Lake Wentworth
Encyclopedia
Lake Wentworth is located in Carroll County
in eastern New Hampshire
, in the town of Wolfeboro
. At 3116 acres (12.6 km²), it is the seventh-largest lake located entirely in New Hampshire. Water from Lake Wentworth flows through the short Smith River into Crescent Lake and then over the dam into Lake Winnipesaukee
in Wolfeboro.
Bass Island
The seventh largest of the islands, its name comes from the most dominant fish in the lake. Its original name was Goss Island, named after its original owner, Walter Goss. There is now one house on the island. The island is connected to Stamp Act Island through an underwater reef.
Brummitt Island
One of the smallest islands ever to be inhabited, but now the island does not have any house on it. The island was originally inhabited by Henry D. Brewster, and was originally called Townsend's Islands, named after the shore to which it is the closest.
Cate Island
Named after the Cate family, who owned a piece of Stamp Act Island. The island has been called in the past Thaddeus Island and Murray's Island. The earliest owners of the island were C.A. Senter, I.P. Whitehouse, and J.E. Murray; one of them built the camp that burned down in a fire in 1929. The fire was apparently caused by a bolt of lightning which could be clearly seen from Turtle Island at the time.
Goose and Fanny Island
Two uninhabited islands close to the shore. Fanny Island is off Kimball Shore, and Goose Island is off Hodge Shore.
Mink Island and the Jockey Caps
Mink Island is named after the mink
, an animal which has been spotted repeatedly on the island. Almost 100 years ago its name was Wentworth Island. The Jockey Cap islands are named after the headgear of horse-racing. The Spear family built a cabin on East Jockey Cap over 100 years ago, and around that same time there was also a cabin on West Jockey Cap.
Seven Sister Islands
The Seven Sister Islands are Sister, Poplar, Loon, Flo, Min, Joe, and Wal. Poplar Island belonged to C.B. Edgerly and J.M. Cate until 1881. It was then sold to Rev. F.H. Spear in 1910, who put up the first building (a boathouse), which is now a part of camp 2. Sister Island was originally owned by Daniel "Old Dan" Kimball, who had a little cabin in the middle of the island where he stayed overnight at certain times. Sister Island used to be called Wakefield Island after John F. Wakefield (a later owner). Wakefield set up the system of buoys with a guide, John A. Jackson. Loon Island used to have Estes Hotel which was run by John Estes. The Estes Hotel was known for its crazy parties. On Wal and Flo islands loons now nest.
Stamp Act Island
Stamp Act is the largest of all the islands. It was originally owned by Mrs. H.G. Davenport and Mrs. Maude Cate. It is now a nature preserve owned by the Lake Wentworth Association. The island was sold in the 1970s, and at one time there was fear of the island being sold to a private contractor who could have built 70 lots on the island. Nobody knows how the island's name came to be, though it refers to the eighteenth century acts of the British Parliament
which sparked the American Revolution
. Some rumors are that one of its original owners was a distributor of stamps, another rumor was that Governor John Wentworth
played a major part in the repeal of the Stamp Act
, and finally some people have said that Stamp Act documents or stamps were hidden there. There used to be a house on the northern tip of the island, but it was torn down when the island was sold. A story has been passed around that many years ago a man and his partner made a deal with Mrs. Davenport that they cut down 50 trees. They cut down 49 trees, and the fiftieth tree toppled and killed them both. The fiftieth tree was not on Mrs. Davenport's property; it was on Maude Cates' property.
Triggs Island
The second largest island in the lake, close to the Triggs Shore. Triggs takes its name from the family that long owned island. It used to be called Minister's Island because it used to be home to many clerg men. The island was sold to Thomas W. Clow in 1904, who sold the island to three Methodist ministers. They built five cottages, but sold the house on the conditions that the new owners not drink alcoholic beverages on the island, and that if anyone would like to sell their property they would have to allow any other resident of Triggs to buy the house first. Triggs is one of two islands with electricity, from an underwater tube with multiple wires running through it.
Turtle Island
The sixth largest island in the lake, it is less than 100 yards away from the shore. Lady Wentworth used to picnic with her family and friends. They used to get to the island through a natural causeway which some speculate was made by the Wentworth family at their time. The island is the only other island with electricity, and it gets that with a wire going over the water to the island.
Carroll County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,666 people, 18,351 households, and 12,313 families residing in the county. The population density was 18/km² . There were 34,750 housing units at an average density of 14/km²...
in eastern New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, in the town of Wolfeboro
Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
Wolfeboro is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,269 at the 2010 census. A venerable resort area situated beside Lake Winnipesaukee, Wolfeboro includes the village of Wolfeboro Falls...
. At 3116 acres (12.6 km²), it is the seventh-largest lake located entirely in New Hampshire. Water from Lake Wentworth flows through the short Smith River into Crescent Lake and then over the dam into Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. It is approximately long and from wide , covering — when Paugus Bay is included—with a maximum depth of ....
in Wolfeboro.
Islands
There are at least 18 named islands in the lake: Stamp Act Island (the largest at 106 acres (42.9 ha)), Bass Island, Cate Island, Mink Island, Goose Island, East and West Jockey Cap Islands, Triggs Island, Turtle Island, Fanny Island, Brummet Island, and a group known as the Seven Sisters Islands: Sister Island, Poplar Island, Loon Island, Flo Island, Wal Island, Min Island, and Joe Island. There are numerous additional ledges, rocks, and islets in the lake.Bass Island
The seventh largest of the islands, its name comes from the most dominant fish in the lake. Its original name was Goss Island, named after its original owner, Walter Goss. There is now one house on the island. The island is connected to Stamp Act Island through an underwater reef.
Brummitt Island
One of the smallest islands ever to be inhabited, but now the island does not have any house on it. The island was originally inhabited by Henry D. Brewster, and was originally called Townsend's Islands, named after the shore to which it is the closest.
Cate Island
Named after the Cate family, who owned a piece of Stamp Act Island. The island has been called in the past Thaddeus Island and Murray's Island. The earliest owners of the island were C.A. Senter, I.P. Whitehouse, and J.E. Murray; one of them built the camp that burned down in a fire in 1929. The fire was apparently caused by a bolt of lightning which could be clearly seen from Turtle Island at the time.
Goose and Fanny Island
Two uninhabited islands close to the shore. Fanny Island is off Kimball Shore, and Goose Island is off Hodge Shore.
Mink Island and the Jockey Caps
Mink Island is named after the mink
American Mink
The American mink is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe and South America. Because of this, it is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Since the extinction of the sea mink, the American mink is the...
, an animal which has been spotted repeatedly on the island. Almost 100 years ago its name was Wentworth Island. The Jockey Cap islands are named after the headgear of horse-racing. The Spear family built a cabin on East Jockey Cap over 100 years ago, and around that same time there was also a cabin on West Jockey Cap.
Seven Sister Islands
The Seven Sister Islands are Sister, Poplar, Loon, Flo, Min, Joe, and Wal. Poplar Island belonged to C.B. Edgerly and J.M. Cate until 1881. It was then sold to Rev. F.H. Spear in 1910, who put up the first building (a boathouse), which is now a part of camp 2. Sister Island was originally owned by Daniel "Old Dan" Kimball, who had a little cabin in the middle of the island where he stayed overnight at certain times. Sister Island used to be called Wakefield Island after John F. Wakefield (a later owner). Wakefield set up the system of buoys with a guide, John A. Jackson. Loon Island used to have Estes Hotel which was run by John Estes. The Estes Hotel was known for its crazy parties. On Wal and Flo islands loons now nest.
Stamp Act Island
Stamp Act is the largest of all the islands. It was originally owned by Mrs. H.G. Davenport and Mrs. Maude Cate. It is now a nature preserve owned by the Lake Wentworth Association. The island was sold in the 1970s, and at one time there was fear of the island being sold to a private contractor who could have built 70 lots on the island. Nobody knows how the island's name came to be, though it refers to the eighteenth century acts of the British Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
which sparked the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. Some rumors are that one of its original owners was a distributor of stamps, another rumor was that Governor John Wentworth
John Wentworth (governor)
Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet was the British colonial governor of New Hampshire at the time of the American Revolution. He was later also Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia.-Early life:...
played a major part in the repeal of the Stamp Act
Stamp Act 1765
The Stamp Act 1765 was a direct tax imposed by the British Parliament specifically on the colonies of British America. The act required that many printed materials in the colonies be produced on stamped paper produced in London, carrying an embossed revenue stamp...
, and finally some people have said that Stamp Act documents or stamps were hidden there. There used to be a house on the northern tip of the island, but it was torn down when the island was sold. A story has been passed around that many years ago a man and his partner made a deal with Mrs. Davenport that they cut down 50 trees. They cut down 49 trees, and the fiftieth tree toppled and killed them both. The fiftieth tree was not on Mrs. Davenport's property; it was on Maude Cates' property.
Triggs Island
The second largest island in the lake, close to the Triggs Shore. Triggs takes its name from the family that long owned island. It used to be called Minister's Island because it used to be home to many clerg men. The island was sold to Thomas W. Clow in 1904, who sold the island to three Methodist ministers. They built five cottages, but sold the house on the conditions that the new owners not drink alcoholic beverages on the island, and that if anyone would like to sell their property they would have to allow any other resident of Triggs to buy the house first. Triggs is one of two islands with electricity, from an underwater tube with multiple wires running through it.
Turtle Island
The sixth largest island in the lake, it is less than 100 yards away from the shore. Lady Wentworth used to picnic with her family and friends. They used to get to the island through a natural causeway which some speculate was made by the Wentworth family at their time. The island is the only other island with electricity, and it gets that with a wire going over the water to the island.