White Mountain National Forest Campground - Dolly Copp

46. GALLERY: OLD NH ROUTE 16


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The images in this section are in sequence from north to south, running from Gorham along Route 16 to Pinkham Notch.

They say that the geography of the entire world is being divided up into corresponding web sites, that cyberspace more and more mirrors real space.

As for the limited geographic scope of this site, dollycopp.com is not meant to wander too far away from the immediate Campground environs, so as not to overlap other web turf.

But, it seems that no other web site has yet catalogued historical features along Route 16 from Gorham to the Notch, so here we go.

The other exception to this site's narrow geography is the inclusion of a Pine Mountain Page.

The highlight of this Route 16 page is of course the segment passing Dolly Copp, where a gallery of historic entrance signs is presented.

Above and below are excerpts from
Guy Shorey's 1928 Gorham Brochure.
Source: Scott McClory Dolly Copp Collection.
(The entrance to Dolly Copp was six miles back then, less today).

Above and below, starting out from Gorham southbound.

Excerpted from the 1872 Eastman White Mountain Guide.

Not sure of exact location.

Hole Number 1, just north of the bridge. This swimming site is
always popular with Dolly Coppers and with local residents as well.
See above in greater detail.

Source: Scott McClory Dolly Copp Collection.

Shorey era bridge crossing the Peabody River two miles south of Gorham.

View from "The White Hills" by Thomas Starr King 1871.

Looking north at Two Mile Bridge in 1918. The name relates
to the crossing of the Peabody River two miles south of Gorham.

Above and below: flood of 1955 near Dolly Copp.

Above and below: old north entrance to
Dolly Copp Forest Camp, looking south.

Old north entrance looking north. This
photo copied from a glass slide of early vintage.

Old central entrance in 1928 looking east (B below).

Early entrance configuration with A
as north entrance, B central and C south.

Evidently entrance "B" above was the sole access to Route 16 before 1932, for a newspaper article on Dolly Copp that year describes a recent improvement to access:

"This year the U. S. Government saw the need of a new approach to the campground as well as an exit. The old road going to the grounds branched off perpendicularly from the main highway [B] and was like the descent of an airplane in a nose dive when out of control, and as abruptly came to the finish as the camper stepped on the brakes to avoid plunging headlong into the stream.

The new approach is gradual and branches from the Pinkham Notch highway at an angle. It leads to the Ranger’s Station where the new camper may learn of the rules of the grounds and secure a fire permit.

A typical government sign points to the grounds and hangs at the entrance. The exit from the grounds leading at an angle to the main highway is similar to all side roads and is no longer the steep exit of a year ago."

The graded base of the pre-1932 "B steep entrance” road is still clearly visible in the woods today, in the Picnic Area, extending upgrade eastward on a wooded slope away from the old bridge location.

Old south entrance looking north (C on map above).

Looking north at old south entrance then and
now. The alignment of Route 16 was moved east
in the late fifties after this entrance was abandoned.

Looking south at old south entrance where it joins Route 16.

Probably old central entrance, 1928.

Again probably old central entrance.

What the Old Route 16 looks like today:
a section of bypassed original road
near Great Gulf Trail Parking Area.

Nearby CCC Camp conveted to Camp Dodge

To photo of activity at CCC Camp.

Tourist route as shown on 1871 Leavitt Map.

For full map visit www.whitemountainhistory.org:
http://whitemountainhistory.org/1871_Franklin_Leavitt_Map.html

Old view of entrance to Mount Washington Auto Road.
Source: Scott McClory Dolly Copp Collection.

An early saw mill on the Peabody River.
This location estimated to be 100 to 200 meters
south of today's Wildcat Ski Area parking lot.

Darby Field Cottage.
Photo courtesy of Rick Russack.
This location is at today's NH DOT garage between Pinkham Notch Visitor Center and
the Wildcat ski area. As a boarding house in the 1800's, it was named for the first
European to climb Mt. Washington, thought to have started from here.

Mt. Washington from Darby Field with Route 16 as a dirt road.
Source: Scott McClory Dolly Copp Collection.