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Contact Us ½ Directions ½ Vacation Ownership ½ Windrifter Owners |
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  Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is known as "The Oldest Summer
Resort in America." Wolfeboro was incorporated in 1770, named after General James Wolfe, a British officer whose victory against the French in Quebec made him legendary. There is no historical record that General Wolfe ever came to Wolfeboro but his military expeditions on the eastern coast, and his heroic death on the battlefield made him an honorable figure. New Hampshire's colonial Governor John Wentworth came to Wolfeboro in 1763 and built a summer home on the shores of what is now called Lake Wentworth (his namesake). Wentworth had been appointed Governor of New Hampshire in 1766, by orders of King George.  Wentworth came to his "mansion" during the summer and was
followed by many wealthy families who discovered the quiet
and charm of the area. A replica of the Wentworth mansion is
displayed in the Clark House on South Main Street. Boating has been a pivotal activity in Wolfeboro for over two centuries. Of Wolfeboro’s 38,000 acres, 7,800 of it is water. Lake Wentworth is located entirely within Wolfeboro, named for the N.H. Governor, with 15 miles of shorefront and 20 islands. Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in New Hampshire, also comprises shorefront along the town’s center. Winnipesaukee means "beautiful water in high place". A second interpretation from Indian folklore is "The smile of the great spirit." The large lake has over 270 islands. Native Americans traveled these waters by canoe, then came horseboats, barges large enough to carry lumber, hay and supplies to other ports. Horses walking on a treadmill kept the paddle wheels turning which powered the boat through the water. Horseboats used two animals side-by-side - hence the terminology of two horsepower boats. An excellent model of a horseboat is exhibited at the Clark House on South Main Street.  Next came the steam engine boats with side wheels. The
heyday of the sidewheeler was the launching of The Mount
Washington in 1880 on Winnipesaukee. Built to carry 1,200
passengers, the original Mount was 178 feet long with a beam
of 48 feet, had a flat bottom and drew only 8 feet of water.
One fall, when the lake was low, she went aground at the
Wolfeboro dock, but churned herself loose with the one
cylinder engine. At the time, the Mount was the fastest boat
on the lake. In 1920, she was sold to Captain Lavallee who
ran her until 1939 when she was destroyed by fire. Her
successor, the present "Mount" came on the lake in 1940, and
still makes its spring, summer, and fall rounds to
Wolfeboro.  The Pavillion Hotel, later called the Kingswood Inn, was one
of Wolfeboro's largest buildings. The 1849 hotel lasted only
50 years, and was torn down in 1899 – the site is now
Brewster Academy's playing field. John Brewster was one of the most famous Wolfeboro natives, and greatest benefactors. Born a poor farm boy in 1812, a descendant of Pilgrim Elder William Brewster, young John attended the Wolfeboro and Tuftonboro Academy, then taught school at the age of 16. Brewster’s work legacy began with long hours at Hale Hardware Store and Dover dry goods stores, where he learned about textiles. He saved enough money to open a dry good store in Boston, which prospered into an entire firm. In 1851, he formed a banking enterprise that sold U.S. Government bond sales throughout New England, averaging one half million dollars per week in sales. After the Civil War, his firm sold railroad, state and municipal bonds. He returned to Wolfeboro every year and eventually retired at 71 - a millionaire. Brewster died in 1886; his will funds the Brewster Library, Brewster Memorial Hall and Brewster Free Academy, which promises free education to all local students.  Wolfeboro's most illustrious personality was Henry Wilson, a
strong anti-slavery advocate. Henry Wilson was in the shoe
business, but was so moved by political concerns that he was
elected to the Massachusetts legislature, became a
Brigadier-General, and was elected to the U.S. Senate.
Wilson became Vice President of the United States in 1872,
but died before completing his term in 1875. His body lay in
state in the Capitol rotunda upon orders of President Grant.
Greenleaf B. Clark was another Wolfeboro benefactor who owned the house on South Main Street, built by his grandfather in 1778. The original property included 86 acres extending to Clark's Point on Lake Winnipesaukee. Green Clark bought, sold, and rented much of the properties in the town during his lifetime. Upon his death, the Clark Homestead and Park were given to the town and The Clark House is now open to visitors as the Wolfeboro Historical Society. Today, Wolfeboro is featured as one of the "top 100 small towns in America."
The Windrifter Resort
337 South Main Street (P.O. Box 608) Wolfeboro, NH 03894 603-569-1323 info@windrifterresort.com |
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