Windham Mid-Century Modern

Perspective drawing of the Gilbert Bucknam house, Windham, N.H., by Charles H. Crombie, updated. Royal Barry Wills Associates Archives. Courtesy of Historic New England.

Royal Barry Wills Contemporary on Cobbett’s Pond

The architectural firm, Royal Barry Wills was known for their beautiful colonial revival architecture found in many homes designed for the upscale suburbs surrounding Boston MA. The Gilbert Bucknam house is among the firm’s few contemporary designs. Of course, the spectacular, natural hillside of 6 plus acres overlooking Cobbett’s Pond in Windham, NH, was a perfect spot for a contemporary. It was designed in 1954. Mr. Bucknam was a prominent Nashua businessman and according to his obituary  “was Comptroller at Improved Machinery Company in Nashua and prior to his retirement in 1991, he owned and was president of New England Steel Fabricators in Milford NH for many years; Past President of Nashua Country Club. He also served as a director of the former Nashua Trust Company.” He had three sons and three daughters. His wife Elizabeth passed away last year at the age of 101. The house itself was a “T’ shaped ranch which sprawled along the top of the hill providing spectacular views of the lake out of  the rows of window-walls. There was a great-room with massive fireplace. Two swept back wings included owners room and bedrooms for the children, Anne, Martha, Rodger, Allen and Richard. The Bucknams purchased the land in 1954 from George and Dorothy Butterfield. The Butterfields had acquired the land from Lillian Andrew which was once part of the Searles estate, Stanton-Harcourt. The Bucknams sold the house to Wayne and Marge Carter on December 22, 1964. Of course today, this is the location of the five homes at Granite Hill. More information and the archives of the architectural  work of Royal Barry Wills Associates can be found at Historic New England.

First floor plan of Gilbert Bucknam house, Windham, N.H., by Warren Rohter, 9 June 1954, Royal Barry Wills Associates Archives. Courtesy of Historic New England

East elevation of Gilbert Bucknam house, Windham N.H., by Warren Rohter, undated. Royal Barry Wills Associates Archives. Courtesy of Historic New England.

North and South elevations of Gilbert Bucknam house, Windham N.H., by Warren Rohter, 3 June 1954. Royal Barry Wills Associates Archives. Courtesy Historic New England.

View from the property approximately 50 years prior to the construction of the Bucknam house.

View from the site 50 years before the construction of the Bucknam house when the property was part of Edward Searles’ Stanton Harcourt estate.

For more information at Historic New England about the Bucknam house and the Royal Barry Wills Archives:

Cobbett’s Pond

Wooden Boats & Canoes

We’ve been marveling at the boats on Cobbett’s Pond lately. $180,000+ for a boat! You could buy a condo for the same amount of money. What is the total assessed value of the boats on the lakes in Windham anyway? There’s a certain blue and white Chris-Craft Launch that looks good on the water at Cobbett’s Pond but what we’ve really enjoyed this summer is the sudden appearance of several old aluminum boats; many still powered by mid-century out-boards. Of course, back in the day before fiberglass, most all boats on the lakes and ponds were wooden. They were often built by hand by the people who owned the cottages. Then there were also the canvass lined canoes with their beautiful wooden interiors. The wooden inboards have always been stunning, with the mahogany gleaming in the sun. I had my windows open and I  was listening to boats on the lake, in bed the other night; I’ve decided there is nothing as distinctive as the sound of an old inboard engine, rumbling across the water.

Some of the photos include Joe and Mary Anne Alosky with their mom in a classic, wooden row-boat with outboard.

A gorgeous wooden sailboat that was once kept at a cottage on North Shore Road.

Johnsons in boats and canoes.

The Aloskys again in a wooden boat on Cobbett’s.

George Dinsmore Sr. and his daughter Dorothy in a wooden canoe.

The “East Shore of Cobbett’s Pond.”

In the fifties and sixties there were hundreds of black and white wooden row-boats, clogging the small pond, filled to the brim with passengers, rented at Dunkin Beach.

Finally, My mom tells the story that she and her sister Lal could out paddle my Dad’s power boat in a canoe when they were kids

Cobbett’s Pond

Photographs of the Unknown.

There is no way of knowing who these people were or why they were at Cobbett’s Pond. Why do people create beautiful photograph albums and not write down who is in them and why? Whoever they were, they were well off, considering they had also just sailed to Bermuda. It was the roaring twenties after all! Imagine wearing a suit and tie on Bermuda!

Happy Fourth of July

Hoping you find a nice spot to rest and relax this holiday weekend.

Fairview on Cobbett’s Pond’s North Shore circa. 1900 | E.A. Brook’s photograph