Jump to Places to Stay
HANCOCK - Rich in history and great beauty, the village of Hancock is located at the crossroads of Route 123 and Route 137. When you spot the old white church, brick vestry, the common and town hall and lovely pond, you'll know you've stepped into a classic New England community.
Check out...
- The meetinghouse/church
- Hancock Inn
- The Library
- Davis Brook Farm, a fabulous lily farm
- Fiddleheads Cafe (center of town)
- Hancock Cash Market (a real old-fashioned market)
- Hancock Historical Society
- Nubanusit Lake (fabulous)
- Willard Pond (great kayaking, canoing, fly fishing)
- Hancock Farmers' Market
- Harris Center - a private, non-profit organization dedicated to environmental and outdoor education, land protection, and wildlife preservation. Acres and acres of trails and wildlife
DUBLIN - Home of Yankee Magazine and "The Old Farmer's Almanac".
HARRISVILLE - First settled in 1760, the town was once part of Hancock, Dublin, Roxbury, Nelson, and Marlborough. A wonderful old mill town, it became a mill center when the Harris family built of one of the first woolen mills in New England. Marvelous old buildings. Check out Harrisville Designs
Mount Monadnock
Mount Monadnock, the most climbed mountain in the world, is minutes from Hancock. With more than 14 miles of hiking trails and a view of all six New England states from the mountain top, it one of the most beautiful and peaceful places in New Hampshire.Nature
The Hancock area abounds with great places to hike and see nature up close. The Harris Center organizes great ways to experience the area, including nature walks and bird watching. Hike the Greenway Trail over Pitcher Mountain to see the beautiful views or go blueberry picking. Visit the Willard Pond Sanctuary to see the loons and hawks. Norway Pond is right in Hancock Village, making it a great place to canoe or swim.
Eastern Mountain Sports' home office is in Peterborough, where you can rent a single or double kayak or canoe for great flatwater paddling on nearby Powdermill Pond. If it's swimming you're interested in, Norway Pond is right in town at the end of Hancock's Main Street and has a beach and lifeguard. Willard Pond (an Audubon Sanctuary) is also nearby, where you can quietly watch and listen to loons.
During the summer and fall, you'll want to spend as much time as possible enjoying the outdoors. For golfers, there's Shattuck Inn, a spectacular PGA course located at the base of Mount Monadnock in Jaffrey. Torry Pines Resort also has a beautiful course and a great clubhouse for lunch. Tennis buffs need go no farther than the Hancock town courts!
Shopping
We have no malls, but shopping in the area is a treat for the senses, whether you're looking for great crafts, marvelous cooking "stuff" or antiques. Some Peterborough shops include Toadstool Books, Sharon Arts Center, Joseph's Coat Peacecrafts, Eastern Mountain Sports', Renaissance Room, and numerous other shops to pique your interest. Peterborough Basket Factory and store are a fun visit. If you are lucky, you'll be invited to go into the back and watch the craftsmen as they work. Gibson Pewter is located in nearby Hillsborough, where Reverend Raymond Gibson and his son, Jonathan invite you to view their work in progress.
The Wool Room in Antrim is a great place to shop for knitting and spinning materials. And Harrisville's 18th century textile village offers Harrisville Designs that has fine woolens, yarns and looms. If you are interested in learning to spin or weave, check out their website and spend a weekend learning from a true "master" weaver. Another wonderful fiber arts shop is right in Hancock. Green Acres Over New England features fine European yarns and needlepoint. Gigi, a master knitter and crocheter, delights in helping knitters from novice to experienced.
Pickity Place is a hilltop hideaway and was the model for the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. Wander through the magical gardens. A large variety of herbs, perennials and flowers grow in the greenhouse, and the quaint gift shop is filled with the spicy scents of potpourri. Their gourmet luncheons are famous, and so reservations are a must. Marvelous antique shops are plentiful in the region.
Music and Theatre
The Monadnock Region is home to many music festivals during the summer, including Monadnock Music, host of internationally renowned performances. Temple Band (the oldest in America) or Blues at the Rynborn Blues Club in Keene. You may stroll down Main Street to the sounds of the local Hancock bell ringers. In Nelson, the Apple Hill Chamber Players perform every Tuesday throughout the summer.
The Monadnocks are the area where Thornton Wilder wrote Our Town, and the arts are everywhere. One can enjoy weekly presentations by the Peterborough Players, one of New England's finest repertoire theaters since 1933 (it's even air conditioned!) or travel a half an hour to Keene to see one of the productions at the historic Colonial Theatre or Keene State College.
Dining
The Monadnock area is chock full of great places to eat, ranging from fine cuisine to inexpensive family dining.
Hancock
Fiddleheads Cafe - indoor/outdoor casual dining - 525-4432
Hancock Inn - elegant dining in 200-year-old country inn - 525-3318
Peterborough
R. A. Gatto's - seafood and pasta - 924-5000
12 Pine - gourmet casual - 924-6140
Aqua Bistro -fine dining- 924-9905
The Pearl - oyster bar, Southeast Asia fusion - 924-5225
Grapelli's Pizza - 924-6776
The Cafe at Noone Falls - exquisite, fresh fare - 924-6818
Harlow's Cafe and Deli - live music, great burgers - 924-6365
Peterborough Diner - old-time diner - 924-6202
Brady's Bar and Grill - steaks and chops - 924-9322
Yen Yen - Chinese - 924-9224
Aesop's Tables - cafˇ in the Toadstool Bookshop - 924-1612
Dublin
Del Rossi's Trattoria - Italian cuisine - 563-7195
These are just a few of the area's wonderful restaurants. Just ask us, and we'll make a recommendation.
History
Historic markers in the Monadnock region are plentiful. Nearby stands the boyhood home of Samuel Wilson (1766 to 1854) who was known as "Uncle Sam". He supplied beef to the Army in 1812. the brand on his barrel was "U.S.". The transition from U.S. to Uncle Sam followed and became the current popular symbol you see today! at the MacDowell Colony, which is the oldest and largest artist colony in the United States. In nearby Hillsborough, New Hampshire, is The Pierce Homestead, the childhood home of Franklin Pierce, 14th President of the United States, which is open to visitors.
Places to Stay...
Jack Daniels Inn, Peterborough, Route 202, Peterborough, NH 03458
603.924.7548 between between 6 AM and 9 PM daily
Jack Daniels Inn, Peterborough, Route 202, Peterborough, NH 03458603.924.7548 between between 6 AM and 9 PM dailywww.jackdanielsinn.com
Apple Gate Inn Bed and Breakfast
199 Upland Farm Road
Peterborough, New Hampshire 03458
(603) 924-6543 Fax: (603) 924-6543
Email: d@applegatenh.mv.com
www.virtualcities.com/ons/nh/m/nhm1901.htm
The Greenfield Inn
Bed and Breakfast
P.O. Box 400
Greenfield, New Hampshire 03047
(603) 547-6327
Toll Free: (800) 678-4144
Fax: (603) 547-2418
Email: greenfieldinn@earthlink.net
www.greenfieldinn.com/
Peterborough Manor B&B, 50 Summer Street, Peterborough, NH 03458
603.924.9832
himanor@weaver.mv.com
www.mv.com/ipusers/weaver/index.htm
Three Maples B&B, Route 123 at Mountain Road, Sharon NH
Phone: (603)924-3503 Fax: (603)924-3604
claff@cheshire.net
www.threemaples.com/index.html
Wooden Josh
Bed and Breakfast
P.O. Box 3
1181 Main Street
Dublin, New Hampshire 03444
(603) 563-7486
Host: Walt Schnabel, an alumnus of The Writers Studio
Email: Walt Schnabel