Lucknow and Paper Maps
There are some things “smart device” navigator apps don’t do well, like letting your eyes wander over the details of a big map, discovering all the places worth a visit. Sure your phone can plot a driving route from point A to B with estimated milage and driving times, but it won’t look to the sides and identify things that might catch your interest. Finding these features is the strength of the old-fashioned paper map. You do remember paper maps, right?
On Day two of our trip, we descended the east side of Vermont’s Green Mountains on a sunny summer morning. I was riding shotgun and surveyed the day’s planned route across New Hampshire and Maine on the pages of the Rand-McNally road atlas. Spying the cartographer’s marker indicating something of significance near our route, I said to the Captain “How about lunch at the Castle in the Clouds?” She thought that sounded appropriately random and suggested we purchase some picnic supplies, just in case there were no services. That’s why I love the lady, she’s always thinking ahead! After a pitstop at the Shawnee Market for sandwiches and a bag of kettle chips, we were set for some mild adventure.
US 4 took us east through valleys dotted with little towns, like Bridgewater or Taftsville. Driving along the rivers, there were occasional covered bridges and scenic views. Vacation lodges and B & Bs seemed to be so popular that The Captain and I wondered if we might see Larry, Daryl and Daryl from the old Bob Newhart TV show. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xj_jeviwKQ) We also kept an eye out for moose, as suggested by the numerous yellow moose crossing road signs. Alas, despite some creative animal calls, the giant beasts were a no show.
White River Junction was the largest community we passed through until reaching coastal Maine. As the name suggests, the town sits at the junction of the Connecticut and White Rivers. It also sports an interchange between Interstates 89 and 91. Commercially speaking, it stood the test of time, transitioning from river economy to highway based economy. The town also straddles the border of Vermont and New Hampshire, and it was from there that we crossed into a next state on the to-do list.
Geographically, our ideal “as the crow flies” route was across the middle of Lake Winnipesaukee. Since that was a no-go, we elected to travel around the north end. More winding roads let us up and down hills, through the dense northern woods, and along the shores of endless bodies of water like Squam Lake. There’s actually a Little Squam Lake and the much bigger Squam Lake. The claim to fame? It was the shooting location of the famous Fonda film “On Golden Pond.” Like a lot of places featured in movies, the locals mention it everywhere.
Further down NH Route 25, we passed through Center Harbor and Moultonborough before heading southeast on Route 109. Lake Winnipesaukee was visible through the trees on the right. A ridge of small mountains was to the left, and five miles down the road, a little sign pointed up the mountain towards our destination. Arriving just after ten o’clock in the morning, we were excited to see what the “castle” was all about.
The “Castle in the Clouds” is actually the Lucknow Mansion and country estate, built in 1914 by one Mr. Thomas Plant. At the time, Plant was the owner of the largest shoe manufacturing company in the world. Born in 1859 to a family of “modest” means, Plant left home at age 14 to learn a trade. He eventually rose from common laborer to proprietor of the Thomas G. Plant Shoe Company. Near the peak of his fortune, he sold the company, got married to Olive Dewey, and retired to his dream home in the New Hampshire wilderness. They resided there until Thomas’ death in 1941. The estate then went through foreclosure and Olive, with barely two pennies to rub together, returned to her family in Illinois.
The facility is now a historic trust, open for tours. The Main House is a fine example of the “Arts and Crafts” style and features state of the art (1914) systems and luxuries. The expansive grounds, originally 6300 acres, are now used for public events such as outdoor concerts, car shows, weddings and so on. It is also home to a spring that supplies the Crystal Geyser water bottling plant.
After our tour, we made our way down to the meadow that served as a parking area and public venue. With a mild breeze blowing across the open field, we sat in the shade of a massive tree and had lunch. It was very tempting to just lay back in the grass and watch the clouds drift through the sky, but we had promised our hosts in Maine that we’d be in by dinner time. So we packed up, drove down the mountain, and headed east again, thankful for the delightful find and the ability to claim, “New Hampshire? Been there.”
The main house isn’t big by modern standards, but it is modern for 1914 and very comfortable.
The million dollar view from Olive’s boudoir.