The Abenaki Indian Shop and Camp is a historic Native American site in the
Intervale section of
Conway, New Hampshire
Conway is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. It is the most populous community in the county, with a population of 9,822 at the 2020 census, down from 10,115 at the 2010 census. The town is on the southeastern edge of the Whi ...
. The site is a camp established by
Abenakis who were lured to the area by the prospect of making baskets and selling them to visitors to the resort areas of the
White Mountains in the late 19th century, and operated into the late 20th century. The site was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1991,
and has also been listed on the
New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places
The New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places (NHSRHP) is a register of historic places administered by the Government of New Hampshire, state of New Hampshire and the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources. Buildings, districts, s ...
.
It is located on Intervale Cross Road, about one mile east of
New Hampshire Route 16
New Hampshire Route 16 (NH 16) is a , north–south state highway in New Hampshire, United States, the main road connecting the Seacoast region to the Lakes Region and the White Mountains. Much of its length is close to the border with Maine. ...
,
[ and is now a local public park.
]
Description and history
The former Abenaki Indian Shop and Camp is located on the north side of Intervale Cross Road, separated from the road by the Conway Scenic Railroad
The Conway Scenic Railroad is a heritage railroad in North Conway, New Hampshire, United States, owned by Profile Mountain Holdings Corp. The railroad operates over two historic railway routes: a line from North Conway to Conway that was f ...
. It is a parcel of land in size, most of which is forested in mixed hardwoods. At the southern end is a single-story wood-frame building with a gabled roof, and a descriptive plaque set in a stone. A short way north of this are a grouping of small shingled gable-roofed cabins, set around a small clearing in the woods.
Chief Joseph Laurent
Joseph Laurent ( abe, Sozap Lolô; 1839–1917), was an Abenaki chief, best known for authoring an Abenaki language dictionary. He also established a trading post in New Hampshire that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Biog ...
, an Abenaki leader from Odanak
Odanak is an Abenaki First Nations reserve in the Central Quebec region, Quebec, Canada. The mostly First Nations population as of the Canada 2021 Census was 481. The territory is located near the mouth of the Saint-François River at its confluenc ...
( St. Francis, Quebec), came to the area in 1884, and established a seasonal camp on the site, which was then owned by a local hotel. Laurent and other Abenaki produced baskets and other handicrafts as a tourist attraction for the hotel guests, and sold them the wares they produced. The Abenaki were descended from the area's original Native American population, who were driven from the area during the colonial period. The shop was originally a service shed built by the Maine Central Railroad
The Maine Central Railroad Company was a U. S. Class I railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. By 1884, Maine Central was the longest railroad in New England. Maine Central had expanded to ...
; it was purchased by Laurent around 1900. Laurent is also credited with construction of the cottages in which the Abenaki lived. The business was continued by Laurent's son Stephen into the late 20th century.
See also
*
Notes
References
{{NRHP in Carroll County, New Hampshire
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in New Hampshire
Buildings and structures completed in 1884
Buildings and structures in Carroll County, New Hampshire
National Register of Historic Places in Carroll County, New Hampshire
New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places
Conway, New Hampshire
Abenaki
Native American history of New Hampshire