Dunbarton

This small, remote beaver pond lives up to its name with pristine waters surrounded by forest silence. The 1.2-mile loop trail takes you past unique beaver dams at both ends of the lake, through rock formations and varied terrain. It's a hidden oasis where you might catch the flash of a great blue heron or spot beaver activity at dawn or dusk.

Deep in the Kuncanowet Forest stand the weathered stone foundations of two 18th-century mills - a shingle mill and an up-and-down sawmill. The carefully stacked boulder foundations are visible from a wooden footbridge, remnants of Dunbarton's industrial past when William Stinson operated these mills. The site feels like stumbling upon an ancient settlement in the woods.

In the northeast corner of this historic cemetery stand several unmarked fieldstones marking the graves of enslaved people who worked for Captain Caleb Page. These simple stones tell a powerful story often overlooked in New England history - believed to be the graves of Scipio Page, his wife, and three children who were later freed by Page.

This 1791 stone enclosure is a fascinating relic of colonial livestock management. Built 32 feet square and 6 feet high with walls 4 feet thick at the base, it housed stray animals until owners could claim them. The town still elects 'hog reeves' each year from newly married couples to ceremonially maintain this old tradition, complete with the playing of pig sounds at town meeting.

This private 1759 colonial home was the childhood residence of Elizabeth 'Molly' Page, who married Revolutionary War General John Stark. The house holds layers of history - their son Caleb was born here, and it later served as Dunbarton's first post office in 1834. Though not open for regular tours, it's marked by a historical sign and represents a tangible connection to New Hampshire's Revolutionary heritage.