By the time the 1980s arrived, New Hampshire was in the middle of a major transformation. Decades earlier, the state had relied on textile mills and shoe factories to keep its economy running. Those industries faded, and in their place came manufacturers of precision instruments, electrical products, and eventually computers and computer accessories. The shift worked. New Hampshire grew into one of the wealthiest states in the country, boasting the seventh-highest median household income in the nation alongside some of the lowest poverty, unemployment, and crime rates anywhere in the U.S.
Highland Cottages, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1984
A big reason for this growth was geography. Major highways connecting New Hampshire to Greater Boston turned towns throughout the state into bedroom communities — places where people lived but commuted south to work. The population nearly doubled between 1960 and 2000, making New Hampshire one of the fastest-growing states east of the Mississippi River. Weirs Beach on Lake Winnipesaukee became one of the most popular destinations for families looking to escape the city. Cottages, resorts, and lakeside attractions lined the shoreline throughout both decades.
The English Village, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1991Wentworth By-The-Sea, New Castle, New Hampshire, 1994
The White Mountains region drew tourists year after year. North Woodstock was a hub of activity, with themed resorts and roadside attractions pulling in visitors from across New England. Wentworth By-The-Sea in New Castle stood as one of the grandest old hotels in the state — a sprawling Victorian-era resort that defined a certain kind of New Hampshire elegance. These places weren’t just vacation spots. They were landmarks that shaped how people remembered the state.
Tin soldier, Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1981
For families with children, few places in New Hampshire carried more excitement than Santa’s Village in Jefferson. Sitting along Route 2 in the White Mountains, the park had been drawing kids since the 1950s, and by the 1980s it was a full-blown institution. Oversized holiday decorations, nativity scenes, and costumed characters filled the grounds. A giant tin soldier stood at the entrance, and a dinosaur crouched near the castle — details that seemed perfectly normal at a Christmas-themed park in the mountains.
Story Land, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1991Clark’s Trading Post, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1991
Story Land on Route 16 in Glen was another cornerstone of New Hampshire childhood. The park brought fairy tales to life with storybook buildings, rides, and themed areas that stretched across the property. Clark’s Trading Post in North Woodstock offered something different — a mix of live bear shows, steam train rides, and quirky Americana that made it unlike anything else in the state. Visitors returned to Clark’s again and again throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and the “Next Bear Show” sign became one of the most recognized sights along Route 3.
Clark’s Trading Post, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1996Plane view 2, Salute to the USA mini golf, Lake Winnipesaukee Pier, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1982
Mini golf was everywhere in New Hampshire during this era, and Weirs Beach had some of the most creative courses in the region. The Salute to the USA course at Lake Winnipesaukee Pier took a patriotic theme to its extreme — holes modeled after American landmarks, a giant Uncle Sam figure, an Alamo replica, and a to-scale USA map built right into the layout. Funspot on Route 3 offered its own mini golf experience, with a windmill hole, a covered bridge, a barn, and even a model of the cog railway that climbed Mount Washington.
Funspot mini golf, Route 3, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1983Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1989Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1981
Six Gun City, also on Route 2 in Jefferson, put a Wild West spin on the family attraction formula. The park featured Western storefronts, a tractor wagon ride, and costumed staff who staged shows for visitors. It sat right near Santa’s Village, making the stretch of Route 2 through Jefferson one of the most entertainment-dense roads in the state during summer months.
Six Gun City, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1995Dinosaur by castle, Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1991
Dining out in New Hampshire during the 1980s had its own character. Roadside diners, Chinese restaurants, and drive-ins dotted the state from Manchester to the Lakes Region. Jade Island Chinese Restaurant in Meredith stood out with its themed exterior near the lake. Porky’s Drive-In in Laconia had a sign that was hard to miss from the road. The Peterboro Diner in Peterborough and the Newport Diner on Main Street in Newport were the kinds of places where locals ate on a Tuesday and tourists stumbled in after a day of hiking.
Jade Island Chinese Restaurant, Meredith, New Hampshire, 1982Seven Gables Motel, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, 1985
Hampton Beach on the Atlantic coast was New Hampshire’s answer to the classic seaside resort strip. The Seven Gables Motel and the White Gables Motor Court both catered to beach-goers who came for the ocean and stayed for the arcades, seafood, and boardwalk atmosphere. Hampton Beach operated on a different energy than the mountain towns — louder, busier, and packed tight with visitors every summer.
Indian Head Resort, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1998
Plane view 1, Salute to the USA mini golf, Lake Winnipesaukee Pier, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1981
Windmill, Funspot mini golf, Route 3, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1985
Summer cottage, Funspot mini golf, Route 3, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1984Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1984Wentworth By-The-Sea, New Castle, New Hampshire, 1995
Motor courts and small roadside motels were a staple of New Hampshire travel in both decades. Places like the Piper Trail Motor Court in Albany, the Pemi Motor Court in North Woodstock, and the Mt. Jefferson Motel in Randolph offered simple, affordable stops for travelers moving through the White Mountains. These weren’t luxury accommodations — they were practical, clean, and usually within a short drive of whatever park or trail a family had planned for the next day.
Piper Trail Motor Court, Albany, New Hampshire, 1984Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1991Clark’s Trading Post, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1991Clark’s Trading Post, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1991Play the ball sign, Funspot mini golf, Route 3, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1983Wentworth By-The-Sea, New Castle, New Hampshire, 1991Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1997Santa’s Village parking lot sign, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1987Jade Island Chinese Restaurant, Meredith, New Hampshire, 1981Hearthside Village, Bethlehem, New Hampshire, 1983
Bethlehem, in Grafton County, had its own quiet charm. Hearthside Village there was one of several small cottage-style developments that gave the mountain town a laid-back, residential feel even during tourist season. Manchester, the state’s largest city, had its own slice of mid-century Americana — the Empire Theater on the main drag and the Creamland ice cream sign were two of the most recognizable sights in the city at the start of the decade.
Clark’s Trading Post, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1991White Gables Motor Court, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, 1981Story Land, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1994Mt. Jefferson Motel, Randolph, New Hampshire, 1983Clark’s Trading Post, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1997Hearthside Village, Bethlehem, New Hampshire, 1986Space Fantasy facade and rocket, Storyland, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1987His-hers sign, Funspot mini golf, Route 3, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1987Clark’s Trading Post, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1991Go-Go mini golf, Route 1A, pirate, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, 1982Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1998Wentworth By-The-Sea, New Castle, New Hampshire, 1998Clark’s Trading Post, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1998Story Land, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1991Hearthside Village, Bethlehem, New Hampshire, 1984Three kings nativity scene, Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1981Giant baseball hole, Salute to the USA mini golf, Lake Winnipesaukee Pier, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1981Wentworth By-The-Sea, New Castle, New Hampshire, 1994Clark’s Trading Post, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1991Mt. Jefferson Motel, Randolph, New Hampshire, 1983Wentworth By-The-Sea, New Castle, New Hampshire, 1995Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1996Ball on wrong green sign, Funspot mini golf, Route 3, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1981B and M Train, Funspot mini golf, Route 3, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1988Entrance, Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1996Plane view 3, Salute to the USA mini golf, Lake Winnipesaukee Pier, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1981Uncle Sam hole, Salute to the USA mini golf, Lake Winnipesaukee Pier, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1981Story Land, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1996Story Land, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1996Six Gun City, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1997Barn, Funspot mini golf, Route 3, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1981Seven Gables Motel, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, 1988Next Bear Show sign, Clark’s Trading Post, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1995Six Gun City, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1996Indian Head Resort, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1995Wentworth By-The-Sea, New Castle, New Hampshire, 1995Salute to the USA mini golf, USA map, Lake Winnipesaukee Pier, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1981Cog railway, Funspot mini golf, Route 3, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1982Six Gun City, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1996Six Gun City, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1996Overall, Storyland, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1995Story Land, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1981Wentworth By-The-Sea, New Castle, New Hampshire, 1994Covered bridge sign, Funspot mini golf, Route 3, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1981Snowman (vertical), Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1981Pemi Motor Court, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1994Creamland ice cream sign, Manchester, New Hampshire, 1980Peterboro Diner, Peterborough, New Hampshire, 1980Clark’s Trading Post, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1995Seven Gables Motel, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, 1984Pemi Motor Court, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1995Clark’s Trading Post, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1995Newport Diner, Main Street, Newport, New Hampshire, 1984Clark’s Trading Post, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1995Clark’s Trading Post, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1995Grand View Resort, Route 3, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1984White Gables Motor Court, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, 1984Story Land, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1984
Porky’s Drive-in sign, Laconia, New Hampshire, 1984
Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1997
Parking sign 2, Storyland, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1981Tractor wagon, Six Gun City, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1997West Alton Railroad Station, Funspot mini golf, Route 3, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1982Clark’s Trading Post, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1996Six Gun City, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1996Six Gun City, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1996Story Land, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1995Story Land, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1995Story Land, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1982Alamo hole, Salute to the USA mini golf, Lake Winnipesaukee Pier, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1997Weirs Superette, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1981Story Land, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1991Piper Trail Motor Court, Albany, New Hampshire, 1981Lighthouse observation tower, Randolph, New Hampshire, 1981Six Gun City, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1991Six Gun City, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1997Mt. Jefferson Motel, Randolph, New Hampshire, 1985Hearthside Village, Bethlehem, New Hampshire, 1985Entrance, Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire,1991Green Village Court, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1996Erin Wrinkle Moose sign, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1996Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1983Pemi Motor Court, diagonal view 1, Route 3, North Woodstock, New Hampshire, 1991Storefronts and wagon, Six Gun City, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1997Hearthside Village, Bethlehem, New Hampshire, 1985Wentworth Location Cemetery, Wentworth Location, New Hampshire, 1991Story Land, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1983Dinosaur by castle, Santa’s Village, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1997J.B. Scoops Ice Cream, Meredith, New Hampshire, 1981Story Land, Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire, 1997Six Gun City, Route 2, Jefferson, New Hampshire, 1997Wentworth By-The-Sea, New Castle, New Hampshire, 1997Seven Gables Motel, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, 1981Empire Theater, Manchester, New Hampshire, 1980Grand View Resort, Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, 1984
Not one picture of the natural beauty of the state
Man, those cabins look Cozy.
My whole childhood I wanted to stay in one. Finally did in the mid ’90s. Got one in Woodstock during the Highland Games, with my girlfriend at the time. I think it was the first time we took an overnight trip somewhere as a couple.
Poured that weekend; it was a nice room to get warm and dry in.
I think we should keep it to the travel agents; we will end up with less stanley cups, and straws in our streams and rivers; and maybe a few less people manifesting abundance and gratitude in the same place.
Back when things were cheap, simple and fun. Massachusetts transplants ruined all of it.
Epping was your standard one-horse town. More gas stations than traffic lights
It’s amazing how much has changed in Epping. Used to just be Cumbys and that’s even gone.
Not one picture of the natural beauty of the state
Man, those cabins look Cozy.
My whole childhood I wanted to stay in one. Finally did in the mid ’90s. Got one in Woodstock during the Highland Games, with my girlfriend at the time. I think it was the first time we took an overnight trip somewhere as a couple.
Poured that weekend; it was a nice room to get warm and dry in.
I think we should keep it to the travel agents; we will end up with less stanley cups, and straws in our streams and rivers; and maybe a few less people manifesting abundance and gratitude in the same place.
Back when things were cheap, simple and fun. Massachusetts transplants ruined all of it.
Epping was your standard one-horse town. More gas stations than traffic lights
It’s amazing how much has changed in Epping. Used to just be Cumbys and that’s even gone.