Gorham,
NH
The small town of Gorham has
primarily had a tourism based economy for many years. It
boasts over 600 motel rooms & 16 restaurants from which
to choose. Most lodging in the area is convenient to churches,
dining, & shopping (tax free!)
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Gorham
Common
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Through
the years, Gorham has had many changes. Incorporated in
1836, it only had 150 inhabitants. By the early 1850's,
Gorham was chosen as the site for the Atlantic and
St. Lawrence Railroad (later the Grand Trunk) major repair
shops and became a true railroad town. Tourism developed
hand-in-hand with the railroad and made Gorham a relatively
prosperous town for most of the late19th century.
Libby
Pool, Gorham (left)
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| Alpine
House, the Gorham House and the Willis House were all part
of this new growth and development. Most
people are unaware of Gorham's rich and varied past. Please
visit the museum located on Railroad Street and see
the "History of Gorham" which reveals the town's past! |
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Aerial
View of Gorham from Mt. Moriah(right) Robert
Kozlow
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Berlin,
NH
Berlin, the "City that trees
built", is the larger city of this region and is
essentially a manufacturing and commercial center with
some tourism interests. The surrounding towns are all
within a 20-min drive and are small and quaint.
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Berlin is only 65 minuntes from the Canadian border, French
is its second language. The growth of Berlin reflects
the diversity of the people who came to stay: French
Canadians, Yankees from Northern New England farms, Norwegians,
Italians, Irishmen, and Russians. They sought a chance to
make a better living and found it in the mills, blacksmith
shops, machine shops, farms, stores, railroad yards and in
the long winters' logging camps. |
 Cates
Hill, Berlin |
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Berlin is
also the home of the oldest cross country ski club in the
U.S.: Nansen Ski Club. Volunteers still maintain Nansen ski
trails off the East Side Road, north of Berlin, and donations
are suggested for trail use. Nansen Ski Jump still stands
in disrepair on Rt. 16 north of Berlin and is the 2nd highest
steel tower jump in the U.S. (181 ft) erected in 1936.
View from Cates Hill, Berlin
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recent years, Berlin's population has stabilized to around
12,000. The city has changed in size and appearance, buildings
have been renovated and refurbished, new buildings have been
built, Main Street is being revitalized and new small businesses
have been added to create a new growing and prosperous Berlin.
Visit http://ci.berlin.nh.us for
more info. |
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Androscoggin
River , Berlin(right)
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Jefferson,
NH
Jefferson is a rural community with
many farms and summer homes. Located on the western slope
of the Presidential Range, there is a wide mountain panorama
in every direction.
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Scenic
Views from Rt. 11 5(below) and Rt. 2 (right), Jefferson
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It also offers
an 18- hole golf course, hiking, fishing, snowmobiling, cross
country skiing, a historical museum in the Jefferson Library,
and a center for the arts including music, sculpture,
crafts and dance. Two of the White Mountain major attractions
are located in Jefferson. There are several motels, lodges,
and cabins, B&B inns, and restaurants available
for tourist and local alike. |
Randolph,
NH
Randolph is principally a summer
cottage colony at the very northern edge of the Presidential
Range and within the boundaries of the White Mountain
National Forest. There is a camp for hikers: a motel,
lodge, inn & cabin. A swimming pool, tennis courts,
varied types of fresh-water fishing and over 200 miles
of well-kept mountain and wood trails offer the
visitor adiversified opportunity for relaxation and pleasure.
Views are spectacular.
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 Presidential
Range from top of
Randolph Hill |
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Randolph Mountain Club dates back to 1852 and Randolph maintains
a network of nearly 100 miles of trails with two cabins and
a shelter and a cabin in the Presidential and Crescent Mountain
ranges. The volunteer club also maintains cabins, a shelter
and tent platforms for overnight hikers. Visit Randolphmountainclub.org for
more info. |
Shelburne,
NH
Shelburne is a rural community which
serves as a living/working town for those in tourism
and agriculture. It has two motels, cabins, two campgrounds
and some of the most beautiful and oldest inns in New
Hampshire. There are many hiking trails, fishing, cross
country ski trails and snowmobile trails. Shelburne Birches
is a frequent subject of artists as is the very picturesque
North Road.
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 Androscoggin
River Valley, view from Rt. 2 |
.jpg) The
Stone Fish |
The Stone
Fish is also located in Shelburne. The Fish, along with a
turtle and an alligator, were built by George Emory around
1900 for an estate owned by local land baron, William Kronigberg
Aston. The house, which burned down in 1961, was located
at the western end of what is now Village road and along
Rt. 2. Mr. Aston eventually lost his fortune and sold his
land to the paper companies and National Forest. |
The
turtle and alligator were located west of the fish and when
the "freshet" of 1927 washed out the bridge at
the power dam, the rocks from these animals were used as
fill.
Other natural tourist attractions in Shelburne are the Old Man of the Valley
and pictuesque Moose Pond on Rt. 2 near the Maine line. The Old Meadows
Bridge in Shelburne has a chance for a new life as the centerpiece of a
recreation area showcasing the natural and social history of the Androscoggin
valley. For more info, visit shelburnenh.com. |
Your guide to lodging, dining, services, recreation,
shopping, and events in the Gorham, NH Area, surrounded by the Northern
White Mountains.
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