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Natives Only – Myths of the North Country
Myth: The North Country (and to some extent New Hampshire in general) is a place where families have lived for generations. Everyone knows everyone and if you move there from someplace else, you will permanently be seen as the outsider or “flatlander” who doesn’t belong. Reality: There are many families who have lived here for generations, but also many people who move to the North Country and New Hampshire from all over. Only 44.7% of New Hampshire residents were born in New Hampshire, and nowhere in the state is there an expectation that everyone is a native. In our own little town of Littleton, 8.1% of the population (as of…
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No Jobs? – Myths of the North Country
A common refrain that I hear from people in other parts of the state is that there are no jobs in the North Country. A common refrain I hear from employers up here is that there are not enough workers in the North Country to fill all the jobs. There are those who seem to think that there is nothing up here except mountains and some businesses that cater to tourists. There are also people who are slightly more informed about the area, but believe that ever since the big mills up here closed, there haven’t been any new jobs or businesses. Those ideas are completely wrong. It is true…
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Isolated? – Myths of the North Country
The White Mountains and the Notches that pass through them form a natural barrier between the North Country and the rest of New Hampshire. Driving through Franconia Notch, the interstate narrows to one lane in each direction and the speed limit drops to 45 mph as the road winds between the mountains. It is easy to see where one might get the idea that it is isolated up here – and if you are someone who needs easy access to a major city at all times, it just might be. As someone who had no desire to be in a major metropolitan area, the North Country is perfect for me.…
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Myths of the North Country – Life Does Exist North of the Notches
Littleton is a town that sits “North of the Notches”. The Notches refers to Franconia Notch, Crawford Notch and Pinkham Notch, the mountain passes that contain the main thoroughfares between the North Country and the rest of New Hampshire. There are a lot of misperceptions about life North of the Notches and to hear many New Hampshirites talk about it, you wouldn’t think anyone would ever choose to live this far north. There is this kind of myth in New Hampshire that northern New Hampshire is this frozen wasteland with bad schools and no money or jobs, that is completely cut off from civilization. There is a belief that everyone…
