New Hampshire State Parks|Travel

The park sign ...

... and one at the lake

Mom and Ken at Profile Lake

The famous Old Man

4/22/2022 Back on the road, including the WMT NSB, we hit our favorite stop of the day - Franconia Notch State Park and NNL in Franconia, NH. This beautiful location is a major mountain pass through the White Mountains, home to the rock formation (now collapsed) called Old Man of the Mountain. We were here as kids with the family (including Pomerenk cousins), and of course got the view of the Old Man. Since the collapse of the iconic rock formation 20 years ago, the site has been made a memorial. We walked down the path to the old viewpoint, seeing the old-style park sign for the Old Man that had been cut off and collapsed on itself as an homage to the lost icon. We enjoyed the views of the beautiful Notch and lake, despite some overcast (but no rain). There is a cool exhibit where you stand in some designated spots and, using one eye, sight along a sculpted metal rod. When you line things up just right, the jagged blocks on the rod recreate the view of the Old Man. Lots of pictures here, remembering the old sights and enjoying our new checklist category of NNL.

The cool park sign

Fallen icon and sign

Super wide of us and the lake

What a great view

Interpretive signage

No more Old Man :-(

Ken and me by the lake

Ken photoing ...

... the NNL plaque

Ken lining up ...

... the recreated view

Me taking one more shot ...

... of the lake

Pot calling the kettle ...

7/7/2010 Headed west to Hillsborough and the [Franklin] Pierce Homestead [NHL and SHS]. This home was built for Benjamin Pierce (Revolutionary war hero, statesman, Governor – interesting guy) and FP moved there when he was one month old (original house gone and location now under a lake). Took another very good personal (and hotter) tour here, with nicely restored or reproduced wall coverings (paper, paint/stencil).

The site sign

Front view of the home ...

... with me

Corner detail

4/23/2022 A short distance away we stopped at a repeat for me, the Franklin Pierce Homestead NHL and SHS, this being the childhood home of the fourteenth President, built in 1804 by his father Benjamin. Closed for tours when we were there, we just did our photos of the very elegant mansion where Pierce lived from infancy until his marriage in 1834.

The park sign

A 3/4 view ...

... and from the front

Ken photoing ...

... the NHL plaque

A wider view with the barn structure

6/13/2021 Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion NHL and SHS (Portsmouth). Completed around 1753, the 40-room clapboard house was built as the home, offices and working farm of colonial Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire. This is a beautiful spot on the water, and we spent some time just hanging out enjoying the weather and the view of boats on the water and other homes along the water.

The park sign

A long view of the site

Another sign

Me and Mom ...

... a little closer

Me photoing ...

... the NHL sign

A beautiful view of the water