Lost Waterfalls, White Mountains – I mentioned in last week’s blog article that I will be spending some time this year photographing forgotten waterfalls in the New Hampshire White Mountains. The reason I will be doing this is because many of these lost waterfalls were discovered and named back in the 19th century.
Much like an abandoned hill farm settlement, lost waterfalls are linked to the history of the White Mountains, and I need to include them in my White Mountains history and culture image collection. I usually find reference to lost waterfalls on old maps and in old history and guide books when researching abandoned settlements in the White Mountains.
From a historical point of view, the lost waterfalls in the New Hampshire White Mountains are a confusing topic. An example of this is Noble Falls (or Bridesmaid Falls) in Franconia, New Hampshire. In the book “A History of Franconia New Hampshire” by Sarah N. Welch, there is a picture of Noble Falls (above), and the caption states this waterfall is on Copper Mine Brook, above Bridal Veil Falls, but it is actually on another brook, near Copper Mine Brook. I have yet to research why this waterfall is also referred to as Bridesmaid Falls.
In the book “Guide Book to the Franconia Notch and the Pemigewasset Valley” by Frank Oliver Carpenter there is mention of Loon Pond Mountain Cascades (above), along Horner Brook in Woodstock. During the early years of the White Mountains, a trail went past these cascades to the summit of Loon Pond Mountain. Today, you won’t find much mention of these cascades or of Loon Pond Mountain, because this mountain is now known as Loon Mountain’s South Peak and there is no longer an official trail to the cascades.
Some of the lost waterfalls in the White Mountains are so close to the road I don’t understand how they could be forgotten about. Jackman Falls (above), on Jackman Brook, in Woodstock is known to locals but for the most part, they are considered lost. And even though Jackman Brook has a series of interesting cascades, the information I found suggests the above section is what the history books consider to be Jackman Falls.
One of the attractions to exploring lost waterfalls is the adventure and even though I am a photographer, with a goal, I love the adventure part. I came across mention of Mt Field Brook Cascades (above) in Bethlehem on a website dedicated to waterfalls. Without much research I crossed the Zealand River and followed Mt Field Brook beyond the A-Z Trail in search of these cascades. These cascades are located only a short distance up Mt Field Brook from where it drains into Zealand River, but I had a great time exploring the drainage.
It should be an interesting year shooting and exploring some of the lost waterfalls in the White Mountains. All of the above images can be licensed for publications by clicking on the image you are interested in. And you can view more photos of forgotten waterfalls in the waterfall image gallery here.
Happy image making..
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Owner of ScenicNH Photography LLC
Erin Paul is a professional photographer, writer, and author who specializes in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the New Hampshire White Mountains. His work is published worldwide, and publication credits include: Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Backpacker Magazine, and The Wilderness Society.
ScenicNH Photography LLC
Specializing in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the White Mountains region of New Hampshire, Erin Paul’s photography and writing focuses on the history of the White Mountains, and telling the story of abandoned places and forgotten historical sites.