Visiting New England Part 2

Part 2 of my New England adventure!

Fall River, Massachusetts is my destination today. The Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast.

The home of two gruesome murders that took place on August 4, 1892, ” Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks, When she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one.”

Actually it was 29 whacks and it was her stepmother, but did she really do it? Everyone has their own theory about what happened and after 127 years it’s still an unsolved double murder with tons of theories.

This is one place I have always wanted to visit. I wish I had done more research before I went because I would have loved to have spent the night!

The now Bed & Breakfast looks like any normal New England home but once inside it’s not so normal.

There is a small building behind the house and that is where the tour begins. It has a gift shop and memorabilia to look at before your tour starts. There is also plenty of parking in the back.

The tour begins in the parlor of the house where the guide gives you insight about the family and the house.

Andrew Borden made his fortune in several mills but was a miser and penny pincher to say the least. The family resided in one of the more modest parts of town but the Borden’s never had indoor plumbing or electricity installed in the house like their neighbors.

Andrew married Sarah, his first wife and Lizzie’s mother who died when Lizzie and her sister Emma were younger. He then married Abby about three years later and the girls relationship with her was often a tense and difficult one.

The family resided at 92 Second Street along with a maid, Bridget Sullivan.

The next room is where Andrew Borden was murdered while he rested before lunch.

I don’t think that I look much like an axe murderer.

Many of the pieces of furniture are not original, as is the sofa. After Lizzie was acquitted, she and her sister Emma lived in the home for another six months until moving. According to the tour guide the blood stained sofa was reupholstered and no one knows it’s whereabouts. Be careful when you shop at those antique shops!

The foyer and front entrance of the house. The Borden house was a walk-through house, which means you walked through other rooms to get to the room you were going to. There were no hallways.

As you walk up the stairs and look through the banister you can see the guest room. This is where Abby Borden, Lizzie’s stepmother was murdered and lay on the floor on the other side of the bed.

This is the guest room that Abby Borden was murdered in as she was making up the bed from Lizzie and Emma’s Uncle’s stay the previous night.

This is also the most requested room at the Bed & Breakfast.

These are the actual murder scene photos that are on display at the house. Pretty gruesome to say the least.

This is the dress that Elizabeth Montgomery wore in the 1975 movie, The Legend of Lizzie Borden.

This was Lizzie’s bedroom. Notice the door on the left that enters the next room as a walk-through. That room would have been Andrew and Abby’s room, in which Andrew had permanently closed by nailing it shut for privacy.

In the bookcase on the right side of the bed was one of Lizzie’s books with her initials and this creepy Lizzie doll.

Lizzie Borden 1860 – 1927

Folklore says that the spirits in the house can be bribed to leave you alone by leaving coins on Andrew’s bureau.

Don’t take one as you will surely be visited by Andrew.

Down the back staircase from the Borden’s bedroom is the kitchen. part authentic and part modern to accommodate the overnight guests.

It is said that the dress Lizzie was wearing during the murders was burned in the stove by Lizzie.

After the trial was over the sisters remained in the house for some six months. Lizzie for the most part was shunned by the townspeople.

Lizzie bought a house on “The Hill” and called it Maplecroft and changed her name to Lizbeth.

She had a full staff and her sister Emma lived with her until they had a falling out. Emma left, never speaking to Lizzie again.

This is Maplecroft today and will soon become a Bed & Breakfast.

Lizbeth never married and lived at Maplecroft until her death in 1927. Her sister Emma died nine days later. They are buried in a family plot in Oak Grove Cemetery.

After all the information and history here I think my opinion is that Lizzie did it and got away with the murders. I don’t think it was premeditated but I do think Lizzie snapped that morning and I think Emma covered for her. Why? Because dark things happen behind closed doors.

That’s my theory and I am sticking to it.

***

Northern New Hampshire

The White Mountain Range is close to 800,000 acres of hardwood forest, lakes, streams, wildlife and beautiful scenery in northern New Hampshire and western Maine.

They have a really nice Visitor Center at the Flume. This may be the only moose I get to see.

The most famous stagecoach made in America was the Concord Coach. This coach #431 was built in 1874 in Concord, New Hampshire. The coach carried mail and passengers from Plymouth to Franconia until 1911.

Highway 3 takes you from the Visitors Center north through the Franconia Notch.

There were several stops along the route. A short walk back to The Basin is a must see. The small waterfall flows into a 20 foot diameter granite pothole.

This small fall is on the other side of the Basin.

Driving north on Highway 3 through the Franconia Notch.

The notch is a major mountain pass through the White Mountains with an elevation of 1950 feet.

This is Echo Lake and the Franconia Notch is in the background.

A scenic view of Mount Lafayette with a summit of 5,249 feet, in the middle of the picture, is the ninth highest peak in the White Mountains.

Now, use your imagination here. Does this not look like a cascading waterfall etched into the brick?

The Howe Covered Bridge is used for the Train at Clark’s Trading Post was built in 1904.

Driving the Kancamagus Highway from Lincoln to Conway, New Hampshire is a scenic 34 mile nice and easy flowing road, otherwise known as Highway 112.

There are several places to stop along the way.

This is the suspension bridge over the East Branch Pemigewasset River.

Kancamagus Highway in the background.

One of the many overlooks of the mountains.

There were short hikes to the streams that let a person soak their feet in the cool water while closing your eyes and listening to nature.

A longer trail takes you to a very different Sabbaday Waterfall. An observation deck is up above at the first fall.

The second fall spills out over some rocks into a pool at the bottom.

I make my way to Conway, New Hampshire, the end of the Kancamagus Highway.

In Conway is the Saco River Covered Bridge built in 1890. The bridge is 225 feet long. One of the longest I have ever seen.

Heading back to Nashua I found an Old Country Store on the outside of Tamworth, New Hampshire.

Walking inside was like taking a step back in time. I browsed but didn’t buy anything.

Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in New Hampshire.

The White Mountain Range in the background.

***

Many of you remember the movie “The Perfect Storm.” This was based on a true story of the crew of the Andrea Gail, a fishing boat out of Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Gloucester, pronounced Glaw-ster by the locals is a busy little fishing city.

The fishing heritage is indicated by the Fisherman’s Memorial which sits at the harbor.

The Fisherman’s Memorial is a memorial to all the fishermen lost at sea since 1623 in Gloucester.

Engraved in each of these plaques are the years and names of all the fishermen lost to the sea.

In 1879 there were 249 fishermen and 29 vessels lost in a terrible storm.

The crew of the Andrea Gail have their place among the plaques .

The Compass is found in front of the “Man at the Wheel”

My friend Kathy, airbnb host, came along for the day.

The Crows Nest where the crew of the Andrea Gail hung out and Bobby lived upstairs.

The Gloucester Harbor.

The fishing boats and fisheries.

There is a Harbor Walk in Gloucester that I took. As you walked along the shoreline there were granite posts that told of the history, industry, heritage and life in the city by the sea.

This is Ten Pound Island Lighthouse that can be seen across the bay.

You see a lot of these lobster cage buoys used as decor in restaurants, stores and homes.

The Eastern Point Light outside of Gloucester was built in 1833. It is known as the oldest seaport in America.

This was where I picked up a nice piece of driftwood for my friend Kathy’s balcony. I surely have enjoyed her company and hospitality while staying in Nashua.

***

It is time to say goodbye to Nashua and Kathy, my host, and start my drive to Maine for the remaining days of my adventure.

***

The state of New Hampshire gave the United States the land where Fort William and Mary and a lighthouse were located. The fort was repaired and renamed Fort Constitution in 1808. Only the ruins remain now but the lighthouse still remains intact.

Fort Constitution is only open on certain days and the Portsmouth Harbor Light sits in front of the fort. Today it was closed so this is the best view available.

Looking out to the ocean there was another lighthouse in the distance, Whaleback Light on the right of the picture below, literally sits on a protrusion of rock. On the left is the Wood Island Life Saving Station.

Still in use today is the Cape Neddick “Nubble” Lighthouse in York, Maine which was built in 1879.

This is Cape Elizabeth Light which is also known as Two Lights. Built in 1828 there were originally two stone towers 300 feet apart. The western light was removed and taken out of service and the remaining Cape Elizabeth Light is still in service today.

The small parking area to view the lighthouse was full of visitors waiting for the rain to quit. Once the rain quit people got out of their cars to take pictures and walk on the protruding rock shoreline.

The rocky shoreline is made up of metamorphic rock.

The white veins are white quartz.

Driving on Highway 1A I saw this very cool church, St. Peter’s By The Sea, Episcopal Church. It reminded me of the missions in San Antonio, Texas.

Fort Williams Park is a 90 acre park that has remnants of the original Fort Williams which was a decommissioned and mostly demolished United States Army post during WWI and WWII.

As you drive through the park you can park your car and walk out to the Portland Head Lighthouse.

This is one of my favorites!

Ram Island Ledge Light Station sits out in the ocean and is visible from the cliffs.

Driving to my new airbnb and moving inland, there was a wonderful creek running under a train bridge.

I stayed at an older farmhouse with the nicest couple, Wendy & Tom. The accommodations were excellent and it was so close to so much!

These are Wendy’s babies and they were so lovable and really made me miss my girls who were back in Ohio at my daughters.

Tomorrow I explore Maine and what it has to offer. I am so excited!

Until then, Part 3 will be coming soon. Take care and have a great weekend.