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Mount Blue (New Hampshire), Benton, New Hampshire

BENTON

New Hampshire · Est. 1764
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But Benton had water power sites and abundant forests.

The Benton Collection

Made for Benton. Printed to order.

Every piece is drawn from Benton's own map data and historic archives, then printed and shipped from the USA when you order. No two towns look alike.

Since 1764

A short history of Benton

The town was granted by Governor Benning Wentworth on January 31, 1764, to Theophilus Fitch and others. It was named "Coventry" after Coventry, Connecticut, hometown to many of the settlers, who arrived shortly after the beginning of the Revolution. At the suggestion of Governor Isaac Hill, the name was changed on December 4, 1840, to Benton, in honor of Thomas Hart Benton, the Missouri senator who championed American westward expansion.

With a rough and mountainous terrain, the town was not suited for agriculture. But Benton had water power sites and abundant forests. By 1859, when the population was 478, there were five sawmills producing a large quantity of lumber. The Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad ran through the town, which once included the village of Glencliff.

Atop Mount Moosilauke in 1860 was built the Prospect House, later renamed the Tip Top House, a stone hotel with accommodations for 35 hikers. A carriage road was built to the summit in 1870, so the hotel was enlarged in 1872 to accommodate 50 guests. In 1920, the hotel and land were given to Dartmouth College, but in 1942, the Tip Top House burned.

Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article Benton, New Hampshire, revision 1378493432 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

For local organizations

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We share a part of every Benton sale with local partners, and we'd love to print from your collection. Old photographs, maps and postcards make the best keepsakes.

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