Our Towns Stoddard, New Hampshire Blueberries, Outdoor Adventures & Conservation

--------------------------------------------------------------- BOX: Founded: First granted as Monadnock No. 7 in 1752. Known as Limerick.Incorporated as Stoddard in 1774 in honor of Colonel Stoddard. County: Cheshire Land Acknowledgement:PennacookWabanaki (Dawnland Confederacy)Abenaki / Abénaquis Population: 1,374 Elevation: 1,427 ft. Area: 53.1 square miles ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stoddard — unless you live there, it may be one of those towns you know for its name but perhaps not for its heart. Big on blueberries and backdoor adventure, it's surprisingly mighty, with a community dedicated to preserving its impressive, wild lands. &emsp;&emsp;"The absolute best part of living in Stoddard is the natural beauty," says Amanda Bridges, who moved to town in 2018 when her son started kindergarten. She and her husband also have a young daughter, and the family of four has truly fallen for this special part of New Hampshire. &emsp;&emsp;"Stoddard is a hidden gem with abundant hiking trails, forests, lakes, swamps and creeks. We have the privilege to see a great deal of plant and wildlife," she says. &emsp;&emsp;Stoddard is a popular place for canoeing, kayaking, boating, and fishing. It is also known for its bountiful bodies of water, including Island Pond, Cold Spring Pond, Robb Reservoir, Center Pond, Granite Lake, Highland Lake and more. &emsp;&emsp;A top locale for recreation lovers, Highland Lake, which rests partly in Stoddard and partly in Washington, is 697 acres. Right now, the town is engaged in a conservation initiative called The Little Big Forest, which is an effort to purchase a 40-acre parcel of undeveloped lakefront on Highland Lake. &emsp;&emsp;At Stoddard's Faulkner Elementary School, where Bridges teaches fifth grade and has become a semi-finalist for 2023 NH Teacher of the Year, the school community shows a strong commitment to both outdoor and hands-on learning. &emsp;&emsp;To raise money for The Little Big Forest effort, students hosted a movie night under the stars this spring, selling popcorn and lemonade and hosting a raffle. &emsp;&emsp;"That's what our community is really about — parents, community members, and teachers rallying behind the students of the town to help facilitate their ideas into action," Bridges says. &emsp;&emsp;The outpouring of support for this latest conservation project is not unprecedented. &emsp;&emsp;Alan F. Rumrill, who has been a member of the Stoddard Historical Society for 45 years, says the town is known for "successful land conservation efforts in the 20th and 21st centuries … two-thirds of the land is conserved as natural space, much of it open to the public." &emsp;&emsp;That's an impressive feat for a town that is the second-largest (in square miles) in Cheshire County. &emsp;&emsp;It also makes Stoddard a treasured place for hikers who enjoy its many unique destinations. &emsp;&emsp;These include "Pitcher Mountain for the 360-degree mountaintop views, Stoddard Rocks for its awe-inspiring, glacial erratic boulders, and the Monadnock Sunapee Greenway, which also snakes through the town with miles of woodland trails through the Andorra Forest," Bridges says. &emsp;&emsp;While all draw visitors and residents, Pitcher Mountain, the third highest peak in Cheshire Country, is a particularly prized location."It is just a 10- to 15-minute walk to the summit from the fire tower parking lot and offers wonderful views of the Monadnock Region," Rumrill notes. &emsp;&emsp;Emily Mousette is a local mom who has been on many hikes with the Monadnock chapter of Hike it Baby, a hiking community for families with babies and young children. Pitcher is a favorite of hers because "it's an easy and quick enough climb for little legs, with fun to be had at the top being a wonderful reward," she says. &emsp;&emsp;With supervision, kids can explore the fire tower at the park, and there's also blueberry picking in the summer. &emsp;&emsp;"I have many great memories of picnic lunches up on the rocks with friends and their kiddos," Mousette says. &emsp;&emsp;Just down the road, at Pitcher Mountain Farm, fresh, local food and immensely fuzzy Scottish Highland cattle also attract passersby for a look and add to Stoddard's Granite State charm. It's a quality certainly not in short supply in this town, which boasts a classic New England celebration each summer. &emsp;&emsp;"The town has an annual Blueberry Festival in late July or early August run by the Stoddard Historical Society to celebrate the abundance of wild blueberries in the Andorra Forest on top of and surrounding Pitcher Mountain," Bridges says. &emsp;&emsp;This year, the festival will take place on July 30. &emsp;&emsp;In addition to this sweet summer event, the active Historical Society plays a significant role in town. Its main building and next-door Hearse House in the village help preserve the small-country feel. The society has published various works on local history and provides walking tours for those wanting to learn the stories behind this intriguing place. &emsp;&emsp;Stoddard was originally an agricultural community in the 1700s and early 1800s. But the town experienced a sharp population decline in tandem with the decline of farming in the early 1900s. However, the glass and logging industries remained there, and Stoddard's countless outdoor attractions called many summer tourists to the area. &emsp;&emsp;In 1941, the town was scorched by the largest forest fire in New Hampshire history, which burned 42% of Stoddard's land area. Despite shocking historical images of the blaze, today, you'd likely never know what transpired. &emsp;&emsp;In 2024, the town will celebrate its 250th anniversary, and the Historical Society already has preparations underway. Currently, the organization's landscaping and buildings are being upgraded, and a photo history book of town is in the works. &emsp;&emsp;Once it's ready, copies will surely be featured at Stoddard's Davis Public library, which Bridges calls "a local hub and hotspot for people in town." &emsp;&emsp;With speakers, music events, story times, and clubs for all ages, the library offers various styles to serve residents. &emsp;&emsp;Dating back to 1799 in its first iteration, the library has long been a core part of the town, though it didn't reach its current location and building until around 1950. As Stoddard's population and technology requirements grew, it became clear that an update was needed in recent years. &emsp;&emsp;In 2015, residents approved a major renovation and expansion through town funding and generous donations. The building is now equipped to serve as both an educational and social center in the years to come. A special marker for the town, it captures both the history and next-chapter elements that continue to make Stoddard a wonderful place to be.