16 October 2021
1041
R. Linda:
In the south of the state of New Hampshire, there are historic colonial homes galore. The large homes with "ells" additions (called ells -- a wing of a home perpendicular to the length of the main portion) and old barns are very beautiful. However, the New England cape home is very different from capes around the country. They are sturdier looking, have a lot of post and beam work, and are quaint and filled with history. The capes found on Cape Cod in Massachusetts are weathered from the salt air and their clapboards take on a blue-grey patina that is very attractive. However, I think New Hampshire has the most lovely older homes in northern New England.
In Wilton, New Hampshire, the small historical centre is filled with lovely old-style homes. There be a newer section of businesses in another part of Wilton town, but the old section of historic homes is a sight not to miss.
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| The Wilton Unitarian Church be the first building you see as you enter the historic section of town |
In the newer business section of town one of the most fascinating old New England architecture be the painting of barn sides like this one:
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| Found on the outskirts of the newer centre section - and if you do pass through this section do stop at Nelson's Homemade (and handmade) candies! |
Wilton boasts an old mill called Frys Measure Mill. There were demonstrations of how the mill worked but I don't know if they run those anymore. But a fascinating history of the mill and how it works was worth the time spent. At the mill is a gift shop filled with millwork articles like measure scoops, wooden colonial chandeliers, and a lot of unique antiques.
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| The old mill |
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| The stream that feeds the mill |
Leaving Wilton, and driving west towards Greenville, New Hampshire (where the apple orchard is located) there be a place for lunch I highly recommend. It is called Pickety Place (where the story of Little Red Riding Hood was written). Pickety Place has a gourmet restaurant (you need reservations), two gift shops (one with a room where the kiddos can peek in at the Wolf dressed up as Grandma), and an excellent garden shop.
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| Pickety Place |
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| Stuffed pumpkin lunch at Pickey Place |
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| One of the gift shops at Pickety Place |
Greenville (on the Mason side) has some picturesque views and farmland that give a wide view looking toward Massachusetts.
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| Looking at the Massachusetts border |
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| Another shot looking towards Massachusetts |
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| And a last view |
There are a lot of homes built deep in the woods which on foggy days around Halloween stir the imagination.
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| The foggy turret in the woods |
The Mason side of Greenville (they share a post office - that's how small the towns are) is a quaint town you transition through as you move south.
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| A Mason road that becomes a hollow you drive through, very pretty |
Mason also has an eatery that specialises in its own maple products. This place is always packed because of its breakfast menu popularity. The food is GOOD, no doubt about it. A lot of natives and Massachusetts residents frequent Parkers Maple Barn. The place also has a gift shop filled with maple products and downstairs is a shop devoted to Native American items. There be during the sugaring season, a sugar house and a doughnut and coffee stand. So if you get there and have to wait, there be plenty to do until your table becomes ready. Just know weekends are very busy, but the food and atmosphere of Parkers be well worth the wait.
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| The bridge will take you from the restaurant to the gift shoppe |
Mason has an old granite quarry that one can hike or ride horses to. It is filled with water and has become a swimming hole for locals in the summertime. It be a pretty hike and the quarry is something to see. And there be an old railroad bed that winds through the area where one can hike or horseback ride.
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| The Quarry |
As you drive through Mason there are many horse farms.
And pretty farmhouses.
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| This one be called Spring Hill |
And Mason has a few old cemeteries that date way back. They are worth a look. This one is just down the hill from Uncle Sam's House, the house where Samuel Wilson grew up. If you don't know about Uncle Sam, look him up!
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| Even the old graveyard be picturesque |
Moving on to Brookline, New Hampshire which is a very small village but has Lake Potamapo which is the scene of winter ice fishing, snowmobile racing, and in the summer sailboating, swimming, and general beach time.
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| The little lake community of Potamapo reminds me a lot of Wolfsboro, Nova Scotia |
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| The lake's small lighthouse has become a symbol for Brookline |
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| And Brookline has that proverbial red truck you see everywhere in the home and card decor! |
Most of us look out the window, not particularly "seeing" what we see and have no clue what some of these little towns have to offer. But a little scrapping below the surface will reveal that almost every town you drive through has SOMETHING you don't want to miss.
Gabe
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