The White Mountains
From the mid-1800s, the White Mountains drew summer visitors to grand hotels such as the Mount Washington Hotel at Bretton Woods, the Profile House in Franconia Notch and many others, reached by railroad. The Mount Washington Cog Railway, opened in 1869, climbed to the summit, where a hotel and the newspaper Among the Clouds operated. Postcards of the hotels, the Cog, the Old Man of the Mountain and the notches were printed heavily. Early real photos of hotel life, staff and smaller hotels are more interesting, and many of the great hotels later burned or were torn down.
The Amoskeag and the mill towns
The Amoskeag Manufacturing Company in Manchester was once among the largest textile mills in the world, with mill buildings stretching along the Merrimack River. Nashua, Dover, Somersworth, Laconia and many smaller towns had mills too. Real photos of mills, workers and mill housing are collected, as are cards showing the French Canadian and other immigrant communities that staffed them.
Logging and the north country
The northern forests supported logging camps, log drives and logging railroads, and paper mills at Berlin became major employers. Real photos of camps, crews, drives and mills are among the more sought-after New Hampshire cards.
Lakes and resorts
Lake Winnipesaukee, with the steamer Mount Washington and other boats, Squam Lake, Lake Sunapee and many smaller lakes drew summer visitors. Real photos of steamers, landings, camps and cottages are collected.
Village centers
New Hampshire's small towns, each with a town hall, churches, a general store, a library and a village green, were photographed by local photographers. Real photos of village centers, stores, schools, mills and events are what most New Hampshire town collectors seek.
Covered bridges
New Hampshire has many covered bridges, and they appear on many cards. Printed views are common, but real photos of bridges that have since been lost are more interesting.
Places and subjects to look for
- The White Mountains: Bretton Woods, Franconia, Crawford Notch and the Cog.
- The mill towns: Manchester, Nashua, Dover, Laconia and Berlin.
- The lakes region: Wolfeboro, Weirs Beach, Meredith and the steamers.
- The seacoast: Portsmouth, Hampton Beach and Rye.
- The north country: logging camps, Berlin and Colebrook.
- Village centers in towns across the state.
The seacoast
Portsmouth, with its harbor and naval shipyard, and Hampton Beach, with its casino and boardwalk, appear on cards. Early real photos of the beach and the waterfront are collected.
Real photos versus printed views
White Mountain scenery and grand hotels were printed heavily. Real photos of village centers, mills, logging and lakeside camps carry most of the value in a New Hampshire collection.
What is common
Printed mountain scenics, the Old Man of the Mountain, hotel views and later chrome lake and ski cards are plentiful.
Why New Hampshire cards stay in demand
New Hampshire has strong local historical societies in nearly every town, and many summer families have returned to the same lakes and mountains for generations. Both groups collect real photos of the places they love. Because many villages were photographed only a few times, a real photo of a general store, a mill or a lake landing can attract keen interest.
Railroads and depots
The Boston and Maine Railroad and its branches reached almost every corner of the state, carrying summer visitors to the mountains and lakes and freight from the mills. Small-town depots, mountain railroads such as the line through Crawford Notch with its Frankenstein Trestle, and logging railroads in the north woods appear on cards popular with railroad collectors. Real photos of depots with trains and crowds are especially wanted.
Questions about New Hampshire postcards
Are White Mountain hotel postcards valuable? Common printed views are modest; early real photos and lost hotels are more collectible.
Are Amoskeag mill postcards collectible? Yes, especially real photos of mills and workers.
Are New Hampshire logging postcards worth anything? Real photos of camps and log drives are popular.
Do you buy New Hampshire collections? Yes, complete collections from anywhere in the state, by mail.