Clean Water
The Lingering Attraction Of Newfound Lake
Newfound Lake has the reputation of being the cleanest lake east of the Mississippi River. That is due in part to the steady exchange of water, and in part to the efforts to prevent its degradation.
Two rivers — the Cockermouth and the Fowler — as well as eight freshwater springs feed into the lake, with but one outlet: the Newfound River. That means that pollutants are quickly flushed away.
Bounded by the towns of Alexandria, Bristol, Bridgewater, and Hebron, the lake is 2.5 miles wide and seven miles long, covering 4,106 acres. It is 180 feet deep at its deepest point. Over the years, Newfound Lake has provided excellent fishing and boating opportunities, as well as swimming and waterskiing.
Those visiting Newfound Lake often get their introduction through a visit to Wellington State Park, which offers picnicking under a canopy of trees as well as swimming. There also is a boat launch.
On the north side of the lake, the New Hampshire Audubon Society operates Paradise Point Nature Center and Wildlife sanctuary, a 43-acre property with 3,500 feet of rocky, unspoiled lakeshore and easy hiking trails.
Once a wild lake surrounded by rustic buildings, its character began to change in 1880, when Lake View House, the lake’s first true summer boarding house, appeared on the eastern shore in Bridgewater. It opened in response to the influx of people from urban areas who gained an interest in the countryside after Royal Governor John Wentworth built his summer estate in Wolfeboro in 1768. In the century since then, tourists who began traveling north to the White Mountains became a significant economic driver. Lake View House was three stories high, with a dining room, dance hall, and 75 bedrooms, allowing city dwellers to experience country living without giving up their accustomed comfort.