Herodotus wished to preserve the memory of the past. The world’s first historian prefaced his work with this sole ambition. A couple of recent occurrences have reminded me of his position.

The first was the chance encounter with a man in his 80s who happened to drop in at our Alton Bay office with a question. Specifically, could I tell him if Camp Mishe Mokwa was still operating? He still has wonderful recollections of the 4 summers he spent there on Treasure Island in Lake Winnipesaukee, way back in the early part of last century. With a little research I informed him that it was no more, as of 1937. We chatted for some time, though, about Alton Bay and the Lake of his memories, and he grew more animated and specific of those halcyon days.

Subsequently I counted more than 47 camps had at one time existed along the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee and Squam. Most have long since gone; Camp Tecumseh in Moultonborough, however, is still often rated among the top camps in the country. It struck me that there must be hundreds of thousands of people, perhaps many, many more, who harbor a strong fondness for the special qualities of our area. These shared memories have a force of their own, almost tangible lingerings of happy experiences; I’ve felt them, and so have others.

Moultonborough Real Estate Gem with a Long History & a Bright Future?

My second observation concerns a new real estate listing of Spencer Hughes: That of the unique gentleman’s estate of Kona Farms, MLS #4068978, in Moultonborough. At a mere $7,995,900.00, this remnant of the American Age of Elegance exudes a touch of class and a propriety of another time. Why the name?  Well, it stems from the legend of the tragic love affair between the Indian princess Ellacoya and her suitor, the mighty Kona. Personally I’d love to see a creative school obtain this property to continue a reverence for the continuity of an earlier time. A Chautauqua, perhaps. We’ll see.

Jim Ferriman:  Jferriman@spencerhughes.com,  (603) 520-5385

I think that the summer season has begun. We’ve had some rain its true, as well as some unseasonable cooler weather for the past month, welcome to New England. At one time New Hampshire was thought of as a place to go to escape the heat and humidity of Massachusetts. Now the Lakes Region has become the much desired summer destination for those folks seeking to escape the drought and searing heat of an area from San Diego to Miami. I can certainly understand their very sensible objective. Having lived in west Texas, New Mexico and Colorado where the summer sun seems to trap everything in a deep dust dry as chalk, photographs of New England were overwhelming. Even those enamored by the skyline of a city as seen through the velvety smog of their high-rise condominium windows develop an irresistible urge to venture out to the frontiers in search of what, change. Perhaps in an effort to balance their lives and or sanity.

At any rate the cabins, motels and campgrounds are full. The influx of happy visitors, they’re on vacation, is invigorating to our region. I’ll hazard that one out of every three who stay a week or more will make an inquiry as to the local real estate market during their visit. Now, many of our incomers have visited Washington D.C., New York City, Glacier National Park and even Orlando, Florida but I suspect few ever feel the desire to inquire about real estate there. Why is that? Is the Lakes Region that unique? I would say of course, by all means, the primary goal of this blog is to convey this very singular perception.

I’ve written blogs highlighting the desirability of New Hampshire and the Lakes Region for business incentives, living standards and geographical superiority. But, probably for me the tipper is the sense of unity a family experiences while here. One of our agents, Jeremy Osgood, recently listed a magnificent gated waterfront estate in Moultonborough consisting of 4 permanent residences, 4 seasonal cottages, clay tennis court, gym, studio and 2 boathouses. It is difficult to imagine a family compound in a more graceful setting.

Last week’s analytic report on visits to the Spencer Hughes web site tallied 3,935 from a total of 21 countries. An encouraging figure for a firm whose specialty is the limited area surrounding Lake Winnipesaukee. Our realtors have an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the Lakes Region. If they don’t have a ready answer for your inquiries they know how to research for the solution. Enjoy your visit and we welcome your interest.

www.jferriman@spencerhughes.com             Jim Ferriman 603-520-5385