Loch Haven Inn

The following postcard views, taken from the top of a nearby hill, show the former Loch Haven Inn & Cottages, located on Route 3 (Daniel Webster Highway) in Meredith, in the foreground, and Meredith Bay and the Belknap Mountains in the background. The 150 acre resort opened in 1933. From 1946-1959, the facility served as a conference center for the Massachusetts Episcopal Diocese. On July 1, 1959, the facility once again became a resort, with a 15 room lodge, an 8-bedroom cottage, a restaurant, and 18 individual cottage units. On March 13, 1966, the Inn burned down in a fire. The Laconia Citizen reported that “Owner Mrs. Eveline Contigiani and her son, Charles, nine, were able to escape from living quarters in the Inn after being awakened by the barking of their poodle.” Around 1980, more than half (82 acres) of the original acreage of the resort was sold, and it became the Grouse Point Club private housing development. The rest of the land was conserved. The Lodge (see below) was converted to the Burlwood Antique Center, which had about a 30 year run before it became the current Longview Country Store. Many of the Cottages were improved, enlarged and modernized and still exist today. The farm acreage was never actually part of Loch Haven. Seperately owned by a farm family since 1801, the farm was known as Longridge Farm until very recently, when it was renamed Picnic Rock Farm.

A 12″ x 15″ framed lithograph by Charles Sawyer Studios, circa 1950, entitled “Winnipesaukee Gardens”.

1960’s Brochure cover

View of Loch Haven

An artist’s view of Meredith Hill by A.R. Herrick

The Inn

“The Inn has a charming interior of hand-hewn timbers and wide boards – also a large fireplace of early American brick. It seats 100 and serves excellent food.”

A color photo of the expanded Inn.

A similar photo to the previous shows the original Inn expanded greatly to the right, with two additional dormers and another structure (perhaps the dining room).

The fireplace and living room

The Dining Room

The Lodge

The Cottage • Recreation

The Cabins

The Piazza

Looking up from the field at the Inn, one can see the large piazza.

1940 brochure

1940 Brochure

Aerial Photos

The following 1940’s aerial was taken by Harold Piper. The Lodge is seen clearly on the center left, with the Inn opposite; the Cottage is seen about halfway in the row of cabins. The large farm fields are obvious. The cleared hilllside on the far left of the photo was the ski slope, served by a rope tow that pulled guests uphill from close to the winterized Lodge.

An aerial view taken in 1959. The farm property can clearly be seen delineated from the Inn property by a hedge line.

A modern aerial photo of Picnic Rock Farm.

The Farm

The farm in the 1920’s.

The Road Downhill

View from Meredith Road, precursor of Route 3, in the 1900’s-1910s. Islands on the left seem to match up well with the farm photo.

Another view from Meredith Road.

The view in the 1920’s. This white border postcard was postmarked in 1929, when the location was known as Neal Hill. It is no longer known by that name, but the Neal moniker is still in use for Neal Shore Road, which runs along Meredith Bay at the base of this hill.