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Units of New Hampshire History
Unit 13: Tourism in New Hampshire
Find It!

Find It! Tourism in New Hampshire

All the resources that appear in this unit are gathered here for you—the photographs, maps, objects, audiovisuals, documents, videos, biographies, and vocabulary words. Click on the image below to see a larger view of each resource with more information about each one. On some of the resources you can even zoom in and get a closer look. So go ahead, dive in, and explore. Before you know it, you’ll be thinking like a historian.

Find It! Scavenger Hunt

Can you help Mason find these items on the page and answer the questions?

Scavenger Hunt

Click On An Icon To Find A Resource!

Photographs & Prints in this Unit:

Photograph/Print

Old Man of the Mountain Carte de Visite

John P. Soule

circa 1850s–1904

Caption:

Carte de visite photographs were a nineteenth-century innovation for sharing photographs. Small photographic prints were mounted on heavy paper cards that typically measured 2 inches by 4 inches. They were inexpensive and could safely travel through the mail.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Old Man of the Mountain Painting

Edward Hill

1879

Caption:

Well-known landscape painter Edward Hill was the artist-in-residence at the Profile House hotel for 15 years. During that time, he created this painting of the Old Man of the Mountain. The painting was printed on ceramic plates, teacups, and other items—a new type of souvenir for 19th-century tourists.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Suspended Boulder at the Flume

circa 1850s–1883

Caption:

This is a picture of the suspended boulder at the Flume, a gorge that rises 800 feet in Franconia Notch. In 1883 a heavy rainstorm created a landslide that washed the boulder away. It has never been found.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Appledore Island Boat Landing

undated

Caption:

Appledore Island is one of nine islands about ten miles off the coast of New Hampshire called the Isles of Shoals. This hotel burned down in 1914. Today the Shoals Marine Laboratory, run by two universities, is on the island.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Mount Washington Cog Railway at Jacob's Ladder

Photograph/Print

Mount Washington Cog Railway at Jacob's Ladder

circa 1892–1906

Caption:

An inventor named Sylvester Marsh loved the views from the top of Mount Washington, but he thought there must be an easier way to get to the top than climbing up 6,000 feet. He developed a special kind of train, called a cog railway, that could climb such a steep terrain. This photo shows the Mount Washington Cog Railway at Jacob's Ladder, the steepest point of the route.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

The Flume

Edwin Jay Roberts

1917

Caption:

In 1808, a 93-year-old local woman named "Aunt" Jess Guernsey found the Flume Gorge when she was fishing, and it's been famous ever since. It is now a popular hiking spot in the White Mountains.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Wolfeboro Town on Lake Winnipesaukee

John Badger Bachelder

1873

Caption:

Wolfeboro's town motto is "The Oldest Summer Resort in America" and it has been a popular tourist site for more than 150 years. In 1771, the colonial governor, John Wentworth, built his summer home there next to a lake.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Willey Slide

Franklin Leavitt

1854

Caption:

The Willey family died in 1826 trying to escape a landslide in Crawford Notch, but their house was not damaged. This strange tragedy made their house a tourist attraction. People came from all over the world to see the place where they died. This image is from one of Franklin Leavitt's tourist maps of the White Mountains.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Pine Island Park

Paul A. Archambault, created in 1990

1902–1962

Caption:

Pine Island Park operated from 1902 to 1962 in Manchester. It was very popular with people who lived in and around Manchester, as well as tourists coming from far away. A trolley car line ran out from Manchester to Pine Island Park so that people could get there quickly and easily.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Presidential Range in the White Mountains

Photograph/Print

Presidential Range in the White Mountains

Edward Hill

1886

Caption:

The Presidential Range is part of the White Mountains in New Hampshire. It is very scenic because it contains the highest peaks of the White Mountains. It also has some of the worst weather on Earth, due to high wind speeds and whiteout conditions. Because its weather is so unpredictable and dangerous, mountain climbers use the Presidential Range to train for higher peaks, like Mount Everest.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Mount Washington Summit View

S. F. Adams

circa 1844–1900

Caption:

Mount Washington is 6,288 feet high. If you are on the top, or summit, you are so high that you might be above the clouds.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Profile House

Franklin White

circa 1853–1870

Caption:

Profile House was one of the many grand resort hotels throughout New Hampshire from the mid-1800s to 1920. It was named after the Old Man of the Mountain, which looked like the profile of a man's face, and stood near the Old Man in Franconia Notch. Profile House was built in 1852 and burned down in 1923.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Mount Washington Hotel

circa 1902–1987

Caption:

The Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, NH, was one of many grand resort hotels throughout the state from the mid-1800s to 1920. It was built in 1902 and is still open today.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Wentworth Hotel

Joseph Becker

1874

Caption:

This is an advertisement for Wentworth-by-the-Sea, a grand resort hotel in New Castle, NH. Advertisements like these were published in newspapers and magazines to showcase all of the different activities people could do while on vacation in New Hampshire.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Oceanic House, Star Island

Robbins Brothers Company

circa 1873–1915

Caption:

Star Island is one of nine islands about ten miles off the coast of New Hampshire called the Isles of Shoals. The Oceanic Hotel, which still stands, was one of two grand resort hotels on the islands. It opened in 1873.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Camp Cozy

circa 1922

Caption:

As tourism to New Hampshire grew in the late 1800s, people who didn't want to or didn't have the money to stay at a grand resort hotel or an inn often camped. Some families bought land in the lakes or mountains regions and built larger and larger cabins or "camps" over time. Their families have returned every year for generations.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Family Picnic on Isle of Shoals

undated

Caption:

Tourists visiting New Hampshire in the 1800s were often looking for a quiet, peaceful vacation away from the crowds, dirt, and noise of large cities. There were many activities they could enjoy, like having a picnic.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Follansbee House, Newfound Lake

circa 1900s

Caption:

As tourism in New Hampshire grew in the late 1800s, visitors had many choices of where to stay, including grand resort hotels, campgrounds, or smaller inns or hotels like this one.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Platts Farm Advertisement

New Hampshire State Board of Agriculture

1905

Caption:

Many people left New Hampshire in the 1800s as they discovered cheaper, better farmland further west. The railroads also made it easier and cheaper to travel to the west. Many farms were abandoned during that time, so the state government used to publish a brochure encouraging people from big cities like New York and Boston to buy them as summer homes.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Gilman Farm Advertisement

New Hampshire State Board of Agriculture

1905

Caption:

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Camping at Lake Sunapee

circa 1890

Caption:

As tourism to New Hampshire grew in the late 1800s, people who didn't have the money to stay at a grand resort hotel or an inn or who preferred a more rustic experience often camped. This photo shows the Sturtevant family from Concord camping at Lake Sunapee.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Relaxing in Camp

circa 1870s–1920

Caption:

As tourism to New Hampshire grew in the late 1800s, people who didn't want to or didn't have the money to stay at a grand resort hotel or an inn often camped. Some people preferred the more peaceful, relaxed experience of camping.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

A Group Camping in New Hampshire

circa 1870s–1920

Caption:

As tourism to New Hampshire grew in the late 1800s, people who didn't have the money to stay at a grand resort hotel or an inn or who preferred a more rustic experience often went camping instead. Camping was especially popular in the Lakes Region.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Oceanic Hotel Veranda

circa 1873–1915

Caption:

Postcard containing an image of the veranda of the Oceanic Hotel on Star Island, part of the Isles of Shoals, NH. The Oceanic Hotel opened in 1873 with space for 300 guests and had the first elevator in an American hotel.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

The Flume Gorge

1938

Caption:

Photograph postcard of the Flume Gorge, a popular hiking spot in Franconia Notch, NH.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Presidential Range with Mount Washington Hotel

Photograph/Print

Presidential Range with Mount Washington Hotel

American Art Post Card Company

circa 1915–1953

Caption:

This is a postcard of the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, NH, with the Presidential Range in the background. The Mount Washington Hotel is a grand resort hotel that opened in 1902 and is still open today.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Mount Washington

Tichnor Brothers, Inc.

1938

Caption:

Postcard of Mount Washington in the White Mountains, NH. Postcards were a way for tourists to show people back home all the places they were visiting. A message on the back of this one from E. P. Sondrol to Mrs. N. G. Palmer in Verona, PA, states they are enjoying their vacation.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Jacob's Ladder on the Cog Railway

Chisholm Brothers

circa 1876–1938

Caption:

This postcard shows the Mount Washington Cog Railway at Jacob's Ladder, the steepest point of its route. Special airbrakes help the Cog Railway descend slowly.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Old Man of the Mountain

Detroit Publishing Company

1920

Caption:

Postcard of the Old Man of the Mountains at Franconia Notch in the White Mountains, NH. Postcards were a great way for tourists to show friends and family back home all the places they visited. This postcard was sent to Bristol, CT.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Mai's Cabins on Lake Winnisquam

circa 1920–1950

Caption:

As tourism grew in New Hampshire in the late 1800s, visitors had a lot of choices about where to stay, like grand resort hotels, smaller inns or hotels, campgrounds, or cabins like these in the Lakes Region.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Boar's Head, Hampton Beach

circa late 1800s

Caption:

Little Boar's Head in Hampton Beach, NH, has been a popular tourist spot for many years. For people living in big cities like Philadelphia, Boston, and even Chicago, it was relatively easy to get to the New Hampshire seacoast by train.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Kearsarge on Lake Sunapee

circa late 1800s

Caption:

Lake Sunapee was, and still is today, a popular tourist attraction. People enjoyed traveling along the lake on a wooden steamship.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Manchester Hermit with Pet

John B. Varick Company

1909

Caption:

The "Hermit of Mosquito Pond" was Charles Alan Lambert, who was born in England around 1823 and emigrated to Manchester as a teenager. For 60 years he lived on a large plot of land on Mosquito Pond (now Crystal Lake) and grew crops. He became famous, and hundreds of tourists visited him each summer. He sold his poems, vegetables, and herbs to the visitors.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Miss Underhill's Chair

circa late 1800s

Caption:

Miss Underhill's Chair is a natural formation of rocks that create a seat above the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. This rock became a popular tourist destination after the tragic death of Nancy Underhill, after she ventured too close to the rock's edge and was swept out to sea.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

White Island, Isles of Shoals

circa 1878–1930s

Caption:

White Island is one of nine islands about ten miles off the coast of New Hampshire called the Isles of Shoals. The lighthouse on the island would help guide boats carrying tourists to the Oceanic Hotel and the Appledore Hotel. It was also the childhood home of Celia Laighton Thaxter, a famous New Hampshire author and poet.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Star Island, Isles of Shoals

circa 1876–1915

Caption:

Star Island is one of nine islands about ten miles off the coast of New Hampshire called the Isles of Shoals. In the 1600s, it was the busiest fishing port on the east coast. In the 1800s, it became a popular tourist destination. The Oceanic Hotel, a grand resort hotel, opened on Star Island in 1873.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Wolfeboro Bay

circa 1898–1952

Caption:

Wolfeboro, NH, is known as "The Oldest Summer Resort in America" because in the 1770s the royal governor, John Wentworth, built a summer home there. The house burned down in 1820, but the Lakes Region is still a popular tourist destination.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

The Flume—Looking Up

John P. Soule

circa 1850s–1883

Caption:

In 1808, a 93-year-old local woman named "Aunt" Jess Guernsey came upon the Flume Gorge when she was fishing, and it's been famous ever since. At the time, a large, egg-shaped boulder was suspended between the two natural stone walls of the gorge. The boulder was swept away in a landslide in 1883.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

The Pool, Franconia Notch

John P. Soule

circa 1850s–1904

Caption:

There are many refreshing swimming holes in the White Mountains that are popular with tourists. This one, in what is now Franconia Notch State Park, was formed by natural granite slopes.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Hiking on a Mountaintop

1916

Caption:

Hikers have many choices of mountains in New Hampshire, not just the White Mountains, but places like Mount Monadnock in the southwest part of the state or Mount Kearsarge in the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee region.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

The Flume Painting

Samuel Lancaster Gerry

1882

Caption:

This painting of The Flume was done by a well-known White Mountain artist, Samuel Lancaster Gerry. It shows the Flume with the boulder suspended between the natural stone walls of the gorge. The boulder was washed away by a landslide in 1883.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

The Flume, Franconia Mountains

John Badger Bachelder

circa 1855–1875

Caption:

John Badger Bachelder was a New Hampshire native and a painter, photographer, and military historian. He did most of his painting before the Civil War, and he had a studio in Manchester, NH.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Morss' Falls, Franconia Mountains

John Badger Bachelder

circa 1855–1875

Caption:

John Badger Bachelder was a New Hampshire native and a painter, photographer, and military historian. He did most of his painting before the Civil War, and he had a studio in Manchester, NH.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Mount Monadnock

circa 1890

Caption:

This landscape painting by an unknown artist of Mount Monadnock in the distance shows how tourists from the big cities valued the quiet, peaceful experience of rural life.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Hotel Guests Playing Cards

George W. Perry Scrapbooks

1888

Caption:

Although New Hampshire was known for its grand resort hotels, almost every town had a boardinghouse or inn where tourists could stay. Inns usually had guest rooms, a dining room or restaurant where guests could have meals, and a few activities, like tennis, though not as many activities as grand resort hotels. This photograph shows guests playing cards on the porch of the Perkins Inn in Hopkinton.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Tourists at the Willey House

circa 1839–1870

Caption:

These people are standing in front of the Willey House in Crawford Notch, NH. The Willey House became a popular tourist attraction in the White Mountain region after the tragic deaths of the Willey family during a landslide in Crawford Notch in 1826. In 1845 a local businessman bought the house and turned it into a hotel.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

People on a Picnic

circa 1887–1920

Caption:

For a more rustic and less expensive vacation, many visitors to New Hampshire set up family camps along the shores of New Hampshire's many lakes.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Oceanic Hotel, Star Island

1915

Caption:

Star Island is one of nine islands about ten miles off the coast of New Hampshire called the Isles of Shoals. The Oceanic Hotel, which still stands, was one of two grand resort hotels on the islands.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Canobie Lake Hotel

circa 1907–1915

Caption:

This is a postcard for the Canobie Lake Hotel, located in Salem, NH along Canobie Lake.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Beach at Little Boar's Head

Thomson & Thomson

circa 1908–1926

Caption:

Little Boar's Head is a low, steep hill on New Hampshire's seacoast that was formed by glacial ice thousands of years ago. In the 1800s it transformed from a sleepy fishing village to a tourist spot. Wealthy people built summer homes there, and a summer hotel opened in 1878.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Northwood Express Stagecoach

M. M. Montgomery, George W. Perry Scrapbooks

1898

Caption:

Before trains, tourists had to travel by stagecoach, wagon, or even on foot. Even after the railroads came, travelers sometimes had to take stagecoaches from the train stations to their hotels.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Summit of Mount Washington

Bierstadt Brothers

circa 1850s–1907

Caption:

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Crystal Cascade

Bierstadt Brothers

1864

Caption:

There are many beautiful waterfalls all throughout New Hampshire. Crystal Cascade is in Pinkham Notch and drops 100 feet.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

White Mountains

Ralph C. Larrabee

1934

Caption:

Landscape photography became popular in the early 1900s. Like painters before them, landscape photographers found the White Mountains very inspiring.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Sightseeing in the White Mountains

1875

Caption:

In September 1875, a group of young men and women from New York took a trip to the White Mountains. Wealthy people during this time often took a "grand tour" of the mountains in New Hampshire. One of the women drew scenes from their trip on a long parchment scroll. There are 21 scenes altogether on the scroll. This scene shows the group at the base of a ledge, probably Cathedral Ledge in Bartlett.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Waiting at the Train Station

1875

Caption:

In September 1875, a group of young men and women from New York took a trip to the White Mountains. Wealthy people during this time often took a "grand tour" of the mountains in New Hampshire. One of the women drew scenes from their trip on a long parchment scroll. There are 21 scenes altogether on the scroll. This scene is the last one on the scroll, and it shows the group on their way home at the India Point train station in Providence, Rhode Island.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Crawford Notch, Before the Willey Slide

Thomas Hill

1872

Caption:

Landscape artist Thomas Hill was inspired to recreate the moments before and after the powerful landslide that killed the Willey family, even 50 years after it happened. This painting shows the valley of Crawford Notch, as well as the Willey family home in the background, before the area was destroyed by the landslide.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Ascending Kearsarge on Horseback

1875

Caption:

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Visitors to Tip-Top House

John P. Soule

circa 1850s–1904

Caption:

This photograph shows visitors to Tip-Top House, a hotel on the summit, or top, of Mount Washington. Tourists came to hike Mount Washington as early as the 1820s, and it became really popular in the mid-1800s. In the 1850s, two hotels opened at the summit so that people would have a place to stay overnight in case they couldn't hike up and down the mountain in one day. Tip-Top House was the second hotel to open, in 1853. It is now a museum that you can still visit today.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Ferris Wheel at Pine Island Park

Ulric Bourgeois

circa 1925

Caption:

Pine Island Park operated from 1902 to 1962 in Manchester, NH. The amusement park had many attractions, including a Ferris Wheel.

Image Credit: Courtesy Manchester (NH) Historic Association

Photograph/Print

Trolleys in New Hampshire

1894

Caption:

Many amusement parks had a trolley car line that ran straight to the amusement park from a major city or a railroad stop. This allowed visitors to easily travel to the amusement parks for a day trip.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Crawford House, Crawford Notch

John Badger Bachelder

circa 1858

Caption:

Early visitors to the White Mountains stayed in taverns or inns. Visitors relied on the beauty of the scenery for entertainment, and only returned to these taverns to eat and sleep.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Mount Crawford House

Samuel A. Bemis

circa 1840–1843

Caption:

The Crawford family owned some of the most famous taverns in the White Mountains, including this tavern, called Mount Crawford House.

Image Credit: Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gilman Collection, gift of The Howard Gilman Foundation

Photograph/Print

Perkins Inn

George W. Perry Scrapbooks

1888

Caption:

As tourism to New Hampshire grew in the late 1800s, visitors had many options for where to stay while on their vacation. Many chose to stay in small hotels or inns, like the Perkins Inn in Hopkinton, which were less expensive than grand resort hotels.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Artist in the Country

Engraving by John Karst after an original by Winslow Homer, printed in Appleton's Journal

1869

Caption:

Many artists came to the White Mountains to be inspired by the beauty of the mountains and create works of art. Some artists only made short visits to New Hampshire, but others decided to return every summer for months at a time.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Saco River, North Conway

Benjamin Champney

1874

Caption:

Benjamin Champney was one of the most famous artists to paint the White Mountains. He had a studio in North Conway, NH.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Appledore House, Isles of Shoals

Tichnor Brothers, Inc.

undated

Caption:

Located in the Atlantic Ocean about 10 miles off the coast of New Hampshire, the Isles of Shoals were a popular vacationing spot for tourists. Appledore House, located on Appledore Island, was a favorite hotel among well-known artists and writers.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

White Island Light

John Burgum

1890

Caption:

While many artists went to the White Mountains to create landscape paintings of the mountains, others visited the seacoast and created works of art based on what they saw while staying along the coast and on the Isles of Shoals.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Champney Showcases a Painting to Other Artists

Photograph/Print

Champney Showcases a Painting to Other Artists

Photograph probably by Gabriella Eddy White, reproduced in the Bicentennial of Conway, N.H., Commemorative Booklet, 1965

circa 1870

Caption:

Many White Mountain artists gave art lessons to tourists and other visiting artists. One of America’s most famous 19th-century artists, Benjamin Champney, had a studio in North Conway, and often welcomed visitors in his studio and on short excursions.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Abenaki Basket Maker

C. T. Bodwell

1934

Caption:

Once New Hampshire became a popular tourist destination, many Abenaki made baskets during the winter to sell to tourists during the warmer months. They were able to preserve the important cultural tradition of basket-weaving and earn a living. This Abenaki woman was selling baskets near the Flume Gorge in the White Mountains.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Construction of the Mount Washington Hotel

Photograph/Print

Construction of the Mount Washington Hotel

1902

Caption:

Completed in 1902, the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods is one of only about 10 remaining hotels from New Hampshire's era of grand resort hotels.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

English Jack

undated

Caption:

Tourists came to Crawford Notch from all over to hear stories from John "English Jack" Vials. English Jack had led a very colorful life. He was born in England and became a cabin boy when he was 12 and sailed all around the world. He once survived a shipwreck, and later served in the Royal Navy. He came to New Hampshire to help build the railroads and liked it so much he decided to stay. He lived in a cabin and sold souvenirs and homemade beer to the tourists who visited him. He died in 1912 at the age of about 88.

Image Credit: Courtesy of Rick Russack, whitemountainhistory.org

Daniel Webster and the Old Man of the Mountain

Photograph/Print

Daniel Webster and the Old Man of the Mountain

Marek Bennett

2012

Caption:

There is an old story about how a famous politician in the 1800s, Daniel Webster, explained the Old Man of the Mountain. He supposedly said, "Men hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades. Shoemakers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers a monster watch; and a dentist hands out a gold tooth; but up in the mountains of New Hampshire, God almighty has hung out a sign to show that there he makes men." There is no evidence that Webster actually ever said or wrote that, but it is a great story anyway!

Image Credit: Courtesy of Marek Bennett at livefreeandddraw.com

An Indian Summer Morning in the White Mountains

Photograph/Print

An Indian Summer Morning in the White Mountains

Jasper Francis Cropsey

1857

Caption:

This painting is an important example of White Mountain art, showing New Hampshire's beautiful mountain landscapes and vibrant fall colors.

Image Credit: Courtesy of the Currier Museum of Art

Photograph/Print

Celia Thaxter in Her Garden

Childe Hassam

1892

Caption:

The author Celia Thaxter lived on Appledore Island, one of the Isles of Shoals. She loved nature and had a beautiful flower garden. Her flowers were used to decorate the hotel on the island.

Image Credit: Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Photograph/Print

Camp Chocorua

Illustration by William Allen Rogers in the magazine St. Nicholas

1886

Caption:

Camp Chocorua on Squam Lake was the first children's overnight summer camp in New Hampshire and one of the first in the country. It was founded by Ernest Balch, a student at Dartmouth College, in 1881. This illustration shows Balch and the campers in the camp's outdoor chapel. Balch's ideas about summer camps were really important in helping to start the summer camp movement, and New Hampshire still has many summer camps today.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Mount Washington Carriage Road

John P. Soule

circa 1861–1882

Caption:

The Mount Washington Carriage road opened in the summer of 1861 and is America's oldest man-made attraction. It is 7.6 miles long and goes to the summit of Mount Washington. It was originally used by horse-drawn carriages. Now it's used by cars and called the Mount Washington Auto Road.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Uncanoonuc Incline Railway Climbing the Mountain

Photograph/Print

Uncanoonuc Incline Railway Climbing the Mountain

circa 1910

Caption:

Rising to almost 1,400 feet, South Uncanoonuc Mountain is the tallest mountain in the Merrimack Valley. Tourists visited the mountain in large numbers once the Uncanoonuc Incline Railway opened in 1907. From the top of the mountain, where there was a hotel, restaurant, and dance pavilion, people could see far across New Hampshire.

Image Credit: Courtesy of the Goffstown Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Uncanoonuc Incline Railway Car

circa 1910

Caption:

The Uncanoonuc Incline Railway opened in 1907 in Goffstown. Each car was pulled up the steep incline of the Uncanoonuc Mountains by a giant cable. The Uncanoonuc Incline Railway was New Hampshire's second railway that climbed mountains. The other was the Cog Railway, which scaled Mount Washington, but the Cog had a different design to climb the mountain.

Image Credit: Courtesy of the Goffstown Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Trolley Cars from Manchester

circa 1910

Caption:

Trolley lines allowed tourists to take day trips to enjoy their leisure time. This trolley ran between Manchester and Goffstown. Passengers rode the trolley to a base station and then transferred to the Uncanoonuc Incline Railway, which traveled to the top of the Uncanoonuc Mountains.

Image Credit: Courtesy of the Goffstown Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Shirley Hill House

circa 1920

Caption:

Guests at the luxurious Shirley Hill House in Goffstown, NH, enjoyed activities on the front lawn of the grand resort hotel. Located in the Merrimack Valley, Shirley Hill House offered summer visitors all sorts of entertainment, including hiking, boating, carriage rides, concerts, games, and excursions to see local sites. Although most grand resort hotels were in the White Mountains or along the seacoast, some were located in other regions of New Hampshire.

Image Credit: Courtesy of the Goffstown Historical Society

Artists Sketching in the White Mountains

Photograph/Print

Artists Sketching in the White Mountains

Winslow Homer

1868

Caption:

So many artists came to paint the White Mountains that Winslow Homer decided to paint the artists as well as the mountains! By 1868, when this painting was created, New Hampshire's White Mountains had become one of the most popular destinations in America for those who wanted to paint, sketch, or draw. The beauty of the mountains and rivers in the area inspired many works of art.

Image Credit: From the collections of the Portland Museum of Art

Photograph/Print

Flume House Advertisement Card

John W. Orr

undated

Caption:

This advertisement card for the Flume House, a grand resort hotel in the White Mountains, shows some of the attractions available for guests.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

White Mountain House Advertisement Card

John W. Orr

undated

Caption:

This advertisement card for the White Mountain House, a hotel the White Mountains, explains some of the modern features guests could enjoy.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Abenaki Trading Post

J.V. Hartman & Company

circa 1910–1920

Caption:

This photograph shows a group of Abenaki in front of their trading post or souvenir shop in the White Mountains. Tourists would stop and purchase a handmade item, usually a basket. Baskets were also sold in the gift shops of the grand resort hotels. Selling their handicrafts to tourists allowed these Abenaki to continue to practice the traditional art of basket making and earn a living.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Burgett Park

Century Lithograph Company

circa 1890

Caption:

Burgett Park in Dover, NH, was built by Henry Burgett in 1890. Burgett also bought a streetcar line so that people could get to his amusement park. He installed electric tracks so horses didn't have to pull the cars. Burgett Park had a dance hall, a penny arcade, a bowling alley, a track for bicycle races, athletic fields, and all sorts of other attractions. Later the park was renamed Central Park, and it operated until the late 1920s.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Mount Washington Road

Engraving by Samuel V. Hunt based on an original by Harry Fenn

1872

Caption:

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Benjamin Champney's Studio

Walter E. Chickering

circa 1890

Caption:

Many artists came to the White Mountains in the 1800s to sketch and paint the beautiful scenery. Eventually these landscape paintings became known as "White Mountain art." Benjamin Champney was one of the most influential White Mountain artists. His studio in North Conway, NH, was visited by many artists and art lovers from all over the world.

Image Credit: Courtesy of the Conway Historical Society Photo Collection

Photograph/Print

Hampton Beach and Casino

Hugh C. Leighton Company

circa 1904–1909

Caption:

This postcard shows people at the beach in front of the Hampton Beach Casino in Hampton, NH, in the early 1900s. Back then, the word "casino" didn't mean a place to gamble or place bets. It is an Italian word meaning "summer house" and casinos were large open rooms for meetings, dancing, concerts, and other entertainments. A Massachusetts businessman who owned a trolley line paid for the Hampton Beach Casino to be built in 1899 so that people would have somewhere fun to go when they traveled on his trolleys. People who were not wealthy were just starting to be able to take vacations then.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

New Hampshire Farms: Your Opportunity

New Hampshire State Board of Agriculture

1920

Caption:

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Franconia Notch, White Mountains, Echo Lake and Profile House

Photograph/Print

Franconia Notch, White Mountains, Echo Lake and Profile House

Edward Hill

1887

Caption:

This painting shows Profile House, a famous grand resort hotel located in Franconia Notch. A notch is a pass through the mountains, and Franconia Notch has been one of the most popular tourist areas in New Hampshire since the 1850s. The Old Man of the Mountain, the Flume Gorge, and Echo Lake are all located in Franconia Notch. After Profile House burned down in 1923, there was a public campaign to protect and preserve this land. It is now a state park.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Photograph/Print

Hiking at Artist's Bluff

Caption:

The White Mountain National Forest was created in 1918. It was the first national forest created in the eastern United States. Today millions of visitors enjoy the WMNF each year, such as this hiker on Artist's Bluff in Franconia Notch.

Image Credit: Adobe Stock user haveseen

Maps & Charts in this Unit:

Maps & Charts

Railroad Map of New Hampshire 1890

Rand Avery Supply Company

1890

Caption:

Railroads first came to New Hampshire in 1838, and by the end of the 1800s, railroad routes criss-crossed all over the state. This map shows railroad lines in 1890, marked in red.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Maps & Charts

Railroad Map of New Hampshire 1857

J. R. Dodge

1857

Caption:

Railroads first came to New Hampshire in 1838 and came to the White Mountains by 1851. This map shows county and town lines, as well as railroad routes, in New Hampshire in 1857.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Maps & Charts

White Mountain Railroad Map

Rand Avery Supply Company

circa 1890s

Caption:

This map shows the railroad routes in the White Mountains in the 1890s. The Boston, Concord, and Montreal Railroad routes are marked in red, and other railroad companies' routes are marked with smaller black lines.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Maps & Charts

Picture Map of Scenic New Hampshire

Alice Cosgrove

1957

Caption:

This map of New Hampshire was made by New Hampshire's state artist, Alice Cosgrove, in the 1950s. It shows all of the different historic, recreational, and cultural activities available in New Hampshire.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Leavitt's Map of the White Mountains 1852

Maps & Charts

Leavitt's Map of the White Mountains 1852

Franklin Leavitt

1852

Caption:

Franklin Leavitt lived and worked his whole life in Lancaster, NH. He worked at an inn, was an experienced mountain guide and storyteller, and carved wooden souvenirs that he sold to tourists. He even helped build the Mount Washington Carriage Road. He became very well-known among tourists to the White Mountains. Over more than 30 years, he drew a series of eight tourist maps of the region. The maps promoted hotels and tourist attractions with fun illustrations. This is the first map and it was printed in 1852. It was one of the first two maps of the White Mountains ever published. Do you notice anything unusual about it?

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Leavitt's Map of the White Mountains 1859

Maps & Charts

Leavitt's Map of the White Mountains 1859

Franklin Leavitt

1859

Caption:

Franklin Leavitt lived and worked his whole life in Lancaster, NH. He worked at an inn, was an experienced mountain guide and storyteller, and carved wooden souvenirs that he sold to tourists. He even helped build the Mount Washington Carriage Road. He became very well-known among tourists to the White Mountains. Over more than 30 years, he drew a series of eight tourist maps of the region. The maps promoted hotels and tourist attractions with fun illustrations. This is the third map and it was printed in 1859. What is different on this map from the other maps Leavitt drew?

Image Credit: Courtesy of the Norman B. Leventhal Map and Education Center at the Boston Public Library

Leavitt's Map of the White Mountains 1871

Maps & Charts

Leavitt's Map of the White Mountains 1871

Franklin Leavitt

1871

Caption:

Franklin Leavitt lived and worked his whole life in Lancaster, NH. He worked at an inn, was an experienced mountain guide and storyteller, and carved wooden souvenirs that he sold to tourists. He even helped build the Mount Washington Carriage Road. He became very well-known among tourists to the White Mountains. Over more than 30 years, he drew a series of eight tourist maps of the region. The maps promoted hotels and tourist attractions with fun illustrations. This is the fourth map and it was printed in 1871. What do you notice about this map that is different than the earlier maps? What do you notice about the drawings? What kinds of stories is he trying to tell with his maps?

Image Credit: Courtesy of the Norman B. Leventhal Map and Education Center at the Boston Public Library

Leavitt's Map of the White Mountains 1882

Maps & Charts

Leavitt's Map of the White Mountains 1882

Franklin Leavitt

1882

Caption:

Franklin Leavitt lived and worked his whole life in Lancaster, NH. He worked at an inn, was an experienced mountain guide and storyteller, and carved wooden souvenirs that he sold to tourists. He even helped build the Mount Washington Carriage Road. He became very well-known among tourists to the White Mountains. Over more than 30 years, he drew a series of eight tourist maps of the region. The maps promoted hotels and tourist attractions with fun illustrations. This is the seventh map and it was printed in 1882. What do you notice about this map that is different than the earlier maps? How easy would it be to find your way with this map? What do you notice about the drawings?

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Leavitt's Map of the White Mountains 1854

Maps & Charts

Leavitt's Map of the White Mountains 1854

Franklin Leavitt

1854

Caption:

Franklin Leavitt lived and worked his whole life in Lancaster, NH. He worked at an inn, was an experienced mountain guide and storyteller, and carved wooden souvenirs that he sold to tourists. He even helped build the Mount Washington Carriage Road. He became very well-known among tourists to the White Mountains. Over more than 30 years, he drew a series of eight tourist maps of the region. The maps promoted hotels and tourist attractions with fun illustrations. This is the second map and it was printed in 1854. What do you notice about this map that is different than all the others? What kinds of stories is he trying to tell with his maps?

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Leavitt's Map of the White Mountains 1878

Maps & Charts

Leavitt's Map of the White Mountains 1878

Franklin Leavitt

1878

Caption:

Franklin Leavitt lived and worked his whole life in Lancaster, NH. He worked at an inn, was an experienced mountain guide and storyteller, and carved wooden souvenirs that he sold to tourists. He even helped build the Mount Washington Carriage Road. He became very well-known among tourists to the White Mountains. Over more than 30 years, he drew a series of eight tourist maps of the region. The maps promoted hotels and tourist attractions with fun illustrations. This is the sixth map and it was printed in 1878. Why do you think he made a new map just two years after the 1876 edition?

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Leavitt's Map of the White Mountains 1888

Maps & Charts

Leavitt's Map of the White Mountains 1888

Franklin Leavitt

1888

Caption:

Franklin Leavitt lived and worked his whole life in Lancaster, NH. He worked at an inn, was an experienced mountain guide and storyteller, and carved wooden souvenirs that he sold to tourists. He even helped build the Mount Washington Carriage Road. He became very well-known among tourists to the White Mountains. Over more than 30 years, he drew a series of eight tourist maps of the region. The maps promoted hotels and tourist attractions with fun illustrations. This is the eighth and final and it was printed in 1888. Leavitt died about 10 years later. What do you notice about this map that is different than the earlier maps?

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Maps & Charts

New Hampshire's Ice Cream Trail

2020

Caption:

The Ice Cream Trail is a list of ice cream shops all over the state. You can get a brochure with the list and a map of all the shops. Try to visit all of them in one summer! Dairy farming has a long history in New Hampshire. The Ice Cream Trail is a great way to encourage tourists to visit New Hampshire and support the state's dairy farmers.

Image Credit: Granite State Dairy Promotion

Objects in this Unit:

Object

Profile House Pitcher

circa 1870–1890

Caption:

By the 1840s the Old Man of the Mountain had become a major tourist attraction. It gave its name to Profile Lake, Profile Mountain (now Cannon Mountain), and the Profile House hotel. This porcelain pitcher was made in England for use in the hotel.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Pincushion Souvenir of Mount Washington Cog Railway

Object

Pincushion Souvenir of Mount Washington Cog Railway

circa 1880–1910

Caption:

Tourists bought all sorts of different souvenirs while visiting New Hampshire. This pincushion shows the Cog Railway.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Object

Tea Cup from New Hampshire State House

circa 1890–1910

Caption:

Souvenirs, like this teacup from the New Hampshire State House, were purchased by tourists when they visited a new place and wanted to bring something back home to remind them of their trip.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Object

Pitcher with Old Man of the Mountain

circa 1910

Caption:

Tourists bought all sorts of souvenirs while visiting New Hampshire. This pitcher shows the Old Man of the Mountain.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Object

Postage Stamp Box Souvenir

circa 1880–1910

Caption:

Tourists bought all sorts of souvenirs while visiting New Hampshire. This small box was used to hold postage stamps.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Object

Old Man of the Mountain Souvenir Dish

1890–1920

Caption:

Tourists bought all sorts of souvenirs while visiting New Hampshire, like this small metal dish.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Object

Bethlehem Jigsaw Puzzle

TNL Novelty Puzzle Company

circa 1920

Caption:

Tourists bought all sorts of souvenirs while visiting New Hampshire, like this jigsaw puzzle.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Object

Abenaki Handicraft Basket

circa 1930

Caption:

Tourists bought all sorts of souvenirs while visiting New Hampshire, like this Abenaki basket. Many Abenaki made baskets during the winter and sold them to tourists the rest of the year. They were able to continue the important cultural tradition of basket-weaving and earn a living.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

New Hampshire and Maine Themed Stack of Cards

Object

New Hampshire and Maine Themed Stack of Cards

Chisholm Brothers

1903

Caption:

Tourists bought all sorts of souvenirs while visiting New Hampshire, like this deck of playing cards with pictures of different popular tourist sites on them.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Object

Stein from Portsmouth

Mayer P. Alkon Company

circa 1910

Caption:

Tourists bought all sorts of souvenirs while visiting New Hampshire, like this stein, a large German-style mug for drinking beer. It shows two historic houses in Portsmouth, NH.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Object

Bookmark from Lake Sunapee

circa 1900–1920

Caption:

Tourists bought all sorts of souvenirs while visiting New Hampshire, like this leather bookmark.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Object

Walking Stick

John Vials

1903

Caption:

Just like today, tourists in the late 1800s and early 1900s liked to buy souvenirs to help them remember their vacation in New Hampshire. This carved walking cane is a souvenir of the White Mountains that was carved by John "English Jack" Vials, the colorful hermit of Crawford Notch.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Object

Cog Railway Model

Sylvester Marsh

1865

Caption:

This model was built by Sylvester Marsh, inventor of the Cog Railway, to demonstrate how the train would work. Most trains use the friction of the wheels on the tracks to help them move along the rails, but this type of train wouldn't have been able to climb up Mount Washington. The cog railway uses a cog wheel, like a gear, on a central rail to pull the train. The cog allows the train to be pulled up really steep tracks. Marsh also designed special airbrakes to help the train descend the mountain more slowly. The Mount Washington Cog Railway was the first mountain-climbing cog railway ever.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Object

Profile House Room Key

circa 1900

Caption:

This brass key and room tag was used at the Profile House, one of New Hampshire's grand resort hotels.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Object

Edward Hill's Sketchbook

Edward Hill

1880–1882

Caption:

Artists often visited the White Mountains during the summer and sketch with pencil or charcoal. Then they might return to their homes and studios in New York, Boston, or elsewhere and create large landscape paintings from their sketches. This sketchbook belonged to artist Edward Hill, a well-known painter of White Mountain art. It includes sketches of scenes in Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York, in addition to New Hampshire.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Object

Benjamin Champney's Paint Box

circa 1880

Caption:

Benjamin Champney was one of the most famous artists of the White Mountains. For many years, he lived and painted in North Conway, New Hampshire. He carried this box with him when he painted outside. It held his paints and brushes.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Audiovisuals in this Unit:

Audiovisual

Mason Presents: Mount Washington

Fritz Wetherbee

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Audiovisual

Mason Presents: Lake Winnipesaukee

Fritz Wetherbee

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Mason Presents: The Old Man of the Mountain

Audiovisual

Mason Presents: The Old Man of the Mountain

Fritz Wetherbee

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Audiovisual

Mason Presents: The Isles of Shoals

Fritz Wetherbee

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Documents in this Unit:

Document

Mount Pleasant House Dinner Menu

1920

Caption:

Grand resort hotels were very luxurious. They provided all sorts of activities, like carriage rides, sports and games, theater shows, and concerts for their guests, as well as three lavish meals daily.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Document

New Profile House Luncheon Menu

1916

Caption:

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Train Ticket for Trip from Profile House to the Flume

Document

Train Ticket for Trip from Profile House to the Flume

Raymond's Vacation Excursions

1884

Caption:

The growth of the railroads meant that people could take day trips or extended trips to New Hampshire from other parts of the country. This ticket would take a tourist from Boston to the Profile House, a grand resort hotel in Franconia Notch.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Document

Railroad Timetable 1870

J.R Kendrick

1870

Caption:

The growth of the railroads in New Hampshire meant that people could take day trips to locations across the state. This railroad timetable shows the times of arrival and departure of freight, mail, and passenger trains going to stations in Manchester, Massabesic, Auburn, Candia, Raymond, Epping, Newmarket, Greenland, and Portsmouth.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Document

Railroad Timetable 1882

Boston, Concord and Montreal Railroad

1882

Caption:

This timetable shows the schedule of the Boston, Concord, and Montreal Railroad. The routes went between Philadelphia, PA, and Montreal, Canada, stopping in New York, Boston, and all of the popular tourist areas of New Hampshire along the way.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Document

Railroad Passenger Ticket Prices 1860

1860

Caption:

This chart shows how much it cost to ride the Boston, Concord, and Montreal Railroad in 1860, just as trains were beginning to come to the White Mountains.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Document

New Profile House Breakfast Menu

1915

Caption:

Grand resort hotels were very luxurious. They provided all sorts of activities for their guests, like carriage rides, sports and games, theater shows, and concerts. Guests were also served three lavish meals daily. This is a breakfast menu from the New Profile House. This grand resort hotel had its own train station so that it could get fresh produce and dairy products every day.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Document

Yakum Spring Hotel Advertisement

circa 1880

Caption:

Many hotels in New Hampshire offered guests health benefits, like clean air and mineral springs, as well as access to natural beauty, like rivers, lakes, and mountains. This advertisement for the Yakum Spring Hotel in Goffstown, NH, promises many of these features.

Image Credit: Courtesy of the Goffstown Historical Society

Videos in this Unit:

Video

Mason Asks: What Was the Old Man of the Mountain?

Caption:

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Video

Mason Explains: The Regions of New Hampshire

Caption:

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Video

Mason Asks: What Is Mount Washington?

Caption:

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Video

Mason Explains: The Cog Railway

Caption:

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Video

Mason Explains: The Invention of "Free Time"

Caption:

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Video

Mason Explains: The Willey Slide

Caption:

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Video

Mason Explains: Traveling to New Hampshire in the 1800s

Caption:

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Video

Virtual Field Trip: Mount Washington, Up, Up, and Away!

2023

Caption:

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Biographies in this Unit:

Biography

Sylvester Marsh

1803–1884

Caption:

Sylvester Marsh was the inventor and founder of the Mount Washington Cog Railway. He was born in Campton, New Hampshire, but when he grew up, he lived in Boston and Chicago. He made his fortune by inventing machinery that allowed farmers to store grain. In 1857, Sylvester almost died when he and a friend got caught in a storm while climbing Mount Washington. It took him almost a decade, but he created a model for a special kind of railroad that could climb up steep mountains. Many people thought his invention would never work, and one critical man once called it Sylvester’s “railway to the moon.” Sylvester did manage to build the Cog Railway, though, the first one in the world. It remains one of the most popular White Mountain attractions, and thousands of people every year ride it to the top of Mount Washington.

Image Credit: Photo by William Weller, 1871, New Hampshire Historical Society

Biography

Abel Crawford

circa 1766–1851

Caption:

Abel Crawford moved to the White Mountains in 1790 and spent the rest of his life promoting the mountain region. At the time, very few people lived there, but he and his father-in-law, Eleazer Rosebrook, both opened inns near a pass in the mountains where travelers could cross the mountains. The pass was originally called the Notch, but now it is known as Crawford Notch after the Crawford family. Abel loved the mountains and explored them more than anyone else had done at that point. He was known for telling wild stories about what he found in the White Mountains, including tales of encountering bears and other animals. With his son Ethan Allen Crawford and other family members, Abel built taverns and inns where tourists could stay, cut hiking trails through the mountains, and led guided tours to interesting noteworthy places.

Image Credit: Photo by Mr. Spring from an 1846 portrait by Chester Harding, New Hampshire Historical Society

Biography

Ethan Allen Crawford

circa 1792–1846

Caption:

The son of White Mountain explorer Abel Crawford, Ethan Allen Crawford helped develop the White Mountains as a tourist destination. Ethan Allen ran a hotel named the Crawford House, which offered tourists a nice place to stay when they visited the White Mountains. He also cut the first hiking trail to the summit of Mount Washington, naming it the Crawford Path. He helped write guidebooks about the mountains and placed advertisements in newspapers encouraging people to visit. An experienced mountain man, Ethan Allen loved to tell tall tales about life in the White Mountains, just like his father did. Many things in the White Mountains are named after Ethan Allen and his family, since they played such a big role in bringing tourists to the region.

Image Credit:

Biography

Celia Laighton Thaxter

1835–1894

Caption:

Celia grew up on the Isles of Shoals where her father, Thomas Laighton, was a lighthouse keeper and the owner of the first hotel on the islands. It was called the Appledore House, and it opened in 1848. Celia moved to Massachusetts when she married Levi Thaxter, but she came back to the Isles of Shoals often. She wrote many poems and stories about her life on the Isles of Shoals and published them in magazines and books. She was also an artist and drew many pictures of wildlife, particularly flowers, on the islands. Celia grew a beautiful garden near her cottage in the Isles of Shoals. It was the inspiration for her book, An Island Garden. The book included illustrations by the famous painter Childe Hassam. Celia became one of America’s most popular authors during the late 19th century.

Image Credit: Photo by Warren's (Firm), Courtesy of the New York Public Library Digital Collections

Biography

Benjamin Champney

1817–1907

Caption:

One of America’s most famous 19th-century artists, Benjamin Champney was born in New Ipswich, New Hampshire. As an adult, he lived in North Conway, where he kept an artist’s studio. Benjamin loved the White Mountains and made many sketches and paintings of the natural world. These types of paintings are called landscape paintings because they focus on the land around us. Benjamin’s White Mountain paintings were very popular, and many tourists bought them, taking them to their homes in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. But not just tourists were impressed with Benjamin’s beautiful landscape paintings. Other artists were as well, and they came from all over the country to visit him at his North Conway studio to learn about painting the natural world.

Image Credit: Image from Sixty Years' Memories of Art and Artists (Woburn, MA: News Print. Wallace & Andrews), 1900

Biography

Ernest Balch

1860-1938

Caption:

Ernest Balch was a student at Dartmouth College when he got the idea to start a summer camp for boys. He founded Camp Chocorua in the Lakes Region in the summer of 1881. Most of the boys who came to the camp were wealthy boys who lived in big cities, like Boston, New York, or Washington, D.C. Ernest Balch wanted them to learn to be self-reliant and to enjoy nature, which he didn’t think they could do while living in big cities. The boys were expected to take care of themselves while at camp. They cut their own firewood, cooked their own food, washed their own clothes, and were responsible for keeping the camp clean. But there was still plenty of time for fun! Camp Chocorua closed in 1889, and Ernest Balch moved to South America.

Image Credit:

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