Thursday, March 23, 2006

The Poor Man's Dante's Inferno

In this case, it's Hot Times, Very Hot Places!


Known as the poor man's Dante's Inferno because of an underground fire that has been burning for more than 40 years, the coal mining town of Centralia, Pennsylvania has been the setting for the film Silent Hill, starring Radha Mitchell, as well as bestselling novelist Lisa Scottoline's new book Dirty Blonde.



The story of Centralia's fire began sometime in 1962 along the outskirts of town when trash was burned in the pit of an abandoned strip mine, which connected to a coal vein running near the surface. The burning trash set fire to the exposed vein of coal. Thought to be extinguished, the first began burning underground. For two decades, the government battled the fire in a number of ways: flushing water down the mine, excavating burning material, cutting ditches, etc., but all attempts to put the fire out were fruitless. By the early 1980s, when much of the town was abandoned, the fire had encompassed 200 acres. The fire continues to this day and is expected to continue for many years to come.



Note: It is very dangerous to walk or drive in the area near the fire. As the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental protection notes: "Walking and/or driving in the immediate area could result in serious injury or death. There are dangerous gases present, and the ground is prone to sudden and unexpected collapse. DEP strongly discourages anyone from visiting the immediate area."



The best resource for more information about the on-going fire is the offroaders.com web site at http://www.offroaders.com/album/centralia/centralia.htm.

Saturday, February 25, 2006

Oldest Wooden Merry-Go-Round in the U.S.


In 1905, the Kit Carson County Carousel, the oldest wooden merry-go-round in the U.S., opened at Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado. It was later moved to Burlington, Colorado in 1928. It is the only antique carousel in America that still has the original paint on the scenery and animals.

Address: Kit Carson County Carousel Association, P O Box 28, Stratton, Colorado 80836; 719-348-5562. Web: http://www.kitcarsoncountycarousel.com.

Friday, February 24, 2006

Pinto Bean Capital of the World


Dove Creek, Colorado is the Pinto Bean Capital of the World. Pinto Beans are the most widely produced bean in the United States and is one of the most popular in the Americas.

Address: Dove Creek Chamber of Commerce, P O Box 613, Dove Creek, Colorado 81324-0613; 970-677-2272; Fax: 970-677-2271.

Thursday, February 23, 2006

World's First Rodeo


The world's first rodeo was held on July 4, 1869 in Deer Trail, Colorado.

Address: Town of Deer Trail, P O Box 217, Deer Trail, Colorado 80105; 303-769-4464; Fax: 303-769-4466. Email: dttownhall@aol.com. Web: http://www.deertrailcolorado.org.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Movie Star: Durango & Silverton Railroad


Established in 1881, the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has appeared in more than a dozen movies including Colorado Territory (1949), Ticket to Tomahawk (1950), Denver & Rio Grande (1952), Viva Zapata (1952), Three Young Texans (1954), Run for Cover (1955), Maverick Queen (1956), Around the World in 80 Days (1956), Night Passage (1957), How the West Was Won (1963), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), Support Your Local Gunfighter (1970), Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (1984), The Tracker (1987), Rebirth of a Locomotive (1992), Tracks Through Time (1999), Durango Kids (1999), Golden Dreams (2000), and The Claim (2000).

 
Address: Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, 479 Main Street, Durango, Colorado 81301; 970-247-2733; 877-TRAIN-07. Email: info@durangotrain.com. Web: http://www.durangotrain.com.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

World's Largest Natural Hot Springs Pool


The world's largest natural hot springs pool, over two blocks long, is located in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.


Address: Hot Springs Lodge and Pool, P O Box 308, Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81602; 970-945-6571; 800-537-SWIM; Fax: 970-947-2950. Web: http://www.hotspringspool.com.

Monday, February 20, 2006

Oldest State-Funded Archival Agency in the U.S.



The Alabama Department of Archives is the oldest state-funded archival agency in the U.S.

Address: Alabama Department of Archives, 624 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36130-0100; 334-242-4435. Web: http://www.archives.state.al.us.

Sunday, February 19, 2006

World's Only Monument Dedicated to an Insect Pest


The Boll Weevil Monument was dedicated on December 11, 1919, at Enterprise, Alabama. It is the world's only monument dedicated to an insect pest.

Address: Boll Weevil Monument, Intersection of Main and College, Enterprise, Alabama 36331-0577; 334-347-0581; 800-235-4730; Fax: 334-393-8204. Web: http://www.enterprisealabama.com.

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Even More Pennsylvania Firsts

1831: The Oxford Provident, the first building and loan association in America, was established at Frankford, Pennsylvania on January 31, 1831.

1831: On April 25, 1831, Matthias Baldwin tested the first locomotive which established the largest locomotive building works in the world.


1834: The Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, began the first systematic study of meteorology in the aid of agriculture.

Address: The Franklin Institute, 220 North 20th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103; 212-448-1200. Web: http://www.fi.edu.

1835: The city of Philadelphia began laying the first gas pipes in the U.S.

1848: The first regularly published comic paper, the John-Donkey, was published in Philadelphia.



1852: The Female Medical College of Philadelphia (later Woman's Medical College) granted the first medical degree for women in America. In recent years, the college has joined with Drexel University's college of medicine.

"Drexel University College of Medicine ... is the consolidation of two venerable medical schools with rich and intertwined histories: Hahnemann Medical College and Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania. Established in 1848 and 1850, respectively, they were two of the earliest medical colleges in the United States, and Woman's was the very first medical school for women in the nation."

Address: Drexel University College of Medicine, Queen Lane Medical Campus, 2900 W. Queen Lane, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19129; 215-991-8100. Web: http://www.drexelmed.edu.

Friday, February 17, 2006

Still More Pennsylvania Firsts

1807: Joseph Hawkins of Philadelphia created the first carbonated water made in America.

1809: In September, Scotch millwright Somerville constructed the first experimental rail track in the U.S. near Bulls Head Tavern in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for Thomas Leiper.

1810: The first savings fund society in America was established at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1818: Joseph Lancaster started the Model School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was the first normal school in the U.S.

1819: The Philadelphia Analectic Magazine printed the first lithograph in America.

1819: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania erected the first water power works in the U.S.

1824: The first American manufacturer's trade show was held at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.


1827: The first horticultural society in America, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, was founded in November, 1827, under the leadership of Dr. James Meade of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Address: The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, 100 N. 20th Street, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103; 215-988-8800; Fax: 215-988-8810. Email: programreg@pennhort.org. Web: http://www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org.

1829: G.A. Shyrock of Philadelphia became the first to make paper and boards from straw and grass by using machinery.

1830: C.C. Conwell published the first penny newspaper in the U.S., the Cent, in Philadelphia.

1830: Louis Godey of Philadelphia published the first successful women's magazine, Godey's Lady Book.

Thursday, February 16, 2006

More Pennsylvania Firsts

1791: The first public canal company, the Schuylkill and Susquehanna Canal Company, was chartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1791: The first carpet factory in the U.S. was established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.


1792: The first U.S. Mint was established in Philadelphia by the U.S. Congress.

Address: United States Mint, 151 N. Independence Mall East, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106-1886; 215-408-0110. Web: http://www.usmint.gov.

1794: Charles Wilson Peal, Joseph Cerrachi, William Rush, and others formed the first society for the promotion of fine arts in the U.S., the Columbianum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1796: Binney & Ronaldson formed the first type foundry in America at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1804: Charles Eneu Johnson established the first printing ink factory in the U.S. at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.


1805: The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the first arts institution in the U.S., was established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was chartered on March 28, 1806.

Address: Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts,
118 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102; 215-972-7600; Fax: 215-569-0153. Web: http://www.pafa.org.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Some Pennsylvania Firsts -- More

1780: Dr. Benjamin Rush published the first American work on medicine.

1780: The Pennsylvania Assembly passed the first abolition act in America.

1780: Robert Morris organized the first public bank in the U.S., the Pennsylvania Bank.

1781: On May 26, 1781, the Bank of North America was established by resolution of the U.S. Congress as the first lasting corporate banking institution in the U.S. It opened on January 7, 1782.


1784: The first zoological garden in the U.S. opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in July.

Address: Zoological Society of Philadelphia,
3400 W. Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-1196; 215-243-1100. Email: publicprograms@phillyzoo.org. Web: http://www.philadelphiazoo.org.

1784: The Pennsylvania Packet or General Advertiser, the first daily newspaper in the United States, was published in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 21, 1784, by John Dunlap and David Claypoole.

1785: Dr. Benjamin Rush, Robert Morris, Richard Peters, and others established The Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture, the first agriculture society in North America.

1786: John Fitch operated the first steam vessel on water on July 20, 1786, on the Delaware River at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On August 22, 1787, he operated the first steamboat in the same location. In 1790, the he operated the first regularly scheduled passenger and freight steamboat in the world.

1790: The oldest law school in America, the Law School of the University of Pennsylvania, was founded by James Wilson at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1790: The first stock exchange in America was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Some Pennsylvania Firsts

1753: Pass & Stowe cast the first bell made in the U.S. for use in the State House located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1753: On March 4, 1753, Captain Charles Swaine took off in the schooner Argo in the first North American expedition for Arctic exploration.

1762: Dr. William Shippen opened the first North American school of anatomy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 26, 1762.


1765: On May 30, 1765, Dr. John Morgan opened the first medical school in the U.S. at the College of Philadelphia.

Address: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2002 Penn Tower, 399 S. 34th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-4385; 215-662-4000. Web: http://www.med.upenn.edu.

1766: The first permanent theater house in America was built in Southwark, Pennsylvania.

1773: The American Medical Society was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1774: The first Anti-Slavery Society in the U.S. was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1775: Johann Behrent built the first piano in the U.S. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He named it Piano Forte.

1776: The U.S. Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.


1777: Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Monday, February 13, 2006

World's Smallest City Park


Measuring only two feet across, Mill Ends Park in Portland, Oregon is the world's smallest city park. Created in 1948 for the leprechauns, snail races are held there every St. Patrick’s Day.

Address: Mills End Park, Corner of Front Avenue and Taylor Street in the middle of a crosswalk, Portland, Oregon.

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Deepest Lake in the United States


Known for its intense blue color and spectacular views, Crater Lake in Oregon is the deepest lake in the United States.

Crater Lake National Park was created on May 22, 1902. The park receives more snowfall than any other place in the country,
averaging 533 inches a year!

Address: Crater Lake National Park, P O Box 7, Crater Lake, Oregon 97604; 541-594-3100; Fax: 541-594-3010. Web:
http://www.nps.gov/crla.

Saturday, February 11, 2006

National 4-String Banjo Hall of Fame Museum


This unique museum features America's premier collection of vintage banjos. Inductees include Tim Allen, Mel Bay, Ralph Martin, Jack Canine, Buddy Wachter, Harry Reser, Cathy Reilly-Finn, Bacon & Day, Shakey Johnson, Freddy Morgan, Jubilee Banjo Band, Don Van Palta, Sandy Riner, Roy Smeck, Smokey Montgomery, Eddie Peabody, and many others.

Address: National 4-String Banjo Hall of Fame, The International Banjo College, 116 E. Oklahoma Avenue, Guthrie, Oklahoma 73044; 405-260-1323. Email: info@banjomuseum.org. Web: http://www.banjomuseum.org.

Friday, February 10, 2006

Largest Scottish Rite Complex in the World


Completed in 1929, the largest Scottish Rite Complex in the world is located in Guthrie, Oklahoma. The great Temple of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in Guthrie is a place in which the glory of the Grand Architect of the Universe is celebrated.

Address: Scottish Rite Temple, 900 E. Oklahoma, P. O. Box 70, Guthrie, Oklahoma 73044; 405-282-1281. Web: http://www.guthriescottishrite.org.

Thursday, February 09, 2006

North Carolina: Some Special Highlights


North Carolina leads the U.S. in textile production.

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the tallest brick lighthouse in the U.S.

The first drawbridge built in the United States was built over the Cape Fear River.

The University of North Carolina was the first public university in the United States.

North Carolina has the largest state-maintained highway system in the U.S., with 77,400 miles of roads.

The world's smallest daily newspaper is the Tryon Daily Bulletin.

The first miniature golf course was opened in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

The first English child born in America, Virginia Dare, was born in Roanoke, North Carolina, in 1587.

North Carolina was the first state to declare independence from England with the Mecklenburg Declaration of 1775.

Cabarrus County, North Carolina, was the site of America's first gold rush.

The first state art museum in the country is located in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Albemarle Sound is the largest freshwater sound in the world.

Address: North Carolina Tourism Division, 301 N Wilmington Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27601-2825; 919-733-8372; 800-847-4862; Fax: 919-715-3097. Web: http://www.visitnc.com.

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

World's Oldest Living Bristlecone Pine


Over 5,000 years old, the world's oldest living bristlecone pine was cut down on Wheeler Peak in Nevada in the 1960s. The Bristlecone
Grove
in Great Basin National Park now probably hosts the world's oldest living bristlecone pine.

The Great Basin National Park was made a national monument on January 24, 1922 and a national park on October 27, 1986. From the sagebrush at its alluvial base to the 13,063-foot summit of Wheeler Peak, Great Basin National Park includes streams, lakes, alpine plants, abundant wildlife, a variety of forest types including groves of ancient bristlecone pines, and numerous limestone caverns, including beautiful Lehman Caves.

Address: Great Basin National Park, 100 Great Basin National Park, Baker, Nevada 89311; 775-234-7331; Fax: 775-234-7269. Web: http://www.nps.gov/grba.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

World's Largest Virgin Blackwater Cypress-Tupelo Swamp Forest


Founded in 1969, the Francis Beidler Forest is the largest virgin blackwater cypress-tupelo swamp forest left in the world. This 11,000-acre sanctuary in the heart of Four Holes Swamp covers 1,800 acres of ancient trees.

Address: Francis Beidler Forest, 336 Sanctuary Road, Harleyville, South Carolina 29448-3324; 843-452-2150. Email: beidler@audubon.org. Web: http://www.audubon.org.

Saturday, January 07, 2006

World's Tallest Pentagonal Building



Baltimore's World Trade Center, on the left in this photo, is the world's tallest five-sided building. The 27th floor, called the Top of the World, offers incredible views of Baltimore harbor.


Address: World Trade Center, 401 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202; 410-837-8439. Web: http://www.baltimore.org.

Friday, January 06, 2006

Baltimore, Maryland Firsts: 1895 to the present



1897: First practical submarine in America: “Argonaut” constructed by Simon Lake.


1897: First country day school in the U.S., now Gilman Country School.


1899: First visiting nurses for TB patients in the U.S.: two Johns Hopkins medical students.


1901: First woman professor at medical school in the U.S.: Dr. Florence Rena Sabin, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.


1916: First city municipal symphony orchestra in the country.


1921: First rehabilitation school for war veterans established at Fort McHenry.


1928: First traffic-actuated traffic signal in the world: invented by Charles Adler Jr. and placed at Belvedere Avenue and Falls Road.


1931: First outdoor polo game at night: Homewood Field, July 2.


1979: First scheduled water taxi transportation system in the country.


Address: Baltimore Convention and Visitors Association, 100 Light Street, 12th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21202;
410-659-7071; 877-Baltimore. Web: http://www.baltimore.org.

Thursday, January 05, 2006

Baltimore, Maryland Firsts: 1840 to 1895



1840: First steam boating in the U.S.: Baltimore Steam Packet Company (Old Bay Line).


1842: First Jewish Congregation founded on Reform principles in this country: Hai Sinai Congregation.


1844: First telegraph line in the U.S.: Samuel Morse between Washington and Baltimore.


1844: First publicly supported high schools for girls: Eastern High School and Western High School.


1845: First Order of Christian Brothers in the U.S.: Calvert Hall College.


1851: First commercial ice cream factory in America: Jacob Russell.


1854: First Jewish Community center in the U.S.


1859: First YMCA erected in America: Pierce and Schroeder Streets.


1867: First pediatrician and gynecologist in the U.S.: Dr. Wm. T. Howard, University of Maryland.


1875: First monument to Edgar Allan Poe in the U.S.


1883: Invention of the typesetting machine: Ottmor Mergenthaler.


1883: First vocational school in the country: Polytechnic.


1885: First commercial electric car line in the Western Hemisphere.


1892: First bottle cap in the U.S.: William Painter.


1893: First elevated electric railway in the U.S.


1895: First U.S. Catholic College for women: College of Notre Dame of Maryland.


Address: Baltimore Convention and Visitors Association, 100 Light Street, 12th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21202;
410-659-7071; 877-Baltimore. Web: http://www.baltimore.org.

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Baltimore, Maryland Firsts: 1810 to 1840



1811: First to import and package tea in America: Marin Gillet and Company.


1814: First printing of the Star Spangled Banner in the United States by Samuel Sands.


1815: First existing makers of silverware in this country: Samuel Kirk.


1815: First formal monument to George Washington in the U.S.: Mt. Vernon Place completed July 4, 1829.


1816: First U.S. manufacturer of gas: Rembrandt Peale.


1817: First gaslight company in country chartered.


1819: First agricultural publication in the U.S.: The American Farmer, John Skinner, editor.


1819: First Odd Fellows Lodge in America at Fell's Point by Thomas Wildery, father of Odd Fellowship in the U.S.


1821: First U.S. Catholic Cathedral: the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption.


1827: First public carrier railway in the U.S.: Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.


1828: First American umbrella factory in the U.S.


1829: First U.S. Negro religious order in America: Oblate Sisters of Providence, 5 St. Mary's Court.


1829: First ribbon from American silk in this country: National Silk Society.


1830: First railroad depot in the U.S.: Pratt and Poppleton Streets.


1831: First National Nominating Conventions for President in the U.S.


1838: First iron steamboat built in this country.


1839: First dental college in the world: Baltimore College of Dental Surgery.


Address: Baltimore Convention and Visitors Association, 100 Light Street, 12th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21202;
410-659-7071; 877-Baltimore. Web: http://www.baltimore.org.

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Baltimore, Maryland Firsts: 1772 to 1810



1772: First umbrella used in the United States manufactured in India.


1774: First Post Office system in the U.S. inaugurated by William Goddard.


1778: First Independent Corps in the Revolutionary army organized by Count Pulaski.


1784: First U.S. balloon ascension in this country by Edward Warren in vicinity of the area now occupied by the Washington Monument.


1784: First Methodist Church in America established Lovely Lane Meeting House, which is located at St. Paul and 22nd Streets, and is now called Lovely Lane Methodist Church.


1784: First Methodist Bishop in this country: Rev. Francis Asury.


1789: First church conference of United Brethren in the U.S. at Otterbein Church, Conway and Sharp Streets.


1789: First Roman Catholic Bishop in the U.S.: Father J. Carroll.


1791: First Roman Catholic seminary in the U.S.: St. Mary's.


1792: First U.S. Monument to Columbus. Presently located on Harford Road between Walther Boulevard and Argonne Drive in Herring Run Park.


1797: First station using flag semaphore in this country: Captain David Porter, Sr.


1800: First investment banking house in America founded by Alexander Brown.


1804: First stationer in the U.S.: Lucas Brothers.


1808: First U.S. Army horse artillery in the U.S. formed at Fort McHenry.


Address: Baltimore Convention and Visitors Association, 100 Light Street, 12th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21202;
410-659-7071; 877-Baltimore. Web: http://www.baltimore.org.

Monday, January 02, 2006

The First Oscar Ceremony


The first Oscars were presented at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on May 16, 1929. Wings won for best movie. Janet Gaynor won for best actress. Emil Jannings won for best actor.

Address: Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, 7000 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles CA 90028-6099; 323-466-7000; 800-950-7667.
Email: infohrh@thomsonhotels.com.
Web: http://www.hollywoodroosevelt.com.

Sunday, January 01, 2006

First Rescue Mission in America


Jeremiah McCauley accepted salvation after reading Scripture given to him in Sing Sing prison by the International Bible Society. After release, McCauley and his wife Maria began McCauley Water Street Mission in New York City in October, 1872, the first rescue mission in America. It is still active today as the New York City Rescue Mission.



Address: New York City Rescue Mission, 90 Lafayette Street,
New York, New York 10013; 212-226-6214; Fax: 212-226-6215.
Web: http://www.nycrescue.org.

Saturday, December 31, 2005

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

The Big Room at Carlsbad Caverns is the largest natural cave in the world.


The Doll's Theater in the Big Room.


The Temple of the Sun in the Big Room.


The Christmas Tree formation in the Slaughter Canyon Cave at Carlsbad Caverns.


The entrance/exit to the Slaughter Canyon Cave at Carlsbad Caverns.

Lechuguilla Cave at Carlsbad Caverns is the nation's deepest limestone cave at 1,567 feet as well as the fourth longest.

Carlsbad Caverns became a National Monument on October 23, 1923; a National Park on May 14, 1930; and a World Heritage Site on December 6, 1995.

Address: Carlsbad Caverns National Park, 3225 National Parks Highway, Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220; 505-785-2232 (visitor information); 505-885-8884 (park headquarters); Fax: 505-785-2302. Web: http://www.nps.gov/cave.

Friday, December 30, 2005

New Hampshire Highlights: 1905 to 1915

In 1907, inspired by her husband, composer Edward MacDowell, Marian Nevins MacDowell officially founded the MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire. It is the oldest and largest artists' colony in the U.S.


In 1908, Monsignor Pierre Hevey, pastor of St. Mary's church in Manchester, New Hampshire, organized the first credit union in the U.S. to help mill workers save and borrow money.


In 1911, Ernest Harold Baynes founded the Meriden Bird Club in Meriden, New Hampshire, the first bird club in America.



In 1914, Amoskeag Mills of Manchester, New Hampshire manufactured a United States flag that measured 95 feet long by 50 feet high, the largest American flag ever made. At its peak, the Amoskeag Mills was the largest textile mill under one roof in the world.



The first intercollegiate ski meet (1914), the first American slalom race (1925), and the first American downhill race (1926), were all held at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Thursday, December 29, 2005

New Hampshire Highlights: 1890 to 1905

In 1890, Fresh Pond Ice Company in Brookline, New Hampshire consisted of 9 icehouses under one roof that had the combined capacity of storing 60,000 tons of ice. At the time, it was the largest ice house in the world.



Since 1892, the Motor Vessel Sophie C carries on the tradition of the oldest and only floating post office on an inland waterway in the U.S. This boat serves Lake Winnipesaukee's 274 habitable islands every summer.

Mount Washington Cruises, P O Box 5367, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire 03247; 603-366-5531; 888-843-6686. Web: http://www.cruisenh.com.


On February 6, 1901, a group of nine conservationists, including governor Frank West Rollins, founded the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, the first forest conservation advocacy group in the U.S.



Since 1904, America's oldest motorsport event, the Climb to the Clouds, takes place as cars race to the top of Mount Washington in New Hampshire. The fastest times so far are around seven minutes.

Mt. Washington Hillclimb, Mt. Washington Auto Road, P O Box 278, Gorham NH 03581; 603-466-3988. Web: http://www.climbtotheclouds.com.