Recently I found and purchased a DVD of historic significance. It is old home movies of a family from New Jersey. They were taken from 1929 to the mid 1940’s on Lake Winnipesaukee. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, it didn’t cost too much, so I took a chance. Yesterday afternoon I got a glimpse into the past.
The movies start out showing a few old boats and a seaplane. Then it goes to the family at a dock on what I believe is Paugus Bay. It was cute seeing the kids swimming and what appear to be the parents and grandparents having fun.
Then it jumps a few years, you can tell from the age of the children, the boathouse has changed and the rock wall at the shore is higher and the top part cemented. The photographer is standing on the dock with early wooden boats zooming by. Then we are on a boat seeing some of the shore.
After that the shots are from the water showing The Weirs. Old Chris Craft type boats are racing, rather close to land and each other.
The camera pans out onto Weirs Bay and the old Mt. Washington was coming in! I had tears in my eyes and goose bumps like you wouldn’t believe. The thought of seeing her hadn’t even crossed my mind. The shots are a bit jumpy because they are taken from a boat, but they are excellent anyway. They show her from stem to stern, then docked at the pier.
There is more racing, seaplanes and boats all around. People are water skiing, very close to other boats and little one-person boats are racing. There is a big crowd on the shore and on the water. The Weirs looks very similar to how it is today.
Later the photographer is actually on the ship, shooting scenes along the way. I think they show Bear Island, but I am not sure. They land in Centre Harbor where they pick up passengers, showing a bit of scenery on the way out.
Next it goes to a shot of Brewster’s Academy, followed by the wharf at Wolfeboro. I believe it is the train station at the waters edge.
The film then goes by Sandy Island Men’s Camp where they look to be having a lot of fun.
Camp Idlewild is next, where they are skiing on platforms, sometimes two at a time, it looks kind of like a huge knee board/sled. Again all the boats are dangerously close to one another.
At this point the film jumps to what appears to be Clark’s Trading Post and the Indian Head Motel.
After that there are shots of the Old Man In The Mountain and Echo Lake.
Then it is back to the family, which could have been taken down in New Jersey, but it is hard to tell.
At this point the movie is now shot in color. It must be about the mid 1940’s and there is footage of the new Mount Washington. They show her unloading and loading passengers, and then what I think is the Sophie C goes by. There are some shots of the shore, heading to Centre Harbor, which are on the dark side. The black and white movies were better quality, in my opinion.
They end the movie with a pan of Wolfeboro Bay.
Has anyone ever seen or know of any film footage of the first Mt. Washington? What a sight!
I am very happy that I found this DVD.
What a sense of nostalgia seeing the lake from days gone by and it is a wonderful way to look back in time. The movies are in no way perfect, as this is not professionally done. Given the age of the film and the technology available then, I think it is pretty cool stuff. Home movies are what they are, home movies. Certain parts may be boring to others too. The whole thing held much interest for me, but I have turned into a Lake Winnipesaukee history junkie.
At this time the sellers are trying to work out the best way to make this DVD available to the public. I am hoping that they will allow me to post a bit of the video, so stay tuned!