November History, White Mountains – Here in the White Mountains, November is one of the quieter months of the year. The autumn foliage season has come to an end, and winter is knocking on the door. Many outdoor enthusiasts enjoy this time of year because there is less foot traffic along our public hiking trails.
When it comes to White Mountains history, some interesting events happened in November. A family-run business put the town of Lincoln on the map, a road was completed, and fire destroyed a grand hotel. Included here are a few interesting events.
On November 11, 1774, Green’s Grant was granted to Lieutenant Francis Green of Boston. Consisting of 2,032 acres, the entire tract of land lies within the White Mountain National Forest. The autumn foliage in this grant is incredible!
Built by Thomas Trudeau of Piece Bridge, the southern division of the Jefferson Notch Road (today’s Mt Clinton Road) was opened on November 8, 1901. The purpose of the Jefferson Notch Road, known as Jefferson Notch Highway in the early days, was to connect the Crawford House with Jefferson Highlands. Along this road is the highest elevation reached by a public highway in New Hampshire.
J.E. Henry and Sons Company was incorporated on November 4, 1903. Henry and his sons transformed the sleepy wilderness village of Lincoln into a thriving mill town. And their East Branch & Lincoln Railroad is the greatest logging railroad ever built in New England.
The flood of November 1927 caused extensive damage throughout the White Mountains. Dams, dwellings, railroads, and trestles were destroyed, and there were also numerous landslides. Many trestles along the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad were washed out during the storm. Trestle No.16 was one of the few trestles that survived the flood; a large section of this trestle collapsed in 2018.
On November 30, 1954, Northeast Airlines, Flight 792, encountered snow squalls, reducing visibility to zero, during its flight to Berlin, New Hampshire. The plane continued on, and while trying to navigate only by instruments to the Berlin Airport, it crashed into the southern slope of Mount Success in New Hampshire.
![Crawford House c. 1906 in the New Hampshire White Mountains by the Detroit Publishing Company. Courtesy Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Detroit Publishing Company Collection,[LC-DIG-det-4a13669].](https://www.scenicnh.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/LC-DIG-det-4a13669a.jpg?x80547 "Crawford House, New Hampshire")
The first Crawford House was built in the 1850s and destroyed by fire in 1859. And the second Crawford House, seen above in 1906, was built in 1859. It burned to the ground in November 1977. The resort was known worldwide, and notable guests include Daniel Webster, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas Starr King, and a few presidents.
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Happy image making..
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Bibliography:
Donovan, Erin Paul. “Scenic Backroads, White Mountains.” ScenicNH Photography LLC, 01 Sept 2016, https://www.scenicnh.com/blog/2016/09/new-hampshire-backroads/.
Donovan, Erin Paul. East Branch & Lincoln Railroad. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2018.
Donovan, Erin Paul. “East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, Trestle 16.” ScenicNH Photography LLC, 17 Sept 2013, https://www.scenicnh.com/blog/2013/09/trestle-16-pemigewasset-wilderness/.
Donovan, Erin Paul. “Mount Success, Douglas DC-3 Plane Crash.” ScenicNH Photography LLC, 17 Aug 2010, https://www.scenicnh.com/blog/2010/08/mount-success-douglas-dc-3-plane-crash/.
Donovan, Erin Paul. “Crawford House, Gibbs Brook Dam.” ScenicNH Photography LLC, 15 Jul 2018, https://www.scenicnh.com/blog/2018/07/crawford-house-gibbs-brook-dam/.
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.