Page 6 - APRIL2025

Page 6
Community
By William nieman
My first trip to Welling- ton State Park took place on a sunny day in July 1948. For a small child, the trip from our rented cottage near Bungalow Village seemed like a long jour- ney, not a mile or so jaunt. Per- haps the excitement of a child’s anticipation made everything in those days seem more grandiose. Upon arriving at Wellington’s Crescent Beach, the sense of awe continued. The beach was the sandiest my young eyes had ever seen. The water was crystal clear. The lake was huge. These days only the size of the lake seems to have changed, but not its stunning beauty.
It is not surprising that such a desirable expression of nature had many suitors bidding for ownership. Land records from the late 1700’s show proprietor- ship by James Gordon and John Mason. That deed was passed to a David “Folkler” (possibly “Fowler”) early in the next cen-
NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM
April 2025
A Wellington Welcome
tury. Subsequently,
there was a suc-
cession of many
who sought and ac-
quired the land that
is now Wellington
State Park. These
included the sur-
names Matthews,
Minot, Jordan, Ste-
vens, and also, Otis
Bucklin, the last of
whom came close to
building a hotel on Wellington’s Cres-
cent Beach. The
final private owner
was Elizabeth Wel-
lington, who deeded
the 100-acre property to New Hampshire in 1931 (for $1.00). The park more than doubled in size with the subsequent addi- tions of Belle and Cliff Islands and adjacent properties donated by the Follansbee family.
Realizing the desirability of its new “park” the New Hamp- shire Department of Forestry
and Recreation was quick to open Crescent Beach and the adjoining woodlands to the pub- lic. This led to the unusual in- tegration of vacationers and the young men of the Civilian Con- servation Corp bathing together as work to develop the park pro- gressed during the 1930’s. While at work, the CCC (founded
during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first term as president) cleared land for parking and trails, built bathhouses, tapped well water, and found time (in addition to bathing) for eating the native blueberries that grew profusely near the beach.
Today the Wellington facility includes many amenities for visi-
tors. There are numerous fire pits and grills, picnic tables, a snack bar, boats to rent, a pavilion for group outings, drinking fountains, and children’s playground equipment.
From the 19th century, Newfound Lake has been a popular place to enjoy a summer break from work, not only an extended vacation, but a jour- ney’s end for a day trip or a weekend getaway. In some cases once dis- covered, the Newfound region became a destina- tion for more permanent
settlement. Two recognizable ethnic groups, French Cana- dians, and more prominently those with Irish surnames, have settled here. Folks with these ethnic ancestries, as well as the descendants of those who can
WELCOME
continued on page 7
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