Weeks State Park, New Hampshire – Weeks State Park is a 420-acre, more or less, property on Mt. Prospect in Lancaster, New Hampshire. The main attraction of the park is the historical Weeks Estate on the summit. Built in 1912 for John Wingate Weeks (1860-1926), the main house is built of fieldstone and stucco.
Born in Lancaster on April 11, 1860, John Wingate Weeks was a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts. He was a leading conservationist, congressman, senator, and secretary of war but is best known for the Weeks Act of 1911. The Weeks Act authorized the Federal Government to purchase private land in the eastern United States and maintain the land as national forests. He is the reason why we have the White Mountain National Forest.
Located on the property, and also built in 1912, is an impressive fieldstone fire tower that is still in operation today. Originally built as an observatory and water tower, the fire observatory area was added to the tower in 1941. The tower was added to the National Historic Lookout Register on August 8, 1992. When open, visitors can climb this unique fire tower.
In 1941 John Weeks' children Katherine Weeks Davidge and Sinclair Weeks gave the 420-acre Mt. Prospect estate to the state of New Hampshire. And today, this great piece of history is open to the public; during seasonal operating hours, visitors can tour the estate and climb the fire tower.
If you ever find yourself in Lancaster, this is one state park worth exploring. To license any of the photos in this blog article for publications, click on the photo. And you can view more scenes of this estate here.
Happy image making..
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Owner of ScenicNH Photography LLC
Erin Paul is a professional photographer, writer, and author who specializes in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the New Hampshire White Mountains. His work is published worldwide, and publication credits include: Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Backpacker Magazine, and The Wilderness Society.
ScenicNH Photography LLC
Specializing in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the White Mountains region of New Hampshire, Erin Paul’s photography and writing focuses on the history of the White Mountains, and telling the story of abandoned places and forgotten historical sites.