Allenstown in Merrimack County, New Hampshire — The American Northeast (New England)
Robert Frost in Allenstown / Buck Street Mills
Photographed By Douglas Finney, February 7, 2019
1. Robert Frost in Allenstown Marker
Robert Frost in Allentown
In the summer of 1896, aspiring poet Robert Frost (1874-1963) and his wife Elinor spent a belated honeymoon in a rented cottage near the Suncook River in Allenstown. Carl Burell, a high school friend and avid naturalist, was foreman at the Moulton box shop at Buck Street dam. Botany walks with Burell awakened Frost to the natural world, coloring his later writings. Frost recalled these walks in "The Quest of the Orchis" (1901). Burell's 1896 injury in a mill accident inspired Frost's poem, "The Self-Seeker."
Buck Street Mills
A bridge was built at "Buck Street,” by the 1750s. Natural falls were dammed to power saw and grist mills before 1767. The 19th c. added a water powered fulling mill for cleansing wool cloth by 1813, a bedstead shop by 1845, a spoke shop in the 1850s and twine mills. By the 1890s, the dams powered Charles Fisher's axe handle factory and Reuben C. Moulton's box and trunk shop. Then Known as East Pembroke, the area had a post office, store, blacksmith shop, houses and workers' tenements.
Erected 2012 by NH Dept. of Natural & Cultural Resources - Div. of Historical Resources. (Marker Number 0230.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music
this page online
Location. 43° 9.526′ N, 71° 24.357′ W. Marker is in Allenstown, New Hampshire, in Merrimack County. Marker is on Suncook Valley Highway (New Hampshire Route 28), on the right when traveling south. Heading south, the marker is just north of Brookside Terrace on the right and Deerfield Road (Large directional sign for Bear Brook State Park) on the left. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Suncook NH 03275, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Bear Brook CCC Camp (approx. 1.3 miles away); Red Pine Plantation (approx. 1.3 miles away); Josie Langmaid (approx. 2.3 miles away); Suncook Connection Bridge (approx. 2.8 miles away); George M. Lamiette Square (approx. 3 miles away); Suncook Village (approx. 3 miles away); First Meeting House (approx. 3.1 miles away); Pembroke Street / Watering Trough (approx. 3.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Allenstown.
More about this marker. The Suncook River and the site of the Buck Street dam mentioned on the marker are a stone's throw to the west of the marker.
Photographed By Douglas Finney, February 7, 2018
2. Buck Street Mills Marker
Photographed By Douglas Finney, February 7, 2019
3. Old granite building foundation, possibly from the 'box shop', just west of the Marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 11, 2019. It was originally submitted on February 7, 2019, by Douglas Finney of Concord, New Hampshire, USA. This page has been viewed 786 times since then and 75 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 7, 2019, by Douglas Finney of Concord, New Hampshire, USA. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
