These 10 Candid Photos Show What Life Was Like In New Hampshire In the 1900s
By Michelle|Published November 04, 2020
×
Michelle
Author
Michelle's life is a colorful map of exploration and adventure. From the iconic streets of New York to the sunny shores of Florida, the jagged coast of Maine to the rugged terrain of Montana, she's been fortunate to call some of America's most beautiful states home. Beyond the U.S., Michelle's wanderlust has taken her on a motorcycle journey through India, led her to teach English in Hanoi, and saw her studying Spanish in Guatemala. Michelle graduated with a communications degree from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and in addition to a career in advertising has worked with OnlyInYourState since 2016, where her love for travel and storytelling converges. Alongside writing and exploring, Michelle finds joy in photography, staying active, and time with her family.
For questions, comments and inquiries please email: mstarin@onlyinyourstate.com.
Living our lives in New Hampshire on a day-to-day basis we often forget that things weren’t always like this. Today we can hop in the car to go to the grocery store when we forget something. Or, even better, we can order it online and expect to see it within just a few days. We’ve got the internet, smart phones, smart TVs and access to things as quickly as we need them. But, life wasn’t always this way. Long before we were here, New Hampshire was just coming into its own. From new industries to new hobbies, New Hampshirites were on the brink of a new way of life. And these photos show what things were like all the way back then.
1. It's not uncommon to see people standing on Main Street in any New Hampshire town, but back in the 1900s the fashion choices were certainly a bit different. September, 1937.
2. Camping in New Hampshire has always been fun, but things looked a whole lot different back in the 1900s. Imagine showing up to a campsite to find this car! July, 1940.
3. Today we take horse drawn carriage rides to appreciate the season with a little bit of flare. Back in the mid-1900s this was more of a necessity. February, 1939.
5. Today we can simply head to the freezer for ice. And, when larger companies need more it's simply manufactured. Back in some parts of the 1900s, trucks took their ice from nature and brought it where it was needed. February, 1936.
6. New Hampshire's logging history goes quite far back and the work people put into the industry was back-breaking. These men standing on their logs in Keene proves that the hard work really begins after the wood comes out of the forest. 1930s.
7. Today we might expect to see logs being transported with huge trucks on the highway. But back in the 1900s things were just a bit different. This horse drawn carriage system in Keene was slower, but still effective. Approximately between 1900 and 1920.
8. We couldn't resist including some proof that some parts of New Hampshire life remain the same. Our covered bridges are part of what make us so special and many have been around since far before the 1900s. Pictured here is one on Passaconway Road near Bartlett. February, 1936.
9. By the 1930s, New Hampshire was making a name for itself in the downhill ski industry. With people from other states flocking here, local businesses found a way to capitalize. March, 1939.
10. And as New Hampshire became known as a destination for alpine skiing, more people from neighboring states began heading into New Hampshire to try it out. Can you imagine wearing these outfits for a day on the slopes? February, 1936.
