This cabin is named for Billy the Bear Boyle a Foreman for J.E. Henry a lumber baron who once owned 100,000 acres of land and from the late 1800’s until the early 1900’s ran a sawmill in the area now known as the Town of Lincoln. The Pemigewasset river was a source of log transport as well as the development of a rail system.

Lincoln is now the second largest town in the State of New Hampshire but consists of 95% National Forest land which will remain undeveloped and available for the public to enjoy. The balance of the land supports a vibrant ski town, and the heritage of the lumber trades has been honored by the naming of many of the ski trails at Loon Mountain such as: the Walking Boss Trail (named for the Foreman that over saw the cutting crews.

A further honor to the past is the Paper Mill Theatre (North Country Center for the Arts) which is presently housed in the renovated paper mill where live performances can be seen during the summer season.

For more Logging history view the: Upper Pemigewasset Historical Society Museum web site.

For Real Estate info in the Loon Mountain Region and town of Lincoln: www.alpinelakes.com or steve@alpinelakes.com

For the 4th consecutive year, New Hampshire was named the Nation’s Most Livable State by Morgan Quitno Press (author of “State Rankings 2007″)

“ New Hampshire does an outstanding job in a number of quality of life areas,” said Scott Morgan, president of Morgan Quitno Press.

“The state has the lowest crime and poverty rates in the country. In addition, the citizens of New Hampshire are employed, well educated and involved in their communities.”

Recognizing a state for its high quality of life, Morgan Quitno Press issues its Livable State Award based on 44 factors selected from updated editions of its annual reference book, “State Rankings.” The 2007 edition of “State Rankings” compares states in more than 550 categories. Morgan Quitno considers its award unique because it takes into account a broad range of economic, educational, health-oriented, public safety and environmental statistics. To determine a state’s “livability rating,” Morgan Quitno averaged each state’s rankings for 44 categories. Those categories included both positive and negative factors, such as unemployment rates, job growth, sunny days, birthrates, homeownership and highway fatality rates, among other criteria.

Progressive Farmer rated Grafton County 4th in their list of the “Best Places to Live in Rural America” for 2006, citing low unemployment, a favorable cost of living, and the presence of NH’s White Mountain National Forest - New Hampshire’s only national forest.

It’s no wonder, Grafton County is a wonderful place to ‘get away’ and escape to for a better way of life!

We could learn so much from the Canterbury Shaker’s.

Since picnics, sleigh rides, game nights, musical entertainment and special dinners were a regular form of the Shaker’s socializing can you just imagine how Christmas heightened their activities? Maybe we inherited the idea of a “Yankee Swap” from the Shakers? As part of their Christmas Festivities they would draw names from a bowl and each person would give a gift to that person.

The Shaker’s believed just as hard work must be finished before you can enjoy relaxation, that a time of strenuous spiritual labor must come before you can welcome in the joy of the Christmas spirit. I might understand now why some people aren’t able to feel the holiday joy that comes so natural for many of us.

The Shakers attended church on Christmas morning and it meant a great deal to them to socialize after the service by sitting together and sharing snacks with each other. After a special breakfast the Shaker’s all returned to their rooms where they picked a special possession, wrapped it and placed it in a large barrel. Gifts ranged from warm winter coats, shoes, candles, etc. and these gifts were given to the less fortunate neighbors. The Shaker’s followed a strict rule - that the gifts must be a cherished possession. They believed that “a gift was not a gift if it was not wanted or needed by the giver.” WOW! Although the Shaker’s lived somewhat secluded they made food baskets and distributed them to needy neighbors on Thanksgiving and Christmas. This along with their gift giving showed the generosity of the Shakers and their concern for those outside their community. They believed holidays were a chance to give back and show a token of gratitude for their blessings. Again, we could learn so much from the Shaker’s.

The Christmas spirit truly lived in the Shaker’s and remains in the memories of those who were touched by the love of such a gentle community.

Motto:
“Live Free or Die.” The motto comes from a statement written by the Revolutionary General John Stark, hero of the Battle of Bennington. The motto was part of a volunteer toast which General Stark sent to his wartime comrades, in which he declined an invitation to head up a 32nd anniversary reunion of the 1777 Battle of Bennington in Vermont, because of poor health. The toast said in full: “Live Free Or Die; Death Is Not The Worst of Evils.”
It was the 1945 Legislature that gave New Hampshire its official motto and emblem, as World War II approached a successful end.

Nicknames:

of America (For our beautiful mountain scenery)

Capitol:
Concord is the seat of New Hampshire government. It is centrally located on the Merrimack River.

Statehood:
New Hampshire became the 9th state on June 21, 1788. It was one of the original 13 colonies.

Population:
1,314,895 (2006)

Population Density:
Approximately 124.9 per square mile

Local Government:
New Hampshire has 10 counties, 13 municipalities, 221 towns and 22 unincorporated places.

Geographic Information:
Land mass The total area of the state is 9,304 sq miles (24,097 sq km), comprising 9,027 sq miles (23,380 sq km) of land and 277 sq miles (717 sq km) of inland water. It ranks as seventh smallest U.S. state.

Location:
New Hampshire is located in northeastern United States. The state is bordered on the north by the Canadian province of Quebec; on the east by Maine and the Atlantic Ocean; on the south by Massachusetts; and on the west by Vermont.

Water Mass:
New Hampshire has 1,300 lakes/ponds and about 40 rivers with a total milage of about 41,800 miles. The coastline is 18-miles long.

Elevation:
The highest point is Mount Washington at 6,288 feet (1,918 m); lowest point is the Atlantic Ocean at sea level; approximate elevation is 1,000 feet (305 m).

Climate:
New Hampshire has a changeable climate, with wide variations in daily and seasonal temperatures. The variations are affected by proximity to the ocean, mountains, lakes and rivers. The state enjoys all four seasons (our fall is glorious with foliage).

Flora:
New Hampshire is heavily forested with an abundance of elm, maple, beech, oak, pine, hemlock and fir trees. Mount Washington features rare alpine plants such as Greenland sandwort, Labrador tea, alpine bearberry, dwarf cinquefoil and dwarf birch, willow and balsam fir.

Fauna:
Among native New Hampshire mammals are the white-tailed deer, muskrat, beaver, porcupine and snowshoe hare. Threatened animals include the pine marten, arctic tern, purple martin, peregrine falcon, whip-por-will and osprey. The karner blue butterfly, lynx, bald eagle, shortnose sturgeon, Sunapee trout, Atlantic salmon and dwarf wedge mussel are on the State’s endangered species list.

Squam Lake is not only rich in natural beauty but history as well. Squam Lakes’ earliest inhabitants were from the Abenaki nation of the Algonguin Federation of Indians. Originally, they referred to Squam as Keeseenunknipee, which meant “the goose lake in the highlands”. The white settlers that followed shortened the name to Casumpa, Kusumpy and/or Kesumpe around 1779. In the early 1800’s, the lake was given another Abenaki name, Asquam, which means water. Finally, in the early 1900’s, Asquam was shortened to its present version, Squam.

The lack of transportation to the Squam Lakes at the turn of the century helped the area to stay relatively undeveloped. With the railroad stopping in Ashland, commercial activity remained limited directly around the lakes. Today, the interstate highway brings visitors into Ashland, where the center of commerce exists for the Squam Lakes area. Holding onto the history of the area, many camps on the lakes date back a century and discretely line the lush shoreline. Families have been coming for vacations for generations and many make the lakes their year round residence upon retirement.

The unspoiled beauty of Squam Lakes is what continues to bring visitors here today. Once they are here, the region hosts a variety of activities for all seasons including hiking, camping, swimming, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, golf, tennis, and mountain biking.

Many Salem, NH, residents love their hometown because it has everything they need including easy access to Boston and the beach, as well as good schools, reasonable taxes and New Hampshire’s scenic beauty. Now, the town of Salem’s many offerings have been recognized by Money magazine, which ranked Salem among the top 100 communities in the nation with populations under 50,000. Salem was named the 85th best place to live in NH. The magazine based its rankings on employment rate, health, economic condition, diversity, home prices and green space.

Although Salem didn’t rank quite as high as Grafton County it is still nice to know Salem is still in the top 100. Progressive Farmer rated Grafton County 4th in their list of the Best Places to Live in Rural America, citing it’s our low unemployment, a favorable cost of living, and the presence of White Mountain National Forest (the state’s only national forest).

The Whipple House & Glidden Toy Museum located in Ashland, NH, have approximately 30 doll houses on display - several dating back to the 1920s. One of their doll house displays is a Bliss House. Bliss Manufacturing Company was located here in New England’s own Rhode Island and was best known for their wooden toys and doll houses covered with lithographen paper. Today Bliss toys and doll houses are a RARE find. A majority of the Bliss doll houses were made around the turn of the century and are usually only featured in museum collections. The Whipple House display included Victorian houses, Farm houses, and barns created from wood, paper and metal.

The Whipple House Museum was built in 1837 was given to the Town of Ashland in 1970. The Glidden Toy Museum (a circa 1810 Cape) was purchased and renovated by funds provided by Pauline Glidden opened in July of 1991 and offers 2000 antique toys for visitors to enjoy.

LCHIP (Land and Community Heritage Investment Program)

The New Hampshire Legislature created the LCHIP program in 2000. Since then, the program has funded 129 projects in 103 NH communities. The program has conserved more than 200,000 acres of land for recreation, hunting, fishing, and farming, and invested in historic rehabilitation of more than 87 historic and cultural resources throughout New Hampshire. The grant funds helped to return new revenues, new jobs and help build local businesses.

The Campton Historical Society has been rehabilitating 3 historic buildings at their site since 2000. This includes the 1855 Town House, the 1903 Carriage House, and the 1912 Grange building. LCHIP funds were instrumental in enabling this effort. Society members will be on-site to describe the re-hab, and show the historic collections, including the 1889 horse-drawn hearse. In addition, they offer a self-guided tour of 20 marked historic Campton sites. Visitors are encouraged to visit several of the LCHIP sites to see community-based successes in conserving land and preserving and restoring community landmarks.

For LCHIP details and locations visit www.visitnh.gov/lchipday
For information about Campton Historical Society visit www.camptonhistorical.org

Loons are the oldest groups of birds still living today, with a history stretches back more than 50 million years. Many bones of the loon’s body are solid, rather than hollow like those of other birds. These heavy bones make loons less buoyant and help loons to dive.

Perhaps one of the most fascinating things about Common Loon is their haunting and variable voice. Loons are most vocal from mid-May to mid-June. They have four distinct calls which they use to communicate with their families and other loons; these are the tremolo, wail, yodel and hoot. The yodel is given only by the male. It is a long, rising call with repetitive notes and can last up to six seconds. It is used by the male to defend his territory and can be stimulated by another male entering a loon’s territory. Studies of recordings have shown that the yodel is different for each loon and can be used to identify individual loons.

Loons will use whatever material on hand to build their nests; pine tree needles, leaves, grass, moss, and sometimes clumps of mud and vegetation are collected from the lake bottom to build the nest. Both the male and female work together to help build their home, which usually lasts 31+/- days.

NH admires the Loon so much we even have an Annual Loon Festival at the Loon Center in Moultonborough, NH, every July.

Twenty-six years after the film “On Golden Pond” the image still lingers: Henry Fonda & Kate Hepburn, in the twilight of their lives, come for another glorious summer at their vacation home on the lake.

Squam Lake, located in Holderness, NH demands respect with it’s intricate and treacherous 80-foot drop offs and boat-shredding reefs. It’s not a place to be without a chart.

Around the rustic cabins and centuries-old pines many families share memories of watching the loons while enjoying the quiet views and water. Squam sets the standard for “Summers in New England.”

As the old families on Squam have sold their properties, a long-held ethic of low impact and unobtrusiveness has given way to a new generation of owners who favor glassy, 20,000-square-foot vacation homes in full-on view from the lake. Fertilizer from manicured lawns now leach into the surface water and road salt runs off through once-wooded buffers. The milfoil weed has shown up in several of the basins, most certainly carried in by visiting boats. The nesting loon population, which had been increasing and stable over the past three decades, has recently been in decline. Squam’s famously clear water is slowly being clouded. New visitors to Squam remain awed by how pristine it seems. But the incremental changes have not gone unnoticed by those who know the lake.

For general information about the area, including boating on the lake, activities, lodging, and dining, go to squamlakeschamber.com. Learn about open spaces, trails, and conservation around Squam at squamlakes.org.

“Live Free or Die” is the official motto of New Hampshire, adopted by the General Court in 1945. It is probably the most well-known state motto, partly because it speaks to an aggressive independence in the American dream. The phrase comes from a toast written by General John Stark in 1809. Poor health forced Stark (NH’s most famous soldier of the American Revolutionary War) to decline an invitation to an anniversary reunion of the Battle of Bennington and to send his toast by letter: “Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils.” The motto was enacted at the same time as the state emblem, on which the motto appears.

“Live Free or Die Hard” (a/k/a Die Hard 4.0) is the fourth installment in the Die Hard film series with actor Bruce Willis as John McClane, the hero of the first three films. The film takes place some 18 years after the first film, and sees McClane coming out of retirement to face a gang of Internet terrorists. The film’s U.S. release date is June 27, 2007.

Chocorua Island (a/k/a Church Island) on Squam Lake in Holderness, NH, is the site of America’s first resident boys’ summer camp established in 1881 by Mr. Ernest Balch, it operated until 1889.

In 1903 a group of Mr. Balch’s relatives and former campers organized the Chocorua Chapel Association. Mr. Clinton Crane, the owner of the island, generously donated it to the Association. The Chocorua Chapel Association is now over 100 years old. The number of people dedicated to its care and operation has grown and the desire for natural simplicity has endured.

For 38 years, Dr. Clifford Twombly, one of the founders of the Association, conducted services. Since 1941, they have been led by clergy of various denominations, many being summer residents of Squam.

Sunday services are held from late June to early September every year. Private Services may be held on the island for weddings, etc.

It is said that Campton, NH, took its name from an early surveyor’s camp in the region. It is also said that Governor Wentworth, when he granted the original charter in 1761, wanted to commemorate one of his friends, Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington. Compton’s influence had helped Wentworth become governor in 1741. In those days, one would say the letter “a” broader, thus Compton became Campton. Most of its earlier settlers came from Connecticut. John Marsh, an early grantee, had a nephew, Sylvester Marsh, who built the famous cog railroad to Mount Washington after making his fortune in Chicago. Form more historical information about Campton, please visit the Campton Historical Society web site: http://watervillevalleyregion.com/HistoricalSociety

From his perch, the Old Man of the mountain has stood for centuries as a testament to the steadfastness of New Hampshire’s character. This rugged yet beautiful monument fit the pioneers who founded this state, the immigrants who built it, and the spirit of those who live here today. It was the ultimate symbol of those who would “Live Free or Die.” And while that symbol may have fallen, the spirit will always remain.

In 1915 Robert Frost returns to the US to buy a farm in Franconia, N.H. where he continued with his poetry. One of my favorite Frost poems is: “The Road Not Taken” published in 1916 from his Mountain Interval collection.

There is a museum called “Frost Place” - a sanctuary for lovers of poetry and books on a quiet north country lane with a spectacular view of the White Mountains. This is small house, built in the 1860s and miraculously well preserved, thanks to the concern of the citizens of Franconia, who voted at their town meeting in 1976 to purchase the former home of Robert Frost in order to see to its safekeeping. It’s worth a visit.

Hannah Dustin was 1st American Women to have a statue erected in her honor. Although she was a resident of Haverill, MA, Hannah Dustin is often hailed as a New Hampshire hero since the site of her most infamous deed (the tomahawk inflicted deaths and scalpings of 10 Abenakis) is located in Penacook, NH. Her often overlooked monument on an island in the Merrimack River is well worth a photographic detour.