Driving Tour: Eastern Edge of the Monadnock Region

They say you can't go home again, but in late October I did just that, making a road trip along the eastern edge of the Monadnock region to revisit several towns I once lived in. My journey began in Peterborough, a community I was fortunate to call home for six years. Before getting underway I decided to check out the Peterborough town library which was renovated in 2020 - 2021. The old reading room in the library was a frequent destination for me. I was pleased to see the historic room was restored but basically remains the same in character. More modern changes include a community wing, auditorium, multi-purpose classrooms and a connector building. All have spacious, high-ceilinged rooms. If you haven't already checked this magnificent building out it's worth the drive no matter where you live in the region. From the library, I drove on Route 202 east for 1.7 miles, turning right onto Route 136 east. This road, which initially runs parallel to the Contoocook River, has a rural character to it with fields, marshland, farms, streams and forests bordering its edge. Although past peak foliage, on this day there were subtle browns, golds, bronzes and tans to enjoy. After 10 miles I reached Greenfield. A four-and-a-half-mile drive on Route 136 brought me to Francestown. Here I checked out the old Francestown Academy building (in operation from 1800 to 1921) and white clapboarded Meetinghouse before continuing my drive on the Second New Hampshire Turnpike. The turnpike dates back to 1801. At one time, a fee of one cent per mile was collected from traveling coaches and wagons. Bordered by marshland and woods, and without having to worry about traffic lights, it was a pleasure to cruise along the old thoroughfare. Over a stretch of about 10 miles, I traveled through parts of Francestown, Lyndeborough, New Boston and Mont Vernon before ending my turnpike trip at Route 13 in Mont Vernon. Turning right (south) onto Route 13, I drove a very short distance and turned right onto Wilton Rd. which dropped steeply downhill. After crossing the town lines of Milford, Lyndeborough and Milford once more, I reached North River Rd. at Fitch's Corner in Milford. Turning left, I continued driving on the rural byway for a little more than two miles to Route 13. A right turn and short drive brought me to the "Oval" in downtown Milford. Having worked as a reporter for the Cabinet Press in Milford for over a decade, the Oval was very familiar to me. A popular gathering spot, the Oval represents the heart of Milford where many town events take place, the most famous being the Pumpkin Festival. The Oval is formed by a modified traffic rotary and is actually triangular shaped, but the name Oval dates back to the 1800s when it was oval in shape. From the Oval, I continued driving on Route 13 south. After seven and a half miles I turned right onto Mason Rd. in Brookline. Here I stopped to check out Lake Potanipo. In the late 1800s, the Fresh Pond Ice Company harvested ice from this 170-acre body of water. At its peak the company employed more than 250 men and owned 75 special ice freezer rail cars to ship ice. From the lake, I continued driving uphill for three miles to Parker's Maple Barn restaurant. About two and a half miles farther I saw a sign indicating the direction to Townsend, Mass., and Mason. Turning right onto Depot Rd. I made a very steep one-mile descent before coming to a stop sign. Turning right again, I continued uphill on Valley Rd. (Route 123 north) for 0.6 mile to the boyhood home of Samuel "Uncle Sam" Wilson. Samuel Wilson grew up in Mason before moving to Troy, N.Y., where he worked as a meat inspector for the army. Wilson's company supplied rations to the army troops during the War of 1812. These ration packages were stamped "U.S." and soldiers began joking that the "U.S." stood for "Uncle Sam" Wilson. The origin of this story is disputed but Wilson was a real person and his childhood home, a private residence, is in Mason. A short distance from the Uncle Sam house brought me to the hilltop town of Mason. The road, now Merriam Hill Rd., turned left and moved sharply downhill. In a short time, I crossed the Greenville town line and continued driving for two miles to Washburn's Windy Hill Orchard where there was a stunning view of the Wapack Mountain range to the north. A short drive down Merriam Hill Rd. brought me to Route 31. Turning right, a mile-and-a-half drive brought me to Greenville, another former residence of mine. After stopping to check out the fine, old brick buildings — there are examples of Queen Anne-style houses on side streets — I continued driving on Route 123 north for about a mile to the Route 124 intersection. After a nearly five-mile drive on Route 123/124 I reached Old Rindge Rd. on the right. Here was a trailhead for the Wapack Trail and Kidder Mountain. I saved the hike for another day but took a brief break to stretch my legs before returning to my car. From Old Rindge Rd. I continued driving on Route 123/124 for 0.6 mile to the Route 123 intersection. A 5.4 drive on Route 123 north brought me back to Route 101 in Peterborough.