Kearsarge Area
Most of Kearsarge is in North Conway. As you drive up the Hurricane Mountain Road, everything on the left (west) is Bartlett, everything on the right is not. I have picked out a few things that seem appropriate.
In 1845 a hotel building was erected on Mount Kearsarge by Caleb and Nathaniel Frye, John Dana, and Moses Chandler. It was used for several years and then fell into disuse. In 1868 it was bought, renovated, and operated as a hotel by Andrew Dinsmore. During the 1870's it was run by A.A. and J.W. Whitaker. A bridle path up the mountain made it accessible by horseback.
After a beating wind blew the building down in 1883, it was replaced by a shack. Although there were plans for a railroad running to the top of the mountain, and in 1885 the North Conway-Mount Kearsarge Railway Corporation was actually organized, these plans were never realized. In 1902 the building and site were purchased by the Appalachian Mountain Club, and mountain climbing became a sport in this area. Today the summit and approach are part of the White Mountain National Forest and the present building is a fire-lookout station.
Expanded first summit house - Mt Kearsarge 1869 - blew down in 1883
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George Newcomb Painting
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Buttonwood Inn
The Buttonwood Inn on Mt Surprise Road began as a mountain farm. The main house dates to 1820 but the wings are more recent additions. All of the outbuildings are gone now but the granite foundation of the barn remains, (as of this writing in 1992) In 1992 it was owned by Peter and Claudia Needham. Peter has previous Innkeeping experience at Stowe, Vermont. The Needhams purchased the Inn from Ann, Hugh and Walter Begley who had owned it from the early 1980's. Before that it was a private residence owned by the McGinnises who bought it in 1975 from David and Irma Taylor who opened the inn in 1947, primarily as a ski lodge. They called it the Hid-a-Way. Irma began serving breakfast and dinner, beginning the transition from a ski lodge to a country inn.
David was also a library Trustee and was instrumental in finding the author of the book from which this information was gleaned...(copied)... Source info below.
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At this writing in 2024 the Inn is operated by Doug and Donna Marie. They have a very informative website at: https://www.buttonwoodinn.com/meet-the-innkeepers.html
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SOURCE: Used with permission - "The Latchstring Was Always Out" - Aileen Carroll - 1994