Berlin
Carroll
Clarksville
Colebrook
Columbia
Dixville
Dummer
Errol
Gorham
Jefferson
Lancaster
Milan
Northumberland
Pittsburg
Randolph
Shelburne
Stark
Stewartstown
Stratford
Whitefield
Powered by the mighty Androscoggin River, the paper industry flourished for well over a century. This gave rise to a remarkable city built by immigrants who came to work here from all over the world, creating a rich legacy of diversity, architecture and history.
Natives do not pronounce the name of their city in the same way as the German city - it is pronounced 'Burrrrr-lin."
Today, the paper industry is a part of history, but lives on at the Northern Forest Heritage Park and the Brown House Museum.
The Northern Forest Heritage Park is a 3-acre site along the Androscoggin River, where a full-size replica of a logging camp has been developed.
An amphitheater alongside the river is where a number of programs and events take place in the summer. Many of those events pay tribute to the cultural heritage.
Downtown Berlin has some wonderful old architecture - Classical Revival can be seen at the Holiday Center (27 Green Square); Colonial Revival in the Berlin City Bank (9 Main St.) and City Hall, an example of Georgian Revival architecture.
Outside of town is the newly-developed Jericho Mountain State Park which features a network of ATV trails for all abilities.
In the winter, snowmobilers fan out on local trails that connect with corridors that can take them to points in Canada and Maine.
The city's amenities are also accessible in the winter via a snowmobile trail that accesses the downtown.
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The southernmost town in Coös County is better known by its two villages - Twin Mountain and Bretton Woods.
Bretton Woods lent its name to a slice of American history. It was here, at the Mount Washington Hotel in 1944, that the International Monetary Conference and the Bretton Woods Accords established the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
Today, Carroll is a resort community anchored by the Omni Mount Washington Hotel and the Bretton Woods Ski Area. It is a draw for outdoor enthusiasts interested in skiing and snowmobiling in the winter and hiking in the summer.
With its location in the shadow of Mount Washington and at the head of Crawford Notch, Carroll was situated along an important trade and commerce route. It did not take long for settlers to realize that travelers needed food and lodging on their journeys. Many credit the town as being the cradle of hospitality after settlers like the Crawfords and Rosebrooks offered room and board to travelers.
In the years that followed, tales of the splendor and adventure of the White Mountains spread to the cities, drawing visitors to spend the summer at hundreds of Grand Hotels and Inns that sprung up to accommodate them.
More than two centuries later, hospitality and adventure still draw visitors to Carroll and her villages.
Boston has its Freedom Trail and so does Clarksville.
This mile-long trail is one of the only ones in the region that was specially developed for those who use wheelchairs. The graveled trail wanders through the woods and is an easy to intermediate grade.
It was constructed by a group of people over a period of three years to provide an outdoor excursion for a friend. The trail is now open to the public. Bring a lunch and take a break at one of the picnic tables along the way. The trail is located on Route 145, about three miles south of Pittsburg on Bressette Road which leads to the trail head. The ride through this small town is a meander that features some lovely rolling farmland and pretty views of the hills.
Clarksville is also the gateway to the boreal Hurlbert Swamp, which features an unusual growth of northern white cedar and balsam fir. Wild flowers also populate the area, including marsh marigold and green-bracted orchis. It is protected by the Nature Conservancy.
A stone's throw from Canada, Colebrook is a lively northern town surrounded by beautiful hillsides and forests that are inviting to those who love the outdoors. Its Main Street is lined with interesting shops and casual restaurants.
Snowmobilers, hunters, hikers and fishermen indulge their passions throughout the year, as do visitors seeking to find a slice of small-town America.
Colebrook folks love celebrations. Joining its neighboring communities on the last weekend of August each year, Colebrook hosts a three-day North Country Moose Festival. The Fourth of July is always packed with community events and a parade down Main Street. February even flourishes with the annual Colebrook Winter Carnival.
Just north of downtown Colebrook, at the Rest Area off Route 3, is the Great North Woods Interpretive Center. The center is a great introduction to the history and heritage of this part of the region.
Off Route 3 are back roads that wander through Colebrook farmlands and offer scenic views of northern New Hampshire and Vermont. A few miles outside of town is the Beaver Brook Falls recreation area, a pleasant wayside with picnic tables, perfect for a roadside rest while enjoying the 50-foot waterfall.
It is appropriate that this little town was named in honor of Christopher Columbus, because for the outdoor enthusiast, Columbia has some great places to explore.
The 10,500-acre Vickie Bunnell Preserve and Bunnell tract is the largest nature preserve in New Hampshire, protected forever from development by the Nature Conservancy.
The preserve is home to a high-elevation spruce-fir forest and Bunnell Mountain, which, at 3,171-feet, is the highest peak north of the White Mountains. It is a bird watchers' paradise, boasting pine martens, northern red-belly dace, black-backed woodpeckers and Bicknell's thrush.
The other town treasure is the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace, dedicated in 1948 by Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Located on Route 3 at the Colebrook town line, it features over 50 religious monuments, including Motorcyclists in Prayer, which pays homage to the annual Blessing of the Bikes held each June that draws over 10,000 motorcyclists.
Every four years, when Americans cast their first votes for president, the world takes a visit to Dixville, where a few dozen residents gather at the stroke of midnight to make their choices in the United States primary and then the general election.
Those votes are cast at The Balsams Grand Resort in the Ballot Room. The occasion always draws a crowd of media from around the world, as well as political junkies who want to be where history is shaped for the next four years.
The hotel, opened in the 1860s, is located at the foot of Dixville Notch, a hauntingly beautiful collection of steep craggy cliffs and mountain tops that long ago gave the area the nickname, Little Switzerland.
Visitors come here for the experience of staying in the grand hotel and enjoying the 15,000 acres of preserved land. The hotel offers golf at the Donald Ross-designed Panorama course, skiing at the Wilderness Ski Area, as well as hiking and snowmobiling.
While the hotel is synonymous with Dixville, there is also the Dixville Notch State Park, featuring a small gorge and waterfalls. There are several trailheads leading up to the beautiful views of Table Rock and Sanguinary Ridge.
With a population of about 300 people, Dummer may be one of the smallest towns in northern New Hampshire, but it has huge outdoor opportunities, from wildlife watching to canoeing and whitewater rafting.
One of the popular destinations in Dummer is the Pontook Reservoir, an impoundment of the Androscoggin River, where bald eagles, loons and osprey can be seen. If you are very lucky, there may be a moose swimming across the water.
The Great Northern Moose Lodge, on Route 16 at the foot of 13-Mile Woods, is a great base to head out for nearby adventures or to just relax and answer the question posed by folks at the lodge: "Have you ever really heard silence?"
In the far northeastern corner of New Hampshire, Errol is an outpost for sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts.
About seven miles east of the village is Lake Umbagog, a clear and pristine lake straddling the Maine border. It's home to all sorts of wildlife - moose, osprey, bald eages and loons - and because it is largely undeveloped and forever preserved, it offers a true back-to-nature experience.
Umbagog Lake State Park, on the New Hampshire side, offers 35 campsites with some amenities and another 34 remote sites accessible only by boat. A boat launch and canoe rentals are available.
Visitors can get outfitted for their adventures, from fishing to snowmobiling to camping, right in town, at L.L. Cote Outdoor Sports, at the junction of Routes 16 and 26.
Whether you are just passing through or it's your journey's end, pay a visit to the store and see the white moose on display.
Surrounded by the tall peaks of the Presidential Range, Gorham has long been a mecca for hikers and adventurers who come to explore the region.
With its location halfway between Montreal and the Atlantic Ocean, Gorham was hub for railroad travelers. Today, the historical society, located in the original 1907 depot off the common, pays tribute to that part of the town's heritage.
There are several accommodations along Main Street and Gorham is a good launching-off headquarters for visitors looking to take in the Mount Washington Auto Road and skiing at Wildcat.
The downtown is an eclectic mix of businesses and restaurants - Saladino's Italian Market and Restaurant, the Moonbeam Cafe and Libby's Bistro are very popular. The Wonderland Bookstore is also a popular downtown destination.
A short drive from Gorham - in Pinkham Notch - is the base camp of the Appalachian Mountain Club, from where most hikers depart for climbs up Mount Washington and other peaks in the Presidential Range.
The toll road to the top of Mount Washington is also located about 8 miles south of town. Drivers can go up the Auto Road on their own or take the stages that leave at regular intervals.
At the summit is the Mount Washington State Park and the Mount Washington Observatory, where in 1934, the 2nd highest wind ever recorded on earth blew at 231 mph.
The summit is a lively place, where visitors, researchers and hikers are apt to co-mingle.
At the base of Mount Washington, next to the Auto Road, is Great Glen Trails, where people can run and bike the trails, arrange kayaking trips and use the climbing wall. In the winter, a snowcoach takes skiers part-way up the Auto Road and then they can ski down.
Nightly moose tours around the area are also a popular draw, happening from June to October, leaving from the town common.
On its east-west meander through northern New Hampshire, U.S. Route 2 runs through several small towns like Jefferson, which offers stunning mountain scenery that has remained little changed from the grand hotel days.
Orator and minister Thomas Starr King, known for his influence in California politics during the Civil War, was a frequent visitor to Jefferson and wrote The White Hills: Their Legends, Landscapes and Poetry in 1859.
The publication brought attention to the small town of Jefferson. Starr King thought the views in town were the best anywhere in the White Mountains and thought the town could become a popular resort destination, if only it had a grand hotel.
In 1860, he persuaded someone to do just that, which led to the construction of the Waumbek Hotel, one of the five largest grand hotels of the day, until it was destroyed by fire in 1928.
He has a mountain named after him in Jefferson, Mount Starr King. Mount Starr King in Yosemite National Park is also named after him.
Surviving the town's grand hotel era is New Hampshire's oldest 18-hole golf course, the Waumbek, built in 1895.
Today, Jefferson is best known to visitors, particularly those with children, as the home to Santa's Village at one end of town and Six Gun City on the other end - both are located on Route 2.
Both attractions have passed the half-century mark and are still run by the founding families and their children. For many visitors to the area, the attractions are a summer tradition.
For those who enjoy architectural history, Jefferson has some lovely examples dating back to the grand hotel era, when a number of grand cottages were built by the Waumbek Hotel for the very affluent families that desired more privacy than they could get at the hotel. In all, 11 "cottages" were built.
Today, only six of what are known as the Waumbek Cottages remain, located on Cottage Road and Starr King Road, off Route 2. They were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. All are privately owned but give the town an elegant and stately feeling.
For outdoor enthusiasts, the Presidential Rail Trail, along a former railroad bed, goes from Jefferson 18 miles west to Gorham. The trail parallels Route 2, offers great mountain views and is suitable for off-road biking and snowmobiling.
Part of the 5,500-acres Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge is also located in Jefferson.
Lancaster has long been the center of commerce in Coös County, owing not only to its location along the Connecticut River, but as the county seat, the central location for county government.
Downtown Lancaster is a bustling place and it has preserved its air of classic New England, with its wide sidewalks, friendly shops and eateries.
The town becomes a popular destination each August, when the Lancaster Fair signals the end of summer with a lively blend of agricultural and livestock competitions, horse shows, a midway, food vendors for every taste and other classic fair activities.
On a summer afternoon, a walk along Main Street is most pleasant. You can pause on a bench and watch the waters of Israel's River flow by or grab an ice cream and catch an early movie at the Rialto Theatre.
The town had a hand in shaping history, raising native sons including two New Hampshire governors, several Civil War heroes and U.S. Sen. John Wingate Weeks, who would go on to be Secretary of War under Warren G. Harding.
Although elected by Massachusetts to serve terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, Weeks kept a summer home in Lancaster, which kept him deeply in touch with his hometown and fueled his passion for land conservation.
The Weeks Act of 1911 created the foundation for the U.S. Forest Service, which oversees the White Mountain National Forest. It was created to preserve forever hundreds of thousands of woodland acres from development.
Weeks' summer estate is open each summer and worth a visit for the panoramic view of the mountains he so loved.
The town's deep agricultural roots can be seen on a drive through an area locals simply called "Out East." Turn off Main Street onto Middle Street and follow North Road, through lovely farmland with the Kilkenny Range as a backdrop.
When you get to this pretty farming community on the banks of the Androscoggin River, pronounce it the way the locals do: My-lin; not the way you pronounce that city in Italy.
The town has a pretty little village and not far from there is Milan Hill State Park, a popular area for hiking, cross country skiing in the winter, picnics and seasonal camping.
A fire tower is also on the property and a short climb up to the top has a wonderful panoramic view of mountains in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont.
Just south of the village, on the Milan-Berlin town line is the massive Nansen Ski Jump that dramatically rises above the treetops.
It was built in 1936 and in the day, was one of the largest in the country. It has a 170-foot steep frame and a 171-foot tower, 225-foot vertical drop and a descent angle of 37.5 degrees.
Today, the Nansen Ski Club has its headquarters at the state park and provides a network of cross country ski trails.
Snowmobiling is also a popular winter activity in town.
The famed 13-Mile Woods, which follows the Androscoggin River along Route 16 to Errol is a beautiful and peaceful ride. The area offers views of kayaks and canoes paddling downstream; bankside fishermen casting into the water and (depending on the time of day) is where to go to see moose and other wildlife.
Each August, Milan Old Home Day is celebrated in a daylong event, featuring, among its activities, a women's skillet toss.
The next town north from Lancaster is Northumberland, named after the town in England, but it is the large village within it - Groveton - folks often refer to.
As travelers come into Groveton, they are greeted by a lovely old covered bridge spanning the Upper Ammonoosuc River. Now just open for foot traffic, there is a small park on the riverbank that's nice for a picnic lunch before resuming your journey.
Groveton is located at the junction of routes - 3 and 110. Route 3 continues north to the Canadian border, while Route 110 is a scenic drive that passes through Stark and Milan on its way into Berlin and the eastern part of Coös County.
The northernmost town in New Hampshire is Pittsburg, and at nearly 300 square miles, is also the largest.
It has long been the retreat of hunters and fishermen, who fan out through pristine woodlands and the shores of high-country ponds just about every season. The town is known for the more than 200 miles of snowmobile trails that blaze through forests and up ridge lines, offering stunning beauty at just about every turn. The town is also known for the the Connecticut Lakes, through which the Connecticut River begins its remarkable 407-mile journey to Long Island Sound.
You don't have to be a die-hard outdoors enthusiast to enjoy Pittsburg, although one or two evenings at a lakeside cabin will likely tempt you to try canoeing or kayaking.
History buffs will enjoy learning about the three-year period in the 1830s, when the town, a point of contention between the U.S. and Canada, formed its own state, the Indian Stream Republic.
Those who love exploring dirt roads can do just that, with the prize at the end of those journeys being places like Garfield Falls or Indian Stream Canyon.
Pittsburg is a wonderfully grand place on a grand scale of nature. This is where visitors can reconnect with the outdoors, enjoying a loon call on a summer night, the thrill of seeing a moose and the simple pleasure of a northern night lit only by the moon and a galaxy of stars.
Randolph has long been a summer retreat nestled along U.S. Route 2. Its rich history can be seen in some of the handsome cottages built here, shadowed by some of the tallest peaks in the Presidential Range.
It is also known for the Randolph Mountain Club, founded in 1910 to promote hiking and trail development. A 100-mile network of trails maintained by the club reach up the northern slopes of the Presidential Mountain Range, as well as four shelters - Grey Knob, Crag Camp, the Log Cabin and the Perch.
Just a short drive east of Gorham is Shelburne, on the Maine border. Like it is elsewhere in northern New Hampshire, hospitality is a foundation in Shelburne.
The Philbrook Farm Inn has been welcoming guests since 1861 and the fifth generation of Philbrooks now runs this gracious, lovely inn.
Just over the town line with Gorham is the Town & Country Motor Inn, another institution that has been run by the same family for half a century.
A stretch of Route 2 in town is lined with birch trees that were planted decades ago as a unique memorial. Known as the Shelburne Birches, they are a tribute to the local war veterans.
Shelburne also has a couple of curious wonders - the stone fish, one of several creatures built by a wealthy estate owner in the early 1900s and the Old Man of the Valley, resembling the late great Old Man of the Mountain, which crumbled in 2003, is also an attraction.
Even if you have never heard of Stark, you have likely seen it over the years on bank calendars, jigsaw puzzles and in publications.
In the village center is an invisible triangle of the covered bridge, the Stark Union Church and the Stark Village Inn, representing quintessential New England. This site has been photographed for years in all seasons.
Stark is also home to an unusual bit of history dating back to World War II. An old Civilian Conservation Camp was turned into a German prisoner of war camp from 1944 to 1946. It held about 250 prisoners during that time and they were put to work in the woods to feed timber to the mills in nearby Berlin.
The site is overgrown now; all that remains is a stone chimney - a historic marker on Route 110 points out the site. There is still a generation in town that has great affection for the Germans - some made friends with them and about 15 years ago, a reunion was held in town, attended by several of the former POW's from Germany.
The Upper Ammonoosuc River parallels Route 110 where there are two water attractions; Crystal Falls is located near the intersection of Plain and Paris Roads and Christine Lake, off Route 110, is a popular swimming spot, as well as trout fishing.
The 39,000-acre Nash Stream State Forest has its gateway in Stark, although it is also included in the towns of Stratford, Columbia and the unincorporated Odell.
It's a beautiful, untamed forest to hike, hunt, fish, watch wildlife and snowmobile. There are many streams, bogs and ponds, some of which have been stocked with brook trout for more than a century. In the summer, many come to hike and pick wild blueberries.
Stewartstown and its neighbor Clarksville have a unique claim to fame - an imaginary line that runs around the earth putting them at an interesting juncture in world geography.
The 45th Parallel bisects the two small towns, the point at which, when you stand there, puts you halfway between the equator and the North Pole. Two signs mark the spot - on Route 3 just north of downtown Stewartstown and on Route 145 in Clarksville. Stop and snap a picture for posterity.
Along Route 145 is a marvelous museum that remembers a man who saw reason to keep mementos for posterity. These were not only from his life, but the life of his family.
J.C. Kenneth Poore saved absolutely everything, from corn flake boxes to correspondence. Before he died at the age of 90 more than 25 years ago, he established a foundation that carries on his legacy.
The Poore Farm Museum features Poore's homestead, barn and outbuildings, calling to mind what life was like before rural electrification. The museum has a lively schedule of music and social events each summer in addition to its historic significance.
Each winter, thousands of snowmobile enthusiasts come to the shore of Little Diamond Pond and Coleman State Park for the annual Sno-Deo to get a preview of the next season's snowmobiles and gear, and, of course, to join others in their favorite sport.
A drive through Stratford is a meander along the Connecticut River, which once fed the timber industry. There is a spot on Route 3 that remembers, with a historic marker, the log drives that were once a part of life here.
Today, Stratford is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. ATVers can ride over 120 miles of trails offered by the North Country ATV Club. Paddlers have two access points to the mighty Connecticut River.
Hikers can step off on their way to anywhere. The Cohos Trail passes through town on its way to Canada and connects with the famed Appalachian Trail. Hunters and fishermen can take to the woods, rivers and streams.
Frog lovers will also be intrigued with a visit to Stratford. On Route 3 is the Foolish Frog Museum and Gift Shop, featuring over 10,000 frog-related items.
On your drive into Whitefield, you will pass along a generous open field, where the view stretches up to Mount Washington and over to the gleaming yellow Mountain View Grand Resort.
The tradition of farming and hospitality are tight threads woven into the fabric of Whitefield and have been for well over a century.
The centerpiece of the community is its lovely bandstand, which is also an information booth in the summer, situated in the town common called King's Square.
Evening activities in the summer include band concerts, antique car drive-ins and Sunday morning pancake breakfasts on the common.
Along John's River, which flows through downtown, is the Old Mill Studio, which features original art and contemporary crafts from northern New Hampshire and Vermont artisans.
This is a handsome community, ringed by the White Mountains, and it has always drawn visitors. Credit for that is usually given to the Dodge family, who, on a stormy night in 1865, gave refuge to passengers on a Montreal-bound stage coach that had become mired in the mud.
Over the next century and a half, the Mountain View grew from a modest farmhouse into an elegant grand hotel that was the summer retreat for the likes of the Astors and Vanderbilts. Reopened after extensive renovation that brought her back to her former charm, the Mountain View Grand is still a destination for visitors seeking an escape to the country.
Whitefield also has a wonderful tradition of summer theater that was begun in 1934, when New York Times drama critic Will Chase opened his barn to theater students, who used it as a backdrop for their summer productions.
Since 1965, the Weathervane Theatre has continued that legacy, offering a rotating repertory of shows each summer.
The Pondicherry National Wildlife Refuge, located in both Whitefield and neighboring Jefferson, comprises 5,426 acres and is known for its birdwatching opportunities, including black duck, ring-necked duck, wood duck, hooded merganser, great blue heron, Virginia rail, sora, woodcock, marsh wren, rusty blackbird, and Northern harrier.
