Downtown Keene

Picturesque Downtown Keene, New Hampshire is as New England as it gets! See for yourself in the video and post below and then plan your own adventure to explore all the city has to offer!

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Introduction

Welcome to my site and my very first blog post on Downtown Keene, New Hampshire! I am excited to begin this journey and look forward to sharing my New Hampshire experiences with you. Your comments and suggestions are welcomed and encouraged as I begin to add content to the site.

I would especially encourage you to read my “About Me” page to learn why I started this blog and what my hopes are for it. I have been a New Hampshire Citizen since 1990 when I moved across the Connecticut River from my birthplace in Brattleboro, Vt. We have much to explore here in the Granite State, mountains, lakes, trails, biking, skiing, ocean beaches, historical sites and much more. I have definitely only scratched the surface while living here and look forward to chronicling this journey.

I will do my best to minimize spelling and grammatical errors. Thank goodness for spellcheck and a few other tools I have learned about thus far! My aim is to provide quality content over quantity.

Let’s start by introducing you to my hometown of Keene, New Hampshire. In particular, I’d like to focus on our beautiful downtown! It has been a great place to raise a family, work, live, and explore. It will make a great place to start this journey and a focus for the next few posts. Obviously, it is the place I am most familiar with and have explored the most. 

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Main Street Keene

When you first come to Keene, you can’t help but notice our WIDE main street! I have seen it listed as the widest main street in all of America.

Downtown Keene

At the head of Main Street is the iconic UCC Church with roots as far back as 1737. Its grand white steeple anchors the head of Main Street and Central Square where Main Street divides into spokes. Central Square with its Gazebo and rotary, speaks to the centuries of activity and hub of history.

Historical Sites, Downtown Keene

Our local Keene Sentinel will often include historical photos and reminders of the past. Wymans Tavern dates back as far as 1750 and the Revolutionary War.

The Horatio Colony House Museum is another prominent piece of History.

Even the Cheshire County Historical Society is located on our Main Street.

Architectural history is also everywhere if you keep your eyes open for it.

Main Street is reinventing itself like many are these days. You won’t be disappointed by the mix of retail shops and varied eating establishments that inhabit the historical old buildings. The mix of the old and the new blends together to give us the best of both worlds. 

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Jumanji Filming, Keene

The film Jumanji, starring Robin Williams, was partially filmed in our downtown! If you have seen the film, you will recognize “Parish Shoes”. Robin plays the role of a little boy named “Allen Parish” whose father owns a company called Parish Shoes.

Keene State College

Keene State College anchors the southern end of Main Street and its presence is felt throughout lower downtown. The college is a mix of old and new architecture and is really a campus that shines.  If you make the loop around downtown, it would be worth your while to walk the campus.

Appian Way will take you down the heart of Keene State. I have made many a stroll over to Brickyard Pond with it’s bubbling fountain during the summer. The students provide a refreshingly youthful presence that also creates a “blend of the old and new”.

Downtown Keene Events 

Depending on the time of year, you can catch any one of a number of events that occur annually in downtown Keene. We enjoy Art Walk, The Keene Music Festival, The Keene Pumpkin Festival, The Keene Ice Festival, and other events. Add one of these events to your list of things to do in New Hampshire and spend some time exploring downtown, Keene! 

Keene Pumpkin Festival

Keene Art Walk

I hope you have enjoyed this first post on “New Hampshire Live Free and Explore”! I look forward to sharing and exploring the rest of the State together. Visit the Resources page to browse the links and plan your own adventure!

Have you been to Keene or do you live in Keene? What are some of your favorite things about this gem tucked in the SouthWest corner of the Granite State? Leave a comment below!

New Hampshire Live Free and Explore!

4 Comments

  1. Marcia Kayser

    This is wonderful, Tim, showcasing so much of our wonderful south-west corner of NH. Thank you!

    Reply
    • admin

      Thank you Marcia! It has been fun exploring the state and sharing it on this website.

      Reply
  2. Graciela Bollman

    Wonderful information and very useful.

    Reply

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