Kearsarge Area
Most of Kearsarge is in North Conway. As you drive up the Hurricane Mountain Road, everything on the left (west) is Bartlett, everything on the right is not. I have picked out a few things that seem appropriate.
In 1845 a hotel building was erected on Mount Kearsarge by Caleb and Nathaniel Frye, John Dana, and Moses Chandler. It was used for several years and then fell into disuse. In 1868 it was bought, renovated, and operated as a hotel by Andrew Dinsmore. During the 1870's it was run by A.A. and J.W. Whitaker. A bridle path up the mountain made it accessible by horseback.
After a beating wind blew the building down in 1883, it was replaced by a shack. Although there were plans for a railroad running to the top of the mountain, and in 1885 the North Conway-Mount Kearsarge Railway Corporation was actually organized, these plans were never realized. In 1902 the building and site were purchased by the Appalachian Mountain Club, and mountain climbing became a sport in this area. Today the summit and approach are part of the White Mountain National Forest and the present building is a fire-lookout station.
Expanded first summit house - Mt Kearsarge 1869 - blew down in 1883
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George Newcomb Painting
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Origin of the Name Kearsarge.
The new Kearsarge is named after the old Kearsarge. but what was the old Kearsarge named after? This would stump any "current-events class" going. The old Kearsarge was named after an obscure, yet respectable mountain in New Hampshire, and it is said that the mountain was named by juggling the name of its discoverer and its first owner. Hezekiah Sargeant.— Springfield Republican.
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The name Kearsarge likely evolved from a 1652 rendering of the native Pennacook tribal word Carasarga which means "notch-pointed-mountain of pines." This would give it name to Mount Kearsarge. Kearsarge also gave its name to a class of 375 foot 11,540 short ton battleships.
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Kearsarge North is located about 4 miles northeast of North Conway. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names accepted the name "Pequawket Mountain" in 1915 but it was renamed Kearsarge North in 1957. The Pequawket are a subdivision of the Abenaki people who formerly lived in the area.
An 1894 New York Times newspaper article explains the naming of our Kearsarge Mountain and Village: At the time there were two Kearsarge Mountains.
An article at the "Cow Hampshire" website offers an excellent resource for the naming of Mt Kearsarge North. Click the cow, below: (Link is ok Jan 2025)
Buttonwood Inn
The Buttonwood Inn on Mt Surprise Road began as a mountain farm. The main house dates to 1820 but the wings are more recent additions. All of the outbuildings are gone now but the granite foundation of the barn remains, (as of this writing in 1992) In 1992 it was owned by Peter and Claudia Needham. Peter has previous Innkeeping experience at Stowe, Vermont. The Needhams purchased the Inn from Ann, Hugh and Walter Begley who had owned it from the early 1980's. Before that it was a private residence owned by the McGinnises who bought it in 1975 from David and Irma Taylor who opened the inn in 1947, primarily as a ski lodge. They called it the Hid-a-Way. Irma began serving breakfast and dinner, beginning the transition from a ski lodge to a country inn.
David was also a library Trustee and was instrumental in finding the author of the book from which this information was gleaned...(copied)... Source info below.
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At this writing in 2024 the Inn is operated by Doug and Donna Marie. They have a very informative website at: https://www.buttonwoodinn.com/meet-the-innkeepers.html
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SOURCE: Used with permission - "The Latchstring Was Always Out" - Aileen Carroll - 1994