Jim Liberty Cabin, Mount Chocorua – Built in 1934, renovated in 1974, and repaired by the Forest Service in the early 2020s, the Jim Liberty Cabin is a one-room cabin located along the Liberty Trail (the old Chocorua Mountain Road), about one half-mile below the summit of Mount Chocorua (3,490 feet), in Albany, New Hampshire. It has limited occupancy for overnight guests, and it is first come, first served. The cabin replaced a previous cabin that was at the site. Built by the Chocorua Mountain Club in 1924, strong winds destroyed (tore the roof off) that cabin in 1932. The cabin and Liberty Trail are named for Jim (Dutch) Liberty, a French-Canadian who was a resident of Tamworth.
From my New Hampshire 52 With A View write-up, "Mount Chocorua is allegedly named for Chief Chocorua, a 1700s Native American chief. The legend of Chocorua varies, but the one repeated most often is that Chocorua befriended a settler named Cornelius Campbell in the early 1700s. And while under the care of the Campbells, Chocorua’s son accidentally drank poison and died. Chocorua swore revenge on the family, and when Cornelius’ wife and children were found dead, Campbell chased Chocorua up the mountain (Mount Chocorua). Realizing he was going to be killed, Chocorua climbed a boulder and jumped off the mountain. Before jumping to his death, he put a curse on the white man. However, Chief Chocorua may have been a fictitious character."
The Jim Liberty Cabin occupies the site of the Chocorua Peak House. The first Peak House was built by Jim (Dutch) Liberty. Consisting of stone walls and a canvas roof, it was a simple structure. However, strong winds destroyed the canvas roof, so Liberty put tents inside the stone walls. David Knowles and Newell Forrest acquired the Peak House site in 1892. They replaced the original Peak House that Jim (Dutch) Liberty built with a three-story Peak House. It opened to the public in 1892.
Offering the typical hotel accommodations (dining room, kitchen, sleeping quarters, etc.), the Peak House was a popular hotel. And even though the Peak House was secured down to the ledge with steel cables (or chains), it was destroyed during a fierce windstorm on September 26, 1915. The debris was scattered all over the mountainside. The Peak House was not rebuilt. Photographs of the destroyed Chocorua Peak House exist.
A write-up in the June 1917 issue of Appalachia suggests that the winds on Mount Washington on this September 1915 day were estimated to be around one hundred seventy-five miles per hour. This storm caused extensive damage throughout the White Mountains, and a group of hikers were stranded at the newly built Lakes of the Clouds Hut for five days during the storm.
Similar to the Chocorua Peak House, the Jim Liberty Cabin is secured down to the ledge with chains. So far, the cabin has not been blown off the mountain. The above photograph shows one of the chains.
Many consider Mount Chocorua to be the best hike in New Hampshire; its bald summit, likely the result of fires in the 1800s, offers endless views. The Liberty Trail, which is considered to be the easiest route up Mount Chocorua, passes by this unique cabin.
More reading:
Mount Chocorua Photographs
The Swift River Railroad
52 With A View, Cherry Mountain
Happy image making..
© Erin Paul Donovan. All rights reserved | White Mountains History
Here to steal content (example: for use in a guidebook), see our Copyright Notice.
Bibliography:
Chocorua Lake Conservancy. “History of the Hiking Trails on Mount Chocorua.” Chocorua Lake Conservancy, 1 Mar 2019, https://www.chocorualake.org/news/mount-chocorua-trail-history.
Donovan, Erin Paul. “52 With A View, New Hampshire.” ScenicNH Photography LLC, 17 Aug 2014, https://www.scenicnh.com/new-hampshire-52-with-a-view/.
Whitehill, Robert. “Snow-Bound in September.” Appalachia, Vol. XIV, No. 2, June 1917, pp. 119-132.
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.