07/26/2026
It's been a while. I hope you've all been well. We got some major plans on the horizon. But we have major unfinished business that I have been capturing for the last month. I will back in the New Hampshire area at the beginning of next month. Anyone in need of aerial services can reach out directly. On to the show.....
Video number 110 in the New Hampshire 259 brings the series to Crawford's Purchase and the surrounding specacular wilderness. The wider setting starts to matter, revealing a connected tapestry of six distinct grants and purchases—including Chandler's, Bean's, Thompson & Meserve's, Sargent's, and Low & Burbank's—sitting in the landscape exactly as they have for centuries.
Launching from the middle of the road, the woods feel dense and towering. Once the landscape opens up from the air, the raw perspective reveals an immense, unbroken valley sitting quietly just south of Mount Washington.
The morning light filtering through the cloud cover gave the entire basin a majestic presence. Up here, the extreme topography dictates everything—the steep slopes and the Ammonoosuc River valley explain exactly why this tract never grew into a settled town, but instead remained an unsettled expanse connecting six of the state's unorganized grants.
The Historical Record
The Sale of the Wilderness:
In 1834 and 1835, the state sold off these high-elevation tracts, finalizing their map boundaries. Crawford's Purchase was granted to the pioneering Crawford family, while Chandler's Purchase went to Jeremiah Chandler for just three hundred dollars.
The Summit Grants:
This aerial sweep captures Thompson and Meserve's Purchase, acquired in 1835, which covers Mount Washington's northern slopes and the historic Cog Railway route. Sargent's Purchase anchors the actual summit and the Lakes of the Clouds.
An Unsettled Landscape:
Lacking viable agricultural valleys or mill sites, the extreme topography prevented any lasting municipal development. Today, these interconnected tracts remain an unbroken expanse within the White Mountain National Forest.
Mission Progress: The New Hampshire 259
Total Locations: 259
Locations Completed: 115
Locations Remaining: 144
Locals and travelers, what did I miss from the ground? Share this with someone who loves the quiet of the White Mountains.
I just tagged 5 locations in one go! Let's have a free round on the house! That guy is paying! 😅
