Benjamin Lincoln Ball, Mount Washington - On Mount Washington in New Hampshire, along the Nelson Crag Trail, there is a feature known as “Ball Crag”. It’s named for Doctor Benjamin Lincoln Ball (1820-1859). Born in Northborough, Massachusetts, he was a Harvard graduate, dentist, traveler, and author of two books: Rambles in Eastern Asia (1855) and Three Days on the White Mountains (1856). He was also an experienced mountain climber...[Continue reading] ...

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. 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..[Continue reading] ...

Ripley Falls, Crawford Notch - Located on Avalanche Brook in Crawford Notch, New Hampshire, the 100 foot Ripley Falls is one of the more picturesque waterfalls in the White Mountains. The Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail passes by this waterfall. And while the waterfall is impressive, the history of Ripley Falls and Avalanche Brook is intriguing....[Continue reading] ...

Crawford House, Gibbs Brook Dam - If you're familiar with New Hampshire’s grand resort era then you know the historic Crawford House in Carroll. Abel Crawford and his son, Ethan Allen Crawford built the first Crawford House, known as the Notch House, in 1828. Fire would destroy the Notch House in 1854. A second Crawford House was destroyed by fire in 1859. The history of the Crawford House property is a little confusing because some historians refer to the Notch ...

Mt Willard Section House Vandalism - In April 2016 the Conway Scenic Railroad, on their Facebook page, posted that the Evan’s family monument at the Mt Willard Section House site had been recently vandalized. I visited the section house site last month and was disappointed to see the vandalism. The monument looks to be permanently damaged. The Mt. Willard Section House site is located along the old Maine Central Railroad in New Hampshire, next to the historic Willey Brook Trestle, ...

Kedron Flume, Crawford Notch State Park - Kedron Flume is located on Kedron Brook in Harts Location of New Hampshire. The flume can be reached by parking at the hiking parking lot along Route 302, next to the Willey House, in Crawford Notch State Park. From the parking lot hike the Kedron Flume Trail (starts behind the Willey House) for three quarters of a mile until....[Continue reading] ...

English Jack, Hermit of Crawford Notch: English Jack, known as the "Hermit of Crawford Notch”, died on April 24, 1912. Born in the 1820s in London, and believed to have been orphaned at age 12, his real name was John Vials. He spent years working on ships (England) but ended up coming to Crawford Notch, New Hampshire, to help build the Portland & Ogdensburg Railroad. The railroad through the notch was completed in 1875 to Fabyans, but he stayed in ...