Often hidden on the back roads and byways of the Granite State, country stores are an essential and beloved part of the state's character. Developed from trading posts as travelers settled throughout the state, they are recognizable for their vast array of merchandise and a fragrant blend of tobacco, spices and coffee. The country store became the center of the community, where residents could play checkers, mail letters, attend town meetings and shop. They are still fixtures in many towns today, including the Brick Country Store in Bath, considered to be the oldest in the United States, dating back to 1790; Fadden's General Store and Sugarhouse in North Woodstock, which produces award-winning maple syrup; and the Old Country Store in Moultonborough, which had its beginnings as a tavern. Historian Bruce D. Heald, PhD, chronicles New Hampshire's historic country stores and the keepers behind these unique local landmarks.
Explore the fabric of America over hot coffee and penny candy. Step through the wooden doors of a New England general store and step back in time, into a Norman Rockwell painting and into the heart of America. New England’s General Stores offers a nostalgic picture of this colonial staple and, fortunately, steadfast institution of small towns from Connecticut to Maine. This is where children of each generation take their first allowance to buy their very own penny candy. Locals have swapped stories at these counters from gossip to whispers of revolution. In tough times, the general store treated customers like family, extending credit when no one else would. Stubborn as New Englanders themselves, the general store has refused to become a mere sentimental relic of an earlier age.
Whether you want to visit Cape Cod’s beaches, eat lobster in Maine, or ski in Vermont, the local Fodor’s travel experts in New England are here to help! Fodor’s New England guidebook is packed with maps, carefully curated recommendations, and everything else you need to simplify your trip-planning process and make the most of your time. This new edition has been fully redesigned with an easy-to-read layout, fresh information, and beautiful color photos. Fodor’s New England travel guide includes: AN ILLUSTRATED ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES GUIDE to the top things to see and do MULTIPLE ITINERARIES to effectively organize your days and maximize your time MORE THAN 40 DETAILED MAPS to help you navigate confidently COLOR PHOTOS throughout to spark your wanderlust! HONEST RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LOCALS on the best sights, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, shopping, performing arts, activities, side-trips, and more PHOTO-FILLED “BEST OF” FEATURES on “New England’s Historical Sites,” “New England’s Best Beaches,” “New England’s Most Picturesque Towns,” “New England’s Best Seafood Shacks,” and more TRIP-PLANNING TOOLS AND PRACTICAL TIPS including when to go, getting around, beating the crowds, and saving time and money HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INSIGHTS providing rich context on the local people, politics, art, architecture, cuisine, music, geography and more SPECIAL FEATURES on “10 Popular New England Souvenirs,” “What to Watch and Read Before You Visit,” “Boston’s Freedom Trail,” “The Mansions of Newport,” “Skiing in Vermont,” “Hiking the Appalachian Trail,” and “Maine’s Lighthouses.” LOCAL WRITERS to help you find the under-the-radar gems UP-TO-DATE COVERAGE ON: Maine, the Maine Coast, Portland, Vermont, Burlington, New Hampshire, the Berkshires, Boston, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Rhode Island, Providence, Newport, and Connecticut Planning on visiting Boston or Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire? Check out Fodor’s guides to Boston or Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. *Important note for digital editions: The digital edition of this guide does not contain all the images or text included in the physical edition. ABOUT FODOR'S AUTHORS: Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by local experts. Fodor’s has been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for over 80 years. For more travel inspiration, you can sign up for our travel newsletter at fodors.com/newsletter/signup, or follow us @FodorsTravel on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We invite you to join our friendly community of travel experts at fodors.com/community to ask any other questions and share your experience with us!
The roots of many cherished American traditions may be found on the main streets of New Hampshire towns. Often the heart of a town's social, political, and economic life, main streets offer a sense of identity, dignity, and serenity. Through images, Main Street New Hampshire reflects the romance and nostalgia of the past and showcases the sights and memorials of several important New Hampshire places, including Concord, Keene, Nashua, Rochester, Laconia, Exeter, Newmarket, and others. These images, many dating from as early as 1860, reflect the activity, architecture, transportation, and recreation at the heart of each community.
Since colonial times, when Yankee pioneers first planted villages and homesteads in New Hampshire s rugged hill country, the Granite State s rural settlers have cultivated a vibrant pastoral society. Bruce D. Heald offers a richly nostalgic recollection of the traditions, pastimes and storied names and locales that have helped New Hampshire s backwoodsmen carve out a unique identity. With stops to consider such classic northern New England activities as ice fishing, maple sugaring and blueberry picking, Memories from New Hampshire's Lakes and Mountains: Fence Building and Apple Cider takes the reader on a special journey through folk life during New Hampshire's olden days.
Tired of the same old tourist traps? Whether you’re a visitor or a local looking for something different, New Hampshire Off the Beaten Path shows you the Granite State you never knew existed. Follow a nature trail marked with verse at the Robert Frost Homestead. Taste authentic, open pit BBQ at the Yankee Smokehouse. Discover the history of skiing at the New England Ski Museum. So if you’ve “been there, done that” one too many times, get off the main road and venture Off the Beaten Path.
