Willie house area of crawford notch
Nothing brings as much attention as a good disaster story. Crawford Notch became a Tourist attraction in 1856 when the Willie family was killed in a massive landslide. After this event, more so than any other event, cemented the name Willie House into a National human interest story.
The Willey House area on Rte 302 Began with the Samuel Willey family who moved into this wilderness in 1865. The Willie Slide put the area on the map as not only their lodging accommodations but also a major tourist attraction of the time. The Willey House Inn is shown at left. The Inn burned in 1898.
FIRST HOUSE IN THE NOTCH. The Willey House is the oldest building erected in the Notch. This was built in the year 1793, by a Mr. Davis, to accommodate the unfortunate storm-bound traveller, who, from curiosity, or on business, might dare the dangers of this wild pass.
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The absence of an Inn did not end the tourist appeal and after the Inn burned, during the early 1900's the area sprouted a camping area on the same spot.
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By the 1920's a man named Donahue from Bartlett obtained a lease on the site and began building Willie Camps, which featured a snack bar and cabins. The snack bar and a gift shop occupy the site to this day (2011)
"The Devils Den" up the side of Mt. Willard, seen from the notch opposite the Silver Cascade, though as yet but imperfectly explored, deserves a passing notice.
From below it appears like a dark hole in the steep cliff; and, though various attempts have been made to explore its shadowy secrets, from the day it was first discovered by old Abel Crawford till 1850, it remained among the unvisited wonders. To F. Leavitt, Esq., belongs the credit of succeeding, by means of a rope let down from the overhanging rock above, in the accomplishment of the daring enterprise of first visiting that spot. Fancy a man suspended over a dark gulf more than a thousand feet deep, by a rope let down from a ragged crag to a dark hole in the mountain, around the entrance of which were scattered the skulls and bones of animals, and you have a glimmering of the picture.
Our hero lost all desire to enter that dismal cavern, and, kicking the rope, was again drawn up ; and since that time, by his description, no explorer has been found with sufficient nerve and curiosity to make a second attempt. As there has never been discovered any possible means by which that den can be approached by foothold up the rock, and as the old Evil One has such daily business with mortal affairs, rather than believe that to be his abode, it appears more just to conclude that alone there the mountain eagle finds a solitary home.
Source: Historical relics of the White Mountains: Also, a concise White Mountain guide By John H. Spaulding 1862
Here is another account of The Devils Den taken from The White Mountains: a handbook for travelers: a guide to the peaks, passes ...edited by Moses Foster Sweetser; 1886:
The Devil's Den is a black-mouthed cavern on the S. side of the cliffs of Mt. Willard, and is plainly seen from the road. It is reported that Crawford visited it, many years ago, and found the bottom strewn with bones and other ghastly relics ; and marvelous stories of the supernatural were afterwards told about it. In 1856, however, the Den was explored by Dr. Ball, who was lowered down the cliff by .ropes. He found it to be 20 ft. wide and deep, and 15 ft. high, very cold and damp, but containing nothing remarkable or interesting During the State Survey of 1870, explorers were lowered to the Den by a rope 125 ft. long, but their discoveries did not repay the peril of the descent.
When the railroad came through the Notch in 1857 it brought with it a small contingency of new residents. A railroad Station House for the section crew was erected at the west end of the Willey Brook Trestle. It became better known for the family who lived there, Hattie and Loring Evans. They arrived in the summer of 1903 and set up housekeeping in the lonely wilderness. Loring and Hattie raised their four children here. Tragically, Loring was killed in 1916 when a train went the opposite of the way he anticipated. Hattie Stayed on until 1942 and raised the four children alone. The house was razed by the railroad in 1972.
To read the entire story of the House and the Evans Family pick up the book "Life By The Tracks" by Virginia C. Downs published in 1984
EDITORS NOTE: One railroad expert, Bob Girouard, informs us that Loring Evans died on Thanksgiving day 1913.
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END OF THE LINE FOR MT WILLARD HOUSE:
Later, a small pond was created by building a dam across the Saco River which originates about a mile further west. A pedestrian bridge led to a wildlife exhibit with deer, bear, possums, owls and other birds, raccoons, skunks and other critters native to the area. It closed in the 1970's. Incidents were few, but there is this story from 1952 about an 18 year old employee, Robert Huckins, was killed by a bear after a feeding.
In the 1880's the area around Elephant Head and Saco Pond at the Crawford Notch Gateway was known as Idlewild. It featured broad walking paths and benches at beneficial locations to enjoy the views.
Bits n Pieces