Thursday, June 9th, 2022 … Two Lane Adventures Continue!

Gary & Sheryl and Charlie & I traveled from Littleton New Hampshire to Hermon Maine today. But, before we left, I did get my morning walk in! I loved all of the ferns that are along the driveway to the neighbor’s house at Gail & Larry’s.

There were some interesting cloud formations as we headed northeast!

Bethlehem is a quaint downtown village in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire. The Welcome to Bethlehem mural depicts seasonal touches, like orange maple leaves and spring and summer flowers in pinks, purples and yellows, along with iconic White Mountains scenes - a covered bridge, a red barn, majestic mountains and flowing water - along with Bethlehem landmarks like the Colonial Theatre. The stately and historic Adair Country Inn & Restaurant, which funded the project, sits atop a rolling lawn surrounded by deep green pine trees and purple mountain peaks. The mural is part of the North Country (NOCO) Mural Project and was painted by NOCO artist Zach Johnsen of Littleton.

The Colonial Theatre is a historic movie theater built in 1915 and one of the oldest continuously operating movie theaters in the United States. When the Colonial opened its doors, the era of the grand hotels was in full swing and Bethlehem was a premier destination resort town. Because of its sophisticated clientele The Colonial quickly became a venue for studios to test market their films. With its rich history The Colonial remains one of the remaining links to the era of the Grand Hotels as well as a significant chapter in the history of the film industry. After a series of renovations, the 300-seat Colonial offers state-of-the-art digital projection and surround sound for independent and world cinema, hosts Grammy award-winning performing artists, family entertainment, and community events from May through October—all without losing the intimate charm of a vintage summer theater.

Bethlehem Centennial Drinking Fountain is located on Main Street at the west end of former Sinclair Hotel site. The owners of the New Agassiz Hotel, Louis Michnoff and Dora Spiwack, purchased the Sinclair Hotel in 1937. The Sinclair Hotel closed after the 1974 season, a victim of rising costs and declining reservations. The property and contents were sold at auction in 1976. The hotel was destroyed by fire on Oct. 24, 1978.

The Christ of King Catholic Church was built in 1928 and is across from the schoolhouse on Main St. It is made of river stone that was hauled from the river by truck. There is little history on the church. The summer Cuban population which included the President and Vice-President of Cuba, came to Bethlehem during the summer months. They rented rooms and homes for the summer. They arrived in their own private train cars at the Bethlehem and Maplewood Rail Road depots. There is some documentation that they were instrumental in getting the Catholic Church built with generous donations. The church has been closed for some years and is now a private residence.

The Ivie Memorial Chapel was built in 1931 by Alvin F Ivie as a memorial to  his daughter, Florence Catherine Ivie Abbot, who died at the age of 27. Designed by Jervis Frederick Larson, this late version of an English Perpendicular Gothic Church hosts a mosaic tile alter and alabaster lights. The cornerstone of the church contains memory about her life. The chapel was donated to the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire. From what I read, it held services, weddings, funeral, etc… but has never been a fully functioning church.

We must be in the mountains now, when you see a runaway truck ramp. Most runaway truck ramps make use of arrester beds of sand or gravel. The material in the ramp is selected for their low coefficients of inter-particle friction, meaning when a wheel or axle touches the bed, the material in it moves away from each other, allowing the truck to sink into the gaps.

Gorham has maintained its historic, small-town atmosphere and has a year-round population of just under 3,000. Nestled in the Androscoggin Valley and adjacent to the picturesque Presidential Mountain Range, the Village has many appealing shops, excellent accommodations and dining for everyone. Most of the roads are shared use with cars and ATVs.   

We saw a moose! The first moose installed on the common in Gorham stood there for 30-years. This moose was carved by Brian Lamarre and donated to the town. Over the years, it had suffered irreparable damage due to exposure to weather. “Moose No 2” from the top of his head to the bottom of its stomach was carved from a single piece of wood from a Canadian forest by Brain Lamoarre, Pat Raymond and his daughter Brynna Raymond. The town hopes that moose No 2 stands for more than 30-years!

We crossed into Maine from New Hampshire. Did you know that Maine is the only US state to border exactly one other American state, New Hampshire.

We arrived in Dixfield, Maine. The town motto of Dixfield is "The Only One", is because it is the only town in the world to claim that name. Dr. Elijah Dix, a substantial landowner in the area, bought the town which bears his name. We saw another moose and learned that Bullrock, the Dixfield Moose, is named in memory of a moose of local legend. According to this legend, a wandering moose journeyed from the back side of Dixfield’s Sugarloaf Mountain. As he approached the rock formation now known as Bull Rock, he became so entranced with the beauty of the valley below that he lost his footing and plunged over the edge. Today Bullrock’s spirit can be seen in the majesty of our forests and in the steadfastness of our people. He not only symbolizes Dixfield’s colorful past, but represents a strong and steady future for us all.

The town of Skowhegan, Maine, is located by the banks of the Kennebec River. It was once the heart of Maine's logging industry, now a revitalized natural resource – the Kennebec is now a favorite for fishing and boating. This region is the gateway for Maine's famous whitewater rafting with some class IV and V rapids.

Founded by four artists in 1946, the renowned Skowhegan Art School has evolved into a program that is not exactly a school or a residency or a retreat, but combines some characteristics of each. Faculty teach various skills, but there are no classes; participants come from all over the world to take advantage of nine weeks to create, think, and read; and the setting, a 350-acre campus on Wesserunsett Lake.

We arrived at Pumpkin Patch Campground in Hermon Maine, our home for 3 nights, until we take our Yankee RV caravanners over the border into Canada. Many of our caravanners arrived early and we enjoyed a night of fellowship!