Fall Events

What’s going on this fall?

Historical Postcards of Lake Winnipesaukee Fall Scenes

“We must not pass from a treatment of the color around Lake Winnipiseogee without referring to the October splendors that begird it, when the hues of sunset are spread permanently upon the hills. During July and August, a gradual change is slowly going on, by which the colors of June are not so much altered as deepened and enriched. September is the transition period, from the styles or effects of color in the season’s time of growth, to those belonging to the period of decline and decay. As yet the landscape has lost nothing of the fulness of its summer foliage. But richer tints gradually steal into the shadows and darker tones of the landscape, warming the coolness, and breaking the monotony, with flashes of crimson and orange. More purple is shown in the distances of the lake, with richer browns and lighter olives and citrine upon the foregrounds. Nature seems to be carelessly running her hand over the notes, touching and indicating the great chords, before breaking into the full pomp of the autumn symphony.”

“As October comes near, the pale green of the plentiful birches mounts into yellow. Some of the maples have turned to scarlet, others orange, others a dull or pale red. The oaks and hardier trees show deep crimson stains running among their dark green masses. The grass-grounds or pastures are becoming yellow. The bared ledges and boulders, so quiet and shy in their light gray suits of summer, stand out conspicuous in blue and purple ; and the humble sumacs have advanced from their shadowed places, and are calling attention to their red and yellow plumes. On the borders of the little streams or pools in the meadows, the pink and purple clusters of the thoroughwort blossoms, the blue and white asters, and the epaulet flowers are in their prime ; a deep red mingles with the olive of the ferns, and the sweetbrier is hung thick with scarlet berries. These colors mounting and growing richer in hue and mass give the tone to the landscape seen around Winnipiseogee in mid-October.” -Thomas Starr King, 1859