The Weirs Seaplane Base (1925-early 1950s)
Bob Fogg, who started flying seaplanes in the Weirs in 1923, was the original owner of the Weirs Seaplane Base. The Laconia Democrat newspaper reported that on September 9, 1923, “Lieut. Robert Fogg soared to the dizzy height of 5,280 feet in a flight over Lake Winnipesaukee, setting an altitude record that has seldom been equalled or eclipsed in this state.” While at the time, a mile in the air was not considered high when compared with army aviators, it was a substantial achievement by a commercial pilot.
In a 1935 article, the Citizen newspaper noted that three planes were operated by the seaplane service. “Most of the actual flying is done by Maj. Robert S. Fogg of Concord, one of the best known flyers in New England…and Pilot Mike Harlow, a New Hampshire pilot of many years experience who, like Fogg, is thoroughly familiar with the lake and mountain region…while George Barry, old time stunt flier, barnstormer and aviation promotion man, serves in the capacity of traffic manager.”
The article noted that in the winter, the planes flew south to operate a route between Miami and Bimini. Bimini, the closest of the Bahama islands to Florida, lies only a brief 45 minutes by air from Miami. The webmaster experienced this flight once, at the invitation of a family friend with a pilot’s license, who flew a small airplane from the Homestead airport to Bimini.
By the mid or late 1950’s, the seaplane base had relocated to Paugus Bay, where rides continued until around 1985. From 2010-2021, seaplane rides from Paugus Bay were offered by the Lakes Region Seaplane Services.