Pawtuckaway Lake Association

This brief history of Pawtuckaway was orginally published in the 2003 'Welcome Guide' produced by the Pawtuckaway Lake Improvement Association (PLIA).  This article was written by an unidentified PLIA Member.

Introduction

Pawtuckaway State Park has a quiet history. The land was used by natives and settlers. Only a few traces remain as a clue to what happened here. You may find something new, but please remember to leave this resource intact for future generations to enjoy.

Geology

One of the older geological formations in the Pawtuckaway area is the ring-dike surrounding the mountains. This circular intrusion was formed about 275 million years ago. Molten rock found a circular weak spot to seep into and created the ring-dike. This igneous rock resists weathering better than the interior valley rock. The ring-dike represents the inner workings of a volcano. The top covering has been eroded away. It is likely the volcano never erupted.

Other intrusions of molten rock are seen throughout the mountain area. They are often seen as dikes only a few feet wide. One such dike slipped and cracked while cooling to form a series of "steps" near the top of South Mountain. They are named the Indian Steps or Devil's Staircase.

Perhaps the most spectacular geological formations are found near North Mountain. One was caused by rock faces slipping and moving under internal pressure to produce faults. We see large cliffs as a result of this movement. Another occurred about 10,000 years ago when all of Pawtuckaway was under a mile thick sheet of ice. This ice sheet was part of a large glacier covering much of North America. As the glacier moved over the land it plucked and scraped at the mountain faces. Huge boulders were scoured from North Mountain and deposited in the valley below. This Boulder Field shows the power of the glacier. The plucking action also formed Devil's Den, a cave in the North Mountain cliffs.

Indian Lore

There is evidence that small Indian groups lived in the Pawtuckaway region. The name "Pawtuckaway” was derived from an Indian word meaning "place of the big buck”. Relics of a mortar and pestal were found when the Visitor's Center was built. Indians used these tools to grind corn.

These small groups all belonged to the Penacook Confederacy, a part of the larger Algonquin Division which covered northeastern America. They were mild mannered people, influenced by the colonization of the French, as well as the English. Their leader Passaconnaway was said to be a peaceful man. The Penacooks' greatest enemy was the Mohawk tribe, part of the greatest Iroquois Division from New York. The Iroquois were more organized and warlike than the Algonquins. The Mohawks were always on the warpath in New England. They were called "maquas" or "main-eaters".

Settlement

The Pawtuckaway lands are located almost entirely in the Town of Nottingham. The founders, or Proprietors of Nottingham were granted a charter for a town in 1722. Settlers arrived sometime in 1727. They chose a rise of land to build a square for the town. This is just east of the Park.

After the town built a church and a blockhouse the Proprietors gave appropriations for roads and sawmills. One of the earliest mills was located near Drownes Dam at the northern end of the lake. It was in operation in 1729. Another dam was built at the southern end of the lake in the mid-1700's. These dams formed two small ponds.

The land within the Park was rugged and inhospitable. The Indians called this area the "land of sticks and stones". It was not very good farmland.

Mountain Communities

Around 1790 a few families settled in the more remote areas, though conditions were poor. Today we see remnants of their struggle in the graveyards and cellar holes scattered among the mountains.

Soon after settlement began a schoolhouse was built. Settlers found other services in Raymond or Nottingham. The roads were rough and traveling was hard. By the early 1900's it was apparent that life in the mountains regions was not very prosperous. Most homesteads were sold or abandoned.

In 1915 the Fire Lookout Tower was built on South Mountain to protect the rich forest lands. The State began acquiring other lands in 1923. More land was purchased in 1924 to create the 918 acre Pawtuckaway Reservation.

Industry

The possibility for water power was abundant in the Pawtuckaway area. In 1847 the Newmarket Manufacturing Company, a nearby fabric manufacturer, developed the small Pawtuckaway Pond for power purposes. Their new dams created the Lake we see today.

In 1934 the Company was moved to Lowell, Massachusetts in a process of consolidation. The New Hampshire Electric Company used the dams for generating hydro-power until 1955. The power produced no longer met the needs of the region. The property was accepted by the New Hampshire Water Resources Board for the benefit of future users. In 1961 the State acquired land between the lakefront property and Pawtuckaway Reservation to form a multi-purpose recreational park. Development began in 1966.

Pawtuckaway Today

Pawtuckaway State Park offers 5500 acres of recreational land and an 800 acre lake. Seasonal camping, swimming, boating and fishing, as well as year round trail use make Pawtuckaway an attractive area.

Burnham’s' Marsh is a wildlife management area under the Fish and Game Department. The Forests and Lands Division manages the Fire Lookout Tower.

Pawtuckaway holds exciting secrets of the past and abundant land for wildlife. Please respect the fragile environments you have come to enjoy.

[Editors Note: This article is presented unedited and in the form it was originally published.]