Memories Of Our Trips To The Weirs
& Cavalry Building In The 1930s

PHOTO: Rosalie Lombard, fourth from left in second row, along with family and friends on the steps of the Cavalry Building in the Weirs in 1948. Rosalie, who now lives in Florida, has visited the Weirs periodically for ninety years. To Rosalie’s right in the photo is Dwight Mac Kerron who is the president of the First NH Cavalry Veteran Association today. The Association has been meeting yearly since 1870 with the next annual encampment on August 13th.

by Rosalie Lombard
Contributing Writer

The name, “The Weirs” will be used in this article, in deference to the Civil War veterans, their descendants, and local residents, who preferred that title even though there had been many others (and some misspellings). The original name, in the 19th century, was “Weirs Steamboat landing” followed by, “Weirs Landing”, “Weirs Station”, “Weirs Bridge”, “The Weirs P.O.”, “Wares”, “The Wiers”, and “The Weirs”. (More about Weirs Beach later) The word “weir” came from the name of the basket or enclosure that the Indians used to catch the fish coming through the Weirs channel.
My earliest memories date back probably to 1930 when I was three years old. On the Saturday just before the last full week of August, there was a great hubbub at home in Keene, as the older folks packed up the car for the long trip to The Weirs (about 90 miles away). The vehicle that was to transport all seven of us, was the Paige touring car, spare tire mounted on the rear, big metal tool box on the running board and retractable canvas top. A special feature was the pair of folding “jumper seats” in the back, allowing each of us five children a spot.
Finally, the car was all loaded and we were on our way up Washington Street. After climbing the long steep hill on Route 9, Dad suddenly stopped the car at a gas station. Mother wasn’t sure if they had locked all the doors at “412”. Dad went to the pay telephone booth, put in the necessary coins, and called his friend, “Bud” Amidon in Keene who would be able to check out and solve the problem. (No cellphones then.)

The trip seemed endless to this three-year old, especially after enduring the long stops to change two flat tires for which Dad was fully prepared. It was late in the day when, at last, we arrived in the front of the Cavalry Building and everything was carried up those long stairs, (which were at least twelve feet wide at that time). The food stuffs were taken to the one small kitchen, on the right side of the first floor. The cold items were squeezed into the ice box. All families shared that busy kitchen but ate at their own individual tables, also on the right side.
Our remaining luggage was taken up to the second and third floors. The men in the rooms on the left (and on the third floor) and the women and children on the right. Occasionally, several men would sleep in the fourth-floor cupola (which we always called, the “cupolo”). All of the families from our Association stayed only in the Cavalry Building. The other groups were still very active and their members stayed in their own buildings. The rest of the space in the large first floor, had plenty of chairs to allow the families to mingle and catch up on the news since their last visit the year before. On cool evenings the three fireplaces were ablaze with their welcoming warmth. Absent were any distractions from cellphones, radios or TV sets. (The latter were not even available to most people until the 1940s, and only in black and white on small screens.)
Each and every morning during Reunion Week, the blast from the cannon outside Headquarters, shook the buildings and maybe even the beds, allowing few people to resume their slumber. There were fewer than 10 children who attended during those early years, and that was including my 4 siblings, who were, in 1930, ages 10, 12, 15, and 17. It wasn’t until the mid-1940s that the numbers of families and children started to grow, and continued to multiply, thanks in large part to the descendants of Leavitt W. Safford, and then his daughter, Byrdis M. Lombard, and her children, Valerie MacKerron, Leavitt Lombard and Arlene Sorrells.
Following breakfast, it was time for the youngsters to explore the many unique experiences found only at The Weirs. The porch, of course, was a great place to start. From its extraordinary and elevated location, we could always observe any of the activities on the lake. The original steam-powered, sidewheeler, Mount Washington, with its rocking-arm and tall stack, belching black smoke, was always of interest. Many knew the exact time of its departure from its berth, to make the trip around the lake and when it could be spotted rounding the bend in the distance to return. The Mount was a constant presence until December 1939 when it was destroyed by fire at the Weirs dock.
Another regularly scheduled vessel that was fun to watch was the mail boat, Uncle Sam that travelled to some of the 365 islands. (Approximately 274 are habitable.) The delivery service was begun in 1892 and was officially, RFD #7, Laconia, N.H. and has been famous as “The only floating post office in the USA.” Uncle Sam I had that assignment from 1906-1969 followed by several other vessels, such as the Sophie C (starting in 1969) and sometimes the Doris E. The mail service continues to this day.

The Chris-Craft wooden speedboat, Miss Winnipesaukee, was a favorite to watch and special to ride. Unknown to me was the fact that she was not the only one, but rather one of a fleet of five with the same name. From the 1930s to the 1970s, you could hear the hawkers on the boardwalk yelling, “Ten miles in twenty minutes.” A similar Chris-Craft, Miss Meredith, was purchased in 1931 in Wolfeboro by a resident, Madame Chiang Kai-shek, for $4,750, and since her death in 2003, it has been meticulously maintained. In the last few years, she has carried passengers for a 45- minute tour around the lake from Meredith.
It was in the early 1920’s that Bob Fogg established the seaplane base right in front of the Cavalry Building. The daily flights provided another form of entertainment for those on the porch until 1939 when the service was ended. The seed for my early and keen interest in flying, may have been planted during that period when a total of 52,500 passengers were safely carried aloft by Fogg and his pilots.

There was still more, much more to be seen from the porch. The Boston & Maine Railroad had an interesting but convoluted history. Suffice it to say that by 1900 there were four express trains a day arriving at the Weirs from Boston. The beautiful area on Lake Winnipesaukee had been found by the “city folk,” and the railroad became the best means to reach this increasingly popular resort. As auto travel increased, there was a gradual decline in the use of the rails, and in 1959 the regular service from Boston ceased (with a few exceptions). To the younger generation, the best thing about the daily train arrivals was to see the friendly engineer always look up to the porch and wave to us.
There were multiple things of interest at the Weirs in the 1930s, other than the observations from the porch. However, before getting too far away, a favorite activity for a couple of us kids, was to open the trap door and scoot down the ladder under the porch. We searched for coins which, hopefully, had dropped out of the pockets and through the cracks, from the rocking chair occupants above. Sometimes you could find as much as 75 cents. Then it was about time to go out back to play or to get into mischief. We were attracted to the huge grove of pine trees with the many tiers of roughly hewn boards placed to provide seating for hundreds of people. (There was no parking out there then.) Our fun was derived from running and jumping on the boards from one tier to another until eventually you were sure to fall. Needless to say, our mothers frowned upon this activity which caused many bumps and bruises (some caused by the mothers).

However, there was a much greater significance and purpose for that grove. Veterans, members from all the associations and their families, residents from nearby towns, and dignitaries from Concord, would attend the many band concerts and programs held in the band shell. “Governor’s Day” was very special. First, there was the big parade with bands playing, flags flying, and veterans marching down New Hampshire Avenue, and up and down Lakeside Avenue, before returning to the grove for the Governor’s speech, and other activities.

The grove remained in use until it was decimated by the hurricane of 1938 that also hit Keene very badly. As soon as the roads were passable, we drove up to the Weirs from Keene to check out the damage. We were horrified to see that in the grove most of the beautiful pine trees were either uprooted or snapped off. There were huge piles of the downed trees mixed in with the broken planks. The band shell was nearly demolished and many of the other buildings damaged, including the Cavalry. The hurricane put an end to the grove and its activities. No longer was there a place for kids to jump from tier to tier, nor an arena in which to hold patriotic events.
In the 1930s, “going down to the beach”, was not a very popular thing to do, in fact, there really wasn’t any beach. The only place to swim was from off the end of the boardwalk where Irwin’s Winnipesaukee Gardens had a private float with a high diving board, or down at Endicott Rock, where a small roped-off area in the water contained a float with diving board. It was not until the 1950s and early 60s that an actual beach was gradually created. Tons of sand were brought in, most of which was dredged from the Weirs Channel. It was then delivered by truck, to that tree-lined, rock-filled shoreline to the north of Endicott Rock. Over the many years since then, the sand has continually shifted toward the channel, enlarging the beautiful beach in that area. Without any beach early on, it is understandable why the name for the Weirs did not officially become “Weirs Beach” until November of 1955. This change made it become one of the few places, (and perhaps only), in the U.S. to have the word “beach” attached when it is on a lake and not on an ocean.
There were numerous things to enjoy along Lakeside Avenue and the Boardwalk. I remember well the one small arcade, on the left, up near Tarlson’s grocery store. It had the life-sized gypsy in the glass cage, waiting to tell your fortune for ten cents. Also, the pair of boxers, enclosed in glass, poised and waiting for you to hit one of them squarely on the jaw for the knockout blow. The ten-cent bout usually was over in less than ten seconds. Then there was the game with teams of kickers trying to put the metal ball into a net. (Sort of a combination of football, soccer, and hockey.) I remember a booth where you could get your picture taken, and in a few minutes, out would pop a fully developed, tin-framed photo of yourself! Also, along the avenue and the Boardwalk, were several souvenir shops where a couple of the popular items for kids were Robin Hood felt hats and wall pennants, both of which had to say, “The Weirs.” There were the tempting places for sweets such as caramel corn, cotton candy, and ice cream. Finally, it was great fun at the bowling alley, learning how to bowl with candle pins. At the end of the Boardwalk and out over the water was the new Irwin’s Winnipesaukee Gardens, where you could observe the boats coming and going from their slips underneath, or jump off the end for a swim. In the evenings, dances were held on that huge floor. The pleasant music drifted all the way to the Cavalry Building to produce additional free entertainment for the folks rocking on the porch.
In looking back over these 91 years since my first memory in that Paige Touring Car ride, I marvel that our attachment to the Weirs, still remains constant, and that each generation has enjoyed many of the same memories, that I had, plus creating their own. It is rewarding to see that the original Civil War history and its significance has not been forgotten. I also find it really amazing that the Cavalry Building, built in 1887, still stands, and was not destroyed by fire or hurricanes, nor fallen into the hands of entities that would love to use this priceless spot for other enterprises. Not only is the building intact, but the Association as well, having overcome many adversities, especially through the 1930s and 1940s following the Great Depression and the Second World War years. Our Association is the only one of the Weirs Civil War groups, to have survived those hardships. This achievement can be largely credited to the wisdom, guidance and hard work of the individuals in this photo below, taken probably in 1928. Their contributions were numerous and immeasurable. Their children, grand-children, and great-grandchildren, have followed in their footsteps, using their unique talents to make the Association even more vibrant. The Weirs has had a vital role in maintaining close relationships within our families by giving us a focus and a place to reconnect each year. I am confident that The Weirs experience will continue to grow stronger in the generations to come, producing the same kind of leadership that came from their ancestors sitting on the steps of the Cavalry Building in the photo. I am truly grateful that I could be a participant of The Weirs connection throughout my lifetime.

Rosalie Lombard was born in Keene, NH. Her maternal grandfather, Leavitt Safford was a member of the First NH Cavalry duriang the Civil War. Veterans from this Regiment began meeting as early as 1870 and built their building at the Weirs in Rosalie has visited the Weirs in the summer-time, periodically for NINETY years. She currently lives in the Villages in Florida.

Next week: More on the New Hampshire Calvary Veteran Association 150th Anniversary.