Blog: A Fantastic Day!! A Tour at Potter Place, lunch at The Refinery and a walk in Philbrick-Cricenti Bog
By GSA Sue Greenbaum
On Friday, October 5th, a large group of GSAs gathered in Andover, NH. On that beautiful day, the foliage was getting close to peak, and the sun was shining. The Andover Historical Society had opened Potter Place just for us, and members of their volunteer board were on hand to give us a warm welcome and tell us about the history of this unique place.
Potter Place is named after Richard Potter, 1783-1835, an African American, who is renowned as perhaps this country’s earliest traveling magician and ventriloquist. His and his wife’s gravesites, as well as the cellar hole remaining from their former home, (now a secret garden) are located steps from the Potter Place Railroad Station, which is on the National List of Historic Places. The station is filled with railroad artifacts, and our guides shared their vast knowledge of its history. The railroad carried passengers until 1962, and freight until 1982. Currently the Northern Rail Trail, a 60-mile length of nearly flat railroad bed running from Lebanon to Boscawen, has replaced most of the tracks. On the remaining tracks is an old caboose we were invited to enter and explore. Across the street is the J.C. Emons store, which contains the old village post office and a gift shop, and next to it the Gordon-Lull House, the former home of the postmaster. Our hosts had thoughtfully put out coffee and nibbles for us to enjoy, and invited us in to sit and relax as we wished during the tour. Potter Place is open on Saturdays and Sundays, mid-May to mid-October. www.andoverhistory.org
For lunch we headed to The Refinery Restaurant and Market, also in Andover, known for their smoked meats, but with a menu designed to satisfy any palate. One of the co-owners, Brian MacKenzie, graciously came out and spoke to our group about his restaurant. The food and drinks there are fabulous. I shared a brisket on top of sweet potato waffle fries, and a warm apple crisp ala mode for dessert.
https://www.refinerynh.com
Lastly many of us stopped by the Philbrick-Cricenti Bog, a self-guiding trail, located in New London. The maps, trail signs, and vegetation tell the story of the creation of the bog over the past 10,000 years. There are numerous warnings to stay on the walkway, as the quicksand-like bog in places holds the remains of cows, deer, and at least one horse. Yeah, leave your pet dog at home!
https://www.nl-nhcc.com/
Check out all the pictures in our Potter Place Tour, Refinery Lunch & Philbrick/Cricenti Bog Walk Album.
These are all great places to recommend to friends, family and our guests. Here are thoughts from the GSAs attending the Potter Place Tour, lunch at the Refinery and a walk on the Philbrick-Cricenti Bog:
“I was not aware of Potter Place and very surprised to find it so charming and close to New London. It reflects a time gone by when people travelled by train and the local conveniences such as shopping and post were all gathered in one small building. Charlie Baer’s explanations of the rail history were very informative and entertaining. A wonderful addition to must sees when travelling west. I plan to return myself to venture along the wonderful rail trail.”
~Kathryn
“I had no idea what a great story was ahead of us when I signed up for this excursion! My husband and I were fascinated by the well-maintained depot with all of its original materials of the railroad period. The history about Richard Potter was the most fascinating to me! I had to buy the book because that sort of thing is right up my alley! Larry escorted us to the secret garden and when we visited the post office, we got even more details about the Potter Hotel and what a bustling community Andover once was because of the railroad. The memorabilia in the store/PO brought us back in time. Most of us remember having an old post office like that, but most of them have been modernized. I love that we still have these places preserved so that they can be remembered and appreciated by everyone, especially our younger generations! This was a very special day for us – even the drive to Andover from the Seacoast area was an unexpected pleasure. We’ve lived here all our lives, but the beauty of our landscape and scenery still takes my breath away!”
~Shelly & Rene
“I could not wait to tell people about your site. Something for everyone. Train buffs, history buffs, and children must love it. whoever thought to add the sunken garden was a genius. So beautiful and peaceful. “
~Christine
“The tour of the Caboose was detailed and fun. The J C Emons Store reminded me so much of the Post Office and general store that existed in the 1950s in the tiny NH town where I grew up. It was perfect. I was excited to learn from Larry Sprague that in the near future you are adding a mail coach to your exhibits. I look forward to visiting again to see the coach.”
~Jo Ann
“Being a train lover myself, I was totally engaged with your tour of the station and description of the impact that the railroad had on New Hampshire’s past. Plus, the General Store/Post Office was like a walk back in time. We consider Potter Place to be among the somewhat hidden gems of New Hampshire due, in large part, to the people who bring it to life. “
~John & Irene
“I was so surprised to see the RailRoad Station from such an early era of train service here in New Hampshire and the surrounding buildings, the Secret Garden, the Potter’s Gravesite and vintage Caboose.”
~Jo
“The Refinery is an attractive restaurant divided into two sections which can easily accommodate a large group and regular customers at the same time. There is a large and varied menu of good food to satisfy almost any guest and service is friendly and efficient. The vegetable chili soup I had was outstanding. I was impressed when the manager opened the door when we arrived early and even went out in the parking lot to make sure people waiting in their cars knew they could come in. I also enjoyed the owners brief overview of the restaurants history and the challenges he had to overcome with Covid and staffing problems.
The Philbrick/Cricenti Bog is a great place to explore the environment that was left by the last continental glaciation. It is a very easy and beautiful
walk thru unusual and interesting terrain which includes an interactive activity to demonstrate the depth of the Bog with a pole. The bog is a
flexible free venue which could be quickly viewed in 30 minutes or studied and contemplated for hours allowing it to be conveniently added to
many itineraries.”
~Russ Kolb
“The Choice of The Refinery for lunch was PERFECT! We loved getting a personal welcome from the owner and hearing a little about how he got started and how he worked so hard to get this restaurant up and running! I immediately loved the place even more after he did that. The menu is great with good variation, and the food was excellent. Rene said his Reuben was the best he’s ever had (he’s had a lot of Reubens), and I totally devoured my Refined chef salad!
After GPS sent us on a wild ride through the Sunapee countryside, we finally found the bog! That was the perfect way to walk off our lunch and enjoy the varied plant life of the bog. Rene and I are both of a horticulture background, so we always enjoy seeing different ecosystems, and the colors this time of year make a nice palette for the eyes.
This was a perfectly planned day for GSA’s. A great way to learn more about our state and to get to know a few more of our fellow GSA’s! Thank you so much for this opportunity. It was a five star day all around!
We continued our fabulous NH journey with a ride up to Ragged Mtn because one of the GSAs at our table, Wilma, and our waitress, Ashley, both work there, and we hadn’t been there in a long time. So, we saw more beautiful countryside!”
~Shelly and Rene Gingras
“The Refinery is a fantastic restaurant located in beautiful Andover not far from New London. Brian provided an excellent overview of the history and food choices. With an extensive menu that covers all the food groups and pricing you will have no problem finding something you and your family will enjoy. So spacious with a very pleasant atmosphere and easy parking, it hits all the right requirements for a perfect restaurant. Leave room for dessert!I would be remiss if I didn’t comment on the bog. A beautiful easy walk just off the road offering a large selection of plants and history to investigate as you wander the flat well-designed boardwalk. So many Tamarack Trees and wild cotton plants! Wish it was closer to where I live.”
~Kathryn
