Jefferson Notch Road, White Mountains – Today, this seasonal road in New Hampshire connects Base Road in Crawford’s Purchase with Valley Road in Jefferson; it begins in Crawford’s Purchase, travels through Chandler's Purchase, Thompson and Meserve's Purchase, Low and Burbank's Grant, and ends at Valley Road in Jefferson. The highest elevation reached by a public highway in New Hampshire is along Jefferson Notch Road.
An act to survey and construct Jefferson Notch Road was approved by the state of New Hampshire on March 22, 1901. Funded by the state of New Hampshire and private parties (hotel establishments, individuals, etc.), the roughly fourteen-mile long road was built in 1901-1902, and it opened for use in 1902. Called Jefferson Notch Highway in the early years, the purpose of Jefferson Notch Road was to connect the old Crawford House with Jefferson Highlands, near Ethan Allen Crawford’s house / inn.
Built in two sections, the southern division (Mt. Clinton Road) was from near the Crawford House (Route 302) to the Mount Washington Turnpike (today’s Base Road), near the site of the now gone Twin River Farm. Built by Thomas Trudeau, it opened on November 8, 1901. Upon completion, Chester B. Jordan, governor of New Hampshire from 1901-1903, inspected the road; he and his group traveled over it in a wagon pulled by a team of six horses.
The northern division (today’s Jefferson Notch Road) was from the Mount Washington Turnpike (today’s Base Road) to Jefferson Highlands. Built by Ethan Allen Crawford III, great-grandson of Abel Crawford, it was completed in August 1902; the official opening was on September 9, 1902. Before the official opening of the road, using a horse-drawn wagon, Crawford picked up a group at the Mount Washington Cog Railway Base Station and took them over the new road to Jefferson Highlands on August 9, 1902; the editor of Among the Clouds, Frank H. Burt, was one of the passengers. One month later, at the official opening of the road on September 9, Crawford took Governor Chester B. Jordan and others over the road in a wagon pulled by a team of eight horses.
Originally costing around $10,000.00 to build, more money and labor would be needed to keep the road open. The many bridges along the northern division would be subject to washouts. In 1903, a storm caused so much damage to the road that it would have to be reconstructed. And for a while, the road was only passable by horses.
Today, Jefferson Notch Road and Mt. Clinton Road are seasonal roads closed during the snow months. But during the late spring, summer and autumn seasons, travelers can drive both of them. See Forest Service's seasonal roads status page to find out if these roads are open.
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Bibliography:
Kilbourne, Frederick Wilkinson. Chronicles of the White Mountains. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1916.
Garvin, Donna-Belle, Garvin, James L. On the Road North of Boston: New Hampshire Taverns and Turnpikes, 1700-1900. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England. 1888.
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.