1 billion dollar development plans for the Mt. Washington Hotel at Bretton Woods

[Peaks]

For those cocerned about the visual impact, don't forget what the landscape looked like a century ago with logging.

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Legend

I can't help but think of this legend:

The Giant's Grave

"The Giant's Grave was a large mound of dirt in the area known as Fabyan. The mound was removed when the Fabyan Hotel was constructed. There is a legend that an indian stood on this mound with a flaming torch lit by a bolt of lightening and proclaimed that: "No pale face shall take deep root here; this the Great Spirit whispered in my ear." The inn once belonging to Ethan Allen Crawford and built here burned, as have all other inns constructed on this site."

From: The White Mountains Names, Places & Legends

by John T.B. Mudge

KDT

 

[David Metsky]

Pretty much all Inns everywhere have burned. It was the fate of all wooden structures before modern fire suppression systems.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

...and electric lights in place of oil or gas burning lamps.

Tim

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Legend

Well, yeah. I didn't really think anyone would think anything burned because of the legend. Just a cool legend. I've lit torches from lightening myself on occasion. Personally, I think the giant will get them for messing with his grave.

KDT

 

[skiguy]

Thars Ghosts in them Hills

 

[Puck]

For those cocerned about the visual impact, don't forget what the landscape looked like a century ago with logging.

It led to the Weeks Act of 1911. The Federal Government took advantge of the land fire sale in the White Mountains and established it as a National Forest.Thereby protecting and preserving vast tracts of land as a national resource.

 

[Ridgewalker]

It lead to the Weeks Act of 1911. The Federal Government took advantge of the land fire sale in the White Mountains and established it as a National Forest.Thereby protecting and preserving vast tracts of land as a national resource.

Well said Puck, time to implement the good ole' Act. The Weeks law could be used by ther USFS to acquire the Dartmouth River, because state law provided protection of the navigibility of rivers.

I see the proposals and plans as another way for our wonderful world to become generic with all the 'same old stores.' There is nothing special or personal about them. One-of-a-kind stores like Zeb's in North Conway are attractive because they can do their own thing without abiding by a franchising (sp) contract.

 

[arghman]

Well said Puck, time to implement the good ole' Act. The Weeks law could be used by ther USFS to acquire the Dartmouth River, because state law provided protection of the navigibility of rivers.

2 words: willing sellers.

 

[Barkingcat]

Update on the Bretton Woods development...

It's in foreclosure and the land is now up for auction.

See the story on NHPR's web site here.

What a difference two years makes.

 

[peakbagger]

Thanks for picking this one up, good to know that reality interceeded.

 

[Mike P.]

Yes, but who's going to buy the property at a foreclosure auction & sit on it, doing nothing but watch the trees grow? (most of us would like that but business & tax payers there might want some help with taxes)

All this really means is a delay & someone buying the land at a price that may pay one bank off with a buyer with a "smaller?" loan from another bank.

I'd like it to stay undeveloped but I doubt the Nature Conservancy is bidding on the property.

 

[Stan]

Thanks for picking this one up, good to know that reality interceeded.

... temporarily.

I haven't seen the details of the proposed development so I guess that puts me in the enviable but common position of being an expert on it.

I'll never understand the need for McMansions as a primary home, let alone a second home, but I'm sure there are those who could credibly wonder about my needs as well so removing class or lifestyle envy/pity from the equation may actually reduce the issue to one of wise land use.

900 dwelling units sounds like a lot of housing, especially in an area where we don't expect that sort of thing. Fact is, sooner or later 900 dwelling units will spring up somewhere nearby ... maybe take a generation or two to happen but it will. How it happens is key. Will it be concentrated rather than sprawled all over the remaining land available? A good plan will concentrate it in manner that is least obtrusive and environmentally degrading. Sprawl is generally considered a poor plan.

What I like from an environmental standpoint is that this area was historically served by rail and I expect that within our lifetimes will once again see such service. So, I tend to favor planned and concentrated development accessible to public mass transportation over sprawl accessed only by highways.

Short of a white knight who rides up, invests megamillions and then gives it away in the form of conservation easements or land grants to government agencies or non-government conservation organizations, let's deal with reality (and private land rights) and look for the wisest long term use of the land.

 

[peakbagger]

To thread drift a bit on rail service to the area; The Mountain Division Rail line that used to connect Crawford Notch and Bretton Woods to Portland Maine is being converted back from a rail trail to a railroad line in Southern Maine. There is also an effort to start passenger service via the St Lawrence and Atlantic thru Bethel and Berlin to Montreal.