Near Misses

[Waumbek]

The logic of Mike Dickerman's Jan. 19th "Beaten Path" column (Littleton NH Courier) escapes me--AMC Crawford hotel isn't so bad because it could have been worse--but the history of failed plans for ski resorts is interesting. I'd add that the Cannon ski trails were originally planned for Lafayette but it did not prove feasible to get a lift up Lafayette. Scroll to the bottom of this link for Mike's article

 

[Waumbek]

Oh, Roy, I'll bet you say that to all the wannabe historians on this board
But sorry about the link. I didn't realize that the Courier doesn't archive past issues. Next time I'll cut and paste before it disappears. And maybe I can still dig up the Jan. 19 column. In any event, Dickerman describes some grandiose near misses--the plan to put ski trails on Mt. Willard, on the Waumbek-Starr King range, etc. I think most of them failed for lack of financing not for opposition to developing these mountains.

 

[Gris]

Waumbek, as local historian, whadaya know about Nathan Kinsman? There's a guy who interests me, sounds larger than life...

 

[Waumbek]

That's wannabe local historian, Gris. I never seem to find the time I need to read enough. I don't know much about Nathan Kinsman other than the little I've read. He's considered the "first permanent settler" in the Easton Valley, arriving around 1790, I think. He's the father of Easton, so to speak. Somebody preceded him but didn't stick it out. Kinsman arrived either from the SW, Haverhill, or the SE, the Kinsman Notch. I prefer the latter version because it brings him up from the Pemigewasset Valley (Franconia Notch) along the lines of the current power line that intersects the Reel Brook Trail up near the ridge. This used to be called the "Kinsman Notch." What is now known as the Kinsman Notch, Rte. 112, was formerly known as the "Moosilauke Notch." In any event, Kinsman built a small cabin near Slide Brook and raised a family of four sons. I think his wife was a Wheeler. He was a physician and then coroner for Grafton county. Convenient combination, big territory. I think he became a powerful figure to the locals. Someone buried him in the Easton cemetery, now known as the Kinsman cemetery, with a quote on his tombstone from Psalms about the "perfect man." That's about all I recall. Why does he interest you?

 

[Gris]

oh i heard he was a paul bunyan of the area of sorts. larger than life he was. bushwhacked up the riverbed and settled the valley. became THE man of the entire area. did everything for evrybody - built houses for em, rescued em doctored em and buried em. eventually given some sort of officialdom/post. and on top of it all was very, very highly respected - a man that would would do anything for anybody. my kinda guy he seemed to be.