Highest Wind Ever Observed by Man

Cog Railway 019, originally uploaded by MurphMutt.

The highest winds ever recorded by man (231 mph) was recorded at the Summit Observatory on Mt. Washington, NH April 12, 1934

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The Great Ice Storm of 2008 leaves an indelible mark on the residents of New Hampshire and north western Massachusetts to the degree that references are part of our daily dialog.

Those of us who lived here through the Great Ice Storm compare notes of where we were, the damage caused, what we did until the lights came back on, and in my case, how much damage remains to be cleaned up on our properties.

A few other meteorological events equal the ice storm. The Great Hurricane of 1938 reportedly twisted trees so badly throughout New England that the bark pattern spirals even yet today on trees that were saplings during the hurricane.

New Hampshire has another claim to meteorological fame in the weather observatory atop Mount Washington that recorded the highest wind speed ever recorded by man.

The 231 mile per hour wind speed occurred on April 12, 1934 or four years prior to the Great Hurricane and over 70 years prior to the Great Ice Storm.

365:341 Maskwamozi Wigwam

365:341 Maskwamozi Wigwam, originally uploaded by pennacook.

I used the Abenaki word "Maskwamozi" here which means "birch tree". I decided to take a walk in Stratham, NH at the Great Bay Discovery Center. Some great views of the bay, but when I saw this, I knew I should make it today's shot. This is a reproduction of what Abenaki would have used for living quarters back in the 1600's. The center took the design from Keith Wilbur's "The New England Indians". Wilbur did a great job providing sketch drawings of every day living for those who lived here in his book. Outside to the left is a dugout canoe. decluttr'd

Project 365, Day 341.

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Hudson, NH Town Pound

Hudson, NH Town Pound, originally uploaded by StarrGazr.

For the New Hampshire Town Pounds Project

Reprinted from

Telegraph, The (Nashua, NH)

July 28, 1998
Page: 7

Memo: We will keep at it forever, or until we visit or contact all 259 towns and cities in the state It's a labor of love. We just love them.'-

Louise Frank of Barnstead speaking for herself and husband Tom, who call themselves the Stone Pound Seekers Pounds


down old pounds

JESSIE SALISBURY Telegraph Correspondent
Amherst's town pound was lost to development, and Mont Vernon never had one. Wilton's is on private property, while Lyn deborough's is one of several lis ted on the National Register of Historic Places.

Town pounds, those old fieldstone enclosures with or without gates for keeping livestock, area generally misunderstood relic of local history."

They are a piece of history in danger of being lost," Louise Frank said recently during a stop in Wilton. "A town is fortunate to have one." Wilton's is behind the Unitarian Church in Wilton Center, and it took awhile to find someone who could direct her to it.

Frank and her husband, Tom, residents of Barnstead for the past 30 years, call themselves the Stone Pound Seekers. They are looking for the old stone structures, documenting their finds with notes and pictures. So far they have visited or contacted 88 towns, mainly in the southern part of the state. Of those, Louise said, "Fifty-five have pounds, four have markers where the pounds used to be, and 29 never had one."

Area towns they had not yet visited include Merrimack, Brook line, Nashua, Pelham and Litchfield.

She was intrigued by a visit to Hollis, where they found a Pound Road, but not yet a pound. There was one, however, she said, in the former town of Monson, and wondered if it was in what is now Hollis.

People who think of pounds at all usually think they were for holding lost or strayed cattle, as indeed they may have on occasion. However, most of the pounds were built before 1800, and they were for impounding livestock taken by the town in lieu of property taxes.

The laws of the Royal Province of New Hampshire, until 1686, authorized the town constable to imprison a person who could not pay his taxes. In 1868, the law was amended to allow seizure of property or land.

In 1791, the new state of New Hampshire allowed the tax collector "upon neglect or refusal to pay taxes, and after a notice of 14 days, to distrain the goods, or chattels" of the person so neglecting his duties. Goods were kept four days, during which time the owner could redeem them. After that, the goods were sold at auction. In many cases, the most valuable property a person owned was his livestock, and the town needed a place to hold it.

The pounds were all similar to this description in the 1906 Lyn deborough history: "In 1774 the town voted to build a pound, 25 by 30 feet, the wall to be six feet high, faced on the inside, three feet thick at the bottom and one and half feet at the top, and to be capped with a timber-frame. It was to have a convenient gate with a lock."

Newer towns don't have them. Greenville separated from Mason 125 years ago. Mason has the pound. Mont Vernon was formed from a section of Amherst and a piece of Lyndeborough. Both parent towns had one, but Amherst's was lost to a development."
It's amazing they have survived all these years as dry stone construction," Tom Frank said. He is the more history-oriented of the pair, while Louse takes the pictures. She also has a file on each town they have visited. But many they have found are in poor condition with brush growing inside them and walls tumbling. In such cases, they write to the local historical society trying to stir up some interest.

Finding some pounds has been an adventure, they agreed, and said Sutton's was the hardest so far to find.

It was "up on a mountain," she said, "and we walked up in the rain. When we found it, there was a sign on it naming the pound keepers."

They started their quest last year after they had driven by the pound in Atkinson many times. "Atkinson has a nice historical society and they keep it up. In some towns it's been neglected," Louise said.

They wondered if their own town, Hampstead, had a pound. Tom, a member of the Historic District Commission, didn't know. "The town office didn't know," he said, "but we found someone who did. Now an article is being proposed for the Town Warrant to deed it as part of the Historic District." They are also discussing the care of the site with the local Boy Scout troop who are taking it on as a troop project.

Louise stresses that they are not authorities on town pounds, nor even proper historians. "We are just interested people, doing what we like to do."

Both Franks are retired, Tom from a position with AT&T and Louise from selling real estate. "It is a lot more fun doing this," Tom said. They usually cover four towns on a day trip, he added. That keeps it in the fun category."

We will keep at it forever, or until we visit or contact all 259 towns and cities in the state," Louise said. After that, she hopes to organize all of the information into a directory. "It's a labor of love. We just love them."

Copyright 1998, 2004 The Telegraph, Nashua, N.H. All Rights Reserved.

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More photos from the project

Map of New Hampshire Town Pounds Project

Washington, NH

Washington, NH, originally uploaded by juliaf.

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Washington Common
Congregational Church (1840), School (1884), Town House (1787)

Washington, NH was incorporated on December 13, 1776 (first Town incorporated in the name of Pres. George Washington), another first int he nation!

Washington also boasts:

• Highest Town Center in New Hampshire (elev 1507 ft)


• Town Hall, built in 1787 is one of the oldest in daily service


• Town covers 50 square miles, and contains 26 lakes and ponds

Found on Information on Washington, NH:

Two young men in Pepsi uniforms join the four of five of us at the [general store lunch] counter. I learn later that they are in the store to work on the Coke machine. One of them says, "Is there, like, a city of Washington?" This brings hoots from us barflies at the counter. He tries to recover, "I mean, like a center, with stores and stuff." We still think this is very funny. Maybe it's his earnestness; maybe it's us.

"You're in it, buddy," says Bill. "This is it." He jabs his finger toward the floor for emphasis. Behind his hand he tells us that they are from Massachusetts. I think they hear that, and are meant to, but don't mind at all. Clearly they are having a hard time believing that they are in the center of Washington, New Hampshire.

From Last House on the Road, by Ronald Jager (Chapter 20)

A few more sunsets for NEGS 503

A few more sunsets for NEGS 503, originally uploaded by brianblackden.

New England Southern 503 and 2370 will cease operations August 1, 2007 due to Guilford Railroad pulling the rail lease that NEGS operates on.

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Spring Showers?

Spring Showers?, originally uploaded by StarrGazr.

And now we break from our beautiful flow of Caribbean photos to bring you back to the reality that is New England.

Well this was a fine wake up call today! So much for Spring. The real problem is that we lost many tops of trees and branches to trees with the ice storm back in January, this rain/slush/snow is also extremely heavy and we have lost many more.

I guess this means no Easter Egg hunt in the backyard this year. Even if it were all to melt today, everything would be so saturated and soggy.

On another note, my 20D has been shipped back from repairs!! YAY!!!

I miss my camera SO much!

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Spring snow dumps on upper Northeast

Today was supposed to be the stadium opener for the Manchester Fischer Cats, it was snowed out. NH Baseball Team Asks Fans To Shovel Stadium

Schools were closed.

Trees were down.

Power is still out.

Thousands Without Power After Spring Snow

NH Outages May Last Until Weekend

One life was lost.

Spring snowstorm kills Dracut man in NH

NH Powerless Against Heavy Snow

What a day. At least it ended with sunshine and much melting.

More Photos

Flickr Slideshow

Walking on Air

Walking on Air, originally uploaded by StarrGazr.

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One snowstorm this year and everyone, it seemed was out sledding. Roby Park in South Nashua is a popular spot for area residents that even includes snowmaking. But with the weather being so warm this year, I haven't seen any snow being made. This day, the slope was full of people all out having fun, young and old alike.

The other thing about NH youth is I think they are cold blooded which explains why they wear sandals but no jackets in the winter.

Highest NH Peak

Highest NH Peak, originally uploaded by Winged Foot.

In case anyone was wondering, it is finally winter in NH...

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I know, two in a row from Mike...but I couldn't resist.

Breathtaking!

Old Man of the Mountain

140-4094_IMG, originally uploaded by JeffS_NH.

Old Man of the Mountains

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NH's icon.

The Old Man of the Mountain

May he rest in peace. I don't think NHites will ever forget him. Truly the stuff legends are born from.

More links to good information on this natural rock formation.

The Old Man of the Mountain is No More

c. 30,000 b.c. - May 2, 2003

The Old Man of the Mountains: c. 30,000 b.c. - May 2, 2003 It was uncertain when the outcropping actually fell because clouds had obscured the area Thursday and Friday. A state park trails crew reported Saturday morning that the Old Man of the Mountain was gone.

On Saturday, May 3, the staff of goLittleton.com scaled the Old Man's former cranium to obtain visual documentation of the geologic mishap.
Three large turnbuckles, which had spanned an (ultimately fatal) fiberglass-epoxy covered crack, now grasp at thin air....

From Wikipedia

The profile has been New Hampshire's state emblem since 1945. It was put on the state's license plate, state highway-route signs, and the back of New Hampshire's Statehood Quarter, which is popularly promoted as the only US coin with a profile on both sides. Before the collapse, it could be seen from special viewing areas along Interstate 93 in Franconia Notch State Park, approximately 80 miles north of Concord, New Hampshire.

From About.com

In November of 2003, a plan to honor the legacy of New Hampshire's icon was finalized by the Task Force. The first phase of the plan was completed in May 2004 with the installation at Franconia Notch Parkway viewing areas of high-tech viewers that show what the Old Man of the Mountain looked like before it fell. An award to honor individuals and organizations for their work in preserving the Old Man's legacy was also established in 2004.

Phase 2 involves the creation of a sculpture-lined walking path around Profile Lake. The Old Man of the Mountain Legacy Fund, in cooperation with the State of New Hampshire, is currently reviewing proposals from artists.

The Old Man of the Mountain Revitalization Task Force also recommended construction of an expanded museum at the base of Cannon Mountain and possibly a large-scale replica of the natural wonder. Fundraising for this third phase of the project is still underway. You can contribute to The Old Man of the Mountain Revitalization Fund by sending a donation to: Old Man of the Mountain Revitalization Fund, c/o Governor's Office, State House, Concord, NH 03301.

Red fox

Red fox, originally uploaded by mossglenphoto.

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From NH Public Radio:

Reputed to be fierce predators, those who know red foxes best say they are, in fact, extremely cautious, very smart, and always opportunistic. Foxes will eat almost anything, from fruits to insects to garbage to their preferred prey, rodents. A fox's ear is especially well-adapted for hearing the tiny feet of mice, voles and shrews as they scurry about underground. Therefore, one benefit of having more foxes nearby is a definite drop in rodent levels.

Some people react unfavorably, of course, to the idea that this pointy-faced predator may be moving under their porch. They worry about their pets, or even their children. But most biologists believe a healthy fox will avoid any confrontation that they cannot win easily. And after all, a red fox rarely weighs more than 15 pounds. And while foxes do sometimes carry rabies, at the moment this terrible disease seems to have abated.

So, if you see a fox around during the day, it isn't necessarily a bad thing. Vixens, or female foxes, will often be about when they have young, for example.

For more information, see the article on the NH Fish and Wildlife website by Eric P. Orff, Certified Wildlife Biologist or an article by NH Public Television.

NH Cupolas, Steeples & Vanes

Flash Slideshow

Our latest project highlighting the wonderful architectural elements of cupolas, steeples and weather/wind vanes that decorate New Hampshire with such New England charm.