New England Lore?

[Twisties]

Well, we got Moxie in the main thread. Fascinating. I knew the phrase, he's got moxie, but never knew it was Moxie, a drink.

 

What other regional lore, interesting tidbits or unusual local stories do we have to look forward to?

[Calvin (no socks)]

I grew up in Coventry Conn. Home of patriot, Nathan Hale. "I regret that I have but one life to give for my country". I will have a day to spend in the area. I will visit a few relatives and bust a bottle of Hosmer Mountian soda....Prolly ... Birch Beer........ also on my bucket list is Clam Cakes and chowda in Rhode Island...Would like to smell the Lilacs by the lake...one more time. Want to swim in Lake Waungumbaug.... It would take me back to childhood days...

[enfoman]

think it will be too late in the year to smell the lilacs.

[rocks]

Great thread idea... here are a couple

 

 

 

Ocean Born Mary...

The legend

 

Old Man of the Mountain... just a myth & legend now

 

 

 

 

 

[rocks]

A few more...

More New Hampshire legends

 

[hopz]

I know New England has a lot of old stuff. Whats the deal with all that?

[Fasterpill]

I lived in southern NH for 10 years. Of note:

 

Adam Sandler grew up in Londonderry (or was it Derry?) and did stand up in Manchester during the early 90's.

 

NH has the "First in the Nation" primary. Every 4 years the circus comes to town...

 

Loudon has Bike Week - Motorcycle races the week/weekend of Father's day.

 

President Pierce is buried in Concord, if I remember correctly.

 

The Town of Bedford was founded before the Revolutionary war. The Town Council was required to be formed from the eldership of the Presbyterian church. So much for separation of Church and State back then.

 

It's believed that the oldest US bridge still standing is in Hillsboro County, NH.

 

I did a lead paint inspection in a pre-revolutionary house that had arrow holes in the Indian shutters in southern NH.

 

Genocide is nothing new. In the late 1700s General Lowell marched his army up the swath of land along the Merrimack river and drove out all the Indians that were settled there.

 

There's lots more if folks want to chime in...

[rocks]

A few more tidbits...

 

Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield, MA

 

Most of the paper used by the US Mint is produced by the Crane Paper Co., in Dalton, MA

 

Great Barrington, MA first town in the world to have electric street lights.

 

Harvard University is the oldest institution of higher education in America

 

Mt Monadnock in SW New Hampshire is the second most climbed mountain in the world

 

Montpelier, VT is the ONLY state capital without a McDonald’s restaurant

 

Just south of Burlington, VT along I-89 you can see two whales diving!

 

 

[rocks]

OK this is kind of fun...

Let me know if you've had enough!

 

 

California is 4 times bigger than the state of Maine yet Maine has a longer coastline!

 

Quoddy Head Light, ME is the easternmost point in the United States

 

There are 63 lighthouses on the coast of Maine

 

The first free public library in the United States was established at Peterborough, NH in 1833.

 

The Von Trapp family, whose escape from Austria during World War II was made famous in the 1965 Disney musical “The Sound of Music,” moved to Stowe, about 40 miles west of Burlington, because the place reminded them of the Alpine setting they left behind.

 

Polo was played for the first time in the United States in 1876 near Newport, Rhode Island. The city also hosted the first U.S. Open golf tournament, in 1895

 

 

[Twisties]

Great Barrington, MA first town in the world to have electric street lights.

 

This seemed interesting, but the wikipedia page doesn't seem to suggest there's anything left to see of it

[Charles Elms]

Montpelier, VT is the ONLY state capital without a McDonald’s restaurant

May not be in the 'town' but there is a McDonalds 3.4 miles from town center. Can't get away from a good meal

[waylap]

AND a Dunkin Donuts!

[Woodie]

Dunkin Donuts was founded in Mass:

 

In 1950, Bill Rosenberg opened the first Dunkin' Donuts shop in Quincy, Massachusetts. Dunkin' Donuts licensed the first of many franchises in 1955.

 

[Twisties]

Dunkin Donuts was founded in Mass:

 

In 1950, Bill Rosenberg opened the first Dunkin' Donuts shop in Quincy, Massachusetts. Dunkin' Donuts licensed the first of many franchises in 1955.

 

uuuuuhhhh.... Sweeeeeeet

[Bud]

OK this is kind of fun...

Let me know if you've had enough!

 

 

California is 4 times bigger than the state of Maine yet Maine has a longer coastline!

 

Quoddy Head Light, ME is the easternmost point in the United States

There are 63 lighthouses on the coast of Maine

 

The first free public library in the United States was established at Peterborough, NH in 1833.

 

The Von Trapp family, whose escape from Austria during World War II was made famous in the 1965 Disney musical “The Sound of Music,” moved to Stowe, about 40 miles west of Burlington, because the place reminded them of the Alpine setting they left behind.

 

Polo was played for the first time in the United States in 1876 near Newport, Rhode Island. The city also hosted the first U.S. Open golf tournament, in 1895

 

 

Should be easternmost in the 48 states, otherwise it is in Alaska.

 

[hopz]

'scuse me but what part of Alaska is east of any point in Maine?

 

 

[Bud]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_points_of_the_United_States#Easternmost

 

Pochnoi Point, Semisopochnoi Island, Alaska (179°46'E) — easternmost point in all of US territory, by longitude

[hopz]

I concede- I think you got me on a technicality.

[ltljohn]

Nice obscure fact Bud

[Bud]

I concede- I think you got me on a technicality.

 

I'm not proud of the technicality. I think it really is kind of cheating.

[Bud]

Nice obscure fact Bud

 

My wife says I'm full of them.

[hopz]

I concede- I think you got me on a technicality.

 

I'm not proud of the technicality. I think it really is kind of cheating.

 

Yeah, but you would have won a bar bet... I owe you an UNbeer.

[DoctorC]

Yes, I used to drink Moxie. And, when I lived in Northern Mass, I never recall buying a 'soda'-- everything was 'tonic'. Oh, change is not all good... all those strong regional accents are turning into wimps... Not sure I will make it to the Un, but if I do, looking forward to a torpedo with salami and provolone...

[roadscholar]

Dunkin Donuts was founded in Mass:

 

In 1950, Bill Rosenberg opened the first Dunkin' Donuts shop in Quincy, Massachusetts. Dunkin' Donuts licensed the first of many franchises in 1955.

 

Without looking it up, I believe the first Howard Johnson's was in New Bedford, I used to see it on the way to the Cape in the 60's and 70's. Famous for fried clams.

 

A few years ago on the Mass Pike I pulled thru a McDonald's and was surprised to find lobster roll on the menu. It wasn't bad.

[Matts_12GS]

McLobstah?

[rocks]

Okay just to keep things moving and all of you thinking about coming to some obscure state in the northeast next summer

 

Tupperware –

Earl Tupper of Berlin, New Hampshire, invented "tupperware" and founded Tupper Plastics Company in 1938.

 

Largest American Flag –

In 1914, Amoskeag Mills of Manchester, New Hampshire manufactured a United States flag that measured 95 feet long by 50 feet high.

 

Oldest and Largest Manufacturer of Firefighting Suits in the World –

Globe Firefighting Suits, located in Pittsfield, New Hampshire, and owned by the Freese family (no direct relationship to me ) since 1887, is an innovative leader in the field of protective garments.

 

 

First American in space --

On May 5, 1961, Alan B. Shepard, Jr., of Derry, New Hampshire, rode a Mercury spacecraft aloft for 15 minutes, and reached a peak altitude of 115 miles.

 

 

Largest Private Wild Game Preserve in North America –

In 1888, Austin Corbin, II, of Newport, New Hampshire, bought 25,000 acres near Croydon Mountain to establish a wild game preserve in hopes of saving remnants of the vanishing American buffalo. (This was just in the news this past week as nearly 100 Wild Boar escaped sometime over the past month!)

 

 

First Bird Club in America --

In 1911, Ernest Harold Baynes founded the Meriden Bird Club in Meriden, New Hampshire. Baynes performed in "Sanctuary," a play which toured to 120 towns and inspired the formation of over two thirds of America's bird clubs

 

 

Longest Covered Bridge in the nation --

Built in 1866, the Cornish-Windsor Bridge, a double-span, 460-foot covered bridge connecting Cornish, New Hampshire, and Windsor, Vermont, is the longest covered bridge in the United States.

 

First Warship built in North America --

In 1690, the British Government contracted local ship builders in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to construct the HMS FALKLAND, a 637-ton, 54-gun frigate, which was added to the Royal Navy, March 2, 1695

 

 

[Bud]

Okay just to keep things moving and all of you thinking about coming to some obscure state in the northeast next summer

 

 

 

Largest American Flag –

In 1914, Amoskeag Mills of Manchester, New Hampshire manufactured a United States flag that measured 95 feet long by 50 feet high.

 

 

 

That's a pretty big flag, for it's time.

 

Of course, it isn't even close NOW

[ltljohn]

Not really lore but it is unique and only 58 miles from the rally HQ; it is in Lynchville/North Waterford, ME at the corner of routes 5 and 35

 

[Fasterpill]

OK, to chime back in, Velcro was invented in NH.

 

My favorite store in America is one of the oldest General stores still in operation - in Moultonborough, NH http://www.nhcountrystore.com/

 

Dorset VT is home to one of the largest white marble mines. Danby Quarry is the biggest underground marble quarry in the world, over a mile long with a footprint of twenty five acres and reaching six levels deep. We made a little history there ourselves in 1985 when we honeymooned there.