Arriving in Wolfeborough

Peter Ferber’s notes on this print:

“This print depicts the Wolfeboro waterfront in the early 1930’s.  It is by no means an historic documentation.  I’ve done my best to be as accurate as possible, but also used assumptions and educated guesswork to fill in needed details.  Here is information gathered about some of what is shown in the painting.

The Mt. Washington side wheeler was built in Alton Bay by the Boston and Maine Rail Road in 1872, and later operated privately.  It connected with the railroad lines and completed the transportation network for passengers and freight.   The ship burned at the Weirs in 1939.

The biplane is an actual plane named “New Hampshire” that provided sightseeing tours of the Lake.  It out of the seaplane base at the Weirs.

There is no documentation of a balloon ascension in Wolfeboro during this period.  This balloon was inspired by a photo taken of a balloon ascension at the Weirs earlier in the 1900’s.  It is not a hot air balloon–which wasn’t popularized until the 1960’s–but a gas balloon filled with hydrogen or helium.

Moving across the waterfront from left to right here are some things of note:

The cupola topped building is the current Durgin Stables barn section.  Behind it on Back Bay (then called “Front Bay”) is a sawmill, later the home of Hampshire Pewter and now the Calvary Church.

The twin buildings on the water were originally the C. A. Morrison and Miss Myra F. Beachham clothing stores.  Miss Beacham’s store was later moved one lot north, and now houses Garwoods Restaurant.

The waterfront buildings by the docks are close to what are there now.  The railroad station is on the location of the current “Dockside” restaurant.  The white building to the right, where the present Joe Green’s restaurant and other businesses are now, housed the A & P food store, then Bradley’s Hardware, and The Stationary Store, in addition to other small shops.The 4 story white building behind it is a hotel located where the present Post Office is.  It was know thru the years as the Glendon House, the Elmwood Hotel, and the Hobbs-Is-Inn.The reddish-colored, steepled building was built as the Unitarian Church. Later became The Masonic Temple, and today the Village Players Theater.

Back on the waterfront, the red brick building with the porch and attached tan-colored wings was the Anne Inn.  It is located where Cate Park is today.  A sign advertises “Gasolene” for sale.  The houses behind, on the other side of Main Street, sit where the Hunters Food Store parking lot and Citizens Bank are today.

Next is the Town Hall, with awninged retail stores on the first floor.  Across the street is the Avery House.” – Peter Ferber