Walpole, New Hampshire

Located in the northwestern-most corner of Cheshire County and abutting the Connecticut River to its west is the town of Walpole, New Hampshire. With roughly 3,700 in population, Walpole is a modestly sized and quiet community in the beautiful setting of the Connecticut River Valley.

First granted in the 1730s as a strategic fort town along the river by a colonial governor from Massachusetts, Walpole has had quite a long history, and many great examples of 18th and 19th Century architecture remain in the town. Such sites include the Stephen Rowe Bradley House, built in 1808, the Drewsville Mansion, built in 1880, the Peck-Porter House, built in 1839, and the Walpole Academy, a former school building built in 1831 that is now operated as a small history museum. These buildings include examples of Victorian, Greek Revival, and Federal architectural styles, and all are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

With its location on the border of Vermont and New Hampshire, living in Walpole allows one to be in very close proximity to experiencing the outdoors at any time of year. In the summer, it’s always easy to laze along the river, play a quick round of golf at the scenic Hooper Golf Course atop Prospect Hill, or take in the lovely scenery at the Mill Pond Nature Sanctuary just to the north of the town’s center. When it’s colder outside, there is fantastic snowshoeing, nordic skiing, and close access to several great ski resorts of various sizes and difficulties in New Hampshire and Vermont.

Walking through Walpole’s small downtown area is one thing that residents and visitors alike are fond of for the quaint village-like feel of this tightly knit community. Right along Main Street are small restaurants like L.A. Burdick, which serves gourmet chocolates and pastries in a cafe setting in addition to operating a bistro next door, Joanie Joan’s Baked Goods Company and Mazziott Bake Shop, both excellent bakeries, and the Inn Pub at Bellows Walpole Inn. And shops like Ruggles & Hunt and the Walpole Artisans Cooperative offer unique products including jewelry and handmade pottery.

When people imagine classic New Hampshire towns, they likely have images in mind that closely resemble Walpole, and for good reason. Its gorgeous setting, old styles of architecture, and never ending list of attractions make the town a wonderful place to visit or live.