Harrisville

Today’s adventure took us on a spur-of-the-moment trip to the historic mill town of Harrisville, New Hampshire. It is part of what I hope to convey through this website, turning everyday life in New Hampshire into a story of what it is like to live in and explore the Granite State.

Harrisville is one of those tucked away little New England towns that sits just enough off of the main road that you can tend to miss it. It boasts a population of 984 residents as reported in the 2020 census. It also includes the villages of  Chesham and Eastview.

Route 101 East was our destination to start the trip. Just on the outskirts of the pretty little town of Marlborough, we grabbed Chesham Road which brought us right past Chesham Pond and into Harrisville.

Harrisville Pond

Harrisville Pond and the historic mills of the town have served as the backdrop for countless pictures and paintings. The pond’s outlet spills through the center of town and was used to power the woolen mills.

Harrisville Pond

 (Paid Affiliate Link)

Harrisville Center

The many brick buildings and spillways make you feel like you have crossed into another era. Everything is within short walking distance of one another, it isn’t hard to imagine the area bustling with people back in the days when the mill was operational.  Today, it is home to a mix of small businesses such as Harrisville Designs and various artists and manufacturers.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, I hope these pics give you an idea of what the scene is like in Harrisville.

Harrisville

Harrisville

 (Paid Affiliate Link)

Harrisville

Harrisville

 (Paid Affiliate Link)

Harrisville

Harrisville

Harrisville

Harrisville General Store

The Harrisville General Store was bustling with people and delicious smells that enticed us to grab lunch. The food was incredibly good, the staff was friendly and enthusiastic. Well preserved and repurposed buildings are part of what I think makes New Hampshire such a great place to explore.

Harrisville General Store

Harrisville General Store

 (Paid Affiliate Link)

Harrisville General Store

The Lakes of Harrisville

I have fished this area pretty heavily with both kayaks and canoes over the years. Part of my New Hampshire quest is to check off as many lakes and ponds as possible. Harrisville is loaded with great water bodies to explore! Lake Skatutakee, Silver Lake, Harrisville Pond, Chesham Pond are just a few that earned checkmarks.

Harrisville, Lake Skatutakee

Harrisville, Lake Skatutakee

The Harrisville Inn Bed and Breakfast

The picturesque Harrisville Inn Bed and Breakfast required a U-turn and a few pictures for this post. Check out their website for an appreciation of the beautiful rooms and small event capabilities in their restored barn. It is another great example of a restored and repurposed building.

Harrisville Inn

The Aldworth Manor

The last stop on our way back home was to explore the Aldworth Manor. The beautiful stone entryway begged us to take one last side road. The Manor sits about a mile or so up the road with great views of the surrounding countryside. You can learn more about Aldworth Manor and how it came to be in Harrisville on their website. It was actually moved to Harrisville from its original location in Worcester, MA.  It is an impressive story and a perfect way to top off this post.

Harrisville, Aldworth

Harrisville, Aldworth

 

I hope I’ve enticed you into your own road trip adventure in New Hampshire. Maybe turn down that road you have always been curious about or stop at that roadside antique store you have driven by but never pulled over for.

If you enjoyed this post, check out my post on Hancock. Hancock is another small town worth your time and it’s tucked in the Monadnock Region. 

Subscribe to stay updated and follow and share us on social media!

“Live Free and Explore!”

New Hampshire Live Free and Explore!

 

6 Comments

  1. aunt Evelyn

    Another great trip….lots of interesting stops

    Reply
    • TIMOTHY ZINN

      Off to Plymouth, NH tomorrow! Happy New Year!

      Reply
  2. Masked Man

    Thanks Tim you have opened the door to another place in our beautiful state.
    How many times have I drove passed it while driving rt.101

    Reply
    • TIMOTHY ZINN

      Probably one or two more than me :0).

      Reply
  3. Jean Auger

    Very interesting and great pictures. It shows us how many wonderful places we have in our state and some so close by. Always enjoy these and look forward to the next one.

    Reply
    • TIMOTHY ZINN

      Lots more to explore :0)! Thank you

      Reply

Leave a Reply to Jean Auger Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

close

Enjoy this blog? Please spread the word :)

Facebook8.7k
Instagram2.4k
Youtube253
Youtube
38