The Monadnock Manse

This summer home is a uniquely authentic large cottage with the charm of the "On Golden Pond" setting. Spacious enough for three generations to gather for family vacations/reunions. The well equipped kitchen and dining area accommodate larger groups. The porch is a favorite place for dining, conversation, ping-pong, yoga or meditating. Often the loons on the lake can be heard calling as they fly overhead.

There is fun for children with a large yard for whiffle ball, tether ball, badminton, volleyball, or croquet. Lots of back roads for walking and bicycling; hiking trails nearby. The lake (2 miles long, 1/2 mile wide, and 90 feet deep) is spring-fed and wonderful for swimming, fishing, kayaking and boating. Small mouth bass and trout are often caught.

In mid July-mid August , blueberry bushes surround the house and produce berries for your baking needs. Spring season has the advantage of long days and the fall season brings beautiful views of fall foliage where ever you look.

There are 11 twin beds, 2 full beds, 2 queen beds, and two pullout couches in the living room. 8 bedrooms total. 5 full bathrooms, 1 half bathroom, 2 showers and 4 bathtubs.

The Monadnock Manse does not have a central heating or cooling system, but there are a couple of gas heaters, one in the kitchen and one in the living room. There is a fireplace in the dining room and wood is provided in the shed outside. In the early spring and autumn, it can be a bit chilly at night. We provide extra blankets and bedding for the cooler months. In the summer months we provide fans for each room.

The surrounding area has historical villages to visit, music, theater and great restaurants. Keene is 20 minutes away and the best place for shopping and movies. Peterborough is 25 minutes away and has many good restaurants as well. The house is 3 hours from Boston and 4.5 hours from NYC.

We often host family and friends attending weddings at the Aldworth Manor in Harrisville, a beautiful venue with views of Monadnock.

If you’re interested in hosting events or retreats, we require a phone call with us to learn about the space, its limitations and any additional fees that may arise for special events.

History of the Monadnock Manse: Our Grandfather (whose ancestors came from Nelson and Jaffrey) bought the property when he was 30 years old and spent every summer fixing it up. Our mother has many memories of painting, climbing ladders, chopping wood and swinging a hammer. Our Grandmother was a really good baker, so blueberry pie was a summer favorite. Our Grandprents loved sitting on the porch, looking out onto the lake and mountain in their later years. We even set them up in chairs in the blueberry bushes so they could pick a bucket for our mother to bake a pie.

This house, now called the Monadnock Manse was build in three sections (1889, 1900 and 1910) by Dr. George R. Dinsmoor of Keene, a veteran of the Civil War and a descendant of Governor Samuel Dinsmoor. Dr. Dinsmoor was a well-known surgeon of the time who lived in Keene. He sadly lived his last years suffering from paralysis and died at the age of 60. We believe that Dr. Dinsmoor enjoyed this house because it was a place for rejuvenation, relaxation and recovery.

The builder and designer was Cassius M. White of Keene. There were originally 49 double hung windows with 18 panes in the top sash and single pane at the bottom, two chimneys, eight bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. The original siding was dark weathered singles. The building materials were shipped up from Boston by train to the Chesham depot and then taken by a horse drawn cart to the site of the building.

Prior to our Grandparents buying the house, it was owned by Anna Louise Heath. It was called “Ledge Lodge” because of all the granite rock around and under the house. In the 1950's our family re-named it Monadnock Manse and the lakefront was purchased so that we could have our own place for swimming, boating and fishing.