Lyme NH has a long history of growth and contraction. It reached its maximum size in the early 1800’s when the raising of Merino sheep made every patch of land a potential goldmine. After the sheep craze had run its course, farms established in marginal areas or far from the town center were gradually abandoned, fields reverted to forests, buildings were recycled or rotted away, and the inhabitants of Lyme moved away, some to the fertile fields of the Midwest, others to growing industrial centers to the south. Eventually the only remnant of those old times are the cellar holes, stone walls, barn foundations, and wells hidden away in the forest.
This blog is devoted to honoring the previous inhabitants of these remains, and to recording for posterity their locations and appearance before they disappear completely or are destroyed.
My other blogs:
The Park Explorer – New Hampshire
The Park Explorer – Vermont
Lyme Cellar Holes 
I read Goldthwaithe’s article years ago [‘A Town That Went Downhill’] and have often thought since, especially when traveling I-91 between Norwich and Orford, that someone should do an update titled, “And Back Up Again.” It would be interesting – and exhausting – to record the newly-built ‘uphill’ homes and their relationship to abandoned sites. Nope, not volunteering, just musing!;-)
Yes, that would be a challenge!
I live up on Ore Hill in Warren, NH. I found your articles about Charelston very informative. Will have to get out to find you discoveries.
Thank you William. Let me know if you find anything interesting. I’d like to get out and see the mines and other remains on Ore Hill someday myself.
I am curious as to where you live on Ore Hill. My gram was born and raised at the little house at the beginning of the old Ore Hill road. I have been to Charleston many times in my life in search of the Charleston Cemetery. I am afraid it is long gone and will never be found again. My grandmother told me of seeing it when she was a little girl about 1910.
Hi William. I’m over on Beech Hill and across from me is the old road (long gone) that I believe ended on Ore Hill. Just wanted to say hello!
It’s been a while since anyone entered anything on this site. I am glad the rope and sign I put up on the Lund cemetery helped you find it. I did this to hopefully prevent the cemetery from being destroyed any more than it has. Several years ago a logging crew went through it with a skidder and this is the result. I had marked the trees with an axe and ribbon for a trail to the cemetery so people could find it easier. Unfortunately, the markings will not last long.
I have made many trips to Charleston in my life looking for the Charleston cemetery my grandmother saw and told me about so many years ago. I fear it is too far gone to ever be seen again.
Thanks for your note Jeff, and for putting the rope around the remains of the cemetery. I used your markings to show the National Forest people where the cemetery was when they cleaned it up a few years ago. Sadly I’ve been too busy during this darn pandemic to get out and do any more research on Charlestown for over a year now. Who knows? Maybe someone will stumble across the other cemetery sometime.
It would be nice if someone found the main cemetery but I am afraid it is long gone. I have been looking for it since I was 16 years old. One clue I have not looked into yet is, my grandmother saw it when she was very young, she was born in 1905. She said it had a chain on one side and if I remember right a large tree on at least one corner. She remembers how they got to the cemetery. From the boat launch area, they rowed across Lake Tarlton on an angle to, I believe Eastman brook. They followed the brook up to a fork in the brook and the cemetery was in the fork. Hope you get back out there soon, I would like to try that trip gram took. It may take two people to coordinate the crossing and somewhere along the Charleston road. Jeff
Hi,
Thanks so much for putting up the markings. Are the ropes still there? I’ve looked for the Lund cemetery a few times and can’t find it. I’m wondering if there is any clear marking to help me find it. Love exploring the area!
Hi Jillian,
Yes, the ropes should still be there. I could possibly give you detailed instructions if you like although it’s still pretty tricky. Let me know your email and I’ll send them there. Someone put up some pink logging flags a few years ago that help but they’re getting hard to find too. I have been too busy at work due to covid and haven’t been able to get back there for nearly 2 years. If the instructions don’t work out, I could show you sometime, maybe next spring.
Steve
I haven’t been there for a year but they were there unless someone took them down. If you can’t find it here are the best directions I have to offer. Going in from the west end of the old Charleston road, not sure how far maybe about a mile, you will find a large clearing where the logged. Just beyond that, there is a small stream. Go into the right and I had put a few flagging ribbons to mark a trail to the cemetery.
Hi Steve-
Sorry it has taken so long for me to reply. I would love to have detailed instructions on how to her to the cemetery. My email is below. Look forward to hearing from you.
Hi Jane, this is Jeff. I may not be good at giving directions but here goes. From the Perimont end of the old Charleston road, you go in, I am only guessing, about a mile until you come to a clearing used for logging. Just beyond the clearing is a small brook. I blazed a trail starting just the other side of the brook. I tried to cut marks on trees and put up red flagging tape along the way, probably hard to find now. I would guess it is no more than a quarter-mile to the Lund cemetery. Not sure this will help but here it is: lat=43.98572 lon=71.947607. I got this from another person who was hunting for the cemetery.
I put the rope around the cemetery and uncovered what was left of the stones after the logging crew went through it with a skidder. I talk to the people at the forestry office in Campton a few years ago. They said they had no money for this type of project and that people were not supposed to touch any stones or other historical sites. They don’t seem to be doing anything to protect these sites and it is my understanding as a member of the Warren Historical Society, we have the legal right to do whatever is necessary to preserve our history.
Thanks for working to preserve the area. I have looked for the Lund cemetery a few times and have been unable to find it. Any other markings or tips you could offer? Thanks so much!
Hi Jane,
I could give you detailed instructions if you like although it’s still pretty tricky. Let me know your email and I’ll send them there. Someone put up some pink logging flags a few years ago that help but they’re getting hard to find too. I have been too busy at work due to covid and haven’t been able to get back there for nearly 2 years. If the instructions don’t work out, I could show you sometime, maybe next spring. Someone else was asking for directions, too.
Steve
I put up the logging flags, maybe someone could put up new ones or something better that would last longer. Some reflectors or something