Interesting Places to Explore in New Hampshire

Lake Francis State Park is situated on an inlet of Lake Francis where the Connecticut River enters from the First and Second Connecticut lakes. The rapids in the river can be viewed from the park. A major attraction in the park is the wildlife as there are 123 different species of birds including bald eagles, loons, and endangered woodpeckers. Other visitors from the animal kingdom are deer, moose and bear. Hikers have a choice of trails here - an easy trail runs through the woods along the Connecticut River leading from the campground to a covered bridge 1½ miles away and another trail offers a 3 mile hike up the slopes of Mount Galloway, the highest mountain in the area. The climb is rather steep but the view from the top is spectacular. Both hikers and bicyclists enjoy the old logging roads that wind in and around the park. At Lake Francis the fishing is good and a boat or canoe can be rented. The park has a public boat launch. For camping each campsite has a fireplace, picnic table, flat area for a tent and a parking space. There is running water, flush toilets, coin-operated showers and a dump station. Not far from the park is a swimming beach, a stable where one can rent horses and riding trails.

Shelburne Birches Memorial Forest Along the highway at Shelburne is a dense stand of paper birches which are dazzlingly graceful with their white bark and shimmering leaves. From this kind of tree the North American Indians made their birch bark canoes and come of the ones which grow here are giants - among the largest to be found in the eastern U.S. An unusual thing to see along a well traveled highway, the forest, a commemoration of Shelburne citizens who served in WWII, was established soon after the war’s end.

Science Center of New Hampshire at Squam Lakes -
The purpose of this center is to introduce visitors to a variety of natural environments and the creatures that live in them. An exhibit trail open from May 1 to November 1 leads from the visitors center across a rocky meadowland through which a small stream flows. The stream drains another ecological zone, an area of marsh and flows into a trout pond. The trout pond has white granite boulders by its edge and about it are white pines and paper birches.

Some of the different types of animals you will see on your nature trail walk will be owls, bob cats, river otters, white tailed deer, black bears, bald eagles, and hawks. You will even see signs at each exhibit that explains what each animal is as well as where there from, what they eat and the habitat they enjoy living in. Also on the nature trail you will see a Solar Exhibit that explains what solar heat is, how it’s used, and where we get solar energy. Another exhibit you will see on the trail is the Life Underground exhibit where you will learn about earthworms, chipmunks, and soil. One more exhibit that is fun to explore on your journey down the trail is the Ecotone Mammal Exhibit where you will see skunks, fishers, and foxes as well as get the chance to learn about them. Farther up the trail there is a forestry exhibit and a hundred year old steam powered sawmill. There is a tour boat that takes people out on the Squam Lakes and you can learn about the Squam Lakes environment. The center is open from May through November.

Castle in the Clouds -
Located in Moultonborough. A lovely place in the Ossipee Mountains near Lake Winnipesaukee. This place was the creation of multimillionaire Thomas Gustave Plant who wanted to live in a place where he could only see beauty all around. He purchased 6000 acres of woodland and built his mansion on a promontory with views of the island studded lake below and the White Mountains in the distance. Plant had European artists and craftsmen working on the place and the estate was finished in 1910 at a cost of $7 million and named the mansion Lucknow after a castle in Scotland. On the grounds there are miles of carriage roads and riding trails winding through the woods fragrant with pines also waterfalls, ponds, streams and hilltops with breathtaking views. There are garden walks and tours of the mansion whose stained glass windows depict some of the scenery. You can feed the giant trout in Shannon Pond. There is an Art Gallery on the premises and the Carriage House Cafe and Patio.

Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site -
The house which is located in Cornish is set on high ground and circled by lawns and distant views of the Vermont Hills. It was once the home of one of America’s most distinguished sculptors Augustus Saint-Gaudens who bought the place in 1885 as a summer home but from 1900 till his death in 1907 he lived there permanently. He combined his interests in gardening and the styles of the classical Greek and Roman periods to create a fairyland of porticoes and wide vistas, of colonnades and formal gardens. There are two studios on the premises the Gallery and the Temple (where the artist is buried) and you can see some of Saint-Gaudens’s most famous works. The artist’s father who was an immigrant shoemaker encouraged his son in his artistic endeavors. The sculptor named the estate Aspet after his father’s birthplace in France. Many young artists have studied with Saint-Gaudens. In 1962 the place was declared a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Birthplace of Daniel Webster is in Franklin. Daniel Webster was born on January 18, 1782 and was the son of a poor farmer. He became one of America’s prominent statesmen. Throughout his long career he was a lawyer, legislator, Cabinet officer and presidential aspirant. Daniel Webster was renowned for his oratorical eloquence, powerful presence and championship of national unity. He was New England’s most respected and influential spokesman for 40 years. Webster who died in 1852 was elected to the Senate Hall of Fame in 1957. His birthplace is a small single-story dark gray clapboard building with cedar shingles. The two room interior has wide floor boards, a brick fireplace, a bench and a table. Picnicking is allowed at the site.

Franklin Pierce Homestead -
This white clapboard Georgian style mansion in Hillsborough was completed in1804 by Benjamin Pierce a prosperous politician. That same year his son Franklin was born. Franklin grew up to become the 14th president of the U.S. The Pierce family was very sociable and many great men of the time, including Daniel Webster visited them. Franklin rose quickly in the political field and left home in 1833 to serve as a Democratic congressman in Washington, D.C. then 20 years later he was inaugurated as president. He was unable to deal effectively with the issue of slavery and lost the support of his party. He gave up politics in 1857 and retired to Concord, N.H. The Pierce homestead is now a national historic landmark. The interior of the home has been restored to its original appearance.

There is an elegant ballroom on the second floor with hand-stenciled walls. Here Benjamin Pierce a Revolutionary War veteran used to drill the local militia. Among the antique items in the barn is Franklin Pierce’s old horse drawn sleigh decorated with painted flowers. The homestead is maintained by the volunteers from the Hillsborough Historical Society.