History of North Conway, New Hampshire

Chartered in 1765 by Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth, the town is named for Henry Seymour Conway, ambitious son of a prominent English family, who was elected to the House of Commons at age twenty, fought at Culloden, and became Secretary of State. Early settlers had named the area "Pequawket" (known colloquially as "Pigwacket"), after the local Abenaki tribe whose community astride the Saco River once stretched to Fryeburg, Maine.

The picturesque small village is nestled directly in the heart of the White Mountains, and has long been popular with tourists and artists, particularly after the Portsmouth, Great Falls & Conway Railroad extended service in 1872 from Conway to North Conway. In 1874, the company built an extraordinary Second Empire depot, designed by Nathaniel J. Bradlee of Boston. In 1932, "snow trains" began carrying enthusiasts to "the birthplace of American skiing," as North Conway is known.

But increasing automobile travel brought the decline of trains. The railroad, then part of the Boston & Maine, abandoned passenger service to the area in 1961, and freight service in 1972. Subsequently, the Conway Scenic Railroad was established. Today, the line offers visitors a tour of this spectacularly beautiful region, including Crawford Notch. The landmark station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.