Lochmere Archeological District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lochmere Archeological District
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The Winnipesaukee River, between Lake Winnisquam and Silver Lake
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| Nearest city | Tilton, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 90 acres (36 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 82000615 |
| Added to NRHP | November 1, 1982 |
The Lochmere Archeological District is a special place in Belknap County, New Hampshire, right by the Winnipesaukee River. It's an important area where experts have found many clues about people who lived there a very long time ago. Part of this area is now protected by the state as the Brennick Lochmere Archaeological Site.
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Exploring the Lochmere Archeological District
This district is like a giant history book, showing how people lived from the Middle Archaic period all the way to the Late Woodland period. These periods cover thousands of years! Archeologists have found evidence of different groups of people living here over time.
Ancient Life by the River
Many years ago, Native American people lived in this area. The Winnipesaukee sub-tribe, part of the larger Pennacook people, lived here during historic times. This district is also close to Aquadoctan, which was one of the biggest Native American towns in prehistoric New Hampshire. Imagine a busy town right by the river!
Mills and Water Power
Later, starting in the 1770s, European settlers also came to this area. They built mills to use the river's power for different industries. These mills were important for making things and helping the local economy grow.
A Battle Over Water
As time went on, the owners of these smaller mills in Lochmere faced a big challenge. Much larger, wealthier mills downstream in places like Manchester, New Hampshire, and Lowell, Massachusetts, also needed the river's water. These big mills wanted to control the river's flow for their own factories.
Eventually, the powerful owners of the bigger mills bought up all the important water rights in the Lochmere area. This meant the smaller local mills couldn't use the river's power anymore. By 1882, most of these smaller mills were no longer working and had fallen into ruins.
Protecting History
About 90 acres (around 36 hectares) of the Lochmere Archeological District were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This means the area is recognized as very important for its history. It includes 13 prehistoric sites (from before written history) and 18 historic sites (from more recent times).
Some parts of these important historical areas have been affected by new homes being built. The state has also changed the river channel by dredging and widening it. Still, the area remains a valuable place for learning about the past.
