May History, White Mountains – Over the years, a number of historical events in the White Mountains happened in May. One event that took place over one hundred years ago still benefits us today, and New Hampshire lost an icon during this month in 2003. Included here are a few interesting May events.
The most significant event took place on May 16, 1918. On this day, President Woodrow Wilson signed Executive Order 1449 creating the White Mountain National Forest in Maine and New Hampshire. Consisting of nearly 800,000 acres, the White Mountain National Forest attracts millions of visitors every year.
In 1771, Timothy Nash and Benjamin Sawyer brought a horse through the wild (at the time) Crawford Notch proving to Governor John Wentworth the route’s commercial value. And on May 20, 1773, Governor Wentworth rewarded the two men with a 2,184 acre parcel just north of the Gate of the Notch – Nash & Sawyer's Location. While Nash and Sawyer are credited for discovering the pass through Crawford Notch, it was known to the Indians.
Consisting of 33,000 acres, Land Commissioner James Willey granted Bean’s Purchase to Alpheus Bean of Bartlett on May 22, 1832. Then on May 31 of the same year, Willey granted Sargent’s Purchase, consisting of 25,000 acres, to Jacob Sargent of Thornton and others.
On May 13, 1907, a devastating fire destroyed a number of dwellings along Main Street in Lincoln. Buildings on both sides of Main Street burned to the ground. Then on May 7, 1950, Hotel Franconia, built in 1929, burned down. It was located in the area of Woodwards's Inn and Whale's Tale Waterpark in North Lincoln.
When the United States entered into World War 1 in April 1917, there was great concern that important sites along transportation routes, such as railroad bridges, would be blown up. And in May, one month after the United States entered into the war, Private L. Dudley Leavitt and seven other National Guardsmen of the First Vermont Infantry were assigned six weeks guard duty of the Willey Brook Trestle (along the old Maine Central Railroad in Crawford Notch).
In 1924, the Draper Corporation purchased the Beebe River land tract, the Beebe mill and company buildings, and the Beebe River Railroad. Under the agreement, the Woodstock Lumber Company would harvest the remaining spruce and operate the mill until May 1925. Once the property was transferred over to Draper Corporation, they converted the mill over to a bobbin mill. However, they did not use the railroad for logging purposes until 1934. By 1942 the railroad track was removed and donated to the war effort (World War 2).
On May 3, 2003, New Hampshire's Old Man of the Mountain, also known as "The Great Stone Face" and "The Profile" collapsed. Discovered and first recorded in 1805 by a survey party, the Old Man of the Mountain profile was a natural rock feature on the side of Cannon Mountain in Franconia Notch; it was the main attraction of Franconia Notch for 198 years.
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Bibliography:
Donovan, Erin Paul. “Willey Brook Trestle, World War 1 Guard Duty.” ScenicNH Photography LLC, 05 Sept 2012, https://www.scenicnh.com/blog/2013/04/english-jack-hermit-of-crawford-notch/.
Donovan, Erin Paul. “Beebe River Railroad, New Hampshire.” ScenicNH Photography LLC, 19 Apr 2018, https://www.scenicnh.com/blog/2018/04/beebe-river-railroad/.
Donovan, Erin Paul. “Old Man of the Mountain, Franconia Notch.” ScenicNH Photography LLC, 03 May 2013, https://www.scenicnh.com/blog/2013/05/old-man-of-the-mountain/.
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.