Gilmanton

Agriculture

The Cogswell Homestead Cogswell Road #5, Tax Lot 415-017-000-000
New Hampshire Agriculture with Personal and Farm Sketches 1897
Price Farm Shannon Road #18, Tax LOt 415-033-000-000
Granite State Dairy 2014
Sanborn Farm Upper City Road #125, Tax Lot 426-002-000-000
New Hampshire Agriculture with Personal and Farm Sketches 1897
Going Back to the Old Farm

Community Buildings

Also see Postcards

Academy-Town Offices, 503 Province Road, 127-001-000-000, Pictures, Postcards
Gilmanton residents want town hall entrance unlocked 01/04/2019 Union Leader
Selectmen's Press Release re:Locked Doors 08/06/2018
Time to unlock the front door to Gilmanton's town offices 06/06/2018 Laconia Daily Sun
Gilmanton selectmen: Town hall closed by overwhelming response to political sign controversy 03/09/2018 Union Leader
Why the security concern at Gilmanton Academy building? 03/02/2018 Laconia Daily Sun
Marble-faced clock is Gilmanton treasure 01/22/2018 Union Leader
Painters freshen up Gilmanton town office building Concord Monitor 9/20/2017
2015 Damages from burst pipe
WMUR Video
WMUR Articles
YouTube
Town Office/Building Use Study 1987
Gilmanton Academy was incorporated in 1794, "...one of the three academies first founded in the state...". In 1808 the original building burned; the second building also burned, in 1894, and was replaced with the current building, which now houses the town offices. Gilmanton Theological Seminary was provided for by the terms of the original charter of Gilmanton Academy. Rev. Heman Rood, from New Milford, Connecticut, was the first professor in 1835. By 1841 a large, three-story brick building designed by Ammi B. Young was completed for the seminary's use. Wikipedia More...

Corners Library, 503 Province Road, 127-001-000-000
Corner Library is a Gilmanton "Gem" hiding in plain sight 03/29/2019 Laconia Daily Sun
Library - Interior Renovations-2016
100 Years Concord Monitor 07/04/2012

Kelley's Corner School, 12 Sanborn Hill Road, 426-034-000-000
The Kelley's Corner School, was listed on the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places on April 28, 2008. It is the last of the many one-room schoolhouses in Gilmanton to remain in public ownership. Authorized in 1778, this one-room school house served the community as a school for more than 100 years. It is still used as a community building, holding an important place in the social life of the community, and is a sole survivor of this building type in the town of Gilmanton.The Gilmanton School Board closed the Kelley's Corner School at the end of the 1939-1940 school year, as well as three other one-room schools that were still in use at that time; the Smith Meeting House School, the Gale School, and the Potter School. For the 1940-1941 school year, Gilmanton's elementary schools were consolidated into two facilities, one at the Corners in the Academy building, and one at the Iron Works.
Finding a New Life for the Kelley Corner School - 05/15/2019 NH Magazine
Kelley Corner School Restoration Project - April 2017-Oc tober 2018
Dinner supports school repairs 09/29/2016 Concord Monitor
Gilmanton receives letter and photos from 1938-40 teacher at one-room Kelley's Corner School 12/22/2009 Daily Sun

Odd Fellows Hall/Old Town Hall, 1800 NH Rt 140, 115-042-000-000, Pictures
The Odd Fellows Hall/Old Town Hall was listed on the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places on January 24, 2011. Constructed in 1902-03 for Highland Lodge #33, this all-wood building with a Second Empire tower had space on the second floor for the local Grange. It is one of only two buildings to survive the 1915 fire that gutted the village, and has been in continuous use as a town gathering space and voting station for more than 100 years.
Benefit Concert held at Old Town Hall 05/27/2017
Please support restoration work on Gilmanton's Old Town Hall Laconia Daily Sun 03/05/2020
Condition Assessment Report of December 10, 2019
Condition Assessment & Recommendations of November 6, 2019
Report of December 10, 2018
Report of October 4, 2010
Town Office/Building Use Study 1987

Town Poor Farms
273 Meetinghouse Road, Tax Lot 419-028-000-000
Town Farm Road, Tax Lot 420-073-000-000 Plan & Tax Map
From its earliest settlements New Hampshire has struggled with issues surrounding the treatment of its poor. The early Northeastern colonies followed the lead of England's 1601 Poor Law, which imposed compulsory taxes for maintenance of the poor but made no distinction between the "vagrant, vicious poor" and the helpless, and honest poor. This confusion persisted for generations and led directly to establishment in most of the state's towns of alms houses and poor farms and, later, county institutions which would collectively come to form a dark chapter in New Hampshire history. Poor Houses and Town Farms: The Hard Row for Paupers-Steve Taylor
What if the poor were sent to work on town-owned farms? They were and it wasn't pretty 07/23/2016 Concord Monitor

Summary of Gilmanton's Poor Farms
Town Histories re:Poor Farms
Town Report Exerpts

Once Gilmanton closed their Poor Farm, some indigent residents were placed at the Laconia State School. Residents were also placed there by families unable to provide care for them.
State School panel wants historic and market studies Laconia Daily Sun 12/20/2018
A year in, more questions than answers for State School land Laconia Daily Sun 12/07/2018
Retirement community no longer in plan for State School land Laconia Daily Sun 12/04/2018
“Their” land will not be taken for private development Laconia Daily Sun 11/28/2018
Unmarked graves a possibility at State School site Laconia Daily Sun 11/24/2018
Closing the Doors: Laconia State School documentary shines light on the negative impact of mental institutions Concord Monitor 07/29/2012
Honoring "forgotten" dead of Laconia School Union Leader 06/10/2012
Laconia State School: documenting a history some would rather forget Daily Sun 04/28/2010
Laconia State School Daily Sun 04/30/2007
Lost in Laconia - The History of the Laconia State School Community Support Network Inc

Laconia State School - Facebook page

Community Places

Crystal Lake
Ice Disk WMUR YouTube 02/2019
Lake Drawdown 09/28/2018 Laconia Daily Sun

Frisky Hill
Frisky Hill is on ProvinceRoad, and runs from Loon Pond Road to Smith Meetinghouse Road. It is well known for its beautiful view over Loon Pond. It was previously the site of a small cemetery. When the State widened the road, the occupants of the cemetery were relocated to the Smith Meetinghouse Cemetery.
The Fight For Frisky Hill NPR 8/17/2013
Priceless Views Concord Monitor 9/16/2012

Mary Butler Homestead
The site of the Mary Butler Homestead is located on the Class VI portion of Mary Butler lane in Gilmanton Corners. Mary Butler Eastman gained fame as a result of her ride from her wilderness home in Gilmanton to Cambridge to learn the fate of her husband after the Battle of Bunker Hill. Much has been reported of the feat and the strength and devotion evidenced also was celebrated in poem and illustration. Mary Butler Eastman and her husband, Lt. Ebenezer Eastman, are buried in Copp Cemetery on Province Road. The site is under the care of the Cemetery Trustees.
History & Protective Easement
Land rich in history tapped for conservation in Gilmanton 12/17/2007 Laconia Citizen

Meadow Pond
The portion today called Meadow Pond was originally a wet meadow that was annually hayed until the dam was constructed and that area was flooded. Anecdote
Floating Island-2018

National Register of Historic Places
Listed Properties
Centre Congregational Church
First Baptist Church of Gilmanton
Gilmanton Academy
Gilmanton Iron Works Library
Smith Meeting House

New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources
NH Historical Highway Markers

Old Province Road NH Division of Historical Resources

NH Register of Historic Places
Kelley's Corner School House
Odd Fellows Hall/Old Town Hall

Sawyer Lake
Sawyer Lake District
Sawyer Lake Composite Plan

Shellcamp
Shellcamp Pond was thus named by certain hunters, who, in the winter of 1749 and 1750, ventured into this wilderness with their guns, traps, and fishing apparatus, and encamped for the winter on the Western shore of this Pond. They found a large, hollow, pine tree fallen in a favorable position for a shelter, and in this shell of a tree, they made their camp during their stay. It was ever after called by them Shellcamp Pond. The History of Gilmanton 1845
2019 Lake Drawdown 01/05/2019 Laconia Daily Sun

Town Pound - 413-019-000-000 Pictures
The Cemetery Trustees manage the Town Pound site. There is no formal historic designation of the Pound.
Local lore tells us that the men who moved some of the extremely large granite and boulders to the site by hand with oxen and horses chiseled their initials into places on the walls. Certainly, several such initials can still be found today.
The Town regularly elected a Keeper of the Pound and the last known person to hold that position was Earl Ellsworth.

2015 - The underlying property was subdivided, creating a separate lot that encompasses the Town Pound which was transferred to the Town of Gilmanton. The approved plan also included a 50' protective easement around the Town Pound.
Tax Lot 413-019-000-000 Recorded Plan Restrictive Deed
Gilmanton Selectmen accept deed to town pound Citizen 03/12/2016
Gilmanton officials say word got around on plan for Town Pound Citizen 10/22/2015
Gilmanton board approves plans to build around the Town Pound Citizen 10/10/2015

2014 - During the winter of 2014, a large granite stone supporting the entry-way capstone was partially dislodged by NH DOT plowing activities. This was speedily repaired by DOT in April, 2015.

1994 - Winchester Used to Safeguard Property Suncook Sun 12/14/1994

1807 - the Town authorized the Selectmen to rebuild the Pound and to build it of stone. The location was changed and the new Pound was placed a little Southward of William Peaslee's, where it now stands. News

1801 - the Town adopted a By-law restricting cattle, sheep and swine from being at-large, incommoding travelers and teamsters by destroying hay and provender given to the horses and cattle of such travelers and teamsters.

1783 - the Town first authorized the Selectmen to build "a pound" on the school lot, near the Congregational Meeting House. Origin of the Gilmanton Pound, Richard Arms as excepts from the Gilmanton History

Town Pounds of New Hampshire Nashua Telegraph 07/28/1998
New Hampshire's Town Pounds: Not Gone But Often Forgotten Union Leader
Town Pounds of New England Atlas of New England 04/21/2012

Valley Shores Family Club
Valley Shores Family Club Section II

Conserved Properties

Paul & Ella Stroud Family Forest - Shellcamp Road
Land rich in history tapped for conservation in Gilmanton 12/17/2007 Laconia Citizen

George Twigg III - Frisky Hill & Loon Pond Road
Priceless Views Concord Monitor 9/16/2012

William Webster Memorial Forest - Rte 129, Rollins Pond
Land rich in history tapped for conservation in Gilmanton 12/17/2007 Laconia Citizen

Wilson/Sapiro - Meadow Pond, Loon Pond & Stockwell Hill Roads, 164 acres, Five Rivers Conservation Trust
5 Rivers Conservation Trust 09/09/2019 Concord Monitor 01/01/2019 Laconia Daily Sun 12/21/2018 Laconia Daily Sun 03/02/2018 Laconia Daily Sun 02/20/2018

Properties

NH Rt 140, #452, Tax Lot 128-014-000-000

Province Road #493, Tax Lot 127-057-000-000, The Prescott House

Province Road #506, Tax Lot 127-049-000-000 The Tavern, Pub

Province Road #513, Tax Lot 127-002-000-000 The "original" Corner Store, Pictures
A Special Home-The Old Corner Store in Gilmanton, NH 06/27/2018 Roy Sanborn
Great American Country Video
The Original Gilmanton Corner Store 05/09/2017 Roy Sanborn

Province Road #518, Tax Lot 127-037-000-000 Corner Store/Cafe
Pictures 2015, 2016, 2019

Province Road #525, Tax Lot 127-008-000-000 - The Brick House
Time Present and Time Past 10/17/2018 Daily Sun

Province Road #549, Tax Lot 128-018-000-000 - The Wight House
The Wight House 7/26/2018 Roy Sanborn

Province Road #1246, Tax Lot 419-065-000-000 - Farley Garrison House Larissa Mulkern
YouTube HouzzTV

Stage Road #207, Tax Lot 418-009-000-000
Fire Destroys auto repair business in Gilmanton barn 5/26/2018 UL