Crawford Notch
Crawford Notch State Park
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View of Crawford Notch from the top of the pass to the south |
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location | New Hampshire (USA) | |
surface | 23 km² | |
Geographical location | 44 ° 12 ' N , 71 ° 24' W | |
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Setup date | 1912 | |
administration | New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation |
Crawford Notch is the name of the mountain canyon that the Saco River passes in its upper reaches in the White Mountains in the US state of New Hampshire . It lies almost entirely in the area of the parish of Hart's Location . Crawford Notch State Park has been a protected area since 1912.
One of the most important mountain passes in the White Mountains, now part of US Highway 302 from Montpelier to Portland, runs through the valley . In the colonial times there was probably an Indian path here; white settlers didn't open up the area until the late 18th century. The Willey family became famous and settled in Crawford Notch in 1825; a year later the entire family was killed in a landslide while trying to reach a shelter. Their house, which they had left in a panic, remained unscathed by the rock avalanche. The event inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story The Aweful Guest , and painters like Thomas Cole painted views of the Willey estate. At that time Crawford Notch had already become a tourist destination for its scenic beauty.
A View of the Mountain Pass Called the Notch of the White Mountans - painting by Thomas Cole , 1839
Web links
- Crawford Notch State Park - information and maps on the New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development website.