These projects are part of a long term documentary project that focuses on the abandoned villages, granite quarries, lost mountain settlements, and forgotten 19th century hill farming communities that are scattered throughout the New Hampshire White Mountains. Many of these communities were abandoned in the early 1900s. And today the cellar holes, graveyards, and stone walls that remain in the forest help tell the story of a long forgotten era.

Thornton Gore Farming Community

This project focuses on the abandoned Thornton Gore hill farming settlement in the New Hampshire White Mountains. Many consider Thornton Gore or the "Gore” to be the northern section of Thornton in the area of where Talford and Eastman Brooks meet. This area of Thornton Gore had a number of farms, a few mills, a school, two cemeteries, and a church. The first settlers of Thornton Gore arrived in the early 1800s. And by 1900, George James and his New Hampshire Land Company had bought up most of the land in Thornton Gore. Logging took over the area, and this hill farming settlement was gone. Farming settlements, like this one, were scattered throughout the White Mountains region during the early days, and today most have been forgotten about, and little remains of them. [Read more] | [View photos].

Sandwich Notch Farming Community

This project focuses on the abandoned Sandwich Notch hill farming settlement in the New Hampshire White Mountains. During the early nineteenth century, thirty to forty families lived in Sandwich Notch. A few Notch farms did strive, but the rocky terrain of Sandwich Notch was poor for farming, and it is no surprise that by 1860 only eight families remained in the Notch. Many families in the area left their farms and headed West to where farming was said to be better. By the turn of the twentieth century only one person, Moses Hall, lived in the Notch year around. Now a private residence the Hall Place is the only house left on the Notch Road. Today, the cellar holes, dug wells, and stone walls that once marked the fields of this forgotten farming settlement still can be found along the historic Sandwich Notch Road. [Read more] | [View photos].

Village of Livermore, New Hampshire

This project focuses on the abandoned logging village of Livermore in the New Hampshire White Mountains. Incorporated by the state of New Hampshire in 1876, Livermore was a logging town in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The village was located along the Sawyer River Railroad, on the Sawyer River, in the White Mountains. Both the railroad and town were owned by the Saunders family. At its peak, the population of Livermore was around 150-200 people, but as time progressed more and more people left the town. The village of Livermore had a post office, school, store, and a number of other dwellings. The Saunder's Mansion was also located in the village. The town of Livermore was officially dissolved in 1951. Today the village is a ghost town and not much remains of this forgotten logging village. [Read more] | [View photos].

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Notes:

• ScenicNH Photography is in the business of photography. We create awareness for historic preservation and environmental conservation.

• As you explore the historical sites in New Hampshire, keep in mind the removal of historic artifacts from federal lands is a violation of federal law.

• These historical sites are within the White Mountain National Forest; they cant’t be dug or disturbed, so metal detecting is out.

• This is a work in progress and is subject to errors and omissions.

• See more of our ongoing history work at the projects page.