Clark’s Bears:

By Mark Okrant

A few years after automobiles first appeared, a network of roads brought visitors to scenic places in New Hampshire’s mountain, lake, and seacoast regions. Among the first to take advantage of the new touring craze was the Clark family.

What became known as Ed Clark’s Eskimo Sled Dog Ranch opened in 1928. The family’s roadside attraction was situated along U.S. Route 3, in Lincoln, one mile north of the village of North Woodstock, and nine miles south of Franconia Notch. The Clarks began by selling souvenirs and allowing visitors to view their sled dogs. Not content to stop there, Ed and Florence Clark purchased their first black bear in 1931, and used it to attract people who drove by the property. Before long, the Clarks’ sons began training bears, and created the first public show in 1949. Clark’s Trading Post was off and running. We’ll