The Centre Harbor Historical Society Flag Committee (Janet Stearns,Nancy Kelley, Kay Beij, Ingrid Smith, and Denny Stringfellow)

This past week the Centre Harbor Historical Society Flag Committee (Janet Stearns, Nancy Kelley, Kay Beij, Ingrid Smith, and Denny Stringfellow) visited all the cemeteries in town.  They wanted to recognize the service and sacrifice that Veteran’s have made in service of our country.  A sincere and hearty thank you to all those that have or currently protecting our freedom.

Beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee in 1952.

Here we see beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee in 1952.  Perhaps it’s just an absolutely fabulous day in Center Harbor, New Hampshire, but I’m amazed with how many people are on the piers.  Are they waiting for the Mt. Washington steamship to pick them up for a tour?  On the bottom left is the support structure used to take the mighty Mt. Washington out of he water for repair or maintenance.  Certainly all are appreciating how rustic and relaxing their surroundings are and continue to be to this day.

The Coe House

The Coe House (Glencoe). 1820-23.  The origianl structure  was enlarged and given a Victorian makeover by Daniel Coe in 1850.  Presidents Grant and Cleveland were entertained there.  Now the Coe House Restaurant.

Special thanks to the Nichols Memorial Library in Center Harbor, NH.

We encourage you to enjoy the great programming we have lined up this year.  The next presentation, “Antique Logging Tools” with Dick Fortin, takes place on Thursday May 24th.  Details are available here.

We know you enjoy these presentations and do our best to preserve those moments  on our website.  Thank you for your understanding.

Bathing Beach, Center Harbor, NH, Lake Winnepesaukee, NH (circa 1920's)

Back side of the Bathing House postcard.

Not to far away from the Center Harbor Bandstand there’s a rock with an excerpt from “A Legend of the Lake” byJohn Greenleaf Whittier.

A picture of a saw mill between Hawkins Pond and Lake Winona.

Incorporated: 1764

Origin: This territory was first granted by the Massachusetts government in 1735 by petition by Robert Hale for Captain William Raymond’s men, who were soldiers in the Canadian wars. It was know as Beverly-Canada, for their home in Beverly, Massachusetts, or Hale’s-Town. In 1748, Ichabod Robie, Meshech Weare, and others from Hampton Falls petitioned for township near the Amoskeag, which was granted by the Masonian Proprietors. It was called both Robies-town and Weare’s-town. In 1764 it was incorporated as Weare, in honor of Colonel Meshech Weare, who served New Hampshire as its first president from 1776 until 1785.

Villages and Place Names: Chase Village, Clinton Grove, North Weare, Riverdale, Slab City, South Weare, Tavern Village, Everett Lake

Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1,924 residents in 1790

Population Trends: Population change for Weare totaled 6,482 over 50 years, from 1,345 in 1950 to 7,827 in 2000. The largest decennial percent change was an increase of 92 percent between 1980 and 1990, following a 75 percent increase between 1970 and 1980. The 2007 Census estimate for Weare was 9,081 residents, which ranked 32nd among New Hampshire’s incorporated cities and towns.

Population Density, 2007: 151.5 persons per square mile of land area. Weare contains 59.1 square miles of land area and 1.0 square miles of inland water area.

Courtesy of verani.com

Meredith, New Hampshire circa 1900's. Many of the shops are still standing today.

Meredith was first known as Palmer’s Town in honor of Samuel Palmer, a teacher of surveying and navigation who laid out much of the land surrounding Lake Winnipesaukee. In 1748, it was one of the first towns to have a charter granted by the Masonian Proprietors. Many grantees were from Salem, Massachusetts, so Palmer’s Town was renamed New Salem. It was settled in 1766 by Jacob Eaton and Colonel Ebenezer Smith, then regranted in 1768 by Governor John Wentworth and named after Sir William Meredith, 3rd Baronet, a member of Parliament who opposed taxation on the colonies.

Farmers grew corn, wheat, rye and potatoes, but the area became noted for apple orchards. The outlet of Lake Waukewan providedwater power sites, and by 1859 Meredith village had a sawmill, gristmill, shingle mill, blacksmith shop, harness-maker’s shop andtannery. Situated at the outlet of Wickwas Lake, Meredith Center had a sawmill, gristmill and blacksmith shop. Connected by the Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad in March 1849, the town became a summer resort. Passengers also arrived from the Alton Baydepot aboard steamboats, the most famous of which was the original SS Mount Washington, launched in 1872. Meredith remains a popular tourist destination.

courtesy of Wikipedia.org

After Joseph’s marriage he moved to Dunstable, NH.  About 1765 he moved to Moultonborough, NH.  He settled in the part of New Hampton, now Centre Harbor.  In a schedule of settlers made in 1771, Lt. Senter had in Moultonborough, eight acres in grass and two in tillage, and in Moultonborough addition he had 9 in his family, one house, two barns, fourteen acres in grass and nine in tillage.  For his military service he received from Governor John Wentworth in 1771 a grant of 2,550 acres adjoining the west line of Conway, now part of Albany, Eaton and Chatham.  He was Lt. Col. under Col. Wyman in 1776 and was a Lt. commanding a battalion sent to Rhode Island and served from July 25, 1777, to Jan. 8, 1778.
Excerpt from  Centre Harbor Historical Society 15th Anniversary 1971-1986, which was recently reprinted to preserve its history.  Purchase your copy today by contacting our society.