Miller State Park
Encyclopedia
Miller State Park is the oldest state-run park in New Hampshire
, a state in the New England
region of the United States
. It is mostly located in Peterborough
.
The park is centered on Pack Monadnock
, the 2,290 foot (698 m) mountain. Unusually for mountains in this region, Pack Monadnock ("pack" comes from an Indian word meaning "little" and is a reference to nearby Mount Monadnock
) has a paved auto road to the top. The mountain is the former site of two hotels. It also has a recently renovated and rebuilt (previously unused for several years) fire tower at the summit which is staffed seasonally.
The 533 acre (2.2 km²) park was established in 1891 when three acres (12,000 m²) atop Pack Monadnock were donated to New Hampshire. It has expanded over the years with land donations and purchases. Until 1901, cattle were driven by foot from Massachusetts
farms for summer grazing on open pasture extending nearly to the summit. Virtually all the pastures are now overgrown with forest, as little farming is done in the region.
The park is named after General James Miller, a War of 1812
leader.
The park is popular with hikers. The Wapack Trail
runs through it, crossing Pack Monadnock.
In 2007, the state bought an adjacent 325 acres (1.3 km²) around the closed Temple Mountain Ski Area
, across NH Route 101
from the Miller State Park entrance.
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...
, a state in the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
region of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is mostly located in Peterborough
Peterborough, New Hampshire
Peterborough is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,284 at the 2010 census. Home to the MacDowell Art Colony, the town is a popular tourist destination....
.
The park is centered on Pack Monadnock
Pack Monadnock
Pack Monadnock or Pack Monadnock Mountain , is the highest peak of the Wapack Range of mountains and the highest point in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. The mountain, a monadnock, is located in south-central New Hampshire within the towns of Peterborough and Temple. The Wapack Trail and a...
, the 2,290 foot (698 m) mountain. Unusually for mountains in this region, Pack Monadnock ("pack" comes from an Indian word meaning "little" and is a reference to nearby Mount Monadnock
Mount Monadnock
Mount Monadnock, or Grand Monadnock, is the most prominent New England mountain peak south of the White Mountains and east of the Massachusetts Berkshires, and is the highest point in Cheshire County, New Hampshire...
) has a paved auto road to the top. The mountain is the former site of two hotels. It also has a recently renovated and rebuilt (previously unused for several years) fire tower at the summit which is staffed seasonally.
The 533 acre (2.2 km²) park was established in 1891 when three acres (12,000 m²) atop Pack Monadnock were donated to New Hampshire. It has expanded over the years with land donations and purchases. Until 1901, cattle were driven by foot from Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
farms for summer grazing on open pasture extending nearly to the summit. Virtually all the pastures are now overgrown with forest, as little farming is done in the region.
The park is named after General James Miller, a War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
leader.
The park is popular with hikers. The Wapack Trail
Wapack Trail
The Wapack Trail is one of the oldest public, interstate hiking trails in the United States. Opened in 1923, it follows the Wapack Range north-south for , between Mount Watatic in Ashburnham, Massachusetts and North Pack Monadnock mountain in Greenfield, New Hampshire...
runs through it, crossing Pack Monadnock.
In 2007, the state bought an adjacent 325 acres (1.3 km²) around the closed Temple Mountain Ski Area
Temple Mountain
Temple Mountain is a monadnock located in south-central New Hampshire within the Wapack Range of mountains. It lies within Sharon and Temple, New Hampshire; the Wapack Trail traverses the mountain, and the northern face includes the Temple Mountain Reservation, owned by the state...
, across NH Route 101
New Hampshire Route 101
New Hampshire Route 101 is a state-maintained highway in southern New Hampshire extending from Keene to Hampton Beach. It is the major east–west highway in the southern portion of the state....
from the Miller State Park entrance.