Franconia Notch 1902...

[JimS]

I was answering a lost question from Ed today and stumbled across this picture form Artists bluff in 1902.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/invisib...7605128175037/

WOW! No Roads, a train line, and a huge hotel (possibly) on the shore of profile lake.

Was Cannon even there then???


Enjoy!

[Bill O]

Was Cannon even there then???
Enjoy!

Cannon was there, but there was no ski area. Weren't chairlifts invented in the 1930's?

[Mike D]

I can see the pre-teen of the mountain!!

[Brad]

It must have been quite a time when folks came up from NYC and Philly by train for the summer. The grand hotels were all over the mountains. We think it is hard to drive up for the weekend now. But, some of the husbands took the train up for the weekend.

When I was growing up I had a friend who was well into his 70's at the time. He loved taking pictures and telling stories. He used to drive up at night from RI to meet up with a guide in Maine to go hunting years ago. Later he shifted the hunting part to taking pictures - but still with a guide. He would get to Freeport in the middle of the night, knock on LL's door and ask that the store across the street be opened so he could get his equipment for his trip. LL would do that and after a while (Harvey was not the only one who did this to LL) the store stayed open 24 hours a day.

For years I never went in the LL Bean store in Freeport before midnight. And I do recall the store being upstairs over the Post Office and seeing 2 sales clerks and only one other customer in the store - after midnight.

[billysinc]

I think the Old Man of the Mountains still had a full head of hair back then.

[Brad]

I think the Old Man of the Mountains still had a full head of hair back then.

Billy, you are right - I did have a full head of hair then.

[billysinc]

Billy, you are right - I did have a full head of hair then.

Hate to admit it, me too

[Bretton Woods Brat]

It must have been quite a time when folks came up from NYC and Philly by train for the summer. The grand hotels were all over the mountains. We think it is hard to drive up for the weekend now. But, some of the husbands took the train up for the weekend.

I envy them! Don't you? Driving through any Notch, its hard to look up and it goes by to fast!

Nice find Jim, thanks.

[Brad]

I remember thinking about the trains going up through Crawford Notch past Wily House over those long trestles - when I was a kid. (Do not do as I did!!) I was walking across the trestle on the railroad ties to get back to my campsite without having to walk all the way around. Those trestles are long and high. What a job to carve those tracks out.

[Steve M]

Traveling those roads back then must have been quite a chore. No doubt hard on the body.