Via Keene and Chesterfield.
Limited accommodations except in Keene.
Paved road throughout.
THIS is an attractive route through the rolling country of the south-western part of the State and past a number of popular lakes. State 9 branches southwest from US 202 at a junction 1.4 m. south of Hillsborough. A Wooden Sign near the gasoline station recalls an early, legendary Hillsborough figure, Jenny Robinson, who was reputed to have been a witch who cast a spell over farmers and travelers, luring them to her husband’s tavern. (Wives forbad their husbands to cast even a side-long glance at Jenny.)
Right on State 9; at 1.5 m. is a junction with a dirt road.
Right on this road is the attractively situated Beard Brook Swimming Pool (limited facilities), 0.6 m., named for an early settler.
At 1.6 m. is the double arch, stone Lottery Bridge, built in 1840 by Captain Jonathan Carr, who also built the brick house close by, paying for both with counterfeit money. He was finally caught and sentenced to 20 years in prison. After serving his sentence he came back to Hillsborough and lived here for about 10 years. Some years ago a cave, believed to have been a hiding-place of the counterfeiters, was found near the bridge. In making repairs on a room in the brick house, a wall was torn down, and hidden between the partitions were thousands of dollars of counterfeit money; an intensive search did not reveal the plates from which the money was made.
HILLSBOROUGH LOWER VILLAGE, 1.7 m., is a small community.
In the rear of the country store (R) on a slight elevation, a tablet on a square unfinished boulder marks the Site of the Birthplace of Benjamin Pierce Cheney (1815–5). When Cheney’s father lost his property, his son had to leave school at 10 years of age and go to work. His father was a blacksmith and one of the boy’s tasks at night was to point nails. Not being physically strong, at 16 he was compelled to seek outdoor work and found it in driving the mail coach between Keene and Nashua. This gave him an idea that, shortly afterward, with his brother’s help, resulted in forming the Cheney Express. A third partner was later taken in and the line was extended to Henniker. It was merged with the American Express Company in 1868. Cheney later built the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fé Railroad. He was a close friend of Daniel Webster, and presented a statue of him that is now in the State House grounds at Concord.
Right from Hillsborough Lower Village on State 31, 200 yards, is the Franklin Pierce Homestead (open daily June to Sept. 1–5; free), a large two-story hip-roofed frame structure built by Governor Benjamin Pierce. Franklin Pierce (1804–69), was brought here by his parents when he was six weeks old, and spent his early years here. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1824, and ten years later married the president’s daughter, Jane Means Appleton (see Tour 17, sec. b). He practiced law and went into State politics. In 1852 he was nominated for the Presidency, and elected the following November. He died in Concord, October 8, 1869. The house contains Scenic Wallpaper in brilliant colors, imported from Italy 100 years ago.
At 2.4 m. is (L) the so-called Keith Birthplace, a small one-story, frame house, built in 1840. It has until recently been considered the birthplace of Benjamin F. Keith (1846–1914), theater magnate. Investigation by a Federal Writers’ Project worker has proved that this claim is not justified (see below).
At 6.9 m. is a junction with an inconspicuous dirt road through the yard of the Crane House. Right on this road 0.6 m. is the Henry Iram Camp, a large cabin, several smaller ones, and an occasional tent, in a 40-acre area. For 20 years this has been conducted by Henry Iram who came here for his health and built the cabin. The camp has drawn writers, artists, clergymen, teachers, college students, factory and clerical workers from all parts of the country and from foreign lands, for discussion of current political questions. Various forms of recreation are provided, including bathing in near-by Mellen’s Pond.
At 8.6 m. is a junction with the Half-Moon Pond Road. Right here 1.5 m. to a place where cars can be left. From this point a marked trail runs to Mt. Lovewell (alt. 2456), named for Captain John Lovewell, Indian fighter, who is said to have been the first white man to climb this mountain. From the summit is a wide view including the White Mountains (N); on a clear day, with field glasses, Boston Harbor can be seen (S). The view is especially beautiful in the autumn.
At 9.4 m. on the main side road is WASHINGTON (alt. 1507, pop. 245), a little hilltop town with a few old houses. It is one of the highest towns in the State. First granted by the Massachusetts Colony as Monadnock No. 8, a New Hampshire charter was granted in 1752. Sixteen years later the first settlers reached the region, coming from Harvard, Mass., and New Ipswich. A later grant was made by Governor Wentworth to Colonel Reuben Kidder as sole proprietor who called the place Camden, after Lord Camden, friend of the Governor. At its incorporation in 1776, the settlement took the name of Washington, the second to take the President’s name for a town; Washington, N.C., takes precedence. This road continues to GOSHEN, 18 m., where is a junction with State 12 (see Tour 4, sec. a).
At 1.8 m. is the Jackman Power Plant. Opposite across the highway is the Site of the Birthplace of B. F. Keith (see above); only a cellar-hole marks the spot.
The highway now follows in the main the shores of Franklin Pierce Lake, a recreation center and reservoir furnishing water-power for an electric sub-station at Hillsborough. That this region was an Indian settlement is indicated by the large number of relics found on its shores.
Close by the lake (L) is the Arthur Dowlin House (1740), a two-story wooden structure formerly painted red, with the paint still showing in patches. The clapboards are fastened by wooden pins and were hand-cut; the windows have the original small panes; the large chimney is of hand-made brick. The house retains many of its early interior features; especially noteworthy is the width of the floor boards. The present owner has a large Collection of Indian Relics (open; free), plowed up on land that is now under water; it consists of arrow-heads, spear-heads, stone clubs, and dishes. Near the Dowlin House but unidentified is the Site of the Log Cabin of Benjamin Pierce where Franklin Pierce (see above) was born November 23, 1804.
At 10 m. is a junction with a paved road.
Right on this road is Highland Lake (alt. 1295), 2.1 m., a pleasant body of water slowly developing as a cottage settlement.
At 3.5 m. is STODDARD MILL VILLAGE (alt. 1296) and at 4.5 m., is STODDARD (alt. 1397, pop. 130), no accommodations, a retired little community on a commanding height of land between the Merrimack and Connecticut Rivers. It is said that rain falling on one side of a house here runs into the Merrimack and on the other into the Connecticut. When Stoddard was settled in 1769 early inhabitants carried their grain on their backs through a trackless wilderness from Peterborough, 20 miles south. Early known as Limerick, it took the name of Samson Stoddard, one of the grantees, when it was incorporated in 1774. Stoddard was for many years famous for the glass produced in its three factories (see The Arts).
MUNSONVILLE (Nelson Township), 13 m., is a settlement of small houses around a large wooden mill, on the southern edge of Munson Lake. It was formerly a woodworking center.
Munson Lake (alt. 1276), formerly Mirror Lake, is a small body of water that has in recent years become a center of summer homes. The lake has an Indian legend attached to Lover’s Rock on an island at the northern end. During his declining years Hanoket, a Wampanoag sachem, had made the islet his home with Mamomish his daughter. Among the guests welcomed to Hanoket’s hut was a trader Leclair from Mount Royal in Canada. On one trip he brought his son Antoine, who soon fell in love with the Indian maiden. When the day for departure arrived, Leclair was astounded to hear that his son desired to take her home as his wife. He demanded sternly that his son return alone, and they departed, leaving the heartbroken Mamomish behind. That night, it is said, Mamomish leaped from the cliff to her death in the lake.
The highway drops down gradually through woods.
EAST SULLLVAN (alt. 1000, town pop. 192), 16.6 m., no accommodations, is a handful of houses on the river bank where are the ruins of a tumbled-down mill. Sullivan was incorporated in 1787 and took the name of John Sullivan, at that time President, as the governor was then known, of New Hampshire. The ruined mill is the last relic of a sawmill and gristmill and a tannery once operating here.
The highway now follows Otter Brook Valley, gradually leaving the notch-like section through which it has been passing and entering the broad basin of the Connecticut Valley.
KEENE (see KEENE), 23.3 m., is a junction with State 10 (see Tour 4, sec. a), with State 101 (see Tour 17, sec. b), and with State 12 (see Tour 4A).
State 9 follows in the western part of Keene, and for 2.7 miles is united with State 12.
At 25.3 m. is a junction. Left on State 9.
The Sawyer Tavern, 25.8 m. (R), a large two-story gable structure, was built about 1780. The original small panes are in the windows and the interior has been only slightly changed. Noteworthy are the kitchen with large fireplace and Dutch oven, and a chamber on the second floor in which is the original unpainted pine paneling. The house contains excellent specimens of early glass and china, with other old relics. In the yard is an old stagecoach bearing the name of the proprietor of the tavern.
At 32 m. is a junction with an improved dirt road.
Right on this road is Chesterfield Gorge, an attractive section recently (1936) acquired by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. The gorge extends a distance of one-fourth mile (R); a wild brook cascades through it; cliffs rise steeply on the west side and a few profiles, one suggesting the Minute-man, are traceable.
SPOFFORD (Chesterfield Township), 32.6 m., no accommodations, is a little village scattered up and down the hillside. The Fire-Engine House has some early fire-fighting equipment.
At 35.4 m. the highway swings around the southeastern edge of Lake Spofford (alt. 716), an attractive body of water surrounded by hills, and many cottages and hotels. Especially notable are the pine woods through which the highway runs. This body of water probably took its name from John and Silas Spofford who were among the grantees. There is a tradition that a man named Spafford lived near the lake at an early date, but the original charter in Chesterfield (1761) gives the outline of the lake with the name Spofford on it.
The highway rises sharply to the little hilltop town of CHESTERFIELD (alt. 851, pop. 704), 36.4 m., a little settlement, in which a low stone town hall and a stone country store are conspicuous. There are numerous early houses here.
Chesterfield was granted in 1752 as ‘No. 1’ in the series of settlements in the Connecticut Valley (see FITZWILLIAM, WALPOLE, CHARLESTOWN, Tour 4A.) It was regranted in 1760 and settlement began the following year. Chesterfield has never been an industrial community; instead its inhabitants have taken advantage of the fertile lands. Of late years it has become a summer resort.
Chesterfield lays claim to the fact that the first Methodist preaching in New Hampshire took place here in 1793 when the Reverend Jesse Lee, Methodist evangelist, visited this community.
Chesterfield is the birthplace of Edwin D. Mead (1849–1937), Boston author and lecturer.
At 42 m., is a bridge over the Connecticut River, the boundary between New Hampshire and Vermont, 2.5 miles north of Brattleboro, Vermont.