Miller State Park is the oldest state-run park in
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
, a state in the
New England
New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
region of the United States. It is located in the towns of
Peterborough
Peterborough () is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, east of England. It is the largest part of the City of Peterborough unitary authority district (which covers a larger area than Peterborough itself). It was part of Northamptonshire until ...
and
Temple
A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
, and is centered on
Pack Monadnock
Pack Monadnock or Pack Monadnock Mountain , is the highest peak of the Wapack Range of mountains and the highest point in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. The mountain, a monadnock, is located in south-central New Hampshire within the towns of ...
, a mountain.
[
]
Description
The park was established in 1891 when atop Pack Monadnock were donated to New Hampshire.[ The name ''Pack'' comes from an Indian word meaning "little" and is used in comparison to nearby ]Mount Monadnock
Mount Monadnock, or Grand Monadnock, is a mountain in the towns of Jaffrey and Dublin, New Hampshire. It is the most prominent mountain peak in southern New Hampshire and is the highest point in Cheshire County. It lies southwest of Concord a ...
. Pack Monadnock has a paved auto road to the top and is the former site of two hotels. It has a renovated fire tower at the summit which is staffed seasonally.
The park has expanded over the years with land donations and purchases. Until 1901, cattle were driven by foot from farms for summer grazing on open pasture extending nearly to the summit.[ Virtually all the pastures are now overgrown with forest, as little farming is done in the region.
The park is named for James Miller, a Peterborough native who was a ]brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
in the United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
during the War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
and became the first Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
of Arkansas Territory
The Arkansas Territory was a territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1819, to June 15, 1836, when the final extent of Arkansas Territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Arkansas. Arkansas Post was the first territo ...
.Wapack Trail
The Wapack Trail is one of the oldest public, interstate hiking trails in the United States. Opened in 1923, it follows the Wapack Range north-south for , between Mount Watatic in Ashburnham, Massachusetts, and North Pack Monadnock mountain in ...
runs through the park, crossing over Pack Monadnock.
In 2007, the state created Temple Mountain State Reservation on the south side of NH Route 101
New Hampshire Route 101 (NH 101) is a state-maintained highway in southern New Hampshire extending from Keene to Hampton Beach. It is the major east–west highway in the southern portion of the state.
The western terminus of NH 101 is in Keene ...
across from the Miller State Park entrance, when it bought around the closed Temple Mountain Ski Area
Temple Mountain Ski Area was a downhill, or alpine, ski area that operated from 1938 until 2001 on Temple Mountain in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. During peak operation, the ski area featured a quad chairlift, a double chairlift, and multiple ...
.
See also
* New Hampshire Historical Marker No. 270: Miller State Park, New Hampshire's First State Park
References
External links
Miller State Park
New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
Miller State Park Trail Map
New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
{{authority control
State parks of New Hampshire
Parks in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
Peterborough, New Hampshire
Protected areas established in 1891
1891 establishments in New Hampshire