History

Stewartstown was first granted in 1770 and incorporated in 1795. The town was named for Sir John Stuart, Lord Bute, one of the original grantees, and early settlement began before 1800. Farming, lumbering and mills were important to the community, with sawmills, gristmills, starch factories and other small industries operating during the 19th century. Stewartstown’s history also includes the development of West Stewartstown and its location along the Connecticut River.

Canaan was settled in the late 18th century and developed as a farming and logging community. During the 20th century, family farms and logging employment declined, while manufacturing became an important part of the local economy. The Beecher Falls furniture factory, established in 1895 and later operated as a division of Ethan Allen, became a major employer and was at one time the largest furniture manufacturer east of Michigan. The factory closed its manufacturing operation in 2009, and tourism and outdoor recreation have since become important parts of Canaan’s economy.

CANAAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Museum of Canaan artifacts located upstairs at the Alice M. Ward Memorial Library, at 27 Park Street, a building dating back to 1846.
Open Mon.-Thurs. 2-4 PM. Follow on Facebook.
Contact info: 802- 266-7135 or canvthistsoc@gmail.com.

THE PIONEER TRAIL
In front of the library, at Fletcher Park, you will find a metal silhouette of Bea Holmes. This is part of the Pioneer Trail, with another historic figure (Luther Parker) displayed in Pittsburg at the park in the center of town (1615 Main Street). Additional displays located north of the border in Coaticook, Quebec.
Visit culturecoaticook.com/en/the-circuits/the-pioneer-trail/

Colebrook was incorporated in June, 1796, named for Sir Geoge Colebrooke of England. Population exploded in the early 1800’s and the Town of Colebrook became wealthy due to production of potato starch during the mid-19 th century. With the depletion of the soil, starch mills were converted to sawmills in the late 1800’s. The way of life changed again in early 1900 when dairy farming became prevalent. This industry all but became extinct by the 1970’s and tourism has been the main focus since.
Visit the Colebrook Area Historical Society on Facebook. 

THE TILLOTSON CENTER
In the early 1900s this building housed the coaches and horses which transported the guests between the Colebrook train station and the Dix House, later known as the Balsams Hotel. In the 1930s, the Colebrook Grange purchased the building and converted it to a meeting hall and community center, closing in 1965. The building was purchased in 2006 by Louise Tillotson and the dream of a focal point for community heritage, visual & performing arts in New Hampshire’s North Country became a reality.
Visit www.tillotsoncenter.org.

Columbia was originally chartered in 1762 as Preston and was later known as Cockburn Town before being incorporated in 1797. In 1811, the town was renamed Columbia. Farming, maple sugar production and lumbering were important early industries, and lumber was transported by raft down the Connecticut River. By 1859, Columbia had four sawmills, three gristmills, two clapboard machines and a starch mill.

GREAT NORTH WOODS CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Located at 1993 US Route 3, Columbia, NH. The site has served as the Parsons Family Farm, The Hampshire Inn, a seminary, and the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace. Now operating as a center for the arts with music performances, plays, art workshops, a sculpture walk and more. Visit www.gnwca.org for more info.

COLUMBIA TOWN HALL
Built in 1899, this historic building holds lots of character. Columbia historical items on display during town meeting and other events as the building is open.
Call 802-274-7634 for a tour. Located at 1919 US Route 3.

COLUMBIA COVERED BRIDGE
This historic bridge, built in 1912, crosses the Connecticut River into Lemington, VT. Take a drive on Rt. 3 south of Colebrook to Columbia Bridge Road. On your way you’ll see the iconic red barn of the Pioneer Farm, est. in the 1780s.

Dixville Notch is an unincorporated township in New Hampshire’s North Country, known for its mountain scenery and historic resort. The Balsams opened shortly after the Civil War as a 25-room inn and grew into a major resort during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1960, Dixville Notch began its tradition of casting the nation’s first votes in presidential elections at midnight, a tradition associated with Balsams owner Neil Tillotson. The area continues to be recognized for its history, outdoor recreation and the nationally known midnight voting tradition.

THE BALSAMS
Drive by one of the most well-known places in all of the North Country on Route 26, just before going through Dixville Notch. Starting as the Dix House in 1866, the resort closed in 2011 and is currently under redevelopment.
Learn more at thebalsamsresort.com/a-walk-through-history/

Photos “on loan” to the North Country Chamber of Commerce from The Balsams Development Team.

Errol was granted in 1774 to Timothy Ruggles and others and was named for James Hay, the 15th Earl of Erroll of Scotland. Settlement was slow, with only 26 residents recorded in 1820, and the town was incorporated in 1836. Lumbering became the area’s principal industry as settlers were drawn to the extensive forests surrounding Umbagog Lake and the Androscoggin River, while farming was also carried on to a lesser extent. Today, Errol’s lakes, rivers, forests and extensive wilderness make outdoor recreation an important part of the community.

ERROL HERITAGE COMMISSION
The Commission is working to restore and stabilize Errol’s Historic “Tramp House”, a rare surviving 19th century municipal lock-up recognized by the NH Preservation Alliance as one of the “Seven to Save” heritage sites. Once restored, the “Tramp House” will be a viewing place for historic artifacts. For more information, please visit: www.errolnh.org/heritage-commission

Stratford was originally granted in 1762 as Woodbury and was regranted and incorporated as Stratford in 1773. Farming and logging were central to the town’s economy through the 19th century, with small farms, sawmills, gristmills, stave mills and shingle mills providing livelihoods and products for local markets. The arrival of the railroad in 1853 created an important transportation link, carrying agricultural, timber and manufactured products as well as passengers, mail and telegraph communications. As the timber industry expanded and later declined, much of Stratford’s forestland became associated with paper companies, while the town’s woods, rivers and mountains helped establish its continuing connection to four-season outdoor recreation.

COHOS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Stop into the Depot Museum at the former Grand Trunk Railway Station, now housing the Stratford Public Library at 74 Main Street in Stratford, NH, to see local railroad memorabilia & a working model train.
Mon., Thurs., Fri. 9 AM- 4 PM.

THE MARION BLODGETT MUSEUM
The Marion Blodgett Museum in Stratford Hollow is under restoration, with a hopeful opening in the near future. Follow Cohos Historical Society and Stratford Public Library on Facebook for updates.

LEMINGTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Lemington was chartered in 1762 and organized in 1796, with settlement beginning around 1789. Early settlement developed along the Connecticut River, which provided an important route for travel and trade and was later used for log drives. Agriculture and forestry became the town’s primary economic activities, with a succession of mills operating along Mill Brook and much of the surrounding land remaining forested. Today, Lemington is known for its rural character, forests, waterways and opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Stop by the 1860s Blodgett Schoolhouse at 2549 Route 102, Lemington, VT. The Lemington Town Hall next door has historic displays to view.
Tuesdays 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Phone: 802-277-4814

BLOOMFIELD, VT
Bloomfield was chartered in 1762 under the name Minehead and was renamed Bloomfield by an act of the Vermont General Assembly in 1830. Settlement began before 1800, and lumbering became an important part of the local economy as mills were established along the Nulhegan River. The Nulhegan Mill, constructed in 1849, brought employment and economic growth to Bloomfield and the surrounding North Stratford area, and by the late 19th century the Nulhegan Lumber Company was employing hundreds of workers in logging and timber processing. Today, Bloomfield remains a small rural community along the Connecticut and Nulhegan Rivers.
Visit the Bloomfield Historical Society of Facebook.

Clarksville was originally part of the Dartmouth College Grant, a large tract of land granted to Dartmouth College. The area was first known simply as the Dartmouth College Grant, and the town was incorporated in 1853. In 1872, it was renamed Clarksville in honor of the Clark family, who had acquired land in the area. During the late 19th century, starch and maple sugar production were important local industries, while logging later became a principal source of employment.
Visit the Town of Clarksville Facebook page.

Millsfield was granted in 1774 to Sir Thomas Mills, George Boyd and others and contains more than 23,000 acres. Settlement was slow; in 1858 there was only one house in the township, while by 1880 the population had grown to 62. The area included a few farms, but much of Millsfield remained forested and mountainous, with Clear Stream, Phillips River and smaller streams flowing through the township. Millsfield was organized for voting purposes in 1952 and remains one of the small, largely forested communities of the North Country.

Averill was chartered in 1762 by New Hampshire Governor Benning Wentworth and named for Samuel Averill, one of the original landholders. The first settlers arrived in the 1830s, and the community remained small as settlement developed in the remote northern part of Essex County. Lumbering became important in the late 19th century, and the Averill Lumber Company operated a mill near Great Averill Pond until it was destroyed by fire in 1898. Averill was never formally incorporated and today remains an unincorporated town known for its forests, lakes and remote North Country setting.

Norton was settled in the mid-19th century, with the first permanent settler, Samuel Cleveland, arriving from Canada and establishing a sawmill. Logging became the town’s primary industry, and by the late 1800s several mills were operating in the area; one employed approximately 70 men and produced millions of board feet of lumber annually. Norton was formally organized in 1885, and its location along the Canadian border contributed to continuing connections with Quebec. Today, Norton remains a small rural community surrounded by forests and lakes and is home to extensive outdoor recreation.

Visit the Town of Norton Facebook page.