On the ROad

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by Barbra Alanphotography by Jim Block

The Currier & Ives Byway in Henniker along Old Concord Road. Pats Peak is in the background.

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Salisbury

Webster

Currier & IvesScenic Byway

Warner

Contoocook

HopkintonRowell’sCovered Bridge

New England CollegeCovered Bridge

RailroadCovered

Bridge

RailroadCovered

Bridge

Henniker

Blackwater Dam

Cogswell WoodsRecreation Area

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The Currier & Ives Scenic Byway showcases New England charm and history. What are you waiting for?

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Stone walls in Warner

Is there anything more New England than a leisurely drive on a scenic road at the peak of fall foliage? If this sounds like an ideal way to spend an afternoon, check out the Currier & Ives Scenic Byway, a 33-mile-long road that wends its way through the rural New Hampshire towns of Salisbury, Webster and Warner, and the historic villages of Contoocook, Hopkinton and Henniker before winding down the Contoocook River to the Hillsborough town line. The byway offers bucolic views that are sure to bring to mind scenes from lithographs by Currier and Ives.

That is the whole idea, and the inspiration, behind the byway’s name — all along the byway you find scenery that reflects the quaint beauty and charm of Americana that typify the Currier and Ives collection. “It’s a nice label and brand for the byway,” says John Clark, a lifelong New Hampshirite and resident of Webster, N.H., one of the towns the byway passes through.

(And just in case you were wondering, neither Nathaniel Currier nor James Merritt Ives were from New Hampshire. Currier hailed from Roxbury, Mass., while Ives was a native New Yorker. And their firm, self-described as “publishers of Cheap and Popular Prints,” was based in New York City.) A Yankee trail

Established in 1976 in celebration of the nation’s bicentennial, the byway was originally designated as one of the New Hampshire “Yankee Trails.” In 1991, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration

“I refer to the byway as an artery in the heart of Merrimack County,” says John Clark, chair of the Currier & Ives Scenic Byway Council. “It brings together 200 years of culture, history and community.”

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The New England College Covered Bridge in Henniker, N.H.

created the National Scenic Byways Program to recognize outstanding roads for their archeological, his-torical, cultural, natural, scenic and recreational qualities. The follow-ing year, New Hampshire adopted its own such program. In 1994, this particular Yankee Trail became a state-designated scenic and cultural byway, and was named the Currier & Ives Scenic Byway, with the approval of the Currier and Ives Foundation.

Clark has been involved with the byway since 2000, when the town of Webster was approached about offi-cially becoming a byway town. “They were trying to get Webster to be part of the byway, since Webster sits right in the middle of it,” he recalls. “With the board of selectmen’s approval, the town moved forward with it, and then they asked for volunteers. I’ve been in state, local and county government all my life. At that point, I felt it was time to volunteer.”

In early 2009, the Central New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission, which conducts studies to help towns manage their growth and plan for the future, received a federal grant to help develop and adopt a Corridor Management Plan for the Currier & Ives Scenic Byway. The plan took a year to complete, and required close collaboration among the byway communities, but it produced a solid plan to develop and maintain the byway so all of its towns benefit.

One of the recommendations that came out of the Corridor Management Plan was to form a permanent scenic byway council. The Currier & Ives Scenic Byway Council is composed of selectmen and members of local, regional and state agencies; committees; and organizations. Clark is chair of the council. Katie Nelson,

WEBcurrierandivesbyway.org

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Top: The farmers’ market in Contoocook. Middle: Horses along Western Avenue in Henniker. Bottom: An inside view of the Hopkinton Historical Society in Hopkinton.

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an assistant planner at the Central New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission, is secretary for the council. “The council plays an advisory role; we promote the byway, encourage collaboration among the municipalities along the byway, and advocate for protection efforts along the byway — for example, if there’s a portion of road we think could be improved, we’ll suggest that or try to urge the Department of Transportation to bump it up on their priority list,” Nelson says. “We try to bring awareness and promote the byway throughout the region and get people to come to the region to see the byway.”

Clark acknowledges that residents of the towns along the byway were initially doubtful of the byway’s ben-efits to their communities. “There was initial skepticism,” he says. But over the years, with tourism dollars flowing into towns that otherwise might not have received them, that skepticism has given way to enthusiasm — and that helps the council as it works to protect and promote the byway.

In the wake of the recession, the federal grant money that helped launch the Currier & Ives Scenic Byway Council has gone away, so raising awareness — and funds — is more crucial than ever. But the coun-cil, made up of volunteers, has risen to the challenge. “There are several byways in New Hampshire, but ours has been recognized as the most ac-tive council by the New Hampshire Department of Transportation,” Clark says. “We created a nonprofit, we’ve marketed the byway and the businesses along the byway, we have a website and a Facebook page, and we work hard to get the word out about the byway.”On the road

Regardless of the time of year, the Currier & Ives Scenic Byway will treat you to some picturesque vistas. Each town has its own unique personality, charm and features.

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According to Nelson, there’s some-thing for every traveler, and she has her own personal favorite stops she says should not be missed. “Contoocook Village has fun little shops, Hopkinton has Rowell’s Covered Bridge, Henniker has a cov-ered bridge at New England College, and Webster is rural, with pretty, rolling hillsides,” she says.

Clark has his own recommenda-tions for tourists and day-trippers. “There are some very nice bed & breakfasts in Warner and Henniker House in Henniker, and Daniel’s Pub in Henniker is a great place to eat,” he says. “And the Contoocook Farmers’ Market runs every Saturday.”

And then there are the views — which are free and priceless. “Along the byway, you’ll get views of Mount Kearsarge and Ragged Mountain, and the mountains beyond them. It’s so picturesque,” he says. The byway is not just for leisurely drives and sightseeing, Clark notes, so be sure to pack your sneakers, a water bottle and your favorite outdoor gear. “The Flood Plain District in the towns of Webster, Hopkinton and Salisbury is a great place for hiking, mountain biking, swimming, fishing, snowshoe-ing — you name it. And when you get up into Salisbury you can

Regardless of the time of year, the Currier & Ives Scenic Byway will treat you to some pictur-esque vistas. Each town

— Salisbury, Webster, Warner, Contoocook, Hopkinton and Henniker — has its own unique personality, charm and features.

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Rowell’s Covered Bridge in West Hopkinton, N.H.

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connect with a bike trail that goes to Canaan.”

Clark appreciates the histori-cal and educational aspects of the byway the most. There are the colonial homes lining Main Street in Hopkinton, Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum in Warner and the Daniel Webster Birthplace in Salisbury, just to name a few. Along the byway are numerous veteran’s memorials, bridges and parks honoring local fallen heroes from World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, and other wars. “I refer to the byway as an artery in the heart of Merrimack County,” Clark says. “It brings together 200 years of culture, history and community.”

And speaking of community, the Currier & Ives Scenic Byway Council is always looking for opportunities to raise the byway’s profile and engage tourists and residents who may not know about the byway. “We have an open house in November,” says Nelson. “We have a lot of local businesses and residents who join in, bringing food and wine, from along the byway.”

Nelson and Clark agree that community involvement and col-laboration have been the secret to the byway’s success thus far, and will continue to be. “The Currier & Ives Scenic Byway is showing how groups of people from different communities can make something worthwhile,” Clark says. “This has brought towns together in a great collaboration, and shows people that volunteerism does work.” KM KMKM

Barbra Alan is a freelance writer in the picturesque Lakes Region town of Alexandria, N.H.

Photographer Jim Block lives part time on Great Island in Lake Sunapee. He enjoys photographing almost anything and teaching photography classes. Find out more at jimblockphoto.com

Top: The Stone Arch Bridge in Henniker, N.H. Middle: Getting ready to kayak on the Coontoocook River. Bottom: The train station in Coontoocook Village