History of LSPA
LSPA was founded in 1898 and is the oldest environmental organization in New Hampshire. In 2023, we celebrated 125 years of caring for our waters!
The organization's first president was Col. W.S.B. Hopkins, who summed up the importance of protecting the Lake Sunapee Watershed as follows:
"The lake is the one jewel that calls in all here. The man who builds his house on a hill and does not reach the shore at all, were it not for the lake, would not have built it there. Carelessness, even the slightest introduction of impurity, will destroy the healthfulness of the region, repel the newcomer who should be invited, and destroy the value of what we have already established."
Col. W.S.B. Hopkins
Back in the 1890s, environmental education was pretty basic. The Argus Champion of May 5, 1899 had this advice: "Those desiring to dispose of their cats, dead hens, etc, should notify the 'Lake Sunapee Water Supply Company' to see that they are properly disposed of, rather than have them left on the ice of the lake or thrown into its waters."
Lake Level
One of the early issues was the water level of Lake Sunapee. The mill owners downstream wanted continuous water power for the mill works, and the tourism concern at the lake was to have less variation on lake level. The New Hampshire legislature at the time began thinking that all lakes should be managed for public benefit. In 1905, LSPA and other parties, agreed that the lake level must be maintained within the range of 1,108.5' and 1,111.5' elevation. Those levels were modified slightly once, but the variation of three feet still holds. The New Hampshire Dam Bureau, who currently manages the lake level, continues to have that variation as its goal. Click here to watch a presentation on lake level management on Lake Sunapee.
The Beginning
Lake Sunapee is a glacial lake, with geological faults and a graben structure. As the last glacier retreated around 11,000 years ago, it deposited large rocks in the landscape. These rocks are called glacial erratics. An example of a large glacial erratic can be found on Minute Island in front of the John Hay Wildlife Refuge, as seen along the wildlife shoreline trail. Native Abenaqui called the lake Soo-Nipi, which translates to "Rocky Lake". Lake Sunapee resembles a bird (goose) in flight, with the bird's head as the harbor area, from an aerial view, and at times from Mount Sunapee. The Penacooks, the local group of the Abenaqui around Sunapee, hunted in the autumn and fished using nets, weirs and spears.
The Steamboat Era
Following the extension of the B&M Railroad into Newbury, Lake Sunapee became a popular vacation area long before the introduction of the automobile. The main rail station was at Newbury Harbor, the southernmost point of the lake. Today, the village contains a colorful antique caboose commemorating the railroad line that passed by, bringing vacationers from other parts of the country. Steamboat service developed on the lake to accommodate the new populace. Steamships ferried passengers from the south end of the lake to cottages and large resort hotels around the lake. Bay Point, Blodgett Landing, and Indian Cave, later known as Lake Avenue, were the most populated piers. One of the first commercial boats was actually propelled by horses in 1854. N.S. Gardner purchased Little Island for $1.00 and put a bowling alley on it. He then launched the Penacook (later renamed Mountain Maid) steamer to carry passengers to Little Island, and so the steamboat era began.
The Woodsum brothers
The Woodsum Brothers launched the Lady Woodsum in 1876. It was 50-feet (15 m) long and could carry 75 passengers. The 90-foot (27 m) Edmund Burke was launched in 1885, carrying 600 passengers. In 1887, the Armenia White was launched; it was 101-feet (31 m) long and carried 650 passengers. It was the flagship of the Woodsum fleet and the biggest steamer ever to sail Lake Sunapee.
The Final Steamship Years
In 1897 the 70-foot (21 m) steamship Kearsarge was launched carrying 250 passengers daily in the summer months. In 1902 the 50-foot (15 m) Weetamoo was launched and was later scuttled near Newbury. The ship is still intact and is visited frequently by local SCUBA clubs. The pilothouse of the Kearsarge was salvaged from the lake in the 1960s and is on display at the Sunapee Historical Center. The 52-foot (16 m) MV Mount Sunapee II was launched in 1965 to take passengers on lake cruises in summer months. The original Mount Sunapee was named Susie Q. There were major steamer landings at Sunapee Harbor, Georges Mills, Lakeside Landing, Hastings Landing, Auburn Landing, Blodgett Landing, Brightwood, Pine Cliff, Lake Station, Soo-Nipi, Burkehaven, and Granliden to serve the grand hotels. The automobile led to the demise of the steamer era.
Today's Cruise Boats
Today, the M.V. MT Sunapee II and the M.V. Sunapee Lake Queen continue the tradition of transporting guests along the beautiful Lake Sunapee for sunsets, dinners or just a great ride.