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Share The Village Area of Bartlett Page 2 Fred and Grace Garland operated Garland's Tea Room , and later it was a restaurant and ice cream parlor know simply as "Garlands" . It also had a few cabins, some of which are still there today. This restaurant operated until the early 1970's and was destroyed by fire. It was located just west of today's Post Office. In the 1948 picture below today's Post Office would be behind the Garlands Cabins sign. ​ Upper Bartlett Glen Area Cooks Crossing Goodrich Falls Jericho Intervale Dundee West Side Road Village Area Page 1 Village Area Page 2 Village Area Page 3 Village Area Page 4 Village Area Page 5 Share The What Not Shop was operated by Franklin and Almeda George from the mid 1940's. True to it's name, the store carried practically everything one could want in those days and even had an ice cream soda parlor and a barber shop. For quite a time he also sold gasoline out front. Franklin was the Town tax collector in those days and he operated that activity from the store as well. Franklin and his wife lived right across the street in the same house that his ancestors operated as an Inn in the mid 1800's. After Franklin's death the store was operated by Dottie Howard for a few years and then by David & Debby Phanauef, who renamed it to the Bear Notch Deli. David later sold the store to The Ryans. In January of 2009 the store was completely destroyed by fire caused by an electrical problem. This photo of the What Not Shop is from the mid 1950's. Village Area Page 1 Village Area Page 2 Village Area Page 3 Village Area Page 4 Village Area Page 5 1907: Bartlett Village Railroad Square: The big white building is the Odd Fellows Hall, which has a stage and movie theatre. Next door to that is Hellen Hayes lodging house, The Maplewood. Hellen also operated The Elmcrest during the 1930's. That building is still standing and is located almost opposite the present day Villager Motel, It has been vacant for years. I recall watching Carroll Hayes butcher cattle in the barn there in the 1960's. Hellen, being an ambitious person also operated a restaurant, The Red Rooster, located on Main Street where Lydia Lansing now lives. The brown building (above) on Albany Avenue was a grocery store operated by Mr Wimpy Thurston followed by Harold and Edith Jacobson . The building was razed in the late 1990's and the land is owned by the Hodgkins, who live next door. Next to the store is The Garland, an Inn built by Eben Garland. It also housed a drug store and jewelry store. It was sold to the Hodgkins family about 1920 for use as a private residence. It is still owned by the Hodgkins family. (photo above, right) The top picture was taken from the vicinity of the Railroad Depot building, Rail tracks are just to the left of this picture. The Helen Hayes House where she operated the Maplewood Inn and raised her children and grandchildren. The Union Congregational Church on Albany Ave dated 1906, above and St Joseph's Catholic Church located on School Street, probably 1950's. Bartlett Lumber Company and Kearsarge Peg Mill complex about 1900 FEB 12, 2016-BARTLETT — No one was injured but one of the world’s most unusual manufacturers and a major part of the town’s history was destroyed Friday afternoon when a fire leveled the Kearsarge Peg Company. Bartlett Fire Chief Pat Roberts, who said the fire was reported around 1:11 p.m. Friday by a custodian from the nearby Josiah Bartlett Elementary School, called the mill a total loss. Three people were inside the structure at the time of the fire and they managed to exit safely. Roberts said firefighters from between Tamworth and Jackson responded to the scene, adding that water and weather were both challenges. The first, he said, had to be drafted from the Saco River and then shuttled, while the second was down-right cold, with temperatures in the low double digits that froze firefighters and water alike. While the cause and origin of the fire remain under investigation, Roberts was clear that the fire is “absolutely not” suspicious. Gene Chandler, who chairs the Bartlett Board of Selectmen and is also a state representative, called the destruction of the mill “a terrible loss for the history of the Town of Bartlett,” recalling how the mill had at one time been one of the town’s largest employers and also a supplier of saw dust to farms, like the Chandler’s. Kearsarge Peg Co ., Inc. was a business located in Bartlett, NH that had been in continuous operation in this location for 121 years until it was destroyed by fire in February 2016. The company prospered through the years on its reputation for quality products and timely delivery. The original product (hardwood shoe pegs and hardwood tumbling media) is still manufactured in the facility, and in fact, Kearsarge was the only manufacturer of this product in North America. The principal business of the company at its inception was the manufacture of shoe pegs. Shoe pegs were long cross sectioned hardwood shapes with a point on one end, manufactured primarily from white, yellow and silver birch, although white maple and beech are occasionally employed as well. The Kearsarge Peg Co. manufactured approximately seventy-five different sizes of shoe pegs, which varied in size from 5/16 in. long by 1/18 in. wide to ¼ in. wide by 2.0 in. long . This product was used as a component of shoe manufacturing in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, and replaced shoe nails, as a means for insuring a lasting bond between the last and sole of the shoe. It was considered superior to metal nails, in that over time the wood peg would draw moisture from the ambient atmosphere and swell, forming a lock fit between these two components. Shoe manufacturing along with textiles was a major segment of the economy of New England at this time, and there were dozens of plants, which made this product in competition with Kearsarge. In its earlier years, Kearsarge exported heavily to the shoe industry in Norway, Germany, Australia and elsewhere. The use of pegs in shoe manufacturing came to an abrupt halt with the advent of the Second World War. (Exception: custom made climbing, skiing and cowboy boots). Not only did the company find that its export markets were now closed, but new developments in shoe manufacturing technology obviated the need for pegs to tie or lock the last and sole of shoes together. Lupoline, under the director of its founder Joseph Lupo of pioneered dry barrel finish or tumbling techniques in the early part of the twentieth century, with some patents dating as early as the 1920’s and 1930’s. He found that “shoe pegs” made an ideal mass finishing media for smoothing and polishing plastic parts in rotary barrel finish equipment. This technology was quickly adapted by major manufacturers such as Bausch & Lomb, Foster-Grant and the American Optical Co. and others to replace tedious manual finishing methods that involved buffing. These large manufacturers of eyeglass frame and sunglass frame components were soon utilizing hardwood pegs in bulk, by the truck load and even car load for abrasive finishing and polishing operations. This continues to be the primary use for hardwood pegs and other hardwood preform shapes that the company manufactures to this day. In the early 1980’s the company management decided that there was a need to become more involved on a technical level with the finishing industry. As a result the PEGCO Division was instituted as a marketing and technical arm to more aggressively market hardwood media for other applications. It soon became apparent that there was a need to make PEGCO a technical resource for the finishing industry. Its focus became providing technical solutions to difficult edge and surface finish problems by process development in its “process laboratory” and offering turn-key equipment and abrasive supply packages as the solutions to these problems. The company’s office and manufacturing facilities are found at the same location in Bartlett, NH. These facilities are comprised of approximately 25,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space encompassed in an eleven building complex, situated on seven acres bounded by Kearsarge Street and the White Mountain National Forest. Village Area Page 1 Village Area Page 2 Village Area Page 3 Village Area Page 4 Village Area Page 5

Share The Village Area of Bartlett Page 3 "Over the River" River Street Bridge - Probably 1900 . Check out the two people on the bridge, one with a yellow coat and top-hat. The other person looks to be wearing a red union suit (underwear) and black boots. Upper Bartlett Glen Area Cooks Crossing Goodrich Falls Jericho Intervale Dundee West Side Road Village Area Page 1 Village Area Page 2 Village Area Page 3 Village Area Page 4 Village Area Page 5 Another early view of the River Street bridge. Note the fence on the right indicating cows or horses were kept there. The cave on Cave Mountain is clearly visible. River Street Bridge and Big Rock swimming hole. Date is about 1920. Village Area Page 1 Village Area Page 2 Village Area Page 3 Village Area Page 4 Village Area Page 5 June to October 1967: The iron River Street bridge is demolished and replaced with a modern bridge design. Cave Mountain Cobb Farm Road - Bartlett - Looking East. In the days when plowing was not a priority. House belonged to Jim Connors, the next house would be Katherine Dorset. Photo Courtesy Maureen Hussey Mid 1940's Cobb Farm Road. The G.K. Howard farmhouse. That's Donna Chappee all bundled up. She was born in this house October 24, 1939. G.K.Howard (1864-1949) operated a farm in this area and I was told this house was part of the 93 acre farm. G.K. Howard gave the property to James M. Howard when James returned from World War 2. James and wife Dorothy originally lived on River Street but later built a house at the west end of the property where they lived out their lives. In addition to the Chappee's, the house was home to Ninna McGraw, Gordon Treffey and the Bellerose families to name just a few over the 1940 to 1960 decades. It was said, "the snow blew through the walls there!" Cobb Farm Road - Bartlett - Looking West. The buildings are today's (2018) Katherine Dorset house. This photo is dated 1906. If you grew up in Bartlett anytime before the 1990's you will definitely remember swimming at 2nd Iron. These photos are from about 1950. Stanton Slope 1940 Stanton Slope Details The end of the Cobb farm road the mersereau farm in 1965 This drawing by Mike Eisner shows his Cousin, Judi Eisner Mersereau at the popularly known Cobb Farm in 1965. However, at this time, the farm was the domain of the Mersereau's. After passing by the 2nd Iron swimming hole, within a mile, one would arrive at this spot where the road ended and the farm began. The barns are long gone but the house behind the tree is still there today (2022). Old maps (1890's) show a bridge across the Saco River near this spot which connected to today's Route 302 in Harts Location. Village Area Page 1 Village Area Page 2 Village Area Page 3 Village Area Page 4 Village Area Page 5

Historic Lodging Map Intervale Area Upper Village Area Intervale Area Glen Area Historic Lodging Map

MEMBERSHIP & CURRENT INFO CONTACT & GUESTBOOK FIND TOPIC PEOPLE PLACES THINGS RAILROADS Photo Albums More , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce Member Bartlett 'most boring town'? Locals beg to differ Story Here Current Information & Events Please "refresh" your browser to ensure you are seeing the most recent content. April & May 2022 FOCUS Golf Tournament details and Registration Form: Scroll Down a Tad We are six years on this path from an idea to the reality of opening The Bartlett History Museum . It's been a remarkable journey, the community support has been fabulous and we want to share our progress with everyone. To that end we have created an updated section of new information, pictures and a current budget showing how we have spent your donations thus far and how much more we need to get the doors open. For Project Information, Click Here WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP We have made your gifting a little easier; We can now securely process your donation to your credit card directly from this website... ...easy... I'm a button. I don't do anything. Just sitting here. GOLF TOURNAMENT COMING UP ON JUNE 11, 2022 DETAILS & REGISTRATION YOU CAN FIND THE LINKS TO ALL OUR NEWSLETTERS HERE New Bartlett History Book In The Works YOU CAN HELP Toward the end of 2021, a representative from Arcadia Publishing contacted Phil Franklin about the possibility of writing a book on Bartlett’s history. Arcadia Publishing is known for their “Images of America” series of books containing numerous photographs each with a caption describing the scene. Phil is looking for your help with this project. Phil is in search of old original photographs that reflect the history of Bartlett, Hart’s Location and Livermore. The publisher has very specific rules about the type and quality of the photographs. For example, they cannot be copied off the Internet, or out of books and newspapers, or photographs of photographs. They need to depict scenes that are more than 30 years old. The publisher also limits the use of postcards, illustrations and maps. Phil can explain the rules in more detail if you contact him. Phil is looking for scenes of buildings, inns and hotels, or landmarks; he’s especially interested in scenes showing what people did in our past (e.g., working on the railroad or in one of the local mills, people recreating, people in family settings and children playing – people doing what they did in years past to work and play). Several people have already loaned Phil historic photographs but his search continues. If you have any old photographs depicting scenes of area history and would like to be a part of the creation of this book, please contact Phil at Phil@BartlettHistory.org. SCROLL HERE SCROLL HERE If you missed the Peter Limmer Presentation you can watch it here. "The History of Limmer & Sons, Custom Hiking Boot Makers" Remember The Mountain Ear Newspaper? There are more than 100 excellently researched articles of local interest at this link. We can thank Jane Golden and Steve Eastman and many others for this historically valuable collection. This link will open in a new window. Mt Ear Chronicles Peter Crane, Author You can enjoy the best book ever written about Livermore: In 1993 Peter Crane wrote his Doctoral thesis titled "Glimpses of Livermore: Life and Lore of an Abandoned White Mountain Woods Community". It is probably the most extensive research project ever undertaken for the Town of Livermore. Peter has given us permission to share this link to a PDF version of his book. You can read it here Caveat :This site will not work well on your phone. S hould be fine on i-pad or tablet. . Our Archives: Books, Documents, Physical Objects, Names Lists, Cemetery Burial Lists; Kathleen has been working hard to organize what we have. Take a Look Scotty Mallett has volunteered to be our railroad historian and we couldn't have found anyone more qualified. Take a look at his work in our railroad section. Railroads in Bartlett Are You Looking For The Quarterly Newsletters ? ​ Find Them Here (Opens in a new window) The purpose of these pages is to present current events and information in a concise format that may be provided by your Directors from time to time. You might notice the website address ends in NET, whereas our primary site ends in ORG. It has a different website address but it is still your Bartlett History website. Check the MENU UP TOP for topics. The hosting and domain fees for both sites have been donated by your web-site editor. Thank you for visiting. ​ Share Bartlett History Meetings Your Directors meet once a month and anyone with an interest is welcome to attend. Meetings are held at the Basement Meeting Room at the Village Congregational Church. ​ We normally post the date and time here, but if not, call Phil Franklin at 603 374 5023. We have the details of our public programs for 2022. CLICK HERE to see what we found for you. Several people have asked me where the 1952 aerial photos of Bartlett are located. Click the airplane: Pinkham Notch Rte 16 as it was in the very early 1900's nkham Dave Eliason is your website editor. He always welcomes new content, so send him something . Criticism, comment or factual corrections are also welcome. Dave donates the entire cost of supporting and maintaining this website so your dues can be used for other pressing needs. We also thank Scotty Mallett for his contributions to the railroad section. His knowledge of that history is invaluable.

Wreck of the 505 More Railroad Pages - Menu Top Right... Scotty Mallett is responsible for writing and researching both versions of this story. AN EXPLOSION IN CRAWFORD NOTCH # 505 July 3, 1927 Sunday July 3 dawned hot and muggy, a change from the night before when a terrific thunderstorm had past over Bartlett. It was about 7:00 a.m. when MEC Bartlett men Robert "Bob" Morse and Oscar Clemons got a call from Mr. Glendenon at the Roundhouse in Bartlett asking them to report to work, they would take a long extra freight to St. Johnsbury and return with the locomotive. Earle Whitcher and Fireman Meserve would be on the helper and return to Bartlett after the train reached Crawford’s Station. Oscar and Bob were friends and had worked together before. Oscar was having a hard time because he had lost his wife Delia a month before, leaving him the sole support of 7 children. Bob and Oscar arrived at the Roundhouse at about the same time, to find Engineer Whitcher and his fireman working on the main engine, the one that would be on the head end to St.J. After talking it was decided that they would swap assignments, so Bob, the engineer and Oscar, the fireman, would be on the helper and return to Bartlett after they reached Crawford’s, so they made plans to go fishing together that day. There was only one locomotive available as a helper, a small, class W Mikado, built by Alco in Schenectady, NY in 1910, her number #505. The 505 had come in on the local Rigby to Bartlett job the day before, she was taken to the Roundhouse and serviced. The 505 was not a favorite, it would be called today, a lemon. Out of all the steam locomotives the MEC ever owned, the 505 was one of the very, very few, that never measured up. Bob and Oscar boarded the 505 and began their work, helping to sort cars and make up the train. A short time later Bob reported a problem to the mechanics at the roundhouse: when he pulled the throttle out, it felt "Spongy" and not right. The mechanics examined the locomotive and found nothing. Bob and Oscar continued their work, but the problem persisted. The mechanics brought it into the roundhouse and did everything but strip the boiler jacket off, which they were not equipped to do anyway, they could find nothing. Finally, the time came where it was time to go, the 505 and her crew were put in the freight as a helper, almost midtrain, and they departed Bartlett at about 10:00 A.M. A common thing that was done with a lot of engineers in that era was they ran the water in the boiler of the locomotive low, this allowed the maximum performance to be obtained from the locomotive, but you had to have a fireman that could handle it. Oscar Clemons, having worked with Bob before, knew how to do this perfectly, by the timing of the water injections into the boiler and by a constant eye on the sight glass which showed the amount of water in the boiler. The 505 was a small class locomotive, which were very rarely used as helpers, due to their small size. The Class W's were almost exclusively used east of Bartlett. This trip for the 505 was a very rare run. An hour had passed, the 505 was now under maximum pressure, Oscar Clemons shoveling coal and watching the sight glass. They were approaching the Willey House Section Dwelling, the section crew, having the day off, waved as they went by. Doris Monahan, home for a break, was watching the train pass by with a friend on an outcropping where they were going up the Appalachian trail for a hike. The Train now rounded a curve and reached a relatively level piece of track, about 1/2 mile above the Willey Station, Oscar reached up and opened the petcock to put some water in the boiler, a few seconds later, the locomotive exploded. The force was so great it lifted the locomotive clean out of the train, not even derailing the car behind it, it spun end over end and dropped and landed 20 feet over the bank. Bob Morse was blown 500 ft, the crew from the Willey House found him crawling towards a brook. One of them said "Can I or Let me Help you Bob" Bob replied never mind about me, I know I'm done for, go check on Oscar. They found Oscar, trapped in the wreckage of the cab. Both men were rushed to memorial hospital, they both passed away at about the same time, near 6:00 P.M. from scalding. Oscar Left 7 children*, most were adopted by other family members, his youngest son George, an infant at the time, and I met him on the Conway Scenic’s Ride through Crawford Notch. He commissioned a memorial to Oscar and Bob, placed at the site of the explosion. Bob left 8 children behind, Mrs. Morse would go on to remarry. Monte Hurd, A MEC Veteran Conductor. The investigation into the 505 accident showed that the sight glass Oscar needed to use to tell the level of water in the boiler was defective, also, the Spongy" feel Bob felt was a weakness in the boiler. When the water was put into the low boiler, the metal failed, just under one of the axles, hurling the locomotive 80 feet in the air, and sending a metal pail; used for drinking water, over a mile away in the woods. Further investigation would show that the 505 was reported 5 times that previous month as having a leaky boiler, and several years before while in service it burst a boiler tube. The entire town turned out for the funerals of Bob Morse and Oscar Clemons, held on Wednesday. It is easy to forget these men were the test pilots of their age. The were respected and loved for their profession, and as people themselves. They rest today not far from each other in the Bartlett Cemetery, the new memorial on the site, will remind folks of a different time, and of two men, husbands, fathers, workers and Bartlett townsfolk who passed into history, but now will not be forgotten. This version was printed in our publication, The Historical Herald, March 2008 *Sept 2009: Web site Editors Note: I received an e-mail from Brian Clemons in Lyman Maine. Brian is Oscar's Grandson. He reported that Oscar had 8 Children, Not 7. Jan 2008, From the Railroad Club: The remains of what was Maine Central Steam Locomotive #505 are located in the general area of MILEPOST 80 which is " WEST " of the Frankenstein Trestle. The marker is located at or very near the exact location where the boiler let go as best be determined by a dedicated bunch of people that enabled some sort of closure take place as to what occurred back on that fateful day during the month of July 1927. The marker was created by the efforts of the North Conway Model Railroad Club who are located on the grounds of CSRR. The Club members designed/created and erected a large marker and placed it track -side where the wreck occurred. Please respect the area as sacred ground in memory of good railroad men who lost their lives performing their duties and that will be a very good display of respect for their relatives who live on with those memories for all time to come. July 3, 1927: Maine Central #505 was in Bartlett having come in on the "Local" Portland, Me to Bartlett, NH job the night before. The Roundhouse was short on power so the 505 was to be a "helper" locomotive. It was rare for her to be used as a helper as this was the case for all the Class W's. These were used almost exclusively east of Bartlett, where they really shine. 505 was due to go back to Portland on the afternoon local later that day. She was pressed into service to help with a very "heavy" extra. She would be put in Mid train, and cut off at Crawfords. Bob Morse and Oscar Clemons, planned an afternoon fishing trip for when they returned. There would be 2 locomotives on the head pin. As the Engineer, Bob Morse worked the engine, to help make up the train, the throttle felt "Soggy". He reported it to the mechanics at the Bartlett Roundhouse, they checked the loco over, but could not find the problem. Bob and his fireman, Oscar Clemons, went back to work. Again, Bob reported the sluggish response of the 505, the shop crews brought her in to the Roundhouse and did everything but dump the fire and pull the boiler jacket off, which Bartlett was not equipped for anyway. So at about 8:00 the 505, took her place, on a WESTBOUND extra freight, about mid train. The train departed at about 8:30 a.m. Bob Morse was a popular man, but pushed his loco's to their operational limits, he got every bit of operational power out of the engine he was running, he was very good. One trick almost all engineers had in those days was to run the loco water low. This gave you the maximum amount of steam pressure and the maximum performance from the loco, but the engineer had to have a fireman that could handle the task, it was a dangerous dance, but Oscar Clemons had worked with Bob Morse for years and knew exactly what he was doing. At about 10:00 the train passed Willey House Station, Mile post 81 about 1/4 mile up the track it becomes straight and levels off. The 505 was traveling at 40 MPH under past maximum pressure, when the loco reached this point Oscar opened the petcock for water and the engine exploded. The boiler failed just in front of the drive wheel 2nd from the firebox (3rd driver from the front). The explosion blew Engineer Morse out of the cab and 500 feet back. The Locomotive lifted clean out of the train, fracturing the connecting bar between the engine and tender, flew up in the air 60 feet, turned end for end and dropped upside down and over the bank, crushing the cab with Oscar Clemons still inside, before rolling back on her side and coming to rest. Investigators found that the sight glass used to measure the water in the boiler was faulty, the boiler plates failed due to metal fatigue and the soggy feeling Mr. Morse was feeling while working in the yard, were the plates flexing. It blew the face plate of the locomotive off and split the boiler from Stack to bell. The explosion was so loud that it created an " Acoustic echo". The explosion was not heard at the Willey Station, but at the Mount Willard Dwelling it was like a clap of thunder. The trees in the area were all blistered, Mr. Morses watch was found in a tree, 20 feet off the ground. the water can that held water and a drinking cup was blown over a mile away. However, Mr. Morses wooden lunch pail was found beside the engine, on a rock. This was a round pail with plates in it, not ONE plate was broken. Mr. Morse survived the explosion and being thrown 500 feet, he was found crawling towards a brook, all he said was, I know I'm done for, go check on Oscar. Oscar Clemons was trapped in the wreck, still alive. Both men made it to the hospital, both died at about the same time, 6:oo that evening. Maine Central, not in it's finest hour tried to sue Mrs. Morse for the loss of the equipment and damage. However in the court search it was found that 505 had received damage to it's boiler, while in service in Baldwin Maine. Although not catastrophic , it did do some damage. It was also found that the 505 had been reported at least 5 times the previous month as having a leaky boiler, nothing was done. MeCRR dropped the suit, Mrs. Morse counter sued and won. The youngest surviving son of Oscar Clemons, now in his 80's commissioned a granite memorial to be placed near the site. It was put there several years ago. From a story penned by Bartlett, NH native Scotty Mallett based on first hand accounts from families of those involved. This version was taken from: _http://www3.gendisasters.com/9768/crawford-notch-nh-mec-steam-locomotive-505-explosion-july-3-1927 The youngest surviving son of Oscar Clemons, George Croston, had a brass plaque made with which he cut and fabricated a memorial from granite that came from his property in Brunswick, ME. He placed the memorial near the explosion site some years ago. This page was researched and written by Scotty Mallett. Photos courtesy of Robert Girouard. More Railroad Pages - Menu Top Right... Some Photos on this page, and elsewhere on this web-site, are part of the Raymond W. Evans collection now owned by Robert Girouard. We extend our gratitude for his permission to use them as part of this and other stories. - - Dave

Crawford Notch section houses Railroad Section Houses of the Maine Central and P & O Railroads through Crawford Notch ​ It is generally known that there were three popularly known Section houses in Crawford Notch. However, when the Portland and Ogdensburg opened the line there were many more houses, often in sight of each other. The dwelling most remembered is the famed Mt. Willard Section house . This fortress like building could be seen from US Route 302 along with Willey (pronounced willie not wylee) Brook Bridge, a double span deck girder bridge 104 feet long and 90 feet high at its highest point. The west end of the trestle was made of wood from 1875-1888. The entire bridge was replaced in 1905 with both spans of the bridge rolled out and the current new bridge being rolled in and the bridge reopened in 7 minutes!!!! and.......with no interruption in train service!! This building was located 83.54 miles from Portland, ME. Built in 1888 for the James Mitchell family it boarded section men that would work the most difficult section of the mountain line from Mile 82.5 miles from Portland to just east of Crawford’s Station: Section 129. In 1902 James Mitchell retired and Loring Evans and his wife Hattie set up housekeeping in the remote mountain dwelling. Loring was killed by accident in 1913 but Hattie stayed and boarded the section men until her retirement in 1941. Researched and written by Scotty Mallett. Some photos on this page courtesy of Robert Girouard Sawyer River Station and Junction of The Sawyer River Railroad to Livermore. Carrigain Dwelling Sawyer River Station Section Houses on the way East through Crawford Notch 7 constructed by the P&O RR and 1 by the MEC. Name and Miles from Portland: *Sawyers River @ mile 74.8 (P&O) Section Foreman- 1888-1891 George Rich 1894-1902 John Stevens 1902-1903 Leslie Smith 1903-1905 George Murch 1905-1911 Merville Murch 1912-1927 John McCann 1927-1954-Robert Gardner Closed 1954 Carrigain Station and Town. The "dwelling" was about a mile west of this scene. Carrigain Dwelling @ mile 78.8 (later to become Willey house post office) (P&O) 1875-1894-? 1894-1896 Fred Pingree 1896-1940-Patrick McGee 1941-1973 Peter King 1973-1990 Private Dwelling Razed 1990 Avalanche Flag Stop later willey house Flag Stop *Avalanche flag stop @ mile 80.8 (P&O) 1875-1877 Anthony Swift *Willey House flag stop @ mile 80.9 (replaced Avalanche) (P & O) 1877-1903 William Burnell 1903-1941-Alfred Allen 1943-1953-Joseph Burke 1953-1965 Cornelius Griffin 1965-1976- Wellman Rowell Closed 1976 Burned by the Railroad 1988 Aldrige House @ mile 82.5(P&O) 1875-1894 Joseph Aldridge Closed unknown Guay Place @ mile 83 (P&O) 1875-1888 Unknown Willey House Station and flag stop through the years in various states of condition Willey House Station also housed the post office and telegraph for Harts Location. Their first early morning Presidential election was held here at 7:a.m. November 2, 1948 The first early morning Presidential election vote for Hart's Location was held here at 7:a.m. November 2, 1948. Left to right, Mrs Macomber, Town Clerk, Douglas Macomber, Joseph Burke, Preston King, Alice Burke and son Merle, Mrs Morey and George Morey. . Willey House Station in its final years. By 1984, when these pictures were taken, it had declined to an irrecoverable condition. The railroad burned the building in 1988. ​ A visitor today might still find the concrete foundation walls and bits of iron stuff laying about. The kitchen cook stove was "off in the woods" the last time I was there in 2004. But, since folks can rarely just leave stuff alone, it's probably gone by now. ("now" being 2019) The Foremans cottage The Foremans Cottage was located on the big curve that was built of granite blocks on the side of Mt. Willard. James Mitchell, his family and section men were the only inhabitants of this dwelling. It was located at Mile Post 84 just about 1/4 mile west of the Mt.Willard Dwelling. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchells "cottage" was built under the cliffs of Mt. Willard and on occasion, rock slides came through the house. The P&O tried to solve the rock problem by chaining some rock together. Thus the area became known as "Chained Rock". In 1887 after a horrifying night of rock slides, thunder, and lighting, Mr. Mitchell tenured his resignation. The famed Mt. Willard dwelling was built for The Mitchell's so Mr. Mitchell would stay on. He accepted the offer and did not retire until 1899. In 1887 Mr & Mrs Mitchell, two sons and a daughter moved into the Mt Willard House. ​ The "Foremans Cottage " was torn down in 1888. The Foremans Cottage in 1875 with James Mitchell and his wife. Mt Willard Section House Mt Willard Section House with Hattie Evans and her children. Perhaps 1920. Their homestead was actually a cheerier place than this photo might suggest. Additional photos are up at the top of this page. Mt Willard @ 83.5(Maine Central) 1888-1898- James Mitchell 1900-1941- Loring Evans Family 1944-1950-O. Douglas Macomber 1951-1952-Quervis Strout 1954-1962-Thomas Sweeney 1963-1965-Wellman Rowell Closed 1965 Burned by the Railroad 1972 Mitchell Dwelling @ mile 84.0 (P & O) 1875-1888 James Mitchell ** If anyone can offer corrections to the dates and people listed, it would be of great help. All the names and dates above were taken by Scotty Mallett from the book “Harts Location” by Marion Varney Editors Note: Complete biographies of all the folks mentioned in this article can be found at Marion L. Varney's book, "Hart's Location in Crawford Notch" - 1997 On August 17, 1888 the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad was leased to the Maine Central Railroad for 999 years. Included in the lease were all section Houses, Stations, Locomotives and Rolling stock as well as personnel. I thought you might be interested in the value assigned to the buildings and furnishings from Intervale thru Crawford Notch. Remember, these are 1888 prices and 1888 spelling! Intervale Passenger Station $100 Desk, Chair and Baggage Truck $30 Glen Station Passenger Station and Freight House $500 Assorted Furniture $75 Bartlett Station $1000 Freight House $150 Engine House (6 pits) $1000 Repair Shop $100 Woodshed $100 Tank House $200 Furniture, Stoves, desks, Freight truck, Passenger Truck $100 Coal Derrick $50 Sawyer’s River Station Building $75 Bemis Brook Section House $400 Avalanche Section House $400 Tank House $200 Moor’s Brook (spelled Moor’s) Old Section House $300 Mt. Willard Section House $4000 Furniture, 1 room $50 Crawfords Station $100 Ticket case, Desk, Stove and Baggage Barrow $55 Total Intervale to Crawfords $9,385 ​ The lease of the P&O was cancelled some 50 years later when the Maine Central bought the remaining shares. Editors note: If this $9385 was adjusted for inflation the amount would be $260,000 in 2018 dollars. 1966: "Helper" engines on the Frankenstein Trestle, probably returning to Bartlett Station. Source Material: Life by the Tracks, Virginia C. Downs - 1983 Hart's Location in Crawford Notch, Marion L. Varney - 1997 Some Photos on this page, and elsewhere on this web-site, are part of the Raymond W. Evans collection now owned by Robert Girouard. We extend our gratitude for his permission to use them as part of this and other stories. - - Dave Crawford Station: February 22, 1910 1895 Railroad Division Roster Heading 3

Wreck at Dismal Pool - 1952 This little article was found by this editor on a Facebook post in October 2021. The article by itself is not remarkable but it finally confirms what I always thought was a myth, since I could never find factual evidence. Namely, "That there is at least one box car down in the Dismal Pool near the Crawford Notch Gateway". I'd like to thank the photographer for settling this story in my mind. Now I know it is fact...not myth. Ironically, on the same day I found the article, these pictures from down in Dismal Pool appeared on another Face book post by Hutch Hutchinson of Salem, Ma. He discovered them on a little family Hike. October 2021. You can find his post on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1736669543253206/ ​ Who knows how far you might have to scroll to find it...haha

More Railroad Pages - Menu Top Right... The Railroad Through Crawford Notch 18.5 miles of rail from Bartlett to Fabyan took more than a year to construct. The first train went through the Notch in 1875. We are working on this page A hundred years of Railroad Section Houses and their occupants, 1880's to the 1990's Section Houses Part of a P&O brochure in 1879 advertising their scenic journey through The White Mountains Notch.

Wreck of the 380 Frank Washburn Related: Mallett 1202 Story Locomotive #380 Wreck West of Bemis Crossing, August 1922. The engine in the picture is Locomotive #380. The Mallett 1202 was following about ten minutes behind as they had both been on a "helper run" assisting a train through the Notch. #380 was built in 1908 and was a class O-2, 4-6-0 wheel arrangement Scotty Mallett tells us, "That's Frank Washburn's wreck. It happened in august of 1922 when the tender brake beam failed, the locomotive jackknifed and flipped over. Mr Washburn was taken to the hospital with a sprained ankle and some bruises. Nothing is mentioned about how the fireman ended up, it could be he had no injury's " Bemis is the area near Madam Morey's Inn Unique , Today's Notchland Inn . The photographs were sent to us by Richard Garon , who's grandfather was a Stationmaster in Bartlett during the 1920's. Rick didn't know much about the pictures, but Scotty Mallett, who is our railroad history expert, identified all the photos and provided a little story. Some Photos on this page, and elsewhere on this web-site, are part of the Raymond W. Evans collection now owned by Robert Girouard. We extend our gratitude for his permission to use them as part of this and other stories. - - Dave

Wrecks and Disasters 1922 - Wreck of the 380 - at Bemis - Washburn Wreck of the 380 1927 - Wreck of the 505 - Morse - Clemons 1952 - Wreck at Dismal Pool Wreck of the 505 Wreck at Dismal Pool

Logging Railroads in bartlett There were three logging railroads in Bartlett: Bartlett and Albany Railroad East Branch Railroad Rocky Branch Railroad More Railroad Pages - Menu Top Right... Scotty is working on this page

2022 Golf Tournament Information and Registration Form Heading 4 Read the Details then, Click Here for Registration Form Click Here for Registration Form

Bartlett Historical 2022 Golf Tournament Registration Form Tournament Date June 11, 2022 Print this page, (CTRL P) fill in names, mail to Bartlett Historical Society PO Box 514 Bartlett, NH 03812 - Include Your Check for the Total Amount Sponsor Registration Player Registration Name:_____________________________ Address:___________________________ Address:____________________________ City:_______________________________ State:______________ ZIP____________ Phone:_____________________________ EMail:______________________________ Golfer 1:______________________________ Golfer 2:______________________________ Golfer 3:______________________________ Golfer 4:______________________________ For entries with less than a foursome, pairing will be at the discretion of the BHS Golf Committee. Tournament limited to the first 48 golfers with paid registrations by June 1, 2022. Back to the Instructions Print this page, (CTRL P) fill in names, mail to Bartlett Historical Society PO Box 514 Bartlett, NH 03812 - Include Your Check for the Total Amount

What is the church to museum all about ? GET ALL THE DETAILS HERE Museum Project Facts Intro to Your Museum Church - Early History Coming Attractions Museum Budget Museum Floor Plan Progress in Pictures Museum Gifting Levels How to Donate Museum Donor Form MUSEUM FUND RAISING PROGRESS GOAL $585,000 RAISED $369,229 Museum News April 2022 - We have raised an impressive $369,000 of the $585,000 goal to get the Bartlett Historical Museum open for visitors. We thank everyone who has pitched-in to make this a reality. ​ There is still a way to go and we are hopeful that more folks will step forward and send us whatever is comfortable. No amount is too small...your support is critical now. ​ We have created a NEW website section that shows you our current budgets: - The first shows you how past donations have been spent. - The next one shows exactly what we need to complete the Museum and get it open for you to visit. - Perhaps you are in a position to donate an item on our budget list instead of cash? ​ The NEW section shows various gifting needs , an updated floor plan , and a detailed history of the beginnings of the St. Josephs Church in the 1880's. And, of course, there is a donor form that you can print and mail to us or charge it on a credit card. ​ September 2020 we took a big step forward and completely replaced the roof of our Museum. Here's a link to pictures and details. Please find more updates for the Museum Project in our quarterly newsletters. They can be found at this link: (It opens in a new window) CLICK HERE March 9, 2020: Have you seen your old church recently ? ​ These photos show the progress that has occurred in the past 6 months. The interior has been stripped out, hazardous material removed and the walls anchored. None of this could have happened without your financial support. Thank You. The choir loft appears to be floating... November 2019: Historical Society purchases the Church from School District. Read the newspaper article: OCTOBER 2017: We aren't the only ones who think preserving the St Josephs Catholic Church is a good idea. The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance has named our project in their "SEVEN TO SAVE" Profiles. might take a moment to load; see below: In January of 2018 the Church building was listed with The NH State Register of Historic Places

Renovation Gallery page 6 Photos Page 1 Photos Page 2 Photos Page 3 Photos Page 4 Photos Page 5 Photos Page 6 That's where it stands right now. We need your help to get this project to the finish line. Anything you can donate will be greatly appreciated. Museum Donor Form The side door with no steps is where the Handicapped ramp will be installed. Photos Page 1 Photos Page 2 Photos Page 3 Photos Page 4 Photos Page 5 Photos Page 6

Renovation Gallery page 5 Photos Page 1 Photos Page 2 Photos Page 3 Photos Page 4 Photos Page 5 Photos Page 6 Let there be heat: New furnace installed as part of the full HVAC system. Heat, Plumbing and Electrical have been expensive. Choir loft suspended from ceiling giving the appearance of floating. Photos Page 1 Photos Page 2 Photos Page 3 Photos Page 4 Photos Page 5 Photos Page 6 Intro to Your Museum Church - Early History Coming Attractions Museum Budget Museum Floor Plan Progress in Pictures Museum Gifting Levels How to Donate Museum Donor Form

INTRODUCTION Intro to Your Museum Church - Early History Coming Attractions Museum Budget Museum Floor Plan Progress in Pictures Museum Gifting Levels How to Donate Museum Donor Form Introduction to the Bartlett History Museum. Updated April 2022 The Bartlett Historical Society (BHS) Board of Directors is conducting a major project to renovate the former St. Joseph Church building in Bartlett Village. The building will be transformed into the “Bartlett History Museum,” a multi-function public museum to celebrate the history of Bartlett, Hart’s Location and Livermore, NH. We are very excited about this project and hope we can enlist your support for this project. St. Joseph Church, built in 1890, was the first Catholic Church in the Mount Washington Valley. It served the spiritual needs of its parishioners until 1999 when the church was closed and the parish consolidated into Our Lady of the Mountains Church in North Conway. The Bartlett School District purchased the building after it was closed and used it as a storage facility. In 2013, they announced that they planned to demolish this historic building. After much committee debate and studies, it was decided that this building would make a great community museum for the Bartlett Historical Society. ​ In June 2016, we signed a long-term lease with the school district to become tenant “owners” of the building with the clear understanding that we intended to renovate the building to become our museum. In November 2019, we purchased the building and actively began renovation work. We have obtained all legal approvals via the Bartlett Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustments to define our property boundaries and operate the building as a museum. ​ Our multi-function museum will: ​ Offer revolving displays of the history of Bartlett, Hart’s Location and the Mt. Washington Valley; Be a cultural center for presentations and education on historic topics; Provide a learning and research center for Bartlett’s past; Provide the ability to research genealogies of local people; Be an archive for our collection of Bartlett artifacts and documents; Serve as the headquarters for the Bartlett Historical Society. This project is being funded through donations from individuals, businesses, foundations and our own BHS fundraising efforts. To date, over 400 individuals and businesses have contributed to the project, many giving multiple times. We have also received several grants supporting our project and our BHS fundraising efforts have also been successful. We are working to raise $585,000 to cover renovation costs. To date, we have raised $376,000 toward this goal. We have added about $280,000 in capital equity value to the building through the renovation work completed to date. As we complete more work on the building, this value will continue to increase. ​ We hope that the information on this site describing our project will inspire you to join us with a generous donation to the effort. Your support will help the Bartlett Historical Society bring a long-term vision to reality. Please contact us with any questions at BartlettHistoryNH@gmail.com or email me directly at Phil@BartlettHistory.org . We Thank You for your support. ________________________________ Philip Franklin President Introduction to Your Museum PO Box 514 - Bartlett, NH 03812

Renovation Gallery page 2 1983: Showing church next to school. Bartlett Hotel at the top and Howards Texaco station to the right. Photo Courtesy Roger Marcoux. Photos Page 1 Photos Page 2 Photos Page 3 Photos Page 4 Photos Page 5 Photos Page 6 2017: "Selling" the idea to the Community and the fund raising begins. October-November 2019: Hazardous materials removal in progress 2019 Photo: Phil Franklin, BHS President Photos Page 1 Photos Page 2 Photos Page 3 Photos Page 4 Photos Page 5 Photos Page 6 Intro to Your Museum Church - Early History Coming Attractions Museum Budget Museum Floor Plan Progress in Pictures Museum Gifting Levels How to Donate Museum Donor Form

Progress in Pictures Intro to Your Museum Church - Early History Coming Attractions Museum Budget Museum Floor Plan Progress in Pictures Museum Gifting Levels How to Donate Museum Donor Form Renovation Gallery page 1 2016 - The idea of transforming to a Museum is explored by the Historical Society Directors and the Community. 2016 Church Building 1950's with belltower 1950's showing the upper dormer for the Reverend's room, an addition on the back and a basement entryway. The building to the left is part of the Bartlett High School. 2016 - The needs are great. 2016 - Historical Society Directors look things over and assess the needs. The sacristy is where the Eucharist bread and wine are kept when not being used along with clergy vestments and parish records. Confession 2016 - Water damage and mold is a major problem. Photos Page 1 Photos Page 2 Photos Page 3 Photos Page 4 Photos Page 5 Photos Page 6

Renovation Gallery page 3 After the hazmat work, we had a clean original frame and environmentally safe building. The roof project is next!” Photos Page 1 Photos Page 2 Photos Page 3 Photos Page 4 Photos Page 5 Photos Page 6 Stained glass windows were donated by the original Parishioners with their name printed on each one. J.C. Donahue and Wife Frank McGee Pierre Leveque Rev Lacroix Rev Bishop Photos Page 1 Photos Page 2 Photos Page 3 Photos Page 4 Photos Page 5 Photos Page 6 Intro to Your Museum Church - Early History Coming Attractions Museum Budget Museum Floor Plan Progress in Pictures Museum Gifting Levels How to Donate Museum Donor Form

Renovation Gallery page 4 2016: One of the first projects was to do something with the leaky roof. Bill Duggan had a temporary solution. Photos Page 1 Photos Page 2 Photos Page 3 Photos Page 4 Photos Page 5 Photos Page 6 2020: As the donations flowed in we finally had money for a more permanent solution. August 16, 2020: Roof trusses completed. Photos Page 1 Photos Page 2 Photos Page 3 Photos Page 4 Photos Page 5 Photos Page 6 Intro to Your Museum Church - Early History Coming Attractions Museum Budget Museum Floor Plan Progress in Pictures Museum Gifting Levels How to Donate Museum Donor Form

Museum Gifting Levels Intro to Your Museum Church - Early History Coming Attractions Museum Budget Museum Floor Plan Progress in Pictures Museum Gifting Levels How to Donate Museum Donor Form PO Box 514 - Bartlett, NH 03812 d

Museum Donor Form Intro to Your Museum Church - Early History Coming Attractions Museum Budget Museum Floor Plan Progress in Pictures Museum Gifting Levels How to Donate Museum Donor Form Thank You We Sincerely thank you for considering a donation to what will be YOUR Historical Museum. Click the link below to view and print the PDF form. OR click the other link to charge it to a credit card. View & Print the Donor Form Charge it to my Credit Card No Amount is too small. Many small donations add up to substantial amounts. Your support is important to us. PO Box 514 - Bartlett, NH 03812

Announcing our 2021 and 2022 Quarterly Presentation Lineup! Past Programs Wednesday, October 20: “A Century of Railroading in Crawford Notch” with Ben English From the 1860s to the late 1950s, the railroads played a major role in the growth and vitality of the area. Ben, a railroad historian and BHS member, will tell us about the rise and fall of the railroads in our area. WHERE: Union Congregational Church Sanctuary, Route 302 and Albany Avenue, TIME: 7:00 p.m. August 9, 2021 June 16, 2021 ​ **** *DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC SOME PROGRAMS ARE BEING DELAYED UNTIL THE PANDEMIC IS IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR. WE WILL PROVIDE UPDATES AS AVAILABLE. ​ The Bartlett Historical Society Board of Directors is holding our Annual Meeting and 1st Quarter presentation via "ZOOM" on Sunday, January 24, 2021 . The agenda for the meeting is: 2:00 – 2:30: Phil Franklin, BHS President, will review the 2020 Annual Report. We will also have an election of officers for the BHS Board during this time period 2:30 – 3:15: Scottie Mallett, our Railroad Committee historian, will present an overview of the work the Railroad Committee has completed on their research of the Bartlett and Hart’s Location railroad history Following these presentations, we will open the floor for questions. Taking safety precautions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are only holding this meeting online using the Zoom meeting platform. There is no physical location or in-person meeting. Our Zoom license will only allow 100 participants in the meeting. If there is more than one person in your household planning to attend the meeting, please plan to attend the meeting together. The meeting information and link to the meeting are below. You can join or leave the meeting at any time while the meeting is actively in progress. Bartlett Historical Society Board of Directors is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. When you link to the meeting, it will be in the name of Susan Franklin, our BHS Treasurer. She holds our BHS Zoom license. If you have attended a Zoom meeting in the past on your computer, all you need to do is click on the link below where it says “Join Zoom Meeting.” You will be muted when you join but we will open the meeting for questions. If you are new to Zoom, Click on the “Join Zoom Meeting” link and Zoom will prompt you with a series of simple set up instructions that generally takes less than five minutes to complete. It’s really simple, even Phil Franklin can do it! In case you want more information on Zoom on your computer, here’s a link that gives more information. A Step-by-Step Guide to a Zoom Meeting | Seniors Guide We look forward to having as many of you in the meeting as possible. We’ll see you Sunday, January 24th. Phil Franklin ZOOM LINK INFORMATION BELOW Topic: Bartlett Historical Annual Meeting & 1st Quarter Presentation Time: Jan 24, 2021 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81097068765?pwd=OTFvVytEZUgvc2lEdGJ6UE0yS1RRZz09 Meeting ID: 810 9706 8765 Passcode: 119384 ​ ​ ​ Share the Bartlett History Programs 2020 Presentations You Might Have Missed OR were cancelled: ​ CANCELLED: Wednesday, October 21: “A Century of Railroading in Crawford Notch” with Ben English From the 1860’s to the late 1950’s, the railroads played a major role in the growth and vitality of the area. Ben, a railroad historian and BHS member, will tell us about the rise and fall of the railroads in our area. Bartlett Elementary School, Cafeteria, Route 302, Bartlett, Time: 7:00 p.m. All of our programs are open to the public. Donations are gratefully accepted at the door to help cover the costs of each presentation. CANCELLED: Wednesday, June 17: “The Role of the US Forest Service in the White Mountains” with Clare Long We are surrounded by national forest land and we see the US Forest Service vehicles and staff throughout the area. Clare will talk about the role of the Forest Service in our community and national forest. Bartlett Elementary School, Cafeteria, Route 302, Bartlett, Time: 7:00 p.m. CANCELLED: Wednesday, April 15: “The Story of NH’s Road Markers” with Michael Bruno Throughout our state, including right here in Bartlett, there are green markers with white lettering noting historic sites along our roadsides. John will give us the background on these markers and enlighten us with some of the more unusual ones. Bartlett Elementary School, Cafeteria, Route 302, Bartlett, Time: 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 15: “A History of the NH Presidential Primary” by John Gfoerer This program presents a brief history of the New Hampshire Presidential Primary, from its origins during the Progressive era of the early twentieth century, through its evolution to the most important step toward being elected President of the United States. Just in time for our primary day! Bartlett Elementary School, Cafeteria, Route 302, Bartlett, Time: 7:00 p.m. ​ ​ 2019 Presentation Line-up: January 27: “Recollections of Bartlett Volume III”—with a new Panel of Bartlett “Historians” SORRY, THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. April 10: “Building Stone Walls” with Kevin Gardner Kevin is a NH stone wall builder and author (“The Granite Kiss”). He will enlighten us in the art of building dry stone walls while he actually works on a small scale wall right in the presentation. Bartlett Elementary School, Cafeteria, Route 302, Bartlett, Time: 7:00 p.m. June 12: “Broadcasting from Atop the Rock Pile” with Marty Engstrom Marty was a local broadcaster who entertained audiences from the top of Mount Washington. Listen to his stories of broadcasting from the highest point in the northeast with the worst weather in the world. Bartlett Elementary School, Cafeteria, Route 302, Bartlett, Time: 7:00 p.m. October 10: “An Updated Look at the History of the CCC Camps” with Dave Govatski Dave has presented to our BHS audience before on the topic of CCC camps in the area but he has a newly updated program on the topic. Join us to learn what’s new on the topic of the CCC camps. Bartlett Elementary School, Cafeteria, Route 302, Bartlett, Time: 7:00 p.m. All of our programs are open to the public. Donations are gratefully accepted at the door to help cover the costs of each presentation.

Church - Early History Intro to Your Museum Church - Early History Coming Attractions Museum Budget Museum Floor Plan Progress in Pictures Museum Gifting Levels How to Donate Museum Donor Form A Detailed History of the St. Josephs Catholic Church in Bartlett, NH --The Beginning -- Assembled by Phil Franklin Bartlett Historical Society, Board of Directors December 2016 Cormorant Garamond is a classic font with a modern twist. It's easy to read on screens of every shape and size, and perfect for long blocks of text. Mission While we have been very focused on the project to transform St. Joseph Church into the Bartlett Historical Society Museum, we have also been working to assemble the history of the church. To do this, we have had to rely on different sources of information (i.e. people and documents) as we have found that there is no one source for this history. Also, in doing the historical research, we have identified some discrepancies in things such as dates for events and there are gaps in the history as we cannot seem to locate any documentation about the history for the majority of the 1900’s. To the best of our efforts, we have tried to clarify the discrepancies as either typographical errors or in some cases interpretation of handwriting from the 1880’s and 1890’s which was not always clear. The bottom line is that this history is a work in progress and we welcome any help from people in the community with documents, pictures or recollections. This article will focus on the beginning years of the church – 1888 - 1891. Sources for this information include: * “Bartlett, New Hampshire … in the valley of the Saco” by Aileen M. Carroll, Phoenix Publishing, 1990 * Correspondence from Father J. N. Plante to Bishop Dennis Bradley from 1888 – 1891 copied from the archives at the Offices of the Diocese of Manchester as well as other documents from the Diocese * Correspondence from Littleton Savings Bank, June 16, 1890 An Idea for a Church is Born From 1856 to 1888, the Catholic community in Bartlett was organized as a mission of the All Saints Church in Lancaster, NH. From 1888 to July 14, 1902, the affiliation of the Bartlett Catholic community fell under the mission of St. Matthew’s Church in Whitefield, NH. During these years, it appears that the Catholic community in Bartlett and the surrounding towns was growing. This is where Father J. N. Plante of St. Matthew’s Church enters into the picture. The idea for a Catholic church in Bartlett started out of a need seen by Father Plante while he was stationed at St. Matthew’s Church. Before there was a church in Bartlett, people from this area needed to travel to Whitefield for services, the sacraments and any other spiritual needs. Remember, travel in those days was only by rail, horse, horse and buggy or, in the winter, sled so it was quite a journey to get to Whitefield. In a letter to Bishop Dennis Bradley on May 17, 1888, Father Plante wrote of several St. Matthew’s church related items (on St. Matthew’s letterhead) and at the very end of the letter, almost as a footnote, added, “I shall write to you soon concerning the building of a Chapel to Bartlett this summer.” We presume that the reference to “this summer” is when Father Plante intended to write more about his idea for the Bartlett church not that he planned to build in the summer of 1888. In a follow up letter to the Bishop dated November 22, 1888, Father Plante again mentions the Bartlett church writing, “I am glad to let you know that I have bought a church lot over to Bartlett. The payment thereon shall be made some time in January next and a Warranty Deed shall be made to your name.” At this point, the ground work was laid for the new Catholic Church in Bartlett. Land Acquisition, Financing and Initiation of Construction Records go on to show that the closing for the land did not occur until May 13, 1889. On that date, Emily A. Meserve sold a parcel of land on Carrigan Street to “Rev. D. M. Bradley” for a sum of $125.00. The land totaled “twelve thousand five hundred square feet more or less.” The lot dimension were 125’ x 100’. Carrigan Street is now known as School Street in Upper Bartlett or Bartlett Village. Plans for building the church were in motion but no documentation has been found to describe the steps being taken until a letter, again on St. Matthew’s Church letterhead, dated June 20, 1890 outlines a series of steps taken and concerns raised. We know from other documents that the actual construction started with the digging of the foundation hole on May 15, 1890 and that the stone work for the foundation was completed on June 1, 1890. Father Plante’s June 20th letter to Bishop Bradley reveals several things. First, he tells the Bishop that he “gave out the job of the stone work to a man from Berlin Falls. His name is Louis Rodrique.” The letter goes on to say that Mr. Rodrique was contracted to build a “good stone wall three feet in the ground and 1½ above - built with good land and lime and cement mortar … the thickness of the wall will be 2½ feet.” This contract for the foundation was written for $325.00 and the dimension of the church based on the foundation size will be 36’ x 58’. Father Plante continues in the June 20th letter by turning his attention to the money needed for the building. He says that he can raise the money to pay for the “wall” (foundation) but cannot go on further this year without help from the Bishop. The “help” requested is in the form of having the Bishop provide backing for loans that Father Plante was securing for the building effort. In the next paragraph in this letter, Father Plante outlines his plans for borrowing the money needed for construction. He mentions two sources of money. First, he notes a man in Whitefield who is known to the Bishop. He identifies this man as John O’Neal. Father Plante feels that Mr. O’Neal “could accommodate us very well with $1200 or $1500 and would take your note for security.” The second source of money is the Littleton Savings Bank. A letter from Mr. O.C. Hatch at the Littleton Savings Bank dated June 16, 1890 concludes with the statement “we can furnish the money, 1,000 $ [sic] or 1,500 as you prefer. They [bank directors] will waive the rule that we have if the Bishop makes the [unreadable word].” As a side note, the Littleton Historical Society, Curator Dick Alberini identified Mr. Hatch as Oscar Cutler Hatch, born in Newbury, VT on November 11, 1848; Mr. Hatch’s occupation was listed as “Banker” among other civic titles. Back to Father Plante’s borrowing - A note on a statement listing construction costs shows that the bank note was written for $1,300. With his financial “burden” (referencing the money) presumably secured, Father Plante awarded the construction job to a “Mr. Dana.” In the same June 20th letter, Father Plante also outlines the start of his plan to pay for the building. He says that he plans to hold a “fair in the building as soon as the frame be up, boarded and shingled.” He concludes this information packed letter by writing “The families are few in number in Bartlett, but still in their number and poverty, I believe that they can pay in time for their church.” From this one letter we learn a great deal about the character of Father Plante and his determination to build this church. A letter on August 1, 1890 from Father Plante to Bishop Bradley reveals that there must have been some discussion about using Mr. Dana for the building work versus two other men from Berlin Falls. In this letter, which provides some detail on the construction materials to be used, Father Plante states that Mr. Dana has provided an estimate of $3,300 for the building cost. The other men, identified only as “Turgeon and Biland,” provided a similar but slightly lower cost estimate ($300 less). While we do not have any documentation that provides a final statement of the contractor who was awarded the work, Father Plante writes very favorably about Mr. Dana so we will presume that Mr. Dana continued as the contractor. We will continue to look for evidence of who actually built the church. Building Completion and the Bishop’s Blessing We do not have any documentation of the actual construction but from the dates by which the construction was started to the point at which the first mass was celebrated, the building process must have been an all-out effort. The first mass was celebrated on November 9, 1890, making the construction effort a mere 179 days from start to finish. At that first mass, the choir from Whitefield sang the hymns. In yet another letter to Bishop Bradley dated October 2, 1890, Father Plante invites the Bishop to Bartlett writing “I wish you would come over sometime in October to see the beautiful little church of Bartlett. St. Joseph has granted our prayers for now the church is standing and shall be soon ready for worship.” (The reference to St. Joseph is presumed to be because Joseph, the father of Jesus, was a carpenter.) Bishop Bradley finally came to the church on August 30, 1891 to bless the building and officiate at the first communion of seven children plus 20 confirmations and one faith conversion where Thomas Colbath of Albany was baptized. As it was opened, St. Joseph was the first Catholic Church in the Mount Washington Valley. The church served the spiritual needs of people from Upper Bartlett plus Livermore, Redstone and Intervale. This was a regional church in its early years. St. Joseph Church was originally named Sacred Heart Church but in 1937, the name was changed to St. Joseph. We have not found why this name change occurred but a reference in the diary of Bishop Bradley dated August 30, 1891 states that he “dedicated the church to St. Joseph.” Completion Cost With all of Father Plante’s concerns about money, the church was built for the total sum of $2,732.28. The largest expense was the carpentry with a price of $1,725.28. The total cost included the lot, construction costs, furnishings, three years of insurance and loan interest. In the first year of the church’s life, the parishioners raised $1,253 toward payment of this debt through concerts, suppers and a fair. Observations about Father Plante Obviously, Father J. N. Plante played a central and critical role in the building of St. Joseph Church and the formation of the Catholic community in the area. While we have not discovered any biographical information about Father Plante, we can deduce something of his character from his letters to the Bishop. For example, Father Plante seems to have been one who acted without necessarily getting permission. We reach this conclusion by his 1888 and 1890 letters where he tells the Bishop of progress and his intentions relating to the building of the church rather than asking permission. In other letters in 1891, Father Plante makes two separate references to a troubling illness that has overtaken him. In a letter dated May 21, 1891, he writes to the Bishop reminding him that he had written earlier saying that he could not attend a conference sponsored by the Bishop and was expressing his dismay saying to the Bishop “I am sorry that to see that you have condemned me by not replying.” He later blames his illness on “the hardship of the mission.” In another letter on September 3, 1891, Father Plante again makes a direct appeal to the Bishop for support from two other priests because he is too sick to attend to his duties. He writes “I have seen already three physicians and they all agree in saying that unless I have complete rest, my health would be injured for life.” In this letter, he requests a three week vacation to recuperate. We have not found any follow up reference to his recovery or otherwise but again, we’ll keep looking. On another topic, Father Plante makes reference in his September 3rd letter to a “piece of land I own in Bartlett.” He describes land which is now the soccer field and school park between the church and railroad tracks and says that he has an offer of $225 for this property that he is contemplating selling. Finally, again, a reference from the Bishops diary on August 31, 1891 shows the Bishops private admiration for Father Plante as he writes “He is a most excellent priest.” Summary and A Request for Your Help We now have some detail on the beginnings of St. Joseph Church. The research we’ve done on the church has shown that there are many gaps in the documentation that we have uncovered so far. We will continue our search for records through the Diocese of Manchester and possibly through Our Lady of the Mountains but we could use the help of anyone who has knowledge of the history of St. Joseph Church. Below are some things we would like to know: * Were there maintenance records kept and, if so, where are they now? * Pictures of the church show a bell tower as recently as the 1960’s but in the 1990 Centennial picture the tower is gone. When was it removed, why and where is the bell? * Pictures of the church from the early 1900’s show a tall structure attached to the back of the church. From reading some other documentation, a passing reference is made to a priest’s apartment in the church but that reference is not identified as the tall structure; does anyone know what this structure was and when and why it was removed? * Does anyone have pictures of the interior of the church prior to Vatican II when the altar was moved from facing away from the congregation to facing toward the congregation? If you have them, can we please borrow them to scan into a computer or are you willing to donate them? * Was there ever a renovation done to the church? In an earlier picture, we see a dormer on the north side of the church near the back of the building. That dormer is gone now but, again, we would like to know why it was there (possible for the priest’s apartment?) and when it was removed. As we learn more about the history of St. Joseph Church, we will add to this narrative and publish new information on the history of this historic building. PO Box 514 - Bartlett, NH 03812