SHADOW LAKE AND “SHADOWLANDS”

“Shadowland”  was a day resort on Shadow Lake. It was similar to many others in the area and featured a large swimming beach, store, with a pavilion over the water.

Eastern Illustrating Company

ROBIN’S NEST TOURIST CAMP

The Robin’s Nest Tourist Camp was established by Mooney Robinson. It was another tourist operation that opened as a result of automobile travel and the improvements to Route 28 in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. It was soon one of the main routes to the lakes and mountains. Later the business was expanded. Rural Oasis states, “A well-known place that should not be forgotten (because it was the watering hole of the local establishment including Maurice Armstrong and George Dinsmore Sr.) was Mooney Robinson’s on Route 28 where the Robin’s Nest Motel is today. Mooney Robinson’s Restaurant and Beer Parlor was the official business name. It opened in 1928, closed in 1944, and was the most colorful places in town. It was a popular rendezvous for local people to discuss politics and other subjects. The restaurant had the first beer license.  As the liquor flowed, so did the stories. From all reports no place came even near to replacing it.” My father tells a story of his father and Maurice Armstrong at Moody

Matchbook from the Robin’s Nest. Maurice Armstrong’s car in front of Mooney Robinson’s

Robinson’s place. After a few drinks an argument broke out over who was the fastest runner. The drinking continued and the argument got more and more heated. Finally, there was no more place for debate, it had to be settled, man to man in the street. The whole establishment including George and Maurice headed outside and an unofficial track was established down Route 28. The two slightly tipsy Windham Olympians then raced up Route 28, shouting at one another as they went. Who won?  I would like to believe that it was my grandfather, George Dinsmore, however, no one has breathed a word since of who was victorious, or even if either one of them  made it back to Mooney’s.  My grandmother was a saint! Hey wait a minute, there’s an idea here, maybe the Dinsmore and Armstrong families should establish the “Mooney Robinson Memorial, Three Sheets to the Wind 1K Race.”  I’m joking, I’m really joking, but that sure would make an interesting race and level the field, wouldn’t it!?

After Robinson sold, a Middle Eastern restaurant operated out of the place for awhile. Later the LaChance family purchased the property and constructed motel rooms. Of course, The Robin’s Nest, is now the Manor Motel.

Eastern Illustrating Company

Whip-O-Will Pond A.K.A. Seavey Pond in Windham NH. Courtesy of Penobscot Marine Museum.

WHIP-O-WILL POND, WINDHAM NH

The first group of photographs that I’ll be presenting, from the Eastern Illustrating Company collection, are associated with Route 28. In the 1920’s, Route 28 was a main, tourist and commercial, north-south highway in the Boston area. (Competing with Route 3 which crossed the New Hampshire border in Nashua.) Route 28 travels over 81 miles connecting Salem on the Massachusetts border with Ossipee in the White Mountain Region.  It passes through the city of Manchester on its way.

In Massachusetts, Route 28 runs 152 miles through Boston on its way to the Cape. Route 28 was established in 1922 as a result of the  phenomenal growth in automobile usage by the general public. The New England states adopted a region wide road marking system, with primary routes assigned a number between 1 and 99 marked with black numerals on yellow bands. Painted on poles along the roads. Most of these new, interstate, automobile roads followed the path of the old turnpikes that had been established in the early 19th century.

These early turnpikes grew up as a result of private enterprise. Private corporations would sell shares in order to raise money, with which they would build roads. The idea was to build as straight and smooth a road as possible and then to charge a toll every mile or so in order to make money on their investment. Private corporations built over 80 turnpikes with 500 miles of toll roads between 1796 and 1830.  There were two major turnpikes in Windham. The Mammoth Road which ran from Manchester to Lowell and the Londonderry Turnpike which ran from the Salem Border north to Concord. Much of Route 28 followed the old Londonderry Turnpike and then connected at the Massachusetts border with the Essex Turnpike that ended near Boston. For more information see The Turnpikes of New England and Evolution of the same through New England by James Wood and available free on google books.

As Route 28 was paved for automobile traffic, and as Americans had more leisure time and disposable income, there began a whole industry catering to automobile tourists. The Eastern Illustrating Company photographs, beautifully capture that emerging industry on Route 28 in Windham. While the area did have attractions such as Canobie Lake, Cobbett’s Pond and Rockingham Park, most of the traffic was passing through Windham to get to the Lakes Region and the White Mountains. So the industry that grew up along Route 28 was gas stations, overnight tourist cottages, restaurants and lunch counters,  as well as stores.

So, do any of you recognize this scene of Whip-O-Will Pond in Windham? How about you folks that live in Lamplighter Village? This view is of a beautiful, tranquil pond. The dam in the foreground really gives the spot away. It is Seavey Pond in Windham. before anything  was built on its shores.

Rural Oasis states that, “On Flatrock Brook, which flows from Derry through the northerly part of Windham, George Seavey built his mill east of the turnpike.  He dammed the brook north of the mill for the water supply necessary to run it. The pond he created is known as Seavey Pond and covers about ten acres.”

“Now the mill is gone. Today many residents of Windham could not even tell you where Seavey Pond is. Very little of the pond is visible from the highway; one must leave it to see the water. Since the construction of I-93 few people travel Route 28…The original colony on the lake was started by Gordon Costley and was known as Aqua Vista Cabins.” So here is the mystery; why is Seavey Pond shown as Whip-O-Will Pond on the Eastern Illustrating Company’s photograph?

Cobbett’s Pond

Photograph Taken from the “Head of the Pond.”

POSTMARK 1922: Miss Hazel Macober, 4 Beacon Street, Salem, Mass. “This picture we think is near Mr. Walker’s Camp. It is a very pretty view. Ma. Will you put some putty under the sink and then shellac it over.” This photograph is taken from where “Granite Hill” is located today. It’s a nice view of the Armstrong shoreline circa. 1922.

100 Years Ago in Windham

Dalton Warren Sexton in front of Windham Presbyterian Church. His home in the Center.

W.H. HARRIS | THE EXETER NEWSLETTER

WINDHAM, February 27. 1917.—Wenonah the eleven -year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R.E. Alley, has come home from Tower Hall sanitarium, Derry, where she has been for several weeks under treatment, which included an operation, for peritonitis. She has ha a hard time, and all are glad to know she is so far recovered.      Viola M. Jackson, daughter  of Mr. and Mrs. George E, Jackson, and a student at Pinkerton Academy, went to Nashua hospital Saturday and underwent an operation for the removal of the appendix. The operation was reported to be successful.

Dalton Warren and Family

Our oldest resident, Dalton John Warren, died on the 15th, at the home of George E. Jackson, where he had of late been cared for. He was in his 92nd year, having been born November 5, 1825. For more than a year he had been very feeble. His wife died about a year ago, aged nearly ninety. Mr. Warren had been a respected citizen and member of the church, and was sexton of the church building for many years. His only near relatives are a nephew, Dr. Warren, or Worcester, and a niece, Mrs. Frost, of Newburyport. The funeral was at White’s undertaking rooms, Derry, and burial was at West Manchester, Mr. Warren’s former home.

John H Dinsmore and his Farm on Indian Rock Road

John H. Dinsmore, one of our most prominent citizens and representative of one of the oldest families in town, is in feeble health at the present time.

The Nesmith Farm on North Lowell Road in Windham NH

Another resident, who to universal regret is in failing health, is Mrs. Ellen C. Nesmith, mother of J. Arthur Nesmith.      Mr. and Mrs. William A. Butterfield, having on February 25 reached the fiftieth Anniversary of their marriage, were visited by their children and grandchildren and some of their neighbors and the occasion was celebrated in a pleasing manner. Mr. Butterfield is a native of Bedford and served in the Third N.H. Regiment in the Civil War. Mrs. Butterfield was Sophronia L. Messer, a native of Plaistow. They have been respected residents of the Depot district of this town for 35 years. W.S.H.

Dalton Warren and His Dog

Moeckel’s Park

I found this advertising card for “Moeckel’s Park” at the estate sale at the Linton property.  According to the Moeckel Pond Village District web-site, the pond and dam were purchased by William and Gertrude Moeckel in 1921.  They rented boats and cottages along the shore of the pond and according to the card had a tea room and meals for the day trippers who came to enjoy this tranquil spot. The pond is now owned by the Windham Conservation Commission. Fund-raising continues by the Friends of Moeckel Pond to rebuild the dam so water levels can be restored in the pond.  More information can be found at moeckelpond.com

100 Years Ago in Windham

Clarence and Ernest Harrington delivering witch hazel to the Gould Witch Hazel Distillery on the turnpike in Windham.

W.S. HARRIS | THE EXETER NEWSLETTER: WITCH HAZEL

“WINDHAM, December 5.— The death of Charles M. Webber removes an industrious and respected citizen who came to town when a young man from Chelmsford, Mass.  His age was 50 years. He leaves an aged mother, a widow, two sons and one daughter.”

“Miss A. Leola Low, a native of Windham and daughter of Fred S. Low, died November 23 at the home of an aunt in Derry, at the age of 23 years. She had been afflicted with tuberculosis and had spent some years in the Pembroke and Glencliffe sanatoriums. The funeral was held in the Baptist Church, Derry, with burial in that town. She was highly esteemed by many friends.”

“A number of witch-hazel bushes bearing fresh blossoms were noticed December 1.” The distilling of witch-hazel was once a large business in New England. Both Gould and Merrimack witch hazel companies operated mills on Rockingham Road (the turnpike) and on Golden Brook Road. Carefully selected green twigs were boiled in large vats and the mixed with alcohol. This time of year, you can still see witch hazel blossoming in Windham. One of the easiest places to spot it is on the walking trail at Griffin Park. There are several bushes blossoming in the wooded buffer between the park and Johnson’s farm.

Witch Hazel blossoming in Griffin Park, December 6, 2016.

“On the second day of deer season, a 170 pound buck was accommodating enough to come out into the field near J.W.M. Woorledge’s home and allow itself to be converted into venison, to lessen the high cost of living.”