and continue on to the northern White Mountain hotels that were the destination for tourists from the south.

As the 1900s began, electricity came to Gorham, and this attracted the many area millworkers to settle their. The area was thriving, with railroad travel, a high school and an ever-increasing population and many shops and businesses.

It seemed natural to provide entertainment and the Gorham Opera House was built in 1915. Locals must have been excited when work began on the Gorham Opera House. Construction was quick and by June or July, citizens flocked to the new theatre to see something they might have never experienced before: watching a motion picture. The thrilling first movies were “The Count of Monte Cristo” with James O’Neil and mega-star Mary Pickford in “The Eagles Mate.” The price to attend was ten cents for children and fifteen cents for adults.

Sadly, in 1917 the Opera House was destroyed by fire. A new building opened in 1918, and many vaudeville acts came to the stage at the time, as well as theatrical productions.

The Gorham Opera House featured thrilling acts brought to town via the railroad at the time. The building remains in our current day and offers concerts and musical acts and is now known as the Medallion Opera House.

The bustling Mt. Washington Valley town of Conway offered movies and theatricals for many years. In October of 1919, Leon Bolduc purchased a local Bijou Theatre and began to show movies in Conway village.

Bolduc made a business of showing films to others and he  had experience running a movie house.  He had worked for a few winters at the famed Rockefeller family estate, overseeing a private movie theatre. Bolduc also ran early movies in such small towns as Tamworth and Jackson as well, likely in town halls or other spaces.

When talking pictures arrived and took the country by storm, Bolduc offered “The Broadway Melody” in 1929, according to historical information at www.conwaymajestic.com (in an article by Adrian E. Hurd).

With movies becoming more and more desirable, the theatre must have been quite popular. In 1930 Bolduc purchased a vacant lot and built the Bolduc Block on Main Street in Conway village. The construction, according to Hurd’s historical article at www.conwaymajestic.com, included brick facing for the exterior of the building.

The Bolduc Block can be likened to an early mall of sorts long before malls came into vogue. The block offered not only the movie theater, but Frank Allard’s Grocery Store, Tony Labnon’s Store, W. Langlais the Jeweler, and the local post office. Residents had access to stores in one block within easy walking distance.

But the big excitement was the opening of the New Conway Theatre (or Majestic Theatre as it was later called) in the spring of 1931. On opening night, the Conway Band played in front of the theatre and moviegoers were treated to the main feature, “Stepping Out.”

With outdoor music before the show, it was like a Hollywood movie premiere right in the village. Guests must have thrilled to see the new, spacious theatre, the comfortable seats and the beautiful theatre curtain.

Bolduc stood on stage and welcomed the excited guests before the movie began. This was a time when going to a movie was a big event and great entertainment. Give-aways of fine China pleased many moviegoers and short films with cartoons and newsreels before the main feature were all part of a Saturday night (or afternoon) at the movies. Bolduc’s Conway theatre certainly fit the bill and was a popular place for locals to see their favorite actors and actresses on the big screen..

The theatre was the site of parties and other events as well, and during World War II a key drive was held to obtain metal for the war effort.

Eventually, it was renamed the Majestic Theatre, a fitting name for the elevated place the theatre held in the community. Movies were shown there for many years, and plays were performed as well.

On the other side of the region, a new theatre opened around 1915. It was built by Karl Abbott and “Doc” Clark, according to “Open for the Season” a memoir by K. Abbott. The new entertainment venue was called The Colonial Theatre. It was built on a vacant lot in Bethlehem and opened for business on July 1, 1915. The first feature shown was Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Girl of The Golden West.”

Bethlehem was a good choice for the new theatre due to the town’s booming summer population. The area had many fine hotels that attracted wealthy vacationers. Thus, Hollywood moguls saw the theatre as a good place to premier new movies. They could test  market films to a sophisticated audience far away from Hollywood and get a reaction for each movie. It also brought entertainment to the town at a time when it was much appreciated.

After changing hands it was purchased by The Friends of the Colonial.

The Littleton Opera House is a fine example of late Victorian architecture and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. It is situated on Main Street.

Completed in 1895, according to information at www.littletonareachamber.com, the building was used as a police station, library and other town offices. Part of the building was used as an opera house. It boasted a multi-galleried auditorium and could seat a large audience. Concerts and plays were held in the theatre section of the building, much to the delight of townspeople.

The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center has been a bit part of downtown Plymouth for many years. When first opened in the 1920s, it was known as the New Plymouth Theater. Like many other opera houses and theatres in the White Mountains, it presented vaudeville and silent films. Many of its shows and movies were sold out, attracting locals for a few hours of entertainment.

Technology was evolving fast in the 1930s, and entertainment houses like the New Plymouth Theatre enjoyed some of those new devices. It was a state-of-the-art facility, with modern amenities like the “only Western Electric Mirrophonic Sound System” in the region, “air-cooling” and an inclined floor, with 700 comfortable upholstered seats…just for the cost of a 25 cent admission.

With changing times, the theatre was empty for quite some time until The Common Man family in New Hampshire purchased and renovated the theater in 2010, re-launching it as The Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center. 

Old-time opera houses and movie theatres brought entertainment and a taste of the outside world to New Hampshire’s north country and changed each town when entertainment arrived.