Mount Washington State Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mount Washington State Park
Summit panorama looking north
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Type	State park
Location	Mount Washington, New Hampshire
Area	60.3 acres (24.4 ha)
Created	1964 (1964)
Operated by	New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation
Open	May to October, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Mount Washington State Park is a 60.3-acre (24.4 ha) park located at the very top of Mount Washington in New Hampshire. This mountain is the highest peak in the entire northeastern United States. The park offers many things for visitors, especially during the summer.

You can find a cafeteria, restrooms, and gift shops at the summit. The Mount Washington Observatory is also there, which has a museum where you can learn about the mountain's famous weather. Next to the main building is the historic Tip-Top House, which is open to visitors for a small fee from early May to early October.

Getting to the Park

There are several exciting ways to reach Mount Washington State Park. You can drive up the Mount Washington Auto Road, which is a unique experience. Another option is to ride the Mount Washington Cog Railway, a special train that climbs the steep mountain.

For those who love adventure, you can hike to the summit. The famous Appalachian Trail passes right through the park. Many other hiking trails also lead to the top from nearby areas like Pinkham Notch, Crawford Notch, and the Cog Railway base station.

History of the Summit Land

The land that makes up Mount Washington State Park has an interesting history. In 1951, the owner of the Cog Railway passed away. His estate gave the land to Dartmouth College.

Later, in 1964, Dartmouth College sold 59 acres (240,000 m²) of this land to the State of New Hampshire. This is when the area officially became a state park. In 2008, Dartmouth sold the last 8 acres (32,000 m²) of the land to the state for $2.1 million. A small part of the summit is still owned by the Cog Railway. This part is used as the upper station for their train.

First Climbers and Early Buildings

The first person known to climb to the summit of Mount Washington was Darby Field in 1642. It is believed that local Native Americans helped guide him.

Construction of the auto road began in 1854. After a short break, the Mount Washington Summit Road Company finished building it in 1859. Around that time, the first buildings were put up at the summit. The Cog Railway finished its construction in 1869, making it even easier to reach the top.

In 1908, a large fire destroyed almost all the buildings on the summit. Only one building survived the fire: the historic Tip Top House.

• New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources