Peterborough

Peterborough is the cultural capital of the Monadnock region and one of New Hampshire's most creatively charged small towns. MacDowell, America's preeminent artists' residency, has operated here since 1907 — Thornton Wilder wrote "Our Town" during his 1937 stay, modeling the fictional Grover's Corners on Peterborough itself. The walkable downtown along Depot Square and Main Street is packed with independent shops, the legendary Toadstool Bookshop, the Mariposa Museum of World Cultures, and the Peterborough Players summer theater. Post & Beam Brewing adds to the local scene with their small-batch craft beers and welcoming taproom. Beyond the arts, the town supports a real manufacturing base: New Hampshire Ball Bearings produces aerospace-grade components, and SoClean grew from a local startup into a nationally known medical device brand. Mount Monadnock — the most-climbed mountain in North America — rises just to the southwest, while Miller State Park on Pack Monadnock Mountain offers another outdoor draw. Established in 1891 as America's oldest state park, Miller features a 1.3-mile auto road to its 2,290-foot summit with panoramic views stretching to the Boston skyline on clear days. The Contoocook River runs through town, and families gather at Adams Park & Playground on Grove Street for community recreation. The surrounding hills and access to trails like the Wapack Trail give Peterborough a distinct New England character that feels earned, not staged. It's a place where serious artists work alongside precision manufacturers, where you can hike a mountain in the morning and catch theater in the evening.