Acworth

Behind Acworth's town hall stands one of only nine surviving horse shed structures remaining in New Hampshire. Built around 1821, this single row of weathered wooden sheds once provided shelter for parishioners' horses during long church services and town meetings. The stone town pound built in 1806 still sits nearby, a rare remnant where stray livestock were once corralled until owners claimed them.

South Acworth was once home to world-famous beryl mining that helped create the atomic age. Beryl Mountain quarry produced the highest concentration of beryl in the world, with mining operations from 1837 into the 1960s. While the main shafts are now sealed, the mountain still offers glimpses of old mining infrastructure and the chance to find mica, quartz, and occasionally small beryl specimens on the old dump piles.

Led by local historian Jim Pecora, this unique traveling museum preserves the mining heritage of Southwest New Hampshire's famous pegmatite mines. Though currently seeking a permanent home, Pecora's collection tells the fascinating story of how local beryl mining helped create the atomic bomb and end the Cold War. His hands-on exhibits feature the four commercially mined minerals of the region: mica, quartz, feldspar, and beryl.

Tucked away on the border of Acworth and Unity, this undeveloped 128-acre lake offers a quiet retreat from busier regional waters. The town-managed gravel boat ramp provides access to excellent fishing for largemouth bass and chain pickerel. The lake's relatively pristine shoreline and surrounding forest make it a birding hotspot where you might spot loons, eagles, and osprey.