25 minute read
New Hampshire - Living Free and Wandering Wildly Throughout the Granite State
By KRIS GRANT
Now that its state primary is in the rear-view mirror, I thought I’d share my recent meanderings throughout a favorite New England state, New Hampshire.
One of the nicest things about being a travel writer is that you develop an ever-widening circle of friends near and far. It’s been my happy circumstance, and one that fills me with gratitude, to be able to stay for short and sometimes extended periods of time with friends, or friends of friends. It not only helps out with hotel budgets, but the locals also give me a valuable insider’s perspective on their hometowns and states.
Such was the case in 2022 when my friend, Coronado stockbroker Hayley Beard, hearing that I wanted to rent a place for a week to a month in New England, put me in touch with her Coronado friends and clients, Suzy and Steve Vissers, who have a second home in Bristol, New Hampshire. After meeting Suzy and Steve at Il Fornaio, they invited me for a visit and wouldn’t consider payment. I stayed with them for a week in the summer of 2022, using Bristol as my base for exploring the state.
Suzy is a retired neonatal nurse and a native Californian. Steve is a retired Navy pilot who later worked for a Navy subcontractor. During Steve’s Naval career the Vissers lived in Alabama, Washington, Japan and Coronado.
Suzy’s sister Sarah and her husband Ross, who grew up in New England, have lived in Bristol for 30 years. Incorporated in 1819, Bristol is a charming New England town that is part of New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, one of seven tourism regions of the state.
In 2017, when the Vissers were looking for a second home in New England, they found a perfect 1878 Victorian, just up the street from Bristol’s town center. Steve, an avid fisherman, was as eager as Suzy to adopt a bi-coastal lifestyle, and New Hampshire’s 270+ lakes and ponds were an added draw. Let’s just say that home prices in Bristol and Coronado are worlds apart, and the Vissers’ total price for their beautiful 3,500-square-foot, four-bedroom/three-bath home was far less than a typical down payment on a Coronado home today.
Now these lucky ducks fly back and forth regularly between their residences, in order to enjoy all the seasons that New Hampshire offers. Their favorite? The fall, they both agree, with the foliage’s changing colors and crisp cool air.
No matter the season, New Hampshire residents relish the opportunity to “Live Free or Die” in accordance with their state motto adopted in 1945, shortly after the close of World War II. The motto comes from a statement written by Revolutionary General John Stark of New Hampshire, hero of the Battle of Bennington.
New Hampshire is one of the prettiest New England states. It is indeed a great place to Live Free. (Let’s just leave it at that!)
Bristol, a Lakes Region gem
Suzy recommended that my first stop in Bristol be to a little gift shop, TwinDesigns, on the town’s Central Square that she guaranteed would bring an extra dose of delight to my day. She was so right – there’s just no escaping the upbeat vibe created by the shop’s twin brothers, Jim and Brad Tonner, who have been working and laughing together since 1968. They opened their Bristol shop in 2011 where another key member of the “staff” is Diane the Turtle. Her story must be told, so here goes!
When Jim was 12 years old, he had a rare arthritic condition that required him to be confined to bed for six months. To relieve his boredom, Brad rigged up a basket and pulley that would deliver toys and trinkets through a window to his bedridden brother. Soon friends and neighbors began to add to the daily treasures. One neighbor gave Jim a dime-store turtle. I remember those turtles that were more often than not a novelty, with most of the unfortunate creatures not living more than a few days. I did a little research and learned that they were banned entirely by the FDA in 1975. But a brighter fate awaited Jim’s turtle! He named her Diane, and took exceptional care of her over the years.
Today Diane is a robust turtle, 56 years young, who measures a good two feet in length. She has her own room at TwinDesigns, including an aquarium with a ramp and a 24-hour webcam. Jim and Brad have written, and Brad has illustrated, a number of children’s books, many of them featuring Diane, and all with positive and heartwarming messages. You’ll find many more items featuring Brad’s artwork throughout the store, plus plenty of customers’ family photos lining the walls.
I also enjoyed stopping in at Cardigan Country Store & Barbecue. The aroma
from its outdoor smoker lured me into the spacious casual restaurant, outfitted to the rafters with license plates, historic photos and old-timey signs. While waiting for my order, I shopped in the adjacent country store for honey, jams, cider and gifts by local artisans. My applewood-smoked pulled pork sandwich was tender and especially delicious with a tangy barbecue sauce.
I made a special trip back to Bristol last summer for a repeat of the Old Home Lobster dinner. Held in the city’s Kelley Park over Labor Day weekend, rain or shine, the town turns out for this feast featuring huge lobsters, cole slaw, roll, potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, homemade pies and a drink for just $25. The proceeds from the end-of-summer bash benefit the town’s community center programs.
The real Golden Pond: Squam Lake
Do you all remember the film, On Golden Pond, starring Henry Fonda, Katharine Hepburn, Dabney Coleman and Jane Fonda? It was filmed in 1980 on Squam Lake, just 30 minutes from Bristol, so off I went to investigate!
The first time I scheduled a boat tour of Squam Lake, it was canceled with just a couple of hours notice due to rain. I was quick to agree that I didn’t want to be out on the lake during a thunderstorm!
Two days later the weather cleared and I and another dozen or so folks boarded a canopied pontoon boat for a 90-minute tour of the lake, which is actually two lakes, Big Squam and Little Squam, connected by a narrow channel. Our tour guide, Tom, knew all the locations on the lake where the movie was filmed, beginning with the marina close to our boat dock. It includes a gas station, and Tom told us that is the scene where Norman Thayer (Henry Fonda) takes off in his Chris Craft after talking with a couple of teenage boys. But in real life, Fonda gunned the motor and missed the corner of the dock by inches.
The marina is also where Ethel Thayer (Katharine Hepburn) ran for help when she realized her husband and young Billy were missing and the sun was quickly setting.
Then there was the scene where Norman and Billy go looking for Walter (the elusive big fish) in rock-filled “Purgatory Cove.” Tom pointed out the actual rocks where Ethel found them holding on for dear life. But Tom let us in on a secret: the water there was only two or three feet deep and the actors had to bend their legs as they “held on.”
We spied a number of Common Loons on the lake, an osprey and a great blue heron in the trees on the shore. Unfortunately, the house where the Thayers vacationed was not readily visible from the lake, hidden behind trees. Tom gave us the general vicinity, but he was respectful of the current owners who value their privacy.
The town of Holderness borders Squam Lake and I discovered several attractions that are worth a visit there, beginning with the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center. It’s just across from the marina and was, in fact, where I parked for the boat tour.
Opened to the public in July 1969 as an environmental education center and zoo, the 180-acre institution is the only one in New England accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It features animals native to New Hampshire in outdoor exhibits including river otters, black bears, fishers, red foxes, bobcats, mountain lions and coyotes.
As you enter the animal exhibits, a sign explains,
“Most of the animals exhibited at the Science Center are here because they are unable to survive in the wild. Some are orphans and cannot take care of themselves. Others were injured and are unable to catch their food or escape from predators.”
Taking the long way home around Squam Lake, I found myself at the lively town of Meredith on Lake Winnipesaukee. “Lake Winni” is the place to be in the summer if you crave a lot of action and water sports. I just happened to stumble into town on the weekend of its annual Fine Arts and Crafts Festival, with its Main Street closed to vehicular traffic and lined with white-canopied tents showcasing the artistry of New Hampshire creatives. It was impressive and I was particularly taken with wooden bowls.
From Pollyanna to Peyton Place
I headed north one day from Bristol to the town of Littleton, which is the gateway to the White Mountains. I discovered that Littleton is the proud home to Eleanor H. Porter, author of the children’s classic, Pollyanna, published in 1913. You remember that story and the 1960 Disney movie of the same name starring Hayley Mills? It’s about an 11-year-old orphan who goes to live with her stern spinster aunt in a small New England town. Pollyanna constantly exudes a sincere, optimistic nature, based on “the Glad Game,” a game her father had taught her, which consists of always finding something to be glad about, no matter how bleak the circumstances. Gradually, the entire town adopts Pollyanna’s positive spirit and even the cold heart of her aunt begins to thaw.
On the lawn in front of the town’s Carnegie-funded library, built in 1906 on Main Street, a statue of Pollyanna with a beaming big smile and arms open wide will greet you. Designed by New Hampshire sculptor Emile Birch and installed in 2002, the Pollyanna statue is just one example of how Littleton encourages its citizens and visitors to “Be Glad.”
It’s not surprising that the town of Littleton grabbed onto the Pollyanna spirit and is now known as “The Glad Town.” In fact, in 1992 Littleton citizens, beset with the loss of its manufacturing base, banded together to reinvigorate its Main Street, recognizing that tourism would be its future revenue stream. It has restored most of its historic buildings, which are now filled with inviting boutiques and shops that attract travelers who are headed along the Highway 93 route into the White Mountains. One example is the Chutter Block, built in 1900 by Rev. Frederick Chutter, an Englishman who immigrated to Boston and then moved to Littleton to serve as the pastor of Littleton’s Congregational Church from 1887 through 1890. (That church, erected in 1833 of Gothic Revival style and renovated in 1874, still stands and is on the National Register of Historic Places.) The Chutter Block on Main Street today is home to Chutter’s, “the world’s longest continuous candy counter,” as noted in the Guinness Book of World Records. Now that’s something to be glad about!
Main Street is set 60 feet above the Ammonoosuc River that drops 235 feet as it runs through Littleton; Niagara Falls, by comparison, is a 183-foot drop. Not surprisingly, Littleton’s first enterprising business was Solomon Mann’s mill, erected in 1797 and restored 200 years later as The Littleton Grist Mill. The classic New England mill, adaptable to grinding, sawing or processing textiles, is the oldest commercial structure in New Hampshire north of the state capitol in Concord.
The mill isn’t functioning any longer, but the wheel is still there and you can grab a great shot of it by crossing the river by way of the Riverwalk Covered Bridge, constructed in 2004. It’s a 350foot long bridge of truss construction, in the tradition of the Paddleford Truss, designed by Littleton’s Peter Paddleford (1785–1859). Paddleford’s design became the prevalent covered bridge pattern in New Hampshire and Vermont. And, by the way, there’s a lot of covered bridges in these states, which can be another adventure for photo bugs.
On another excursion, I headed southeast from Bristol to visit the oh-so-quiet town of Gilmantin, established in 1727 by members of the Gilman family and today composed of prim white buildings and broad green lawns.
It was here that housewife and mother of three, Grace Metalious at age 32 wrote a steamy novel, Peyton Place, which she successfully published in 1956. Although panned by critics, it remained on the New York Times’ bestseller list for six months and became an international sensation. It was admittedly quite salacious, with topics that I won’t go into in this family magazine. But you know what they were, I’m sure, after watching the movie, Peyton Place, a big hit in 1957, starring Lana Turner and Hope Lange, or TV’s first prime-time soap opera (19641969), also titled Peyton Place that starred Mia Farrow as Allison MacKenzie, Dorothy Malone as her mother Constance and Ryan O’Neal as her love interest, Rodney Harrington.
But back to Grace: she was shunned by the straight-laced citizens of Gilmantin, and her husband George’s contract as principal of the town’s high school was not renewed. Locals recognized that a focal point in the book involving murder and other nastiness was most likely drawn from a real-life 1946 murder at Gilmantin Iron Works. The newly rich Grace divorced George, remarried, divorced, had affairs, flirted with Hollywood luminaries, and ultimately bought a Colonial-style home about two miles from Gilmantin’s town center. It was built in 1756 and Grace gradually added onto it, increasing its size fourfold. She only lived there a short time after gaining fame nationally, and infamy locally, dying of cirrhosis of the liver, the result of her alcoholism, at age 39.
But her former home had a happier future. Sunny and Marshall Bishop purchased the home in November 2006 and Marshall began planting grape vines the next spring. They have since converted outbuildings on the property into wine production facilities and have established a beautiful winery on the property. The Gilmanton Winery produces white, red and fruit wines with many carried at markets throughout the state.
Portsmouth and Exeter
I visited with my friend and New Hampshire native Doris Rice at her home in North Hampton last year. I’ve written about Doris before, having attended her watercolor camp in Vermont a year ago (and others in Italy, Costa Rica and Santa Fe, New Mexico). I met Doris several years ago at one of her annual Coronado watercolor workshops, and –heads up! – she’ll be back next month, April 18-22, in case you want to sign up for her Coronado workshop (www.dorisrice.com). Doris and her cadre of students will be painting inside the flower show tent and other venues throughout the city. She tells me she’ll be staying with Connie and Frank Spitzer; Connie is another of Doris’ former (and continuing) students, and is now a full-fledged topnotch artist herself. I love, love, love Connie’s whimsical takes on Coronado homes!
Through one of Doris’ workshops, I met Kathy Flygare, who is retired from the Exeter school district but still has her hand in career counseling. But mostly Kathy enjoys watercolor painting and has her work exhibited at Exeter’s newest art gallery, Windows on the Water as well as the Seacoast Art Association in Portsmouth. I had planned to stay with Kathy for just one day, but when my Honda CRV needed some emergency car work, she generously allowed me to stay on for an extra two before I made my way up to Bristol.
Exeter, if you’ve never been there, is another charming New England town. It’s the home of Phillips Exeter Academy, a private university preparatory boarding and day school founded in 1781. Since 1970, it has been coeducational. Notable alumnae have included former U.S. President Franklin Pierce, Secretary of War Robert Lincoln and META founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Exeter has long been considered a feeder school to Harvard and other Ivy League schools and has been consistently rated at the top of private schools in the nation.
Last summer when I was cat sitting for my friends Doug and Sally Leland in Freeport, Maine (Maine is another story, another issue), my friend from San Diego, Katalina Obrist, visited me. Katalina asked if we could pop down to Wentworth by the Sea, a resort hotel in New Castle, New Hampshire, where she and hubby Henry were married 43 years ago. So we made a quick trip down to Portsmouth and neighboring New Castle, situated entirely on islands. New Castle is to Portsmouth what Coronado is to San Diego. In some ways Wentworth by the Sea reminded me of the Hotel del Coronado, particularly as it was captured in a watercolor that I ran across at a gallery in Portsmouth painted by Doris. Small world.
Portsmouth is a very walkable city, rich in art, restaurants and history. Settled in 1623, it holds claim as the third oldest city in America and was an economic and seaport hub since the mid-1700s. An 1802 fire destroyed most of the town’s buildings, which were rebuilt of brick and still stand today. Its Market Square is rightfully regarded as one of America’s most beautiful town squares. The North Church, built in 1854, dominates the eastern front of the square, with a towering white steeple and clock tower.
Still another friend who visited me in Maine was Bonnie McConkey, from Laurel, Mississippi, whom I met via my friend Diane Lookabaugh in Coronado. (I know all this friend stuff is hard to follow, but isn’t it fun?) We made it down to Portsmouth for a day and Bonnie treated me to a lobster roll lunch at the Oar House. The restaurant is located in the historic Merchant’s Row building, with the dining room filled with mementos of the city’s maritime heritage. But it was a beautiful day and we chose to eat right on the deck, which, like most outdoor venues in New Hampshire is open “for the season.” Note to self: return soon and explore more of Portsmouth!
When is the best time to visit New Hampshire?
Fall
To many Californians, a trip to New England simply must be made in the fall to experience the magnificent fall foliage.
You might be tempted to take the Kancamagus Highway, which travels 34.5 miles along Route 112 in Northern New Hampshire. The American Scenic Byway takes you through the White Mountain National Forest, with views of the Swift River, Rocky Gorge and several waterfalls. But “The Kanc” can get crowded, particularly on weekends during “leaf peeping” season. Consider the Currier & Ives Scenic Byway in south central New Hampshire. Or you might wish to embark on a scenic train ride. Two possibilities are the Conway Scenic Railroad over the dramatic cliffs of Crawford North, or dine in style on the Café Lafayette Dinner Train in North Woodstock.
Also, fall is a wonderful time to stop in at one of the state’s 30 wineries. Consider a stop at Seven Birches Winery in Lincoln where you can take in stunning views of the Loon Mountains. Or go apple picking at Cardigan Mountain Orchard in Alexandria, Mack’s Apples in Londonderry or Applecrest Farm in Hampton Falls. You’ll find links to all of the above at www.visitnh.gov, plus their handy-dandy foliage tracker.
Winter
Never having visited New Hampshire in winter, I must defer to the New Hampshire visitors’ guide. If you get properly bundled up, I’m sure you’ll enjoy ice fishing on Lake Winnipesaukee. There’s also ample opportunities for dogsledding, snowmobiling, snow tubing, snowshoeing, skiing and fat biking throughout the state. But what sounds most appealing to me is a sleigh ride!
Spring
It’s maple syrup harvesting time and March is when you want to visit a New Hampshire sugarhouse! At Parker’s Maple Barn in Mason you’ll find a full restaurant and gift shop, and in March their sugarhouse is open for tours. You’ll learn how Native Americans made maple sugar by placing hot rocks into the sap and how modern sugar making uses a wood-fired evaporator. After a trip to the sugarhouse, the proprietors assure that “You’ll certainly go home smelling like a sugar maker.”
You’ll find hundreds of mom-and-pops sugar shack stands and garages throughout the state with their welcome signs out. And regional restaurants rev up their maple-flavored offerings all day long.
Summer
Many attractions and amusement parks in New Hampshire are only open May through October, and visitors flock to the state’s lakes and forests. Summertime is also a great time to hike, and New Hampshire boasts 48 peaks that top out above 4,000 feet. One of the most scenic hikes, and one that I actually went on, is the Flume Trail, a two-mile loop trail that is accessible right off Highway 93. This takes you along a natural gorge that extends 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty. The Conway granite walls rise to a height of 70 to 90 feet and are just 12 to 20 feet apart. The walk includes lots of stairs and takes about an hour and a half. The boardwalk allows you to look closely at flowers, ferns and mosses found here. Parking is free at the Visitor Center, but there is a fee, about $18 for adults to walk the trail. A little further up the highway, you’ll encounter Franconia Notch State Park, named one of the best state parks in America.
The warm weather also invites canoeing and kayaking, with the Pemigewasset and Androscoggin rivers two recommended sites. Summer is also a great time to visit a local craft brewery and there are more than 90 in the Granite State.
Finally, consider a biking adventure! In western New Hampshire, you can pedal along the seven-mile Monadnock Recreational Rail Trail, or follow the 12-mile Cotton Valley Rail Trail through the heart of the Lakes Region (recommended start is Wolfeboro). Both trails are great examples of repurposed rail routes that allow safe biking in forested environments.
IF YOU GO…
New Hampshire’s State Tourism Guide is an excellent resource that has chapters on each of the state’s seven regions. In the back of the guide, also by each region, it breaks down attractions (history, art, culture, entertainment including wineries and brewpubs) outdoor activities, state parks and historic sites. Also, for each region, it lists lodging by type: cabins and cottages, bed and breakfasts/country inns, hotels/motels, and resorts. You can order a print version or access it online.www.visitnh.gov
Hotels
Here are properties that I toured:
The Exeter InnLocated in the center of the Phillips Exeter Academy campus, the 46-room boutique hotel was built in 1932 in a Georgian style. Surprisingly affordable.90 Front Street, Exeter (603) 772-5901www.theexeterinn.com
The Manor on Golden Pond31 Manor Drive, Holderness(603) 968-3348www.manorongoldenpond.com
Squam Lake Inn(Opens in May for the season)28 Shepard Hill Road Holderness(603) 968-4417www.squamlakeinn.com
Wentworth by the Sea588 Wentworth Road, New Castle(603) 422-7322www.opalcollection.com>wentworth
Restaurants
Here are restaurants that I visited:
Cardigan Country Store & Barbeque
231 Lake Street, Bristol Cardiganorchard@gmail.com(603) 744-0303
Epoch Gastropub
I really enjoyed this intimate bistro-style restaurant and bar inside the Exeter Inn that features local, seasonal ingredients. It’s open 5 – 9 p.m. Tuesdays – Saturday and serves brunch on both Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.90 Front Street, Exeter(603) 772-5901www.epochrestaurant.com
Inn Kitchen + Bar(at the Squam Lake Inn)28 Shepard Hill Road Holderness(603) 968-3661www.InnKitchen.com
Salt Kitchen + Bar(At Wentworth by the Sea) 588 Wentworth Road, New Castle 603 373-6566www.opalcollection.com>wentworth>restaurants
The Big CatchSeafood/Frozen Cocktails/Ice Cream 150 Shore Drive Newfound Lake (603) 744-3120
The Oar House55 Ceres Street Portsmouth(603) 436-4025www.oarhousenh.com
Attractions
Canterbury Shaker Village
Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1993, Canterbury Shaker Village is one of the most intact and authentic surviving Shaker community sites with 25 original and four reconstructed buildings. Open daily, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. You may wander the 700 acres of grounds for free; Guided tours daily; adults, 25 and older, $25; under 25, free. 288 Shaker Road, Canterbury (603) 783-9511
www.shakers.org
Cardigan Mountain OrchardPick your own apples, September –October.Check the web site to learn the best time to pick your favorite varietal. Choose from Heirloom Gravensteins, Honey Crisp, Macintosh, Spartan and 10 more varietals! 1540 Mt. Cardigan Road Alexandriawww.cardiganmtnorchard.comDartmouth CollegeOne of the world’s finest educational institutions, this Ivy League school is open to the public, with free student-led campus tours that run just under two hours. (Register on the website). Dartmouth is home to the Dr. Seuss Room in the Baker-Berry Library, which features several of his original artworks.64n College Street, Hanoverwww.dartmouth.edu
Gilmantin Winery & Vineyard(Former home of Peyton Place author, Grace Metalious)528 Meadow Pond RoadGilmantin(603) 267-8251www.gilmantinwinery.com
New Hampshire State CapitolBuilt between 1816 and 1819, the Greek Revival building is the oldest state house in continuous use in the United States. The gold dome was last regilded in 2016.107 North State StreetConcordwww.nh.gov
Squam Lakes Natural Science Center & Squam Lake CruisesOpen daily May 1 – November 1, 9:30 a. m. – 5 p.m.23 Science Center RoadHolderness(603) 968-7194www.nhnature.org
Twin Designs Gift Shop8 Central Square, Bristolwww.twindesignsgiftshop.com
U.S. Mailboat CruisesLaunched on Lake Winnipesaukee in 1945, the M/V Sophie C welcomes passengers aboard as it delivers mail to the lake’s summer island residents. Along each twohour cruise, count on the skipper of the “oldest floating post office in the United States, operating since 1872,” to point out local landmarks. Operates May – October; adults, $46; children, $36. All cruises depart from Weirs Beach, Laconiawww.cruisenh.com
