Rhododendron State Park

History

In 1901-1902 Mary Lee Ware played a pivotal role in the creation of the park. In 1901, landowner Levi Fuller planned to "lumber off" the property and would have if not for Mary, who bought it in 1902. Giving it to the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) a year later, she signed the deal on the condition that the woodland "...be held as a reservation properly protected and open to the public..."

The donated land is called "Old Patch Place," remodeled by the AMC as a hostel/clubhouse but has since 1946 come under the protection of the N.H. Division of Parks and Recreation — the system's only designated botanical park. The Old Patch Place cottage near the park entrance was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Activities and amenities

The rhododendrons bloom in mid-July. The park is open year-round. Hiking, picnicking, and snowshoeing are available. The Metacomet-Monadnock Trail passes through the state park on the way to the summit of Little Monadnock Mountain, which is outside the park limits.

References

Other reading

• Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide. The Appalachian Mountain Club, Boston, 1999.
• The Metacomet-Monadnock Trail Guide. 9th Edition. The Appalachian Mountain Club. Amherst, Massachusetts, 1999

References

1. {{cite gnis. 1917927. Rhododendron State Park
2. Frank Bequaert. "The Old Patch Place". www.beqbooks.com.
3. ["NRHP nomination for Old Patch Place"]({{NRHP url). National Park Service.
4. "Rhododendron State Park". New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation.
5. "Park History". New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation.
6. "Rhododendron Natural Area". National Park Service.
7. Lisa Mausolf, Preservation Consultant. (March 2019). "New Hampshire State Parks: Mid-Century Modern (1945-1975): Historic Context Study". New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation.