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OCTOBER 2026 • Volume 40, Number 8 | ISSN 1532-0219
IN THIS ISSUE
12 30 48
8
FEATURES
NAVIGATE
INFORM
CONNECT
48 Long, Hard Climb
12 A Golden Escape
30 History
92 Out and About
Dover-based chef Evan Hennessey has taken New Hampshire dining to new heights. By Michael Wejchert
58 Legend of the Forest
The fabled Bigfoot is feared and revered in New Hampshire. By Emily Reily
66 Brewing New Communities
With clubs, crafts, live music and more, these local breweries are modern-day neighborhood gathering places. By Kara McGrath
FIRST THINGS
4 Editor’s Note 4 Contributors 8 NH Notebook
‘Manchester Through the Lens of Frank Kelly’ captures 150 historic photographs of the Queen City for nearly a half-century. By Mike Cote
2 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
New Hampshire’s scenic routes make for a vibrant fall day. By Morgan Rizzo
18 Our Town
Lancaster is home to 3,200 people, one 4,000-footer, a twoscreen movie theater and the state’s northernmost bakery. By John Koziol
24 Savor
From the intimate dining room of a historic Victorian-style home, guests convene around a single table at Ash restaurant. By Jill Armstrong
58
Penhallow-Cousins House recreates the vibe of a 1930s home at Strawbery Banke. By Elisa Gonzales Verdi
36 In Their Own Words
Mike Girard has led Boston’s almost famous rock band, The Fools, for 50 years. By Mike Cote
38 WDYK
An unexpected traffic stop and a dispatch rider reveal an unsolved crime. By Marshall Hudson
Calendar of fall events Compiled by Elisa Gonzales Verdi
96 Live Free
O Captain! My Captain? By Ken Sheldon
SPECIAL AD SECTION
42 Beer Beat 77 Pink Power 87 Five Star ON THE COVER
Auspicious Brew, in Dover, is one of four breweries featured in our cover feature story. These local breweries are modern-day gathering places that share a common goal of community and inclusion. Photo by Jenn Bakos
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EDITOR’S NOTE
Fools’ Parade THE OLDER YOU GET, the more you appreciate how lucky you are to be playing the long game. Sometimes you discover you hit a milestone you weren’t even trying to reach. One of the first rock concerts I ever attended was staged in the White Mountains in the summer of 1980 or 1981. I can’t tell you exactly when or where because the Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes tour shirt I bought at that show was stolen from the laundry room during my freshman year at the University of New Hampshire. I lost it along with every other concert shirt I owned, all freshly washed and folded. And I had quite a few show souvenirs in my collection including Tom Petty, Frank Zappa, Rush, the J. Geils Band and the Kinks. (Yes, I’m still mad.) On the bill that day with Southside Johnny were Dr. John, the late icon of New Orleans R&B; and The Fools, a Boston-based band that was on the verge of national stardom but never quite made it. My memories are fuzzy, but I remember Southside Johnny Lyon sang shirtless, Dr. John played guitar behind his back, and The Fools, whose calling card was a parody called “Psycho Chicken,” upstaged them both with their goofball antics. Over the years through working for newspapers and magazines in Florida, Colorado and New Hampshire, I’ve had the chance to interview and write about dozens of musicians including Southside Johnny and Dr. John. And, now, finally, The Fools. The Fools, who formed in Ipswich, Mass., in 1976, are celebrating their 50th anniversary with their first new album in 15 years and are the subject of a documentary expected to be released this fall. The band still plays a couple of dozen shows a year around New England. In preparation for the “In Their Own Words” feature with lead singer Mike Girard (page 38), I traveled to Georgetown, Mass., with my brother, Steve, to check out The Fools in action at a block party. As we took our seats among the hardcore fans gathered on lawn chairs, it felt like we had crashed a reunion.
contributors
Morgan Rizzo is a New England-based freelance writer covering travel, food and beverage, culture and lifestyle. Her work has been featured in National Geographic, Travel + Leisure and more. She wrote this month’s story about backroad drives.
North Conway author Michael Wejchert accompanied photographer Joe Klementovich and Dover chef Evan Hennessey and Hennessey's teenage son, Kaden, for this month's feature about climbing Mount Washington.
45 is better than 50 If I had not traveled from Denver to attend my 30th high school reunion with the Manchester West High class of 1981, I probably would have never returned to New Hampshire. We’re about to mark our 45th with another reunion this month. I had never been to a reunion before that 2011 gathering, which like our next one, will be held at the Derryfield Restaurant in Manchester. I was scheduled to visit Cuba for a work trip that weekend, but when the trip got held up by government regulators, I was still itching to go somewhere. Why not Manchester? I still had family here. My wife, Jeannie, was involved in planning the 30th, and I nudged her to help plan this one since that 2011 reunion sparked a relationship that owes a little bit of debt to the class of 1981. We didn’t wait a full decade between reunions because we’re at the age where we keep losing people. The list of MIA classmates includes a buddy of mine who used to drive me to school — as long as I could squeeze through the passenger side window of his broken door — and the girl I took to the senior prom, who was still nursing a broken heart over another guy. Not everyone gets to play the long game. Enjoy every moment.
4 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
Joe Klementovich is a North Conway-based freelance photographer who specializes in environmental photography. He photographed this month’s feature story, "Long, Hard Climb."
Kara McGrath is a Keene-based writer who's been reporting on many topics for over a decade. She wrote this month's feature about local community breweries.
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6 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
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North Little League baseball players enjoy hot dogs in July 1965. Among the team's sponsors: Cummings Printing, the longtime printer of New Hampshire Magazine.
Kelly’s World ‘Manchester Through the Lens of Frank Kelly’ captures 150 historic photographs BY M I K E C O T E / P H O T O S BY F R A N K K E L LY
F
or nearly a half-century, countless people, places and things in the Queen City caught Frank Kelly’s eye. With his wife, Eleanor, Kelly owned and operated a photo studio from their home on Belmont Street in Manchester, becoming known for his images of families, businesses — and brides. “Without weddings, photographers would starve,” Kelly told the New Hampshire Union Leader in 1995. 8 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
The quote appears with a wedding photo that appears in “Manchester Through the Lens of Frank Kelly,” a collection of 150 examples of his work curated by his grandson, Sam Kelly Theodosopoulos, and the Manchester Historic Association. The book grew from an exhibit at the Millyard Museum. About a decade ago, Eleanor Kelly began donating material to the museum, having kept meticulous records of his negatives. She had an ally in John Clayton, a
former Union Leader reporter and columnist who was running the museum at the time. Clayton wrote the book’s foreword. “He was kind of a family friend, a neighborhood guy,” Theodosopoulos says of Clayton. “He had written a couple articles about my grandfather back in the ’90s, and the Union Leader profiled (Kelly) a couple times. She reached out to him over the years and started donating boxes and boxes of negatives, a lot of which captured Manchester in the early ’50s and ’60s.” Those images include scenes of downtown Manchester, local landmarks, everyday people and visiting political figures. Theodosopoulos, who was a political science major at George Washington University, was particularly interested in the political photographs, some of which his grandmother collected for him as a Christmas present one year.
A boy practices gymnastics in 1959 at the YMCA of Greater Manchester, now known as The Granite YMCA.
nhmagazine.com | October 2026 9
NH NOTEBOOK “It was really cool. Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, MacArthur, Jackie O., Styles Bridges,” Theodosopoulos says. He reached out to the museum, which produced a small exhibit of Kelly’s political photos. That led to a more extensive exhibit from which the book gets its title. “It was basically his life as well as all the images that he captured of the city and politicians, but also very personal too. They had his Marine Corps uniform on a mannequin,” Theodosopoulos says, noting that Kelly served in Iwo Jima during World War II in the Marine Corps 5th Division and was a witness to the raising of the American flag on Mount Suribachi. The popularity of the exhibit inspired Theodosopoulos to reach out to Arcadia Publishing, which specialises in local history books. Once he got the green light, it took him about a year to complete the book.
Vice President Richard Nixon, GOP nominee for president, greets Puritan co-owner Plato Canotas in 1960. Nixon lost to Robert F. Kennedy in the general election. He won the presidency in 1968.
Elm Street landmarks in 1968 visible from this aerial view include Amoskeag Banks, City Hall, Ted Herbert's Music Mart, Zayre and the Carpenter Hotel. 10 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
Sam Kelly Theodosopoulos spent a year curating a book of his grandfather's historic photography.
“I ended up going through probably a thousand negatives and then sorted them by what I thought would be the best in terms of each category,” he says. “The museum did a great job of helping me with scanning them. In terms of research, my grandmother thankfully kept records and wrote the years down on the back of the sleeve of the paper for almost every negative.” A book launch at the museum in April attracted a hundred people — which Theodosopoulos credits in part to all those weddings his grandfather photographed. NH
SUNDAY OCTOBER 11TH
Spot FOUR newts, like the one here, hidden on ads in this issue. Tell us where you found them, and you might win a gift certificate for $50 to use at The Common Man Restaurants. To enter, visit spotthenewt.com and fill out the online form. Or send answers plus your name, email address and mailing address to: Spot the Newt c/o New Hampshire Magazine 250 Commercial St., Suite 4014 Manchester, NH 03101 You can also email them to newt@nhmagazine.com. Last month’s “Spot the Newt” winner is Jean Low. September issue newts were on pages 1, 15, 41 and 70.
Proceeds going to support the Boys & Girls Clubs
nhmagazine.com | October 2026 11
NAVIGATE | picture perfect drives
A Golden Escape N New Hampshire’s scenic routes make for a vibrant fall day BY M O R G A N R I Z Z O
12 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
ew Hampshire at the peak of the fall season is like stepping into a Hallmark movie, with winding roads full of golden hues and apple orchards with the ripest Granny Smith apples waiting to be picked. From historical sites set on landscapes with foliage surrounding them to coastal lookouts and hotels perfect for a warm cup of apple cider, there’s no shortage of destinations worth visiting this time of year. Put on your favorite sweater and get ready to drive scenic routes filled with a kaleidoscope of the brightest reds, oranges, yellows and greens. Here are six roads to explore for a quintessential fall road trip.
Get out of the car, take a walk across the serene Swift River Covered Bridge and soak in the colors reflected in the water below. PHOTO BY BILL CRNKOVICH
W E S T S I D E R O A D, N O R T H C O N WAY Beginning in Glen and passing through Cooks Crossing into Hilltown and then North Conway, West Side Road takes drivers on a scenic journey. In the distance, Echo Lake State Park and the two rock ledges of Cathedral Ledge and White Horse Ledge loom, surrounded by colorful trees. At the top of the 700-foot-tall Cathedral Ledge, visitors can take in the view of the Saco
River Valley and embark on a challenging 3-mile loop. Toward the Conway side of the road, the historic Swift River Covered Bridge crosses the Swift River and the Saco River, surrounded by the changing leaves. Walk through and even grab a seat at a picnic table for lunch. After a long day of driving and hiking, Cathedral Ledge Distillery offers hand-
crafted spirits and tastings, distilled right in their barn. Spirits include a Bottled in Bond bourbon, Blueberry Infused vodka and more. In the distance behind the lake, the familyowned White Mountain Resort and Hotel is perfect for a night’s rest in the surroundings of the state forests. Cozy up by the roaring fire pit or grab bathing suits to watch the sunset over the mountains in the jacuzzi.
NAVIGATE | picture perfect drives Climbing to the top of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse will reward you with stunning views of the ocean and shoreline. PHOTO BY DOUG LEMKE
14 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
PORTSMOUTH & NEW CASTLE SCENIC ROUTE New Hampshire isn’t all mountains. The 8-mile Portsmouth and New Castle Scenic Loop brings riders along the coastline to take in the ocean views. Starting in Portsmouth, walk the cobblestone streets into shops filled with coastal crewnecks and alpine forestscented candles. Local restaurants serve up the freshest ingredients, like Mamma Luca’s with hand-made pastas and pizzas. Prescott Park has gorgeous gardens and paths for walking along the water before hitting the road. The winding road crosses over small bridges to Shapleigh and Goat Island with views of
the Piscataqua River. Once over the bridges, lies New Castle — New Hampshire’s smallest town. Explore history by stopping at the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse, open for guided climbs on Sundays for views of sailboats passing by at the top. On the peninsula of New Castle Island sit Fort Stark and Fort Constitution, historic defense sites used all the way through World War II. The vast grounds loop through old mine command buildings and concrete structures once occupied by soldiers.
Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse and the New Castle coast can be seen from Odiorne Point State Park in Rye. PHOTO BY WANGKUN JIA
N E W H A M P S H I R E C O A S TA L BY WAY Blending stunning views of the New Hampshire coastline with the mountains, the New Hampshire Coastal Byway runs 18.5 miles from Seabrook to Portsmouth. If you drive straight through, the trip will take about an hour. Yet, why not stop at the coastal New Hampshire towns along the way? Starting in Seabrook, take a fall stroll along the white sands of Hampton Beach, where the crowds are small and the shore is peaceful. In North Hampton, cool-weather flowers, including roses, dahlias and English perennials are in full bloom before the end of the season at Fuller Gardens.
Driving farther up the coast, Rye should be the next stop to stretch the legs or take a quick bike ride in Odiorne Point State Park. Nestled inside the park, the Seacoast Science Center showcases the dynamic Gulf of Maine’s wildlife with interactive exhibits, where guests can hold sea stars and other organisms. By the end of the scenic drive, visitors will reach Portsmouth, full of charming boutiques and a buzzing culinary scene. For history buffs, Strawbery Banke Museum is a living history museum showcasing life in the area from 1695 to the mid-1950s. nhmagazine.com | October 2026 15
Downtown Meredith takes on a rosy glow in the wake of an autumn thunderstorm. PHOTO BY MICHAEL D. WILSON
ROUTE 25, MEREDITH
Connecting Meredith and Lake Winnipesaukee, Route 25 is an east-west state highway blending the beauty of the mountains and lakes. New Hampshire’s largest lake, at roughly 72 miles long, Lake Winnipesaukee is the perfect spot for boating, kayaking, or walking along the shore. Mount Washington Cruises offer sunset dinner dance cruises 16 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
and daytime narrated tours along the lake, perfect for those who want to sit back, relax, learn history and take in the fall views. Along the route and near Lake Winnipesaukee, Moulton Farm has been open since the 1890s and practices sustainable agriculture. The smell of freshly baked apple pies wafts from the farm kitchen’s bakery, where
delicious fall desserts are sold alongside breakfast quiches, breads and cookies. For more sweet fall treats, Cider Bellies Doughnuts serves everyone’s favorite cinnamon sugar cider doughnut; customers can catch the scent of these in the early mornings. Enjoy doughnuts on Moulton Farm for some of the most amazing New Hampshire views.
U.S. Route 3 offers unparalleled fall foliage with White Mountain views. PHOTO BY WINSTON TAN
U. S. R O U T E 3, N O R T H W O O D S T O C K While driving along the infamous Kancamagus Highway, veer off to the intersection of U.S. Route 3 through the White Mountains region. One of the longest highways in the state offers unparalleled views of the fall foliage with the White Mountains as the scene’s backdrop. And of course, there’s an abundance of stops along the way, from mountain trails ready for hikers to amusement parks perfect for a family vacation. Along U.S. Route 3, Clark’s Bears is a family establishment that has been around since the 1920s. The theme park’s main attraction is the
iconic bear show, which began with Edward M. and W. Murray Clark training bears for work that evolved into a family tradition. In the arena, guests will watch the bears have fun and do tricks, with their amazing caretakers carrying on the family’s legacy. For a unique shopping experience, the Christmas Loft, open year-round, brings visitors through endless rooms of holiday décor, from tree toppers to nutcrackers and sparkling lights. Just looking at the store’s villages and rooms will leave guests in the holiday spirit.
Top of the Ridge Farm Bed & Breakfast offers stunning foliage views of Mount Washington and beyond. COURTESY PHOTO
R I D G E R O A D, N E W D U R H A M
This back road in New Durham winds through the town, offering a quiet, sweeping route. Along 6 acres on the road is the Top of the Ridge Farm Bed & Breakfast, a restored 1760 farmhouse. This adults-only escape is perfect for relaxing and taking in views of Mount Washington while reading a book on the spacious lawns. Rooted in creating authentic
experiences, the bed and breakfast offers a homemade gourmet breakfast and cooking classes inspired by the owners’ Italian roots. For those looking for adventure, the Prospect Mountain Trail, just minutes down the road, is a little over 3 and a half miles long. The route starts in the deep forests and climbs to the summit for panoramic views. NH nhmagazine.com | October 2026 17
NAVIGATE | our town
Gateway to the Great North Woods Lancaster is home to 3,200 people, one 4,000-footer, a twoscreen movie theater and the state’s northernmost bakery STORY & PHOTOS BY JOHN KOZIOL / ILLUSTRATION BY PETER & ISLA NOONAN
B
ound to the east by the Pliny and Pilot ranges of the northern White Mountains and to the west by the Connecticut River, Lancaster is the beneficiary of a choice location — home to both the northernmost movie theater and bakery in New Hampshire. It is also, like many communities in the Granite State, a place beloved by locals and those from away. These days, 3,200 people call it home. Native-born luminaries include John Wingate Weeks, who was born near Lancaster in 1860. He became a successful banker in Boston before launching a political career that included serving as a U.S. senator and secretary of war. Other transplants include successful painter and “Marlboro Man” Edward Widmayer, who moved to town in 1977. You can still find some of his works at an art gallery in town. 18 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
Lancaster hosts what is believed to be the largest privately-owned snowmobile museum in the U.S. and Canada. Every September, since 1902, the town has held the Lancaster Fair. The seat of Coos County and a destination in itself, the town is a through point to the Great North Woods and home to Mount Cabot, one of the state’s 48 4,000-footers. In 1895, Parker Jewitt Noyes of Lancaster “patented the first machine for making and coating tablets in a single process, which produced 5,000 pills an hour coated with sugar or chocolate,” according to a Dec. 6, 2018, article by Michael Kitch in NH Business Review, a publication of Yankee Publishing. William “Bill” Rugh, of Pittsburgh, Penn., moved to Lancaster in 1971 to be with the woman he loved. That relationship didn’t work out, but Rugh, the current owner of Williams Rugh Gallery on Main Street, has resided here ever since.
Rugh has no formal art training, but in college, he bought some prints that later turned out to be valuable. He also lucked out: While he was the service manager at North Country Ford in Lancaster, he met a customer who changed his life: Edward Widmayer. A graduate of the prestigious Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, Widmayer was a successful Madison Avenue ad man. From 1959 through 1968, he also appeared in many ads for Marlboro cigarettes as one of the many “Marlboro men” who pitched the smokes. Back then, Marlboro men “were as common as the Lassie dogs,” Rugh notes. More significant was that Widmayer, who died in 2010, lived and painted in Lancaster. Many of Widmayer’s paintings were for sale at Rugh’s
Magda Randall owns the Polish Princess Bakery. Rita Cloutier, holding her dachshund, Miss Tootsie, owns the Rialto Theater.
gallery on the first floor of the former Lancaster National Bank. Of the 93 artists in all mediums on display at the gallery, Widmayer is Rugh’s favorite, he says. “I’ve told this to a thousand people, but he (Widmayer) is the best artist this gallery will ever see,” Rugh says. Lancaster needs more retail stores, says Rugh, noting the town once tried to lure an Applebee’s but didn’t have enough daily traffic. Nonetheless, the town has a lot going for it, despite the long winters, Rugh says. “It’s beautiful country here, a slice of God’s country, and we have a two-screen movie theater,” Rugh says. “How many towns have a movie theater?” Weeks, who died at 66, is one of Lancaster’s best-known native sons. He lived at a sprawling estate of more than 400 acres atop Prospect Mountain that offered views of the Presidential Range of the White Mountains, the Green Mountains of Vermont and the Connecticut River Valley. The estate was given to the state of New Hampshire in 1941 by Weeks’ children. Weeks served as a U.S. representative and a senator from Massachusetts. As a congressman, he successfully introduced
Art gallery owner Bill Rugh stands near brightly colored paintings by local icon Ed Widmayer, who died in 2010. nhmagazine.com | October 2026 19
NAVIGATE | our town legislation that was signed into law in 1911 by then-President William Howard Taft that has since become known as the Weeks Act, considered by some to be “one of the most important pieces of environmental legislation in American history,” according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Act allowed the federal government to purchase land to protect the headwaters of rivers in the eastern part of the country and later, in the west, too. The White Mountain National Forest, which is almost entirely within New Hampshire, is a direct benefit of the Weeks Act. While Rugh and Widmayer are some of Lancaster’s best-known residents from “away,” so are Magdalena “Magda” Randall and Rita Cloutier. Randall, a native of Lodz, Poland, arrived in the U.S. on April, 11, 2003, “with a oneway ticket, a suitcase and $500.” Lancaster was her third and final home in America, after Marlboro, Mass., and Lyndonville, Vt. Randall came to Lancaster to meet a man named Herb whom she’d gotten to know online and who later became her husband. “I fell in love with this town, the downtown and the setting between the mountains and valley,” Randall says. While she already had
A wolf sculpture on the town green celebrates the 150th anniversary of Lancaster’s 1763 founding.
A state historical marker touts Lancaster’s status as the gateway to the Great North Woods. 20 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
plans to open her own bakery, she says the late Greg Cloutier helped her clinch that goal. A native of Northumberland, a town immediately north of Lancaster, Greg Cloutier owned several hydroelectric dams in New Hampshire and elsewhere. After selling the dams, Cloutier bought properties in downtown Lancaster, including the Rialto Theater, which his widow, Rita, now owns. Unhappy by the prospect of looking at a fire-damaged building across from the Rialto, Greg Cloutier purchased it from the town and fixed it up. Randall’s business, Polish Princess Bakery, has been there since 2015; Randall also owns the building. Randall says the bakery’s name was inspired by the legend on a T-shirt her husband once gave her for Mother’s Day. She recalls Greg Cloutier telling her that “I want to have businesses that bring people downtown.” Business has been extremely good, Randall says, adding that, ironically, the COVID-19 pandemic helped her bottom line because many of Lancaster’s seasonal
Make a life-changing difference for a child. Become a CASA. Learn more at casanh.org nhmagazine.com | October 2026 21
NAVIGATE | our town residents became permanent ones. “We make everything from scratch,” she says, adding that her typical day starts at 4 a.m. In a small town in northern New Hampshire, Randall says she is proud to offer her employees a paid vacation, sick leave and a retirement match. Her bakery is a popular meeting spot. One regular is Rita Cloutier, with Miss Tootsie, her longhaired dachshund in tow. Like the Polish Princess Bakery, Cloutier says the Rialto has been successful. She credited much of that success to the theater’s manager and her business partner, David Fuller, who, when COVID temporarily shuttered movie houses, sold popcorn outside the Rialto and also rented its marquee to the public to share birthday wishes and condolences. In 2015, in a display of the best of Yankee ingenuity, Cloutier and her husband expanded the Rialto, but just a little bit. Movie companies require that theaters show a movie for up to four weeks before a new movie can replace it, Cloutier explains. But now, she says the first movie can be shifted onto the smaller screen while a new movie is put on the big screen.
Paul Crane, who grew up in Lancaster, co-owns P&R Excavating with his son. The business is a short distance from Crane’s snowmobile museum.
The two-screen Rialto Theatre is owned by Rita Cloutier, whose late husband, Greg, bought the theater and some other downtown properties. 22 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
Randall thinks Lancaster “is in a good spot and in a better place than when I moved here.” People “have discovered northern New Hampshire,” she says, and they realized that the region is “not just the White Mountains and North Conway,” which is a great community that serves many visitors and offers the full array of outdoor activities, shopping and dining. By contrast, in Lancaster, people “come here for peace,” Randall says. Some people also come to see Crane’s Snowmobile Museum, which is about a halfmile north of the Rialto and the bakery, and is home to the Eastern Snowmobile Racing Hall of Fame. The museum has almost 160 different snowmobiles, including a 1926 Ford Model T equipped with rear tracks and front skis. Paul Crane, 87, who grew up in Lancaster, says the town has a long heritage of snowmobile racing and plays an important role in the history of snowmobiles, specifically the Ski-Doo. Bombardier, a Canadian company that sold logging equipment in the Lancaster area for decades, introduced the Ski-Doo snowmobile in 1959; Crane says he was the first person to ride the prototype at the Bombardier factory and the first to ride it in the U.S. — in Lancaster. “I’ve always wanted to have a museum,” full of snowmobiles,” says Crane, who, with his son Robert, owns and operates P & R Excavating, a short distance from the museum. Lancaster has and always will be Crane’s home, he says. His late father, also named Robert Crane, had an insurance business here, he says, adding that before he got his own place, a newcomer by the name of Ed Widmayer rented a room in his parent’s home. Those connections are important. “And all of my friends are here,” Crane says. Cloutier credits her husband for helping transform Lancaster. “Greg was the one with the vision and I was just his support,” she says. The Cloutiers moved from Jefferson to Lancaster in 1999. She and Randall are neighbors. Crane, who is a graduate of the former Lancaster Academy, is ready to welcome visitors to his museum. “I’ve got a lot of sleds here that people have never seen,” he says. NH
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INFORM | savor
Table for 12 Ash offers fine dining in an intimate Manchester inn setting
F
rom the intimate dining room of a historic Victorian-style home in downtown Manchester, guests convene around a single table to savor the culinary creativity of Chef Nick Provencher. This is Ash: a dining concept from the team at the Ash Street Inn, offering elevated food in a casual, communal setting. When guests arrive, they pass through the large wooden door of the newly renovated inn, its colorful stained-glass windows reminiscent of a bygone era, and enter into the parlor, where they can relax and mingle with other diners (perhaps noting the room’s bold accent pieces: a pink pendulum clock or the oversized Converse sneaker above the fireplace) before the first of the evening’s five courses is served. In order to take full advantage of the wine
service station, diners are encouraged to BYOW — “bring your own wine” — and are provided with wine pairing recommendations ahead of their reservation. The experience, which costs $125 per person, is packed into two hours, with Provencher preparing, plating and serving each course as the night progresses. (The concept is similar to what chef Evan Hennessey offers at Stages in Dover, which limits six people to a dinner seating.) “It’s just me, the food and the 12 people who want to eat it,” Provencher said during an interview at the restaurant, the peach interior of the dining area providing a warm, inviting backdrop as he polished a set of wine glasses in preparation for the evening’s meal. “And I wouldn’t want it any other way.” Provencher describes the evening’s food as
Chef Nick Provencher prepares charred carrots for Friday night service at the Ash Street Inn restaurant. 24 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
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BY J I L L A R M S T R O N G / P H O T O G R A P H Y BY M O R G A N K A R A N A S I O S
nhmagazine.com | October 2026 25
INFORM | savor a combination of classic and modern French. As the set menu changes each week, he is afforded many opportunities to experiment thematically, employing Mediterranean flavors one week, concocting a French-Indian fusion the next or simply highlighting fresh, seasonal ingredients in another. “It’s a lot of fun for me,” he said. “I’ve fallen back in love with cooking again.” That week, Provencher was planning to showcase how French cooking, more than anything, is about time. The menu included tuna, cured for 12 hours and marinated overnight in a black garlic emulsion; short rib, first brined for 24 hours, seared, and then braised for another eight; and beets, encapsulated in salt and then roasted, the process taking upwards of seven hours. “A lot of people will come in and ask how everything comes together, and I tell them it’s all time,” Provencher said. “And patience.” Provencher has made quite the name for himself in New Hampshire’s culinary scene, working under the tutelage of Chef Matthew Provencher at both Portsmouth’s Martingale Wharf and The Rosa. While on the Seacoast, he also cooked with Chef Dave Vargas of Vida Cantina before returning to Manchester to help with the opening of The Foundry.
Guests enjoy aperitifs before dinner in the parlour.
Provencher goes over the evening’s menu with a full table of guests. 26 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
nhmagazine.com | October 2026 27
INFORM | savor At only 24, Provencher became the executive chef for The Birch on Elm, a popular eatery before it closed its doors last year. After feeling the burnout common of moving up the industry ranks, Provencher was ready to call it quits and head for warmer climates. That was when Michael Pedler, the owner of the Ash Street Inn, pitched the idea for Ash, a first-of-its-kind offering for the Queen City. Provencher admits he was a bit skeptical at first about Pedler’s plans, questioning how they would be able to fit a commercial kitchen in the small space afforded at the inn. After detailing what he would need to make Ash a reality, Pedler assured Provencher that it would work. And it did. “They’re big on community, on building community and reinvesting in it,” Provencher said about Pedler’s team, “bringing up this city and its community.” “The restaurant is obviously part of that,” he continued. “You have 12 people sitting together, most nights, six couples who have never met. And then, by the end of it, they’re all best friends, making vacation plans.” The Ash Street Inn has had many owners over the years, but Pedler’s team has solidified the historical importance of the home by crafting a modern experience for visitors, in large part due to the creative vision of lead
Each meal is full of flavor and each plate treated with care.
Guests enjoy the intimate atmosphere that the inn offers. 28 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
designer, Joshua Charles, who designed the entire interior space of the inn, balancing the historic character with modern flair. During the renovation, Charles admitted, the small, rundown kitchen of the inn needed a lot of love. “There was no dining space for guests,” he said, “so the focus was to take a small space and make it feel like you’re sitting at a community chef ’s table. We wanted people to focus on conversation, to encourage that.” A half wall partitions the kitchen and the dining area, but Provencher can observe guests through a central window as he cooks, or move about the room to serve and interact with diners as needed, making it a very personable dining experience. “It’s weird because when you’re in kitchens, you don’t see anybody,” Provencher said. “Now, so many people have come in and said, ‘Oh, I’ve been eating your food for years!’ It’s been very, very fun to have people come in and be excited about the food.” NH
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INFORM | history
The Cousins’ kitchen was recreated based on Jeri’s memories and analysis of the household architecture. A pot of faux lobster sits on the stove.
House Party from a Distant Past
Penhallow-Cousins House recreates beloved family home at Strawbery Banke BY ELISA GONZALES VERDI / PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID J. MURRAY, CLEAREYEPHOTO.COM
W
ith lobster cooking on the kitchen stove and 1930s hits floating through the apartment from the living room, Penhallow-Cousins House, Strawbery Banke’s newest historical home, feels like you’re arriving early to a house party. That’s exactly the energy the museum was hoping to replicate, because that’s how Geraldine “Jeri” Cousins remembered her childhood home. Through her memory, oral history and heirlooms, from 2016 until her passing in 2020, Jeri Cousins was 30 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
able to work with the museum to help lay the groundwork to recreate her childhood home and tell her family’s story. “Everything happened concurrently,” says Elizabeth Farish, Strawbery Banke’s chief curator. Farish gives the breakdown: Penhallow House, which had been used as a bathroom and then as storage for decades, needed foundational repairs after a major storm flooded the house. Before those repairs could be made, an archeological dig headed by Dr. Alix Martin, Strawbery Banke’s
archeologist, needed to take place. The museum had already decided to convert Penhallow House into a historic home, and knew they wanted the house to be interpreted during the 1930s, when it was subdivided into three apartments, and focus on the Cousins family, specifically, Jeri’s uncle, Kenneth Richardson. Farish and Jeri already knew each other through Jeri’s involvement with the Seacoast African Cultural Center, but they were formally introduced through Valerie Cunningham, founder of the then Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail. “I want to meet all former Puddle Dock residents,” Farish says. “Valerie knew Jeri’s parents, and had professionally connected with the museum in the 1990s while developing the Abbott House and Store. She collected a lot of oral histories from the Black community about what it was like to be here in Portsmouth in the 1940s, when the Abbott Store was interpreted. One of those interviews was with Jeri’s mother … and she also did an oral history for that project with Jeri herself.” While sitting down with Jeri to interview
her about her family and her uncle, who was a supervisor at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and part of the Equal Opportunity Employment Organization, it became apparent that Jeri’s occupation of the house was significant. “Our period of interpretation is a tiny little sliver that we don’t already talk about,” Farish says. “We talk about World War II in the Abbott Store, and we go a little bit earlier to 1919 to talk about the Shapiros. We don’t talk about this period that is the Great Depression and the Great Migration. If we jump to Kenneth’s storyline, that would be right in the midst of World War II — it wasn’t a complete story.” But Jeri’s story was. “Jeri was very much a curator of her own life,” Farish says. “She wanted her story told in this way.”
From her conversations with Jeri, Farish learned the ins and outs of the Cousins’ lives — how there was always lobster boiling on the stove because she and her dad would fish together and catch them for free (because potato chips cost money); how fastidious her father was and how much he cared about how he presented himself; how she and her friends were always losing marbles in the backyard; and how her young parents were always entertaining company. During Martin’s excavation, as Jeri’s stories about her childhood were unearthed, she found a “surprising” number of 20th century artifacts — fragmented bottles of perfume and soap and dozens of marbles, which are now reunited with the home in medicine cabinets and in Jeri’s recreated bedroom. If you think about it, it feels mind-blowing, but to Martin, it’s the natural order of life.
“It feels perfectly natural,” Martin says. “I can see the mind-blowing part, but it’s full circle. It makes sense. They lived here. They were here, and now here’s all the different evidence of why we can tell this authentic story.” “We have all this stuff from the 1930s and 1940s while Jeri was living there,” Martin says. “It really added support to the oral history. She was telling us the information that we could gather from the house itself, but then the things left behind added to the story.” Over the four years they spent together, the trio became friends and their relationship became more personal. Farish and Jeri became particularly fast friends, because Jeri saw a lot of similarities between her daughter, Judith Baumann, and Farish (including a shared birthday). “I was telling her personal stories. It’s not like a superficial interpretation. It’s sort of the
The Cousins’ living room displays family photos shared with the museum and features a restored 1930s radio playing jazz music. nhmagazine.com | October 2026 31
INFORM | history In 2024, the house was lifted to build a new foundation that will protect the circa 1750 house frame from stormwater.
Before the house was rehabilitated, it was used for storage. 32 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
closest as you can get,” Farish says. “Jeri was sort of like my partner. We did it together in a certain way.” “I think the relationship that (Jeri and Elizabeth) formed also is what was so important and essential to what we have today,” Martin says. “Because Jeri trusted (Elizabeth), it meant that after she passed away and we started working with her other family members, that they trusted Elizabeth in particular and Strawbery Banke as an institution.” While Jeri died before she could see the completed project, when Penhallow-Cousins House was cleared and cleaned, she was able to return to her childhood home for the first time in decades and tell Farish and Martin about the layout of their kitchen and living room. While walking through the first floor, she told them about her parents’ furniture, and where her dad used to like to sit after work and sip on a glass of whiskey. “That was sort of surreal,” Farish says. “She left as a teenager and now she’s coming back as a woman in her 80s… I think that was a really big deal for her. It was a pretty moving experience to be in that building, because Jeri
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A dresser in Jeri’s recreated bedroom displays Jeri’s own ceramic cat figurine, a jar full of marbles, and a photo of Jeri alongside her recreated dance recital costume.
did want it. Jeri could see (the exhibit) clear as day. She was like, ‘Of course, this is the story you should be telling. Me and my parents lived in this house and that’s the story.’ ” After Jeri’s passing in March 2020, Farish and the museum connected with Jeri’s daughter to help see the project through to the end. A resident of San Diego, Baumann would visit her mom four times a year, so she knew about the project at Strawbery Banke and had met Elizabeth during one of her visits home and was happy to help. “It made me feel good that I could do that,” Baumann says. “After my mom passed, I had to wait a few weeks even to get a flight to New Hampshire to empty out her apartment. I put everything in storage, which sat there for two years, and then I came back in 2024. Elizabeth and I had stayed in touch after we met, so I got in touch with her and told her I was flying out there to empty out the storage unit and she can go through things and take whatever she wants for the house.”
For days, Baumann and Farish went through the storage unit together, sorting through photos and furniture for things to bring back to the museum. “I felt good about letting her have original stuff from back in the day, like my great-grandmother’s clock,” Baumann says. “To have physical objects with Jeri’s notes written all over them started to make it a joyful experience for both me and Judith,” Farish says. “It was feeling much more real.” When it was time for the grand opening, 10 years after Jeri’s first interviews, Baumann and other members of Jeri’s family were invited to see the house for the first time. Standing in her mother’s restored childhood home that she had only heard of, seeing recreations of her grandmother’s green satin party dress and her mother’s feathered tap costume, Baumann was overwhelmed. “It’s just so real… my family would be very proud — my grandparents, my mom — this is amazing and it’s real. It’s very beautiful.
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INFORM | history It’s just a beautiful thing that they’ve done,” Baumann says. Friends of the family have had a similar response. “A friend of mine went with me to the open house. She used to work for my mom and she was very close with my mom, and would visit my mom all the time,” Baumann says. “We did a private tour of the house and she just kept saying, ‘Oh my gosh, I remember that, that was in your mom’s kitchen! That’s your grandmother’s clock!’ There’s like so much stuff in here from my mom’s that she has held on to for years that was her mother’s, her great-grandmother’s. It’s just amazing. I’m so glad that it’s got put to some good use.” Jeri is also a part of the house — her photo hangs on the wall on the second floor above a button visitors can press that plays recordings from her conversations with Farish. “I love listening to my mom’s voice,” Baumann says. “I actually recorded each one on my phone. (Strawbery Banke) doing that, I think really puts the icing on the cake for me.” “I feel pretty proud of it,” Farish says. “It’s an important story to tell, and the way we were able to use so many different avenues of inter-
A family tree painted by Alex Edgerly includes four generations, all of whom lived in the PenhallowCousins House at some point between 1916 and 1949.
pretation is the ideal. And the family’s joy in seeing it is definitely good enough for me.” Martin added that she’s heard Farish say a few times that this is the most important thing she’ll ever do, to which Farish agrees. “So we can probably retire,” Martin joked. “But we won’t, because we want to bring this same model and braided lines of evidence to our next project.” Without the dedication of community partners at the Seacoast African Cultural Center, Sandi Clark Kaddy, the Black Heritage Trail, Baumann and, of course, Jeri, this project couldn’t have been completed this way. “They really did (a good job),” Baumann says. “I mean things they (replicated), like my mom’s old dancing outfit? They created things to be like they’re supposed to be. It’s very personal, and they did a really good job. I’m thrilled!” Baumann, Farish and Martin all agree that Jeri would be too. NH
Jeri’s parents’ recreated bedroom. On the dresser are family belongings donated by Judith Baumann alongside objects chosen by staff based on archeological research. 34 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
Visit strawberybanke.org for hours and information on the Penhallow-Cousins House. Also, keep an eye out for Alix Martin’s book about the Penhallow-Cousins House dig, to be published at the beginning of 2027, and more.
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INFORM | in their own words
PHOTO BY RUSSELL DAVIS
The Fools celebrate their new album, “More of Everything,” in June at The Cut in Gloucester, Mass. From left: Rich Bartlett, Mike Girard, Eric Adamson, drummer Leo Black and Stacey Pedrick.
Everybody’s Fool
Mike Girard has led Boston’s almost famous rock band for 50 years BY M I K E C O T E
A
s a small crowd awaits The Fools to take the stage on a sunny afternoon in July, there’s a friendly vibe among fans seated in the rows of lawn chairs in the parking lot at Renegade’s Pub in Georgetown, Mass. The Fools, the biggest thing to come out of Ipswich, Mass., since fried clams, are the featured act at a summer block party. It’s clear most of these folks came specifically to see their local heroes. Some are sporting T-shirts: “Fooling Fans for 50 Years.” They’re about to hear The Fools perform a set that includes songs from the band’s new album, “More of Everything.” In true Fools fashion, the collection of band-written originals is an undefinable blend of punky rockers, crowd-ready singalongs, quirky stories about aliens and time travel, Roy Orbison-inspired ballads
36 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
and country-tinged love songs. The band that nearly became superstars — with videos on MTV and a tour with Van Halen — has somehow outlasted nearly all the ’70s and ’80s bands who used to hire them as an opening act. Even the big record label that fired them after two albums is gone. While the lineup has shuffled over the years, the current incarnation of The Fools features three founding members: lead singer Mike Girard and guitarists Rich Bartlett and Stacey Pedrick. They’re joined by bassist Eric Adamson and drummer Leo Black. Today is going to be a good day for The Fools, whose antics are being chronicled for an upcoming documentary about the band. But as Girard confirms privately during a break between sets, there’s an elephant in the room. That elephant is in the form of a chicken, the one emblazoned on the flashy
rock star shirts Adamson and Pedrick are wearing. While plastic souvenirs of said chicken can be purchased for $15 at the band’s merch table, there will be no “Psycho Chicken” on the menu today. The Fools will be skipping their parody of the Talking Heads song “Psycho Killer” at this family-friendly event. No F-bombs allowed. It makes perfect sense. The song that first got The Fools’ attention on Boston radio stations like the dearly departed WBCN was left off their major label debut, “Sold Out.” (It was tucked inside the album as a bonus 45.) For this show, the fans will have to settle for a run-through of the band’s other best-known songs, including “It’s a Night for Beautiful Girls,” a reggae-flavored track that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, and long-time set staples like “I Won’t Grow Up,” a Ramones-style take on the Peter Pan song, and “Life Sucks, Then You Die,” the song that ultimately led Girard and his wife, Ginny, to move to New Hampshire. (Two other members reside in New Hampshire: Bartlett in Exeter and Adamson in Rochester.) Girard has lived in Kensington since the early ’80s. We sat down for lunch with him at Street in Exeter to talk about the band’s new album and the books he’s written about his
rock star adventures — “Psycho Chicken & Other Foolish Tales” and “A Fool in Time,” which blends a time travel arc with the band’s history. (His third book, “A Fool’s Errand,” is science fiction.) The Fools perform Nov. 27 at Tupelo Music Hall in Derry. In the meantime, the band is hosting a “flog” golf tournament Oct. 10 at Apple Hill Golf Course in East Kingston to benefit Ernie Boch Jr.’s Music Drives Us foundation.
and wanted to do something, he happened to mention, “Is there any new music coming up?” That inspired us to put some stuff out and start writing again. But in terms of a comparison, the Castle Hill thing was as close to a debacle without being a debacle as anything could be. We sent out invitations to 200 people, and that included local media, radio stations, family members, best friends … and we ended up with close to a thousand people there.
New Hampshire Magazine: In “Psycho Chicken
NHM: How long have you lived in New
& Other Foolish Tales,” you talk about the band’s early days. What was it like for a local band to get radio airplay in Boston?
Mike Girard: I would hate to be trying to start now as a young band. Back then, WBCN and WAAF (in Worcester) had an ear to the street. There were clubs with venues in every town — Ipswich had two, for God’s sake, a small town like that. You really could learn how to play, and you could work a whole lot. Even if you weren’t that great, maybe you’d play a whole week and everybody gets a hundred bucks.
NHM: How would you compare your CD-
release show at the Georgetown block party to the party at the Crane Mansion in Ipswich the Fools staged in 1978 to celebrate getting signed to a major label?
MG: The cool thing about the recent one is we hadn’t put out anything probably since 2011. When Karl (Preusser), the guy doing the documentary, showed up a couple years ago
Hampshire?
MG: My wife and I were living in Ipswich until 1986. Around that time, the “World Dance Party” album came out. It’s a small town. Everybody knows everybody. And we were living close to the center of town on a side street. It was like 3 o’clock in the morning, and apparently WBCN was playing “Life Sucks, Then You Die.” Somebody pulled up right in front of our house and just blasted it. It wasn’t done to be a dick or anything. It was like, “Mike’s gonna love this.” Around that time, we decided to relocate. In some ways, relocating also allowed me to keep recreating myself. Sometimes if you grow up in a small town and you stay there, everybody makes an assumption about who you are based on how you’ve always been.
NHM: The Georgetown show attracted
long-time Fools fans. You could see women dancing who were singing along to the songs. How does that feel now compared to when you first started playing those songs?
MG: I remember 20 years ago people bringing either their kids or their parents, and now in some cases, it’s the grandparents bringing their grandchildren. At a show like that you could come in at any age, but it’s pretty wild to feel that generational thing. Not to sound sappy, but I feel honored by it. I feel as if they’re part of a family that got created more by them than by us.
NHM: In “The Watchers,” you sing about
aliens warning us not to mess things up. Do you remain hopeful that we won’t?
MG: These are dark times, and I see certain things as bringing light. It’s important to try to be a light bringer right now, so I hope it’s a humorous song about a kind of a desperate situation.
“ I feel as if they’re part of a family that got created more by them than by us.” NHM: How have you kept your voice healthy all these years? When you performed “Just Give Up,” which I heard for the first time in Georgetown, you held that note at the end like Roy Orbison in “Running Scared.” (The Fools nearly hit the Top 40 with a cover version of that song in 1981).
MG: I’ve never stopped singing. I sing because I like to sing. I’d sing whether I was in a band or not. But the first seven or eight years that we played, we didn’t have any monitors so I was always trying to hear myself in the room.
NHM: “The Last Rodeo” could only have been
written by someone who has been around for a while. It’s a rare love song that addresses how things take on a greater meaning as we age. What sparked that song?
PHOTO BY MIKE COTE
MG: I wrote that song for my wife as well
Fools guitarist Stacey Pedrick, right, sports a “Psycho Chicken” shirt at a July show in Georgetown, Mass., as does bassist Eric Adamson, left of Pedrick.
as the other one I wrote strictly for her, “I Fell Into Your Eyes.” One woman who told me she’s been a fan for a million years said, “ ‘The Last Rodeo’ made me cry because it seems like you guys are gonna stop.” I said, “Well, everything stops, but look at it this way. The ‘Last Rodeo’ could be about how you are finally with the person you’re meant to be with.” NH nhmagazine.com | October 2026 37
INFORM | what do you know
Chesterfield’s library was built in 1996, when it moved out of another stone building that is now home to the town’s historical society.
Detoured Into the Past An unexpected traffic stop and a dispatch rider reveal an unsolved crime S T O RY A N D P H OT O S BY M A R S H A L L H U D S O N
I
was driving south from Spofford and headed toward Hinsdale, enjoying the twists, turns and rollercoaster-like dips in the road. Rounding a bend and cresting a small hill, traffic suddenly stopped at the Chesterfield town center. From my now-stationary vantage point, I was able to observe the many stone buildings Chesterfield is known for. On the east side of the road is a tall, narrow, 2½-story building that houses the post office. On the opposite side is the town hall, or meetinghouse, with its church-like steeple. Other stone buildings in the area include the old town library, now home to the Chesterfield Historical Society, and the “new” and larger town library. 38 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
Nearby is a private residence and a former tavern that is now a museum. All are constructed of these same gray and rust-colored, irregular shaped, granite stones. On the south end of the common is a municipal office building constructed in 2008, which attempts to mirror the look of the historic stone buildings. I’m left wondering why Chesterfield chose to erect stone buildings during an era when most buildings were made of handhewn timber frames and rough sawed boards. As I pondered this stone construction, a dispatch rider dressed in 1770s costume trotted down the middle of the road bringing a message to the crowd assembled on the green. Many in the crowd were also wearing
Colonial costumes, and I realized I had just driven into a 250th celebration reenactment. I pulled the truck over and parked. The dispatch rider presented a “Declaration of Independence,” recently signed in Philadelphia, to a town official who read it aloud to the shocked crowd. The Colonies were now in open rebellion against the king! The Union Jack was taken down from the flagpole and replaced with a new, 13-star, red, white and blue flag favored by the rebelling Patriots. Volunteers were then called forward to sign up as Minutemen. The reenactment was well done, and when it ended, I spoke to some knowledgeable locals and members of their historical society. Inquiring about the uncommon number of stone buildings in our midst resulted in a surprising answer. It was due to an arsonist. During the winter of 1845-46, buildings belonging to Ira Wetherbee burned in an intentional fire. Wetherbee’s insurance company was suspicious he had set the fire himself, and a lawsuit followed. Wetherbee was never formally charged with arson, but rumors circulated and some townspeople were drawn
PHOTO COURTESY CHESTERFIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY
A dispatch rider on a horse named Sheriff Higgins delivers a message.
into the lawsuit or forced to choose sides and give testimony. This resulted in bitter feelings between Wetherbee and his fellow citizens. The next few years saw several fires of unexplained and suspicious origin that resulted in the loss of many buildings around the village center. Two barns and the store / post office belonging to Asa Marsh caught fire under mysterious circumstances and burned to the ground in 1847. Marsh rebuilt his store and post office in 1849, choosing to build out of stone this time to thwart future arson attempts. Marsh’s building remains standing today and still serves as the post office, although the store closed in 1970. A barn belonging to Charles Darling also burned down and an unsuccessful attempt was made to set fire to the barn of Elias Mead, but it was saved by a vigilant owner and neighbors. All of these suspicious fires took place within a few years following Wetherbee’s lawsuit. Some residents believed there was a fire-bug arsonist on the loose and worried their home might be next. Others suspected the fires were being set in retaliation or revenge by someone unhappy with the handling of the Wetherbee lawsuit.
This former tavern and private residence is now a museum operated by the Chesterfield Historical Society. nhmagazine.com | October 2026 39
INFORM | what do you know The town meetinghouse was lost to fire on the first day of March 1851. A few days later at the annual Town Meeting, residents voted to instruct the selectmen to “offer a reward of $500 for the detection of the incendiaries who burned it, and another of $500 for the detection of those who burned Charles Darling’s barn.” A “Committee of Vigilance” was chosen at the meeting to find and bring to justice the guilty arsonist(s). A new town hall, constructed of stone, was built to replace the old wooden 1770 Meetinghouse lost to fire. The stone for this new town hall came from a nearby quarry, and residents slept better knowing their new town hall would not be an easy target for the still-uncaught arsonist. The new building, which serves as town hall today, cost roughly $1,700 to build in 1851. Beside it, another stone building built in 1938 is used by the historical society but was constructed and served as the town’s library until the new library was built in 1996. In 1850 a blacksmith shop was constructed using the same locally quarried granite stone.
This building, one of several stone structures in town, serves as the Chesterfield post office.
Chesterfield Town Hall, which replaced a wooden building lost to fire, cost roughly $1,700 to build in 1851. 40 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
It remained a working blacksmith shop until 1930, when it was taken apart, stone by stone, and moved to the Storrowton Village Museum, on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition, in West Springfield, Mass. It was reassembled there and today functions as a working blacksmith shop in a living history museum. The arsonist was never caught, and the Committee of Vigilance disbanded, but not before accusations were leveled at several people deemed to be suspicious. One individual was jailed for the crime, although never tried or convicted. Another was brought to trial but was released when the star witness failed to show and give testimony. There was also a petition circulated to oust a sheriff accused of releasing the captured arsonist. This petition was prominently signed by an individual later accused of being the arsonist himself. Whoever started the fires slipped through the cracks and remains unknown, but their actions changed the course of 1850s Chesterfield builders and resulted in these historic and picturesque stone buildings. With my questions answered, I continued on my way, thankful that a 1770s dispatch rider had interrupted the trip. I wonder what surprise might be waiting for me around the next bend in the road. NH
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From left, Evan Hennessey, his son Kaden, and writer Michael Wejchert take a break and admire the upper reaches of Pinnacle Buttress and the wild colors of autumn on Mount Washington. 48 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
Dover-based chef Evan Hennessey has taken New Hampshire dining to new heights BY MICHAEL WEJCHERT PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOE KLEMENTOVICH
fter 30 years in the sport, climbing’s made me wish for a meal plenty of times, but only once has a rock climb helped produce one. In the wintertime, ferocious weather swirls around Mount Washington, the highest peak in New England, but on the right day in the summer or early fall, the mountain can offer a placid alternative to boiling in the valley below. Photographer Joe Klementovich and I wait in the Great Glen Trails parking lot and watch as the sun rises higher and higher in the sky. Joe, a frequent partner on assignments, moved to North Conway in the 1990s. Like most of us, he bounced around as a climbing bum, working as a gear manufacturer, snow ranger, and mountain rescuer before settling down behind a camera lens. As we sort climbing equipment and camera gear out of the back of his Rav4, another car pulls up, and we’re met by Evan Hennessey and his teenage son Kaden. True to his age, Kaden’s taken the opportunity in the passenger seat to nap the whole way up from Dover. I’ve never met Evan, but I’ve heard enough by reputation. Hennessey’s first restaurant, Stages, has repeatedly been voted one of the top 100 in North America. At first blush, Dover — even New Hampshire in general — seems an odd place to nurture a successful restaurant. But Evan and Kaden aren’t heading up Mount Washington because it’s an escape from the grind —they’re about to climb a mountain with us because for Hennessey, wild places all over the state are where inspiration for his day job begins. We pile into Joe’s SUV and drive up Mount Washington's Auto Road, pulling into a lot just below the summit. Cars throttle up and down the road, but when we dip down into the alpine garden, it grows quiet. It’s September now, and the whirlwind crowds of summer have ebbed and diminished. The four of us drop down the Huntington Ravine trail, steep and notorious for bad accidents, carefully descending one at a time, sometimes turning inwards and downclimbing on the trail’s steeper, exposed parts, ropes and some climbing gear dangling from our packs. Below us, the greyish slab of gneiss cedes to a talus field and then onwards onto the undulations of the ravine itself. 50 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
Evan Hennessey nears the start of the climb and is well above the boulders and slabs of Huntington Ravine.
nhmagazine.com | October 2026 51
Hennessey, bottom right, closely watches his son, Kaden, follow up through one of the more difficult sections of Pinnacle Buttress, a classic New England rock climb.
52 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
The tawny colors of alpine zone plant life are about to change; tufts of brown grass, yellows of plants going into their winter mood. Rain threatens — it often does. If you look close enough on nice days, you can just about see clear across the state to the ocean. The view is vast, as are the possibilities in New Hampshire, and it’s from this wide palette of view — all of it — that Hennessey takes his culinary cues. Hennessey grew up in Dover, but he left the state to pursue a culinary career that had him working in Michelin-starred restaurants in New York and Chicago. But when it came time for Hennessey to start a restaurant on his own, in 2012, he moved back to Dover, hoping to lend his expertise to the community that raised him. Plus, the decision put him and his family at the doorstep of the myriad recreational opportunities the state has to offer. Rock climbers learn to trust their own instincts, making decisions that, at the outset, seem radical and risky; for Hennessey, this philosophy applies to his work, too. After a little while, we cross the subtle
brook guarding the entrance to our objective for the day: the northeast ridge of the Pinnacle, a meandering rock climb first ascended in 1928 by five enterprising alpinists. It’s one
of the oldest technical rock climbs in New England. On the first ascent, the climbers worked their way up the most difficult sections with hemp rope fastened around their waists, occasionally aided by standing on the shoulders of their companions to overcome difficult passages. With sticky rubber climbing shoes, modern nylon ropes and plenty of equipment to secure ourselves, the climb is less groundbreaking enterprise and more casual undertaking, especially for Kaden, who climbs impossibly difficult boulder routes in his local climbing gym with ease. But outside, there are ropes to sort and logistics to uncover, and I find myself regressing into my former profession — that of rock-climbing guide, turning to the real challenge of figuring out how to make it up the eight or so rope lengths with three other climbers while at the same time avoiding pandemonium. By some miscommunication, we’ve brought about half the gear we need, but here we are. We can either abandon the day, or figure out how to do something with the ingredients we have. It turns out that’s what Evan does as a chef, too. “I wanted to take the long road — not the easy or fast path. My angle was to change the way restaurants operate, to
Wild blueberries survive by being tucked into warm sheltered spots, even this high in the mountains. nhmagazine.com | October 2026 53
Hennessey focused on the last few steep moves at the end of the "Fairy Tale Traverse" on Pinnacle Buttress.
54 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
shorten their wingspan as far as food goes — and prove that it works," he tells me. When Joe and I swing by Dover for a visit, we take the lift in a renovated mill building up to Stages. Evan and his small team — just a sous-chef, a sommelier, and a chef de partie — are already at work preparing tonight’s dinner. Stages seats only six guests, and there are two seatings a night, Thursday through Saturday. Each dinner at Stages is unique, dictated not by what diners want, but by what Hennessey can forage, or by what his suppliers can bring, prone to the fickle weather and seasonal changes of New England as a whole. Hennessey’s relationships with farmers and foragers and fishermen are singular; nearly all the livestock served at Stages comes from Loudonshire Farm, as it has since the restaurant’s inception in 2012. Inside the functional, almost spartan confines of the kitchen are jars with everything New England has to offer: sumac, dried cranberry, mushroom powder. The kitchen is deliberately simple and adaptable, able to turn on a dime alongside New Hampshire’s weather. The process rewards creativity in the kitchen. Everyone at Stages is remarkably relaxed, considering guests are due to arrive any minute. But that’s because the real work’s already been done. “Each dish takes weeks, months, even a year to create,” Hennessey tells me, “but we put it together in a matter of minutes.” Tonight’s menu includes ingredients like elderberries and fried oysters, fennel pollen, squash cooked over a simple, campfire-like open flame with a sea-urchin glaze, and a salted tuna seared on the same simple fire, but each iteration is different — driven by what ingredients Hennessey is able to source or forage himself — sometimes in his backyard, sometimes after a trail run or a rock climb. Taking a meandering route up Mount
Kaden Hennessey follows through the picturesque and airy "Fairy Tale Traverse."
Washington, we reach a broad plateau where the route veers left, its nature changing entirely. It was here, in 1928, that climber William Allis struggled to climb the route’s defining chimney — a wide, 50-foot chimney system. The slick, sloping walls allow little purchase. Last year, I watched as a National Guard helicopter airlifted a solo climber who had misjudged this section and fallen without any ropes onto the ledge below. (Landing on a grassy hummock, he made a full recovery). Even with a rope and spring-loaded camming devices dangling nhmagazine.com | October 2026 55
Evan Hennessey watches as his son Kaden, and writer Michael Wejchert climb toward the finish from one of the upper belays.
56 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
Michael Wejchert, author and guide for the day, pauses at the start of the Fairy Tale Traverse near the top of Pinnacle Buttress.
from my waist, the passage gives me pause, never mind the fact it was first climbed in a pair of leather boots. On top, I stop to take a breather before bringing Kaden, Evan, and Joe up one at a time, Joe replete with thousands of dollars of camera equipment dangling from his chest and harness. After a few moderate rope-lengths, we get to the climb’s signature feature: a massive section of rock that overhangs Pinnacle Gully like a pitched roof with a huge eave. Below your feet, a waterfall tumbles down the gully as you cross the slab — a section dubbed the “fairy tale traverse.” Kaden comes across first. Compared with what he’s used to, the moves on Pinnacle are trivial, and I’m worried he’ll be bored. But it’s impossible not to be wooed by the stunning background and the feeling of climbing high up above Huntington Ravine on a gorgeous day. “Whoa,” he says. “This is really, really, cool.” Then Evan, out of sight and out of line, follows, while Joe stands to shoot photos and give encouragement on a broad, prominent ledge above. We happily recollect ourselves in a messy heap of ropes.
Watching Evan in his kitchen, it’s clear
the same things that make him tick as a climber — yearning for the creative process, being in a harsh, unforgiving environment — are applicable in the kitchen, too. His hard work has paid off: He’s competed on the Food Network's “Chopped,” winning three times. Stages has appeared on Opinionated about Dining’s “100 Best Restaurants in North America” list nine years in a row. And in 2026, Evan won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northeast, becoming the first New Hampshire-based chef to garner the prestigious accolade. When we visited, he was months away from opening a second Dover restaurant, Topolino, which serves Mediterranean fare in a casual dining atmosphere. Now, it’s booked until October. It must have been quite the gamble for Hennessey to settle for a career in his hometown, but it’s paid off. It’s no wonder “Travel + Leisure” magazine called Dover the most underrated dining destination in New England. Hennessey is also the founder of Finding Thyme, a mobile kitchen of sorts where
guests merge outdoor experiences and food in places as far flung as Alaska or as familiar as the White Mountains. Step-by-step, or climbing handhold by handhold, the program forges a strong connection between the nature that gives Hennessey his meals and the people who enjoy them. As we top out the climb, looking out toward the Seacoast of New Hampshire from Mount Washington’s Alpine Garden, tinged with the beginnings of fall, it’s hard not to buy into Evan’s philosophy. Changing out of our sticky rubber shoes into flip flops at Great Glen, everyone’s glowing, happy with the experience of having ascended one of New England’s historic routes. On a mountain with a plethora of ways to the top including a road, Pinnacle certainly isn’t the easiest way to experience the mountain, but it’s one of the most rewarding. At Stages, where diners watch a creation in its final iteration from forest or seashore or mountain to fine cuisine, they often ask Hennessey how long it took to come up with a dish. “Well,” Hennessey says with a smile, “my entire career.” NH nhmagazine.com | October 2026 57
ILLUSTRATION BY LEO LINTANG GARETH
58 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
The fabled Bigfoot is feared and revered in New Hampshire BY EMILY REILY
60 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
“ This was not a bear. This was a cryptid. I’m no longer a skeptic. I’m certain of that.”
ILLUSTRATION BY RICH WOODALL
very region has its urban legend: The Mothman terrorizes West Virginia; Champy the lake monster calls Lake Champlain home; the Yeti roams the Himalayas. Then there’s Bigfoot. Estimated to be around 8 and 10 feet, covered in hair, and smelling like wet dog and rotting pine, Bigfoot lives in secluded, heavily wooded areas in New Hampshire, especially in Coos County, where he’s sometimes called a woods devil. You might know him before you see him; he may leave behind gargantuan footprints or visible damage to tree branches. Of course, Bigfoot has never been scientifically proven, so for now, he exists as a cryptid — a hidden, unexplained animal that lives on in anecdotes and unsubstantiated photos and videos. The Pacific Northwest has a high number of sightings, but in New England, New Hampshire ranks second in Sasquatchspotting. But does he really exist? The lack of concrete evidence hasn’t stopped the flow of sightings; reports abound on Bigfoot podcasts and private Facebook group pages. Former New England resident Jeremiah Byron started the Bigfoot Society podcast in 2019 to better understand cryptozoology, but now it’s a site where people can safely share their Bigfoot encounters. “These witnesses need a place where they can share what happened to them and not be ridiculed or made fun of,” Byron writes in an email. Byron first learned about Bigfoot from a 1977 episode of “In Search Of,” which includes images from Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin’s 1967 film, which is still debated today. Byron says he encountered Bigfoot in the Oregon Cascade Range in the Pacific Northwest. “In 2024, I was 30 miles out in the wilderness and we were roar / screamed at by something. In the same area, I found 16-inch footprints that were in a straight line coming out from the woods and stopping at the edge of a meadow,” Byron says. Byron, who has interviewed more than 1,000 people about the beast, says Bigfoot sightings don’t discriminate.
“Encounters can happen to anyone, from farmers to law enforcement to software developers,” Byron says. Recent New England sightings have made news headlines. Kevin Klimas reported seeing a “two-legged, 8-foot-tall creature covered with greasy, long brown hair,” while driving through the Connecticut woods on July 5, according to Boston.com. The Granite State is no different.
“New Hampshire itself is full of Bigfoot reports,” says Byron, including one involving a “Marlborough Monkey” in southwest New Hampshire. “Those sightings have gone on for years,” says Byron, who hears similarities among the stories. “Things I usually hear are, it is a hair covered bipedal creature that is 8 to 10 feet tall, it is not bothered by them and crosses roads very quickly. Its arms are much longer
than a human’s, and it has a large head with pronounced brow ridge and leathery type gray skin to its face,” he says. The area around Bear Brook State Park is another Bigfoot hot spot. “I have talked to more than a few hunters on my show where they have seen dark humanoid type figures in the woods, had rocks thrown at cabins and seen strange unexplained orbs in the woods,” Byron says.
And in Nottingham, someone reported “an 8-foot-tall Bigfoot standing beside the roadside as it was exhaling breath visibly in the cold air before retreating into the woods,” in 2018. “There is definitely something in the woods of New Hampshire that people are experiencing — something that is tall, covered in hair, and that may be much smarter than we are willing to admit,” Byron writes.
Aleksandar Petakov, a documentarian and outdoor adventurer, created the “Bigfoot: Beyond the Trail” docuseries, through his production company, Small Town Monsters. Petakov also searches for cryptozoological subjects like UFOs, “lake monsters” and “mystery big cats” in caves, abandoned sites and mines. Petakov has been interested in Bigfoot since he was a child, and remains adamant something is out there. He’s gathered stories
nhmagazine.com | October 2026 61
in Wyoming, and it sealed the deal. “I can't tell you how many stories like this I've heard from across North America at this point,” Petakov says. Petakov acknowledges he’s never actually seen one, but has seen behaviors similar to other reports, including strange “wood-knocking” sounds and/or rocks being thrown. “There is truly something strange going on in North America's wild places, New Hampshire included,” Petakov adds. Like Byron, Petakov has heard from all walks of life. “Credible sightings have happened to biologists, scientists, former military, law enforcement officers, hunters, fisherman, hikers and others, to those with no formal education to those
PHOTO COURTESY BIGFOOT SOURDOUGH
from all around New Hampshire. “I've interviewed people in person across the state, gotten emails and messages about sightings which I've followed up on. I've even helped organizations like the BFRO (Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization) bust a hoax of alleged Bigfoot footage from NH by using my drone to determine it was a stationary object filmed from a distance,” Petakov writes in an email to the magazine. One potential sighting from around 2000 involved a camper in the White Mountains who saw a large hand moving across the other side of his tent. Then he heard a “terrifying guttural noise that vibrated his chest,” Petakov says. At the time, the witness didn’t think it was Bigfoot, but years later, he heard about a similar incident witnessed by a wildlife biologist
Bigfoot Sourdough is big business in Milford Naming their bakery was easy for owners April Repoza and her daughter Bailey since they already had one foot in the cryptozoology world. April Repoza’s son, Doug Pedroza, formerly worked for the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine, now in Bangor, Maine. A picture of Doug with the museum’s Bigfoot replica, Crookston, is proudly displayed inside their “Bigfoot bread shed” in Milford. With the hash tag “Bigfoot Bakes Different” and the logo of a menacing, gorilla-like person wearing a T-shirt that’s two sizes too small (illustrated by Repoza’s friend), the shop makes sourdough pretzels and bagels, half-moon cookies and of course, sourdough bread. “We are not the normal sourdough bakers. We have quite the following by Bigfoot lovers, that’s for sure. We’ve had people come from all over New England,” says April in an email. The oversized name has also snagged the attention of print and TV news media as well as Bigfoot watchers. Repoza says customers often leave behind “presents” like Bigfoot-themed signs, statues, stained glass, and even earrings. “We are known for our crazy creations. We call it kind of our Bigfoot chaos,” says Repoza. Instagram: Bigfootsourdough • bigfootsourdough@gmail.com
62 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
with advanced degrees,” Petakov writes. He has also found striking similarities among accounts. “Of the top 10 witnesses I've interacted with since 2015, virtually none of them were looking for it. They were hunting, hiking, camping, on a job or somehow recreating in the woods. They were in a rural wooded area and encountered a large hairy man-like creature(s) that we are told aren't supposed to exist. Therein lies the enigma,” Petakov writes. But breaking down Bigfoot sightings frame by frame is only one side of the coin. The Bigfoot name and the mystery it evokes can draw curious onlookers and become a unique tourist and business draw. Bigfoot festivals are common nationwide; Charmingfare Farm in Candia holds an annual “Scouting for Bigfoot” event, which includes guided tours, interactive forest activities and a Bigfoot Calling Contest. Since 2022, the Rochester Main Street Bigfoot Scavenger Hunt event has been held during the summer to promote what the city has to offer. But it doesn’t hurt that it’s Bigfoot-themed. Rochester Main Street Executive Director Jeffrey Bisson says the idea hatched in 2022, when the city’s website, the Rochester Post, ran the story “Mysterious family of Bigfoot spotted in downtown Rochester.” The town was gobsmacked when the post went viral and flooded the city’s website. “A lot of people didn’t realize it was promoting a scavenger hunt. So many people clicked through to the city website that it actually crashed. It was phenomenal,” Bisson says. “We absolutely did not anticipate how much attention it would get. The story started getting shared all over the country,” Bisson adds. The scavenger hunt includes 11 wood cutouts; each with a big foot attached with instructions for an individual challenge. For an extra layer of fun, the 12th Bigfoot has been hobnobbing around Rochester. If the Big Man shows up, kids can doodle or draw on the imposing cutout. “Most of the challenges involve taking a photo or video doing something specific. One of them is simply joining our newsletter so that we can track that entry,” Bisson says.
PHOTO BY MARK BOLTON
Rochester Main Street Executive Director Jeffrey Bisson stands with one of the 12 wood cutouts located around town as part of the organization's Bigfoot Scavenger Hunt.
nhmagazine.com | October 2026 63
Whether you believe in Bigfoot or not, there are signs of him (or her) all around New Hampshire in the form of special events, festivals and statues, along with numerous podcasts and YouTube pages. There’s also a Bigfoot statue in Hinsdale, on Northfield Road, Route 63, 2 miles south of Route 119, near Ashuelot Rail Trail. Here’s a small selection of sightings and resources.
YOUTUBE LINKS, PODCASTS NH witness accounts, YouTube: 603Bigfoot.com NH Sasquatch, YouTube: @newhampshiresasquatch6869 Possible Sasquatch tracks in New Hampshire, YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=NZiEFeHCIU0 Jeremiah Byron’s Bigfoot Society podcast: bigfootsocietypodcast.com Aleksandar Petakov website, other links: petakovmedia.com
2027 BIGFOOT FESTIVAL Bigfoot Weekend, Moose Hillock Camping Resorts, Warren; Hunt for Bigfoot Golfcart Parade and Expedition costume contest, June 11-13, 2027 Visit: moosehillock.com/event/hunt-for-bigfootgolfcart-parade/
Recurring events Big Foot Scavenger Hunt: Waterville Valley Resort: family-friendly, guided nature hikes Bigfoot Hunt: Somersworth Public Library, all ages Bigfoot Maple Products’ Bigfoot Maple Days / NH Maple Weekend: Loon Pond Road, Gilmanton Scouting for Bigfoot: A Family Forest Adventure at Charmingfare Farm, Candia. The Rochester Main Street Bigfoot Scavenger Hunt: Summer, downtown Rochester
ORGANIZATIONS The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization: bfro.net Facebook: facebook.com/groups/BFRO.group Center for Inquiry, Amherst, NY: https://centerforinquiry.org Founded by Carl Sagan, Isaac Asimov and others; formerly known as the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP)
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PHOTO BY WIRESTOCK CREATORS
The New Hampshire Bigfoot Society: facebook.com/groups/672746013531591
The Patterson–Gimlin Bigfoot Film: Hoax or Proof? The Patterson–Gimlin film is a 1967 American short motion picture, created by friends Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin, that depicts an unidentified subject that the filmmakers stated was a Bigfoot. The footage was shot in 1967 in northern California, and has since been subjected to many attempts to authenticate or debunk it. The footage was filmed alongside a tributary of the Klamath River, about 25 logging road miles northwest of Orleans, California, in Del Norte County on the Six Rivers National Forest. The film site spans about 38 miles. For decades, the exact location of the site was lost, primarily due to foliage regrowth in the stream bed after a flood in 1964. It was rediscovered in 2011. Patterson died of cancer in 1972 and "maintained right to the end that the creature on the film was real." Gimlin, meanwhile, has always denied being involved in any part of a hoax with Scan the QR code to view Patterson. the video
The organization is always refining the scavenger hunt. This year, Rochester Main Street has created an extended family of Bigfoot cutout creatures and a story arc, including “Bigfoot’s old college friends — Alien and Mothman joined us last year — and this year, Bigfoot brought his cousin, the Grinch,” Bisson says. Many were painted by Rochester Main Street organizers; last year, kids from the Maple Street Magnet School helped out. “They did an incredible job on them and put a lot of extra care into decorating and sealing them,” Bisson says. To keep the event going, the organization relies on sponsorships and sales of the cutouts. Those funds go toward new Bigfoot cutouts to keep Sasquatch clean and safe from New Hampshire’s harsh weather elements. But despite logging miles of reports with no hard conclusion, another question lingers: Why do people continue to look for him?
“It is (one) of the world’s greatest mysteries. Mankind longs for the adventure that has been taken from us as more technology becomes prevalent,” Byron says. Bisson calls the hunt for Bigfoot a “modern-day fairy tale.” “I think there is something pretty universal about people wanting to believe that there are still magical, mysterious, or fantastical things somewhere out in the world that we haven’t discovered yet. Bigfoot has become a great representation of that,” Bisson says. “I think relatively few people are willing to say with absolute certainty that something like that could never exist,” Bisson says, pointing out that some animals once thought to be extinct are later rediscovered. For example, the coelacanth, an ancient fish once determined to have gone extinct in the Late Cretaceous period, was found alive in 1938.
Bisson says that fact means nothing is certain. “It leaves just enough possibility to make the idea exciting,” Bisson says, though the discovery of such an animal would be extraordinary. “Obviously, discovering a 10-foottall, gorilla-like humanoid would be on an entirely different level, but those real-world discoveries leave that little bit of ‘what if?’ It’s the mystery and the unknown,” Bisson says. Despite the lack of evidence that Sasquatch is real, mankind’s reactions to the prospect of an unknown, possibly dangerous, animal lurking in the woods elicits a fundamental reaction. “No matter if it is a hiker or a home owner, there always seems to be a primal response in the witness — like as humans, we know about these creatures and how we should react to their presence. There seems to be a primal awakening of fear or apprehension that always comes up,” Byron says. Petakov says that now with AI’s footprint increasing across social media, it’s even more difficult to authenticate a sighting. “Most of what you hear online nowadays regarding Bigfoot is bogus and largely fake, especially in the era of AI. Like social media, largely it has ruined our abilities to communicate properly, and empowered bad actors to seek attention far beyond Bigfoot and the paranormal. The most interesting stories and pieces of evidence about Bigfoot are almost buried under a mountain of garbage,” Petakov says. But as technology evolves, humankind’s need for adventure and the search for the unknown remains. “I believe that Bigfoot is the one way we can get that adventure back in our life and return to where we should be, which is the great outdoors,” Byron says. Petakov loves the adventure aspect a Bigfoot search brings. “I've found possible footprints and a handprint, heard other strange vocalizations and chronicled many witness encounter stories. These handful of experiences are enough for me to continue the pursuit and enjoy the adventure,” Petakov writes. NH nhmagazine.com | October 2026 65
ANTHONY CARUSO remembers the days when having the opportunity to drink a beer next to the tank it was brewed in was enough to draw people in to a brewery. “In 2026, it’s very different,” the general manager and COO of Henniker Brewing says. “We have to have events to get people out here. … It’s a much more diverse business than it was 15 years ago.” With good, craft beer approaching dime-a-dozen levels of ubiquity — not to mention a general decline in alcohol consumption — New Hampshire’s breweries have had to get creative to stand out and stay successful. Often, that means expanding their offers to include community-centric events, like book clubs, trivia nights, and, in at least one instance, evenings dedicated to playing Dungeons & Dragons. Here are four who are doing just that particularly well.
BY KARA MCGRATH
66 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
PHOTO BY PAVEL SIAMIONOV
With clubs, crafts, live music and more, these local breweries are modern-day neighborhood gathering places
PHOTOS BY JODIE ANDRUSKEVICH
68 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
Henniker Brewing 129 Centervale Road, Henniker Whatever your event is, Henniker Brewing has the space. Located in a former medical supply facility, “the building is huge,” general manager and COO Anthony Caruso says. It’s also sort of in the middle of the woods. “We’re not on the main drag of things. It’s hard to get people to come back here.” So, the team has created reasons for customers to make the trek: On top of pouring beers, an eclectic calendar of community events has become a pillar of the business. “I’ll try (hosting) anything once,” Caruso says. The list of things he’s tried hosting include a winter indoor disc golf putting league, comedy shows, a running club, motorcycle poker nights, trivia, a barbecue competition, craft nights and an annual free-to-enter Oktoberfest, complete with food trucks and live music. Some of the biggest events are the Sip & Shops, which happen three times a year. Caruso invites 30 local vendors (60 during
the holidays, when the event spans two days) to sell their wares, free of charge. Most of them are people he’s met when they were visiting the taproom. “I say, ‘Hey, you make hats and you’ve never tried to sell them? Want to try to sell them? Let’s see how it goes,’ ” Caruso says. “It’s just supporting the people who are supporting us.” The brewery has also become a friendly space for local metal bands. “They just have no (other) venue. Nowhere wants them to play.” Since Henniker Brewing is fairly isolated, “you can play as loud as you want,” Caruso says. “You can’t even hear them in the tap room.” They hosted a “two-day backwoods metal festival” last year, with 17 different bands and the biggest crowd Caruso says they’ve ever had. The event, Dysfunction Junction, returned this year on Sept. 26. Of course, they also brew and sell beer to enjoy. While they offer a wide range of
Above: Jeff Rasey from Branford, Conn., shows off his flight of beers he selected while on a visit to the Henniker Brewing Company. Left: Bartender Allison Capozzo pulls a draft at the Henniker Brewing Company. nhmagazine.com | October 2026 69
PHOTOS BY JENN BAKOS
varieties, Caruso calls the beer generally “traditional”: you won’t find a lactosepumped sour on tap, for example. There are about six core brews and six that rotate depending on the season: When Caruso did this interview in late July, they were about to replace their summer options with more autumnal flavors, like a German Oktoberfest Märzen and Flapjack, a double maple brown ale. They also serve alcoholic seltzers and nonalcoholic beers. Henniker Brewing also brings in rotating food trucks that sell dishes Caruso says people can’t easily get otherwise in the area. This has the double benefit of supporting other local businesses and allowing the space to stay dog friendly, since they don’t have a kitchen that serves food. “Almost every single person here owns a dog, so we care about dogs a lot,” Caruso says. (Human children are also welcome.) Caruso admits that all of this is a lot of work, especially for someone without any previous formal event planning experience. But to him — a person born and raised in New Hampshire — the extra effort is worth it. “If we’re not making money, at least we’re bringing people together and giving them a reason to live in Henniker,” Caruso says. “We’re just trying to keep New Hampshire businesses alive, through community … and also beer.”
Auspicious Brew
1 Washington St., Suite 1103, Dover
Helen and Jay Leavitt, proud owners of Auspicious Brew, proudly stand in their current taproom with plans to expand.
70 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
The tagline for Auspicious Brew is “A place where all are welcome who welcome all.” “We started as New Hampshire’s first kombucha brewery, which is a cool title,” says co-owner Helen Leavitt, who runs Auspicious with her partner, Jay. “But it also means that we opened up a business in a state that is less familiar with our main product.” From the beginning, Leavitt insisted that they would not just be a big factory that no one could visit. “I wanted it to be a gathering space,” Leavitt says. She knew they’d need to create a welcoming spot that people wanted to visit even if they weren’t huge kombucha fans yet. That project is something that “has just sort of fed itself,” Leavitt says. “Every single event we’ve ever done has led to the next
Above: Auspicious' menu includes a lineup of kombucha, food, cocktails, beer and other mocktails. Left: The brewery has become a community hub for events ranging from movie nights to live music and drag performances.
event that we do.” The community event calendar includes poetry nights, wellness workshops, writers’ groups, group fitness classes, book club meetings, movie nights, clothing swaps, craft nights, drag performances and “queeraoke.” Halloween weekend is always big for Auspicious, partially because it falls right before their anniversary on Nov. 1. This year, there will be a DJ costume party. There’s also lots of live music, most Saturdays and Sundays as well as throughout the week. “It started with a pretty small radius of local bands” that just kept growing as the musicians who played referred their friends. Leavitt says she rarely has to try to find someone to play anymore. “I’m just kind of fielding the inquiries and seeing who’s going to fit in best.” “Fitting in” at Auspicious Brew just means embodying their “all are welcome” motto.
“We are a queer- and trans-owned business, so this sentiment of ‘all are welcome who welcome all’ is just for community safety,” Leavitt says. “There are a lot of queer and gender-nonconforming people who come to our space. We’re just trying to cultivate an environment where everybody feels like they can be out in the world and have fun and connect with people.” The success of the business — which started in late 2019 — especially the event aspect, “still kind of blows my mind,” Leavitt says. As far as the brews go, there are tons of rotating flavor options, maybe “50, 60 or 70 a year,” Leavitt estimates. Farmer’s Lemonade is “hands down across the board” the best seller. “It’s lavender lemonade inspired, with lavender, lemon and butterfly pea flower. It’s deep purple, floral and citrusy.” In the brewery, there are eight kombuchas
on draft that rotate seasonally, plus a fridge stocked with the same products you can buy in stores. They sell two types of kombucha: a low ABV (1%) option and a classic hard kombucha (5%). There’s also food — noodle bowls and sandwiches plus lots of snacks and pickled things, all made from scratch and sourced locally — and craft, seasonal cocktails. And if you’re really dying for a beer, they have that too, sourced from other Seacoast-area breweries. Auspicious Brew is raising money — both via traditional lenders and GoFundMe — so they can expand into the space directly above them, which would more than triple their footprint. “It’s not uncommon for our place to get pretty packed,” Leavitt says. “For a lot of events, every seat is taken or has to be standing room only.” Adding that extra floor “would allow us to pursue essentially every goal we have for the next five to 10 years,” including adding events that require more space and expanding the kitchen and fridge space, which would lead to a larger food menu and wider kombucha distribution. “I’m not getting rich doing this,” Leavitt says. “I’m working my butt off so that people in our community can have a place to gather, and also to express their creativity.” nhmagazine.com | October 2026 71
To Share Brewing Company 720 Union St., Manchester
community members can attend one of To Share’s regular events, like book club, run club, live music performances, summer camp (“for both young individuals and those of us who are young at heart”), emo night and regular Dungeons and Dragons sessions. The brewery is explicitly family-friendly, with board games, pinball and events for kids. Like many of the other breweries on this list, To Share serves a variety of beers that rotates seasonally, but there’s a core list of an American lager, German helles, pilsner, several IPAs and a hard seltzer. “We learned early that the neighborhood has a diverse population with a diverse palette,” says Jennifer, who identifies as a “seasonal beer drinker.” “In order to serve them well, and so we don’t get bored, we like to try new things.” To Share also hosts a lot of community fundraising events, including a series called Pints and Flights for Charity, during which the brewery partners with a local nonprofit and donates a portion of sales for the day to that organization. One partner is Ink 4 Pink, a New England nonprofit that works
with tattoo shops that offer post-treatment tattoos, like ones that camouflage scars or that look like realistic 3D nipples and eyebrows. This one is particularly close to Jennnifer, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024. They’ll also raise funds for individuals who’ve been through a traumatic life event, like a car accident, the loss of a family member or cancer diagnoses. “This year we received a grant from the American Express Main Street Foundation to help us expand that work,” Jennifer says. “We’re focused on increasing our capacity to host private events (and) offer the space at a significantly reduced cost for some of our nonprofit partners.” To Share’s core values are literally spelled out on their website, along with a code of conduct that insists customers contribute to an environment that is respectful and inclusive. “We are welcoming to everyone in our community,” Jennifer says. “You need to be a nice human, but otherwise we want you to be able to come in and have a beverage.”
PHOTOS BY JODIE ANDRUSKEVICH
When Jennifer and Aaron Share decided to open a brewery in Manchester, they were committed to building a neighborhoodspecific community. “In a lot of the places that we have traveled, each neighborhood has a little bit of a different flair. You could walk to things outside of the downtown corridor,” Jennifer Share says. “You didn't really see that that much then in Manchester.” So far, it seems, that goal has been a success. “So many of our regular customers walk or bike to the brewery,” Jennifer says. When she and Aaron bought a house, they purchased one within walking distance as well. “We have been able to cultivate a group of people who live in the neighborhood who did not know each other before the brewery was there, who now meet up every week. And we have seen engagements and marriages and babies and graduations. We have also lost humans and been a place where people can come when life isn't so easy. That community (is what) continues to help us do what we do every day.” Beyond just meeting up to share a drink,
Bartender Jackie Berthiaume serves Nick Gendron at To Share Brewing Company in Manchester. To her left is fellow bartender Scott Milne. 72 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
Friends gather at To Share Brewing Company. From left: Ken Easthouse, Eric Bernard, Jason Giotas, John Loniselle and Anneliese Lenaghan.
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Enjoying a beer on a late Friday afternoon at the Black Cloud Brewing Company in Keene are, from left, David Munn, Jack Munn, Arnold Coombs and Max Coombs.
74 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
PHOTOS BY JODIE ANDRUSKEVICH
Black Cloud Brewing Company co-owner Tom DuFault serves a customer on a Friday afternoon in Keene.
Black Cloud Brewing Company 100 Main St., Keene The majority of the seven co-owners of Black Cloud Brewing Company worked together at the Keene location of Modestman Brewing, which previously occupied the space where Black Cloud is now. “We came together because we wanted to keep great beer on Main Street,” George Colarullo says. “We’re doing it our way.” Having already worked at a brewery in town for years, the group had gathered plenty of feedback from the community about what they wanted most in a new establishment. For starters, serving a bigger variety of beer; currently Black Cloud has 14 on tap. “We’re definitely flagshipping IPAs,” Colarullo says, noting that Surge, a New England IPA, is the one they’re most excited about at the moment. Black Cloud also makes pale ales, sours, pilsners, American lager and dark beer, like a red ale that supports the local fire department. “A dollar per pint and a dollar per four pack goes to them,” Colarullo says. Then there’s the pizza, which this local can confirm is delicious. Colarullo says that having an “amazing food menu” was a nonnegotiable when they were making the business plan. “Really quality beer will bring people in,” Colarullo says. “But to be successful, you do have to have a quality food program too.” Being involved in community events was also one of the big priorities for Colarullo and his co-owners in reopening the space. They immediately figured out how to be involved with the Wyman Tavern Brew
Fest, an annual fundraiser for the Historical Society of Cheshire County that brings together craft beer, cider, and spirit makers from all over New England. When we spoke, Keene Music Festival in September was top of mind: Black Cloud would be hosting a fundraiser for the festival, and would be one of the stages for performers on the day of the actual event. When Pumpkin Festival rolls around in October, Black Cloud will surely have a presence. They’re also hosting events of their own. Thursday is Trivia Night, which Colarullo says usually draws a crowd of eight to 15 teams. Wednesdays are the biggest night of the week: There’s a weekly Stitch N Bitch circle (a meetup for chatty crafters), rotating events like paint night and puzzle-completing contests, plus the first Wednesday of the month is 15% off for first responders and teachers while the last of the month is for people who work in the restaurant and bar industry as well as healthcare workers. Colarullo won’t say much about what they have coming next, though he does tease that they’re brewing up some fun ideas for football season. Unsurprisingly, taking all that community feedback has paid off so far. Colarullo says that people have been extremely grateful that the space is being occupied again. “The fact that we’ve had customers come up two or three times just to say, ‘Thank you for doing what you’re doing,’ has been awesome.” NH
Still thirsty? Sometimes, it’s the event space that brings in the local brewers. Here are four more spots that serve beer on the side of their core purpose.
Treeline Outfitters 125 Brewery Lane, Portsmouth
This outdoor apparel store doubles as a taproom, with local beer and tasty snacks. They also host events both inside and out, like pints and Pilates classes, a gravel cycling club, and Mamas in Motion, a weekly dog- and kid-friendly meetup for moms.
Defiant Records & Craft Beer 609 Main St. 101, Laconia
Defiant is a record store-meets-taproom with a rotating list of New England-made beer on draft. On top of a curated selection of vinyl to browse, there’s also plenty of live music and comedy shows.
Reedmor Books & Brews 67 State St., Portsmouth
Nothing goes better with a book than a pint of beer. Reedmor is owned by a fourth-generation bookseller (the first Reedmor opened in 1928 in Philadelphia) and serves up New England brews amid its well-stocked shelves. Plus, they host book clubs for just about every type of reader.
Boards and Brews 941 Elm St., Manchester License plates adorn a wall at the Black Cloud Brewing Company in Keene.
For a $5 per-person entry fee, visitors to Boards and Brews get access to their library of over 2,000 tabletop games. The space is also a full-service restaurant, complete with local beers on tap.
nhmagazine.com | October 2026 75
We are the MOVEMENT. We are the HOPE. We are the FUTURE
Making Strides Exeter Lincoln Street School • Exeter, N.H. Sunday, October 18 Walk starts at 11:00 a.m. MakingStridesWalk.org/Exeter
76 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
Making Strides NH Memorial Field • Concord, N.H. Sunday, October 25 Walk starts at noon MakingStridesWalk.org/NH
PROMOTION
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BREAST HEALTH AWARENESS
POWER SCREEN TIME Early detection is the best defense for fighting breast cancer. New Hampshire health providers offer the latest screening technology and innovative treatment options.
I
t’s the appointment that could save your life. Regular screening for breast cancer is the most important step women can take to protect themselves from a disease that kills an average of 173 women in New Hampshire every year, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services. The Granite State is also home to nearly 18,000 breast cancer survivors. “Most breast cancers (76 percent) are found in the early stages, when treatment is more likely to be successful,” according to a fact sheet at dhhs.nh/gov. On the following pages, read about New Hampshire and providers who offer state-of-the art screening technology and treatment.
AWARENESS, SCREENING, PREVENTION, ADVOCACY, SUPPORT nhmagazine.com | October 2026 77
PROMOTION
A ROUTINE SCREENING FLIPPED THE SCRIPT Dr. Taylor-Black knew the importance of mammograms; her cancer diagnosis made it personal
In July 2025, Sarah Taylor-Black went for her regular screening mammogram. Even when she was called back for more imaging, an ultrasound and ultimately a biopsy, she wasn’t overly concerned. “I wasn’t really too worried at first because sometimes they see things that turn out to be nothing,” Taylor-Black says. “I was like, ‘Oh, I’m sure they’re just being thorough.’ ” In the United States, about 10% of mammograms lead to additional testing, according to the National Cancer Institute. Of those, only 7% lead to a diagnosis of cancer. “Then, I saw the biopsy results,” TaylorBlack says, “and I was like, ‘Okay, well, that’s not good.’ ” As a physician and allergist, her medical training provided context other patients may not have had. “I knew that I had a pretty good chance. … I wasn’t terrified,” she says. “I was like, ‘It’s going to be a pain, but I’ll probably be fine.’ ” On Sept. 16, she was diagnosed with stage 78 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
1 triple-negative breast cancer, an invasive breast cancer that does not have estrogen or progesterone receptors or produce too much of the HER2 protein. This type of breast cancer tends to grow and spread faster than most other types of invasive breast cancer, but when caught at a localized stage 1, it has a 91% five-year relative survival rate. “It always feels like, ‘Oh, that would never happen to me,’ until it does,” she says. Taylor-Black was 47 when she went for the mammogram that led to her diagnosis. Although there was cancer on her father’s side of the family, she had no family history of breast cancer and no identified genetic risk. While breast cancer remains less common among younger women, diagnoses in women under 50 have been increasing. Between 2012
and 2022, the breast cancer incidence rate among women younger than 50 rose about 1.4% annually, compared with about 1% among women 50 and older. Dr. Linda Vahdat, a specialist in triple-negative breast cancer, and Lindsay Nelson, an oncology nurse practitioner, helped oversee her care. Taylor-Black was offered the option of beginning with either chemotherapy or surgery for her 1.5-centimeter tumor. She chose chemotherapy first because it would allow her care team to see how the tumor responded before surgery. After surgery in March, radiation treatments followed. Taylor-Black was accustomed to Dartmouth Health as a physician, treating patients at its Concord clinic. Cancer put her on the other side of that relationship. Her own care took her throughout the Dartmouth Health system, with appointments in Lebanon, Manchester and Nashua. She didn’t have to navigate those appointments alone, even though she had the expertise to understand what was happening.
Through her treatment, she found she had a strong support system. “I was really lucky,” she says. “People brought me a lot of food. I got a lot of presents. I joked that it was like Cancer Christmas. People brought me things like blankets, snacks, ginger chews, lotions and lip balms, which was really nice.” Her husband attended her chemotherapy treatments. Her mother, mother-in-law and friends accompanied her to visits and assisted her with cold capping.
“It always feels like, ‘Oh, that would never happen to me,’ until it does,” — Sarah Taylor-Black “Friends would help get the dry ice for that,” Taylor-Black says. “You have these little weird cold hats that go on your head, and you have to keep them frozen and cycle them out every 20 minutes.” She retained most of her hair through 14 of 16 treatments before it began to fall out in clumps. Even with her own medical background, Taylor-Black sees value in having someone else in the room. A second set of ears, she says, can help patients retain and process the volume of information they’re receiving. Medications helped control the side effects of chemotherapy well enough that TaylorBlack continued working throughout treatment. She also kept running, although less than usual. Outside work, she enjoys gardening and spending time with her two teenagers and their dog. Now, Taylor-Black says she feels “pretty much back to normal.” Her hair is growing back, and her next mammogram is scheduled for October, followed by a visit with her surgeon. Her experience has given the routine screening a different significance. “Don’t ever skip a mammogram when it’s your time,” she advises. “Don’t ever skip one. They’re annoying, but they’re a lot better than metastatic cancer, that’s for sure. I always think about that a lot: What if I had just put it off even longer?”
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PO Box 1576 • Portsmouth, NH • 603.759.5640 nhmagazine.com | October 2026 2025 79
Breast Density and Cancer: Is There a Connection? Dartmouth Cancer Center breast cancer experts decode breast density: what it means, why dense breasts are challenging to read on a mammogram, and when to consider supplemental screening options.
FROM LEFT: CAROL HUNTLEY-SMITH, APRN AND MARK W. JOHNSON, MD.
N
early half of all women have dense breasts. In September 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began requiring that mammogram reports include a determination of breast density, which should be described as either “not dense” or “dense.” But when a mammogram report says you have “dense” breasts, it can raise a lot of questions. Does it mean you’re more likely to get breast cancer? Will a mammogram still detect cancer? Should you have additional screening? For Carol Huntley-Smith, APRN, a general surgery advanced nurse practitioner at Dartmouth Cancer Center in Keene, these questions are a routine part of caring for patients with breast cancer, as well as those with concerns such as a breast lump or family history of breast cancer. She answers by opening conversations with her patients about breast anatomy and how breast density is determined. In basic terms, breast tissue is composed of lobules (which produce milk), ducts (which deliver milk to the nipples), “fibroglandular” or fibrous tissue (which gives breasts their structure and shape), and fat (which fills the remaining space). “It’s normal for breasts to feel lumpy and bumpy, but breast density isn’t determined by how breasts feel or look,” HuntleySmith says. “Instead, it’s a measurement made by a radiologist based on the ratio of fibroglandular tissue to fat in your breast tissue as seen on a mammogram.”
slightly more fibrous than fatty in this category. About 40% of women fall into this category. • Mainly Fatty (Category A): This is the least dense category, where the breasts appear darkest on a mammogram. About 10% of women are in Category A.
Breast density levels Huntley-Smith explains that there are four levels of breast density, with two categorized as dense and two as non-dense: • Extremely Dense (Category D): This is the highest density category, with breast tissue that is mostly fibroglandular. About 10% of women fall into this category. • Heterogeneously Dense (Category C): This category has more fibrous than fatty tissue. About 40% of women have heterogeneously dense breasts. • Scattered Fibroglandular Density (Category B): The ratio is
Supplemental screening options Because of the challenges in screening dense breasts, supplemental screening may be recommended in addition to mammograms. Supplemental screening options currently available at Dartmouth Health include: • Breast MRI: For individuals at high risk of breast cancer, a full breast MRI may be recommended. MRI is more sensitive than a mammogram and can often detect abnormalities at an earlier stage. However, full breast MRIs are costly, and insurance coverage can be a challenge.
Breast density and mammograms As far as imaging goes, mammograms are the most effective way to detect breast cancer, and what radiologists and the Society of Breast Imaging recommend annually. However, increased breast density can make it more difficult for radiologists to accurately interpret mammograms. Dartmouth Health Radiologist Mark W. Johnson, MD, specializes in reading mammograms. He explains that the fibroglandular tissue of dense breasts appears white on a mammogram, and cancer also appears white. This can make it challenging to spot potentially concerning white areas, such as tumors, against the white background of dense breast tissue. “While the majority of women with dense breasts never develop breast cancer, increasing density is one of many factors that increases risk,” Johnson says. “And increased density also goes along with a decreased sensitivity of mammography.” This means that in dense breasts, there’s a slightly higher chance that a mammogram might miss something.
• Abbreviated Breast MRI: A shorter version of the full MRI is offered to those who have no significant risk factors for breast cancer other than heterogeneously (Category C) or extremely dense (Category D) breast tissue. The abbreviated version has about the same sensitivity and specificity as a full breast MRI. While insurance coverage is improving, abbreviated breast MRI may not always be covered. At this time, in 2026, the scan may result in an out-of-pocket cost of around $500. • Contrast-Enhanced Mammography (CEM): An emerging technology, CEM involves the injection of contrast media like that used in a computed tomography (CT) scan. It has similar benefits to MRI.
Mammogram reports are now required to include a person’s breast density information and potential for increased risk of breast cancer. “This change was likely to invoke many more questions to providers,” says Petra J. Lewis, MBBS, FAAR, FACR, Breast Imaging Section Chief at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. She created a visual analogy to help providers explain breast density categories. Category A: The breasts are almost entirely fatty; Category B: There are scattered areas of fibroglandular density; Category C: The breasts are heterogeneously dense, which may obscure small masses; Category D: The breasts are extremely dense, which lowers the sensitivity of mammography.
Which type of screening do you need? In addition to the FDA’s recent requirement to disclose breast density statuses on mammogram reports, for those described as “dense,” the report summary should include suggestions about other imaging tests that may be helpful. Providers also sometimes use risk models like the TyrerCuzick risk model, which incorporates breast density along with other factors, to calculate an individual’s risk of breast cancer and make recommendations for screening types and frequency. “For patients with no family history, whose own risk of breast cancer is less than 15 percent, typically an annual screening mammogram is suggested,” Johnson says. “Patients at 15% to 20% risk are in an intermediate zone. Because there may be challenges obtaining insurance coverage for a full breast MRI, we also offer abbreviated MRI. Patients who are greater than 20% are in a higher risk category. We may follow these patients with mammography alternating with MRI every six months.” Decisions around breast cancer screening frequency and type are individual and are best discussed with your primary care provider or a breast specialist. Learn more Understanding breast density is crucial for breast health and for early detection when cancer is most treatable. The most important step is knowing your own breast density, understanding your personal risk, and talking with your healthcare provider about whether routine mammography is enough or whether supplemental screening makes sense for you. The American Cancer Society also offers an excellent guide to understanding breast density and mammograms. “Get comfortable with what your own breasts look like and feel like so that if there is a change, you can tell somebody,” Huntley-Smith says.
nhmagazine.com | October 2026 81
PROMOTION
The Future of Breast Imaging As one of the nation’s few National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Centers, Dartmouth Cancer Center advances medicine through research and clinical trials. Physician researcher Roberta M. diFlorio-Alexander, MD, MS, is a Dartmouth Health radiologist specializing in women’s imaging and breast cancer research. Here, she highlights a couple of clinical trials aimed at advancing breast imaging. “Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most sensitive breast imaging exam and provides exquisite soft tissue detail. However, it has some drawbacks, including the need for intravenous (IV) contrast and a moderately high false positive rate (identifying abnormalities that are not cancer). We have several studies in progress to improve breast MRI by combining MRI with other technologies: • Detecting breast cancer without injections or radiation: A type of MRI called dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI requires an injection of a special dye called gadolinium, which may have safety risks. In this project, we want to develop and evaluate the combination of two technologies: near-infrared spectroscopy, which uses harmless near-infrared light to gather information about breast tissue, with current MRI imaging platforms. Our goal is to create a combined system that accurately detects breast
cancer without contrast injections or ionizing radiation, and to explore whether the combination performs as well as current methods. If successful, this new approach could offer a safer and more comfortable way to diagnose breast cancer. • Microwave + MRI for improved diagnosis: This study aims to improve the accuracy of breast MRI by combining breast MRI with microwave imaging in a technique referred to as “simultaneous Microwave and Magnetic Resonance Imaging” (sMMRI). The new system will gather additional information about breast tissue using microwaves at the same time as the MRI. This extra information will be precisely matched with the MRI images to differentiate non-cancerous abnormalities from cancerous ones. The microwave technology is also relatively inexpensive, which could help make this new approach more accessible. If successful, we will have a working sMMRI system ready for larger studies to see how well it can diagnose breast abnormalities. Ultimately, we want to achieve faster, safer, and more accurate diagnoses with fewer false alarms and less stress for patients,” diFlorio-Alexander explains.
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Women’s Life Imaging State-of-the-art breast cancer screening on the Seacoast. Our centers are led by fellowship-trained doctors and feature the latest advances in breast imaging and digital 3D technology proven to improve early detection of breast cancer and reduce unnecessary callbacks. Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Women’s Life Imaging also offers breast ultrasound, breast MRI, image-guided needle biopsy, a high-risk clinic, access to a breast health nurse navigator, bone density screening, and more.
wdhospital.org
67 Corporate Drive (Building A) | Portsmouth, NH
603-742-6673 82 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
200 Route 108 (Suite 3) | Somersworth, NH
PROMOTION
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KENDAL J BUSH
More Than a Mammogram. A Partner in Breast Health.
L
ike many women, Shannon put off her annual mammogram. Busy schedules have a way of pushing preventive care down the list. But during a routine physical exam, her Elliot primary care doctor felt something unusual and referred her to Elliot Breast Health Center for additional testing. Her diagnosis? Stage 1 breast cancer. What followed was a year filled with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and difficult decisions. But Shannon never faced it alone. Our team of breast health specialists, nurse navigators, plastic surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, and genetic counselors guided Shannon through diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. Their coordination and
compassion ensured Shannon always had a trusted team by her side and confidence in the journey ahead. “I’m one of many, but when they’re with you, they’re with you. They’re focused on you,” Shannon says. “It’s the high level of personal care and knowing that they’re part of your team.” Today, Shannon is in remission and spends time supporting others facing cancer treatment. Her story is a reminder that breast health is about more than screenings and technology — it’s about having a care team dedicated to you. Book your next mammogram today with Elliot Breast Health Center: 603.668.3067. Same week appointments available.
Elliot Breast Health Center – River’s Edge | Manchester, NH • 603.668.3067 • ElliotHealthSystem.org/BreastHealth nhmagazine.com | October 2026 83
THIS
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
2026
NEW HAMPSIRE FIVE STAR AWARD WINNERS
These days, it takes a village to manage your financial world. In fact, many consumers have a hard time figuring out where to even begin. Sometimes, a few simple questions can put you off on the right path. Asking a professional what makes working with them a unique experience can help you understand how they work and if their style meshes with your own. This is a great place to start! Five Star Professional uses its own proprietary research methodology to name outstanding professionals, then works with publications such as New Hampshire Magazine to spread the word about award winners. Each award candidate undergoes a thorough research process (detailed here) before being considered for the final list of award winners. For the complete list of winners, go to www.fivestarprofessional.com.
RESEARCH DISCLOSURES
FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER
In order to consider a broad population of high-quality wealth managers, award candidates are identified by one of three sources: firm nomination, peer nomination or prequalification based on industry standing. Self-nominations are not accepted. New Hampshire-area award candidates were identified using internal and external research data. Candidates do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final lists of Five Star Wealth Managers. • The Five Star award is not indicative of a professional’s future performance. • Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. • The inclusion of a professional on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the professional by Five Star Professional or New Hampshire Magazine. • Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any professional is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected professionals will be awarded this accomplishment by Five Star Professional in the future. • Five Star Professional is not an advisory firm and the content of this article should not be considered financial advice. For more information on the Five Star Wealth Manager award program, research and selection criteria, go to fivestarprofessional.com/research. • 7,682 award candidates in the New Hampshire area were considered for the Five Star Wealth Manager award. 80 (approximately 1% of the award candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers.
Award candidates who satisfied 10 objective eligibility and evaluation criteria were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. Eligibility Criteria – Required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative. 2. Actively employed as a credentialed professional in the financial services industry for a minimum of five years. 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review. 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal firm standards. 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation Criteria – Considered: 6. One-year client retention rate. 7. Five-year client retention rate. 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered. 9. Number of client households served. 10. Education and professional designations. Regulatory Review: As defined by Five Star Professional, the wealth manager has not: been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; been convicted of a felony. Within the past 11 years the wealth manager has not: been terminated from a wealth management or financial services firm; filed for personal bankruptcy; had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them (and no more than five total pending, dismissed or denied) with any regulatory authority. Five Star Professional conducts a regulatory review of each nominated wealth manager using the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) website. Five Star Professional also uses multiple supporting processes to help ensure that a favorable regulatory and complaint history exists. Data submitted through these processes was applied per the above criteria; each wealth manager who passes the Five Star Professional regulatory review must attest that they meet the definition of favorable regulatory history based upon the criteria listed above. Five Star Professional promotes via local advertising the opportunity for consumers to confidentially submit complaints regarding a wealth manager.
DETERMINATION OF AWARD WINNERS CRITERIA
All award winners are listed in this publication.
Wealth Managers
Colleen Farley · Robbins Farley
Financial Planning
John F. Habig · Morgan Stanley Page 6
Michael W. Beck · LPL Financial/St Mary’s Financial Services Christian A. Beliveau · LPL Financial Jeremy W. Benoit · Benoit Financial Planners Page 4 Jim Dearden · Baystate Financial
Duane Goodell · Optimum Wealth, LLC
Jeffrey W. Keefe · Whole Wealth Management Page 7 Sarah Kenda · Financial Strategies Retirement Partners Page 5 Kevin L. Kimball · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC
Cynthia L. Kordys · Centaurus Financial, Inc.
Beth A. Plentzas · LPL Financial/ Northeast Planning Associates
Lou Athanas Jr. · Morgan Stanley Page 6
Chris Moore · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC
Nichole Raftopoulos · Nvest Financial Page 3
Ethan Betts · Baystate Financial
Lynn M. Munoz · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC/TW Financial Group Page7
Michael S. Riddell · Northeast Planning Associates, Inc.
Karen A. O’Donoghue · Beck Bode, LLC Lee Arthur Petersen · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC/LPM Advisory Group
Karen Shapiro · Green Future Wealth Management
Investments Colby Athanas · Morgan Stanley Page 6
Al Gilbert · Financial Strategies Retirement Partners Page 5 Celeste M. Monaghan · Monaghan Investment Resources, LLC Shawn Monty · Financial Strategies Retirement Partners Page 5 Andrew M. Rocco “Rocco” · Baystate Financial Page 2 Continued on FS-7
This award was issued on 09/01/2026 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 01/08/2026 through 06/30/2026. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Self-completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 7,682 New Hampshire-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 80 (1% of candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility Criteria – Required 1. Meets requirements to be an investment adviser representative (IAR) or a principal of a registered investment adviser (RIA). 2. Actively practicing as an IAR or principal of an RIA for a minimum of five years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria - considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com. LEARN MORE AT FIVESTARPROFESSIONAL.COM — F S - 1
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Andrew M. Rocco “Rocco”
Left to right: Tony Rocco, Operations Manager; Kate Flowers, Executive Assistant; Drew Rocco, Financial Services Professional; Fifteen-year winner Andrew M. Rocco, CLU®, ChFC®, Financial Advisor, Registered Representative
Boston Office: 1 Marina Park Drive, 16th Floor • Boston, MA 02210 Exeter Office: 149 Water Street • Exeter, NH 03833 Office: 603-418-0026 • Cell: 617-571-3208 (calls only) arocco@baystatefinancial.com
For more than 37 years, Rocco has been with Baystate Financial Services. His goal as a financial adviser is to build long-term relationships that help his clients reduce taxes, work toward their retirement objectives and attain financial confidence. Rocco offers a wide variety of products and services to his clients. He listens to them and thinks objectively in terms of how to best meet their specific needs. Due to Rocco’s work ethic, follow-through and commitment to his clients, he has become a well-respected financial advisor within his community. Andrew M. Rocco is a registered representative of and offers securities through MML Investors Services, LLC. Member SIPC. OSJ: 1 Marina Park Drive, 16th Floor Boston MA 02210. 617-585-4500. CRN202907-11640651.
This award was issued on 09/01/2026 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 01/08/2026 through 06/30/2026. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. New Hampshire-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 80 (1% of candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year 1,094, 87, 8%, 9/1/24, 12/12/23 - 7/9/24; 2023: 1,017, 89, 9%, 9/1/23, 12/12/22 - 6/30/23; 2022: 979, 87, 9%, 9/1/22, 12/20/21 - 6/17/22; 2021: 943, 96, 10%, - 7/17/18; 2017: 739, 89, 12%, 9/1/17, 12/27/16 - 7/6/17; 2016: 666, 158, 24%, 8/1/16, 2/6/16 - 7/19/16; 2015: 853, 166, 19%, 9/1/15, 2/6/15 - 7/19/15; 2014: The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility Criteria – Required 1. Meets requirements to be an investment adviser representative (IAR) or a principal of a registered investment adviser (RIA). 2. Actively that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria - considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com. F S - 2 — LEARN MORE AT FIVESTARPROFESSIONAL.COM
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
WEALTH MANAGERS
Nvest Financial, LLC
10
YEAR WINNER
Left to right: Lauren Dupuis; Kian Pashapour Nikoo; Stacey DeBartolo; Jack McGrath; Victoria Chernin; Chris Spaziani; Eileen Monahan; Daphne Lafazan; Ten-year winner Nichole Raftopoulos; George Raftopoulos; Dinon Hughes; Mina Sullivan; Justin Happ; Phoebe Garcia; Corbin Howe; Kelly Sullivan; Katie Khalek
Building Financial Confidence, One Relationship at a Time Nvest is an independent financial boutique working with people just like you: diverse, financially established individuals, families, business owners and nonprofit organizations who demand the highest quality of service and attention to detail in their financial matters. Founded in 2003, Nvest’s mission is built around providing clients with a holistic financial planning and investment experience. A team-centric approach allows Nvest to be a true financial partner with its clients. Above all else, Nvest’s core values guide our day-to-day activities, resulting in an experience like no other. If you are considering working with a financial planner, we would love the opportunity to sit down with you to see if we make a great team!
2 International Drive, Suite 110 • Portsmouth, NH 03801 Phone: 207-985-8585 info@nvestfinancial.com www.planwithnvest.com
We have office locations in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Danvers, Massachusetts; Kennebunk and Portland, Maine.
Nvest Financial, LLC is a Registered Investment Advisor. FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER
Self-completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 7,682 statistics use this format: YEAR: # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2025: 1,183, 82, 7%, 9/1/25, 12/25/24 - 7/18/25; 2024: 9/1/21, 11/30/20 - 6/25/21; 2020: 928, 91, 10%, 9/1/20, 12/9/19 - 7/1/20; 2019: 928, 85, 9%, 9/1/19, 11/19/18 - 7/10/19; 2018: 955, 74, 8%, 9/1/18, 12/26/17 1,045, 189, 18%, 9/1/14, 2/6/14 - 7/19/14; 2013: 1,049, 204, 19%, 9/1/13, 2/6/13 - 7/19/13; 2012: 743, 170, 23%, 9/1/12, 2/6/12 - 7/19/12. practicing as an IAR or principal of an RIA for a minimum of five years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor LEARN MORE AT FIVESTARPROFESSIONAL.COM — F S - 3
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
WEALTH MANAGERS
Jeremy W. Benoit CRPC®, AIF®, Lic. 2277073
8
YEAR WINNER
Left to right: Elyse Wholey; Elizabeth Benoit; 2015, 2016, 2018, 2022 – 2026, winner Jeremy W. Benoit, CRPC®, AIF®; David Carter; Tara Barnett; Kyle Birchall; Madison Bannister
Creating Financial Plans For Over 30 Years • Business retirement planning At Benoit Financial Planners, we work with individuals and families who are interested in developing a plan to assist in achieving their financial goals, as well as employers interested in providing employer-sponsored retirement plans for their employees. The long-standing relationships we cultivate with clients are the foundation Benoit Financial Planners is built upon. With more than 90 years of combined financial services experience, our team strives to provide clients with exceptional service that is prompt, professional and friendly.
• Retirement income and investment management • Personal financial planning
Our objective is to develop meaningful relationships built on integrity and proven long-term service. We hold the trust our clients place in us with the highest regard. As independent advisors, our loyalties lie with our clients. We have no incentive to choose one company over another and believe the client should be in control of how best to use the resources available at Benoit Financial Planners. Our goal is to empower clients and facilitate a thorough working knowledge of their financial plans through ongoing education.
17 Chenell Drive, Suite 2 • Concord, NH 03301 Phone: 603-506-6233 • jeremy@benoitfp.com www.benoitfp.com
Securities offered through Registered Representatives of Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory and financial planning services offered through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Adviser. Benoit Financial Planners and Cambridge are not affiliated. FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER
This award was issued on 09/01/2026 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 01/08/2026 through 06/30/2026. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. New Hampshire-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 80 (1% of candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year 1,094, 87, 8%, 9/1/24, 12/12/23 - 7/9/24; 2023: 1,017, 89, 9%, 9/1/23, 12/12/22 - 6/30/23; 2022: 979, 87, 9%, 9/1/22, 12/20/21 - 6/17/22; 2021: 943, 96, 10%, - 7/17/18; 2017: 739, 89, 12%, 9/1/17, 12/27/16 - 7/6/17; 2016: 666, 158, 24%, 8/1/16, 2/6/16 - 7/19/16; 2015: 853, 166, 19%, 9/1/15, 2/6/15 - 7/19/15; 2014: The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility Criteria – Required 1. Meets requirements to be an investment adviser representative (IAR) or a principal of a registered investment adviser (RIA). 2. Actively that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria - considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com. F S - 4 — LEARN MORE AT FIVESTARPROFESSIONAL.COM
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
WEALTH MANAGERS
Financial Strategies Retirement Partners
15
YEAR WINNER
Left to right: Forrest Butler, Senior Retirement Plan Consultant; Jess Jasiukowicz, Para Planner; 2013 – 2026 winner Al Gilbert, Partner; 2020 – 2026 winner Sarah Kenda, Partner; Travis Labrie, Senior Retirement Plan Consultant; Val McClendon, Director of Retirement Plan Design; Chris Conard, Director of Business Development; Lena Robison, Marketing and Communications Coordinator; Jay Roberto, Client Service Associate; Jamie Perkins, Client Relationship Manager; 2012 – 2026 winner Shawn Monty, CEO, Managing Partner; Dave Prendergast, COO; Dan Fraser, Director of Retirement Plan Operations; Maria Callaghan, Senior Financial Planner
Financial Guidance You Can Trust • Skilled, trusted professionals • Holistic financial planning approach • Retirement plan consulting for companies We’re passionate about advancing financial wellness. Backed by decades of experience, our team is committed to helping both individuals and businesses achieve their financial goals through personalized planning and advice. For individuals, we deliver thorough financial planning services designed to adapt with you. For businesses, we provide retirement plan guidance — including 401(k) and 403(b) solutions — offer employee education and act as co-fiduciaries for every plan we support. We’re grateful for the confidence our clients place in us. We’re also proud to recognize Shawn, Al and Sarah for earning the 2026 Five Star Wealth Manager award.
3 Executive Park Drive, Suite 205 • Bedford, NH 03110 Office: 603-627-1463 • Fax: 603-627-0663 info@fsrp.net www.fsrp.net
CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, Certified finanCial Planner®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Financial Strategies Retirement Partners is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER
Self-completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 7,682 statistics use this format: YEAR: # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2025: 1,183, 82, 7%, 9/1/25, 12/25/24 - 7/18/25; 2024: 9/1/21, 11/30/20 - 6/25/21; 2020: 928, 91, 10%, 9/1/20, 12/9/19 - 7/1/20; 2019: 928, 85, 9%, 9/1/19, 11/19/18 - 7/10/19; 2018: 955, 74, 8%, 9/1/18, 12/26/17 1,045, 189, 18%, 9/1/14, 2/6/14 - 7/19/14; 2013: 1,049, 204, 19%, 9/1/13, 2/6/13 - 7/19/13; 2012: 743, 170, 23%, 9/1/12, 2/6/12 - 7/19/12. practicing as an IAR or principal of an RIA for a minimum of five years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor LEARN MORE AT FIVESTARPROFESSIONAL.COM — F S - 5
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
WEALTH MANAGERS
The Athanas Group at Morgan Stanley Experience Matters • 49 years of combined money management experience • Fee-based asset management • Retirement planning and income solutions
15
YEAR WINNER
Left to right: Laura Voigt, Registered Client Service Associate; 2024 – 2026 winner Colby Athanas, Vice President, Portfolio Manager, Financial Advisor; 2012 – 2026 winner Lou Athanas Jr., Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management Director, Financial Advisor
One Harbour Place, Suite 125 • Portsmouth, NH 03801 Office: 603-422-8948 lou.athanas.jr@morganstanley.com louis.c.athanas@morganstanley.com advisor.morganstanley.com/athanas-group
If your family has $1 million or more in investable assets and is looking for guidance from a seasoned advisory team backed by the world-class resources of Morgan Stanley, we invite you to contact us for a confidential, no-obligation consultation. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss strategies designed to help preserve and grow your capital. Lou Athanas Jr. is a 2012 – 2026 Five Star Wealth Manager award winner. Colby Athanas is a 2024 – 2026 Five Star Wealth Manager award winner. Lou Athanas Jr., has 40 years of experience; Colby Athanas has 9 years of experience. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC offers a wide array of brokerage and advisory services to its clients, each of which may create a different type of relationship with different obligations to you. Please visit us at www.morganstanleyindividual.com or consult with your Financial Advisor to understand these differences. Morgan Stanley and its Financial Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals should seek advice based on their particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor. ©2026 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. CRC 5662832 07/26.
FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER
The Habig Group at Morgan Stanley Comprehensive Wealth Management Solutions • Senior Portfolio Management Director • Managing Director — Wealth Management
7
John is a Managing Director, Financial Advisor and Senior Portfolio Management Director at Morgan Stanley and has been with the firm or its predecessor firms for more than 35 years.
YEAR WINNER
Left to right: Kelly Curley, Portfolio Associate; 2020 – 2026 winner John F. Habig, Managing Director, Financial Advisor; Christopher Levin, CFP®*, FPS, Vice President, Portfolio Management Associate Director
One Harbour Place, Suite 125 Portsmouth NH 03801 Office: 603-422-8901 John.f.habig@morganstanley.com advisor.morganstanley.com/john.f.habig
He has been fortunate to have the opportunity to work with many high net worth clients. John’s goal is to understand your financial needs and then align those needs using the firm’s resources along with his professionalism, dedication, knowledge and experience. All of these things allow him to understand and assist you in developing and executing a strategy that is precisely your own and helps you achieve your goals. John Habig is a 2020 – 2026 Five Star Wealth Manager award winner. CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, Certified finanCial Planner®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S. *This role cannot solicit or provide investment advice. ©2026 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. CRC 5632791 06.2026.
FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER
This award was issued on 09/01/2026 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 01/08/2026 through 06/30/2026. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. New Hampshire-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 80 (1% of candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year 1,094, 87, 8%, 9/1/24, 12/12/23 - 7/9/24; 2023: 1,017, 89, 9%, 9/1/23, 12/12/22 - 6/30/23; 2022: 979, 87, 9%, 9/1/22, 12/20/21 - 6/17/22; 2021: 943, 96, 10%, - 7/17/18; 2017: 739, 89, 12%, 9/1/17, 12/27/16 - 7/6/17; 2016: 666, 158, 24%, 8/1/16, 2/6/16 - 7/19/16; 2015: 853, 166, 19%, 9/1/15, 2/6/15 - 7/19/15; 2014: The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility Criteria – Required 1. Meets requirements to be an investment adviser representative (IAR) or a principal of a registered investment adviser (RIA). 2. Actively that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria - considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com. F S - 6 — LEARN MORE AT FIVESTARPROFESSIONAL.COM
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
WEALTH MANAGERS Lynn M. Munoz
Jeffrey W. Keefe
CRPC™, CDFA®, CLTC®, Financial Advisor
Senior Financial Advisor, AIF®, Founding Principal
116 S River Road, Building E Bedford, NH 03110 Phone: 401-681-4999 lynn.m.munoz@ampf.com ameripriseadvisors.com/lynn.m.munoz
3
YEAR WINNER
200 Marcy Street Portsmouth, NH 03801 Office: 603-766-8705 jkeefe@wholewealthmanagement.com www.wholewealthmanagement.com
14
YEAR WINNER
Lynn is a 2023, 2024 and 2026 Five Star Wealth Manager award winner. TW Financial Group A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Not FDIC or NCUA Insured No Financial Institution Guarantee May Lose Value Investment advisory products and services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Securities offered by Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC. FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER
Experience Financial Well-Being
• Fiduciary asset manager • Comprehensive financial planning • Investment management • Tax-efficient retirement income planning
Richard John Hendricks · Baystate Financial
Brian Scott Lavoie · Lavoie Wealth Management
At Whole Wealth Management, our only allegiance is to our clients and their financial wellbeing. As an independent financial advisor, we operate free of any corporate sales pressure or incentives. You can feel confident knowing that our advice is aligned with your best interest and tailored to meet your objectives in an optimal way.
Edward John Hickey Jr. · Eagle Point Investment Advisors
Norman S. Long · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC
Ileana Anne Ille · Morgan Stanely/The Elm Street Group
Kristen Ann Madden · FL Putnam Investment Management
Securities offered through Arkadios Capital, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Arkadios Wealth. Whole Wealth Management LLC and Arkadios are not affiliated through any ownership FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER
Continued from FS-1
Wealth Managers Charles Matthew Beynon · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC/Seacoast Financial Planning Steven Laurent Bissonnette · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Frederick Ackley Boucher · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Nancy Catherine Burt · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Ryan Joseph Callaghan · Harbor Group
Kim Elizabeth Castelo · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Patrick Leland Curtin · Curtin Financial Services Nicolas Timmothy Crieg Curtis · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC/Seacoast Financial Planning
Eric Mcguire Ellis · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Timothy C. Fitzbag · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Eric Keith Folia · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Andrew Guyton · Forge Financial
Derek C. DeAngelis · APEX Wealth Management
Joseph Henry Guyton · The Guyton Group
Michael T. Dimos · Baystate Financial
Frederick William Hadlow · Upper Valley Wealth Management
Michael P. Doyle · The Harbor Group, Inc. Scott Lee Dudley · LPL Financial/ Eagle Point Investment Advisors
Michael Hakoun · Ledyard National Bank Colin Dennis Hatchard · Hildene Financial Group
David Joseph James · Osaic Institutions, Inc. Susan MacMichael John · FL Putnam Investment Management Christopher John June · SFM Sweeney Financial Management Drew Dawson Kellner · Lumbard & Kellner Robert James Kennelly · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Douglas Elliott Kerr · Investmark Advisory Group Stephen Michael Lamoureux · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC David Britt Lanzillo · Robbins Farley Jeremy Matthew Lathrop · Citizens Wealth Management
Joshua J. Maida · Corebridge Financial Brendan Michael Mann · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC/LPM Advisory Group
Robert Alan Paul · LPL Financial Liana Poodiack · Birch Financial Group Travis James Poodiack · Birch Financial Group Erik M. Potts · Summit Wealth Group LLC Andrea Anne Riley Arnesen · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Kevin Charles Soles · KCS Advisors, LLC
Gregory R. Mason · Mason Financial Group
Adam Stone · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC
Terence G. McCormick · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC/Centegrity Wealth Advisors
Joseph Suozzo · Eagle Point Investment Advisors
Wayne McCormick · Steward Partners Investment Advisory David Harold McLaughlin · Nutfield Financial Services Ltd
Mary Gail Sycamore · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Scott Travis White · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Jack W. Yvars · Capital Advisory NH
Seth Patrick McNally · Morgan Stanely/The Elm Street Group Joseph George O’Keefe · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, Certified finanCial Planner® and federally registered CFP (with plaque design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. The Chartered Financial Consultant® credential [ChFC®] is a financial planning designation awarded by The American College.
Self-completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 7,682 statistics use this format: YEAR: # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2025: 1,183, 82, 7%, 9/1/25, 12/25/24 - 7/18/25; 2024: 9/1/21, 11/30/20 - 6/25/21; 2020: 928, 91, 10%, 9/1/20, 12/9/19 - 7/1/20; 2019: 928, 85, 9%, 9/1/19, 11/19/18 - 7/10/19; 2018: 955, 74, 8%, 9/1/18, 12/26/17 1,045, 189, 18%, 9/1/14, 2/6/14 - 7/19/14; 2013: 1,049, 204, 19%, 9/1/13, 2/6/13 - 7/19/13; 2012: 743, 170, 23%, 9/1/12, 2/6/12 - 7/19/12. practicing as an IAR or principal of an RIA for a minimum of five years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor LEARN MORE AT FIVESTARPROFESSIONAL.COM — F S - 7
CONNECT | out & about
Events Around the State Return of the Pumpkin People
This premier event is celebrating its 41st year with a month-long celebration including “All Things Pumpkin Tours,” open houses highlighting pumpkin displays, “Where’s Jackson?” scavenger hunts and so much more! Enjoy more than 60 participating properties hosting Pumpkin People displays delighting all ages. You will not want to miss this very exciting year for the 41st Birthday Bash of the Return of the Pumpkin People. Jackson; jacksonnh.com O C TO B E R 3 - 4 Autumn Craft Festival on the Lake
More than 85 juried craftsmen and artisans from all over New England will display their American-made works in scenic Meredith. Free. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mill Falls Marketplace, Route 3, Meredith. castleberryfairs.com
PHOTO BY ANDREW BOWEN
Monadnock Art Tour The Monadnock Art Tour is the oldest and largest artist studio tour in New Hampshire. The open studio art tour is a self-guided, beautiful country drive through glorious fall color and picturesque villages in the Monadnock region, leading you to 65 working studios! You’ll enjoy an intimate setting to chat with the artists on their home turf and view so much inspiring, interesting, creative artwork. Enjoy the journey, the conversation, the inspiring art… and make purchases that enrich your own homes and support the artists! This is a great chance to visit studios in Dublin, Hancock, Harrisville, Jaffrey, Marlborough, Peterborough and Sharon. monadnockart.org
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Haunted Overload Twisted creatures wait around every turn in the most frightening patch of forest in New England. Their haunted trail is a one-of-a-kind, fully immersive Halloween experience that features stunning sets, handmade props, and spectacular costumes in their most terrifying element. Choose from three unique experiences that are perfect for everyone, from the faint of heart to thrill enthusiasts. Dates, times and ticket prices vary. DeMeritt Hill Farm, 20 Orchard Way, Lee; hauntedoverload.com 94 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
the witch’s door and enjoy surprises around every corner. Designed especially for children ages 4-8, Ghosts on the Banke offers plenty of Halloween atmosphere without being frightening. Costumes are encouraged and guests of every age are welcome. Ticket prices vary. Entry at 5 or 6 p.m., Strawbery Banke Museum, 14 Hancock St., Portsmouth; strawberybanke.org O C TO B E R 1 7 Howl-o-ween 5K
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Lakes Region Parade of Homes Tour This local home show and design tour is a beloved annual Lakes Region tradition. The self-guided tour features stunning, professionally designed new and renovated homes in Lakes Region communities. Attendees can also meet the talented builders while learning about the newest trends, products and techniques. For ticket information and times, visit lakesregionparadeofhomes.com O C TO B E R 3 Powderkeg Beer & Chili Festival
Beer, chili and a crisp fall Saturday — will that trio ever go out of style? At this beloved festival, sample brews from over 50 breweries and cideries, and eat to your heart’s content from the dozen-plus chili competitors. Don’t forget to cast your vote: The winner at this contest is selected via the people’s choice. Prices vary. Noon to 4 p.m. Swasey Parkway, downtown Exeter. powderkegbeerfest.com O C TO B E R 3 42nd Annual Apple Harvest Day
You haven’t experienced fall in New Hampshire if you haven’t been to Dover’s storied Apple Harvest Day. This daylong celebration of all things autumnal features amazing food, entertainment for the whole family, 300+ vendors and so much more. It’s no wonder that this event draws nearly 60,000 visitors annually. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., downtown Dover; dovernh.org O C TO B E R 1 1 Hay Day Fall Festival
A fun-filled day for all ages with old-fashioned games, music, children’s art projects, face painting, and more. Explore nature trails, create a fairy house in the Fairy Village, and discover the estate’s exhibits and art installations. Step back in time and take a historic tour of the Main House and gardens or simply imagine a simpler bygone life while relaxing on the veranda. Food available for purchase on-site. $5-$20. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., John Hay Estate at The Fells, 456 Route 103A, Newbury. thefells.org
O C TO B E R 1 1 10th Annual Mt. Sunapee Duck Drop
Northcape Design Build is proud to be back for the 10th annual Duck Drop at Mount Sunapee Resort on Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with awards at 3. See you on the lift as we toss ducks, win prizes and raise money, all for wonderful charities. All proceeds will be donated to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central New Hampshire. Prices vary. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mount Sunapee Resort, Newbury. 603.763.2477; nhduckdrop.com O C TO B E R 1 1 Art of Craft Exhibit and Sale
Step inside The Livery for a colorful autumn afternoon celebrating the creativity and craftsmanship of talented regional artisans. Browse beautifully handcrafted pieces, meet the artists who created them, learn about their inspiration, and enjoy the opportunity to purchase unique works you’ll treasure for years to come. Whether you’re searching for a meaningful gift, decorating your home, or simply looking for an inspiring way to spend a Sunday in Sunapee Harbor, Art of Craft offers something for every visitor. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Livery, 58 Main St., Sunapee Harbor; thelivery.org O C TO B E R 1 6 - 1 7 & 2 3 - 2 4 Ghosts on the Banke
Trick-or-treat with spirits from America’s founding as the historic Puddle Dock neighborhood comes alive after dark. Meet wayward pirates, visit a mysterious fortune-teller, hear ghostly tales, make giant spider webs, dance to haunting music and play games for prizes. Dance beneath the lights, visit
AWOOOO! This dog-friendly 5K road race is perfect Halloween fun for the whole family, including your four-legged friends. At the race, you’ll love the beautiful scenery and foliage along Merrimack River, along with incredible vendors, prizes, post-race refreshments and more! Not only does this event raise funds for animals in need, but it’s also a great opportunity for pets and their owners to be active together. Celebrate Halloween early by dressing up in your favorite costume. Plus, you can purchase a timed bib for your dog! All proceeds will benefit the Animal Rescue League of NH — this is their largest fundraising event of the year. Registration costs vary. 10 a.m. Delta Dental Stadium, 1 Line Drive, Manchester; rescueleague.org O C TO B E R 1 7 - 1 8 Goffstown Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off & Regatta
One-third giant pumpkin weigh-off, one-third fall festival and one-third pumpkin regatta? The Goffstown Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off and Regatta has it all! Start your weekend by seeing which local farmer grew the largest pumpkin of the festival. Then, watch as champions in hollowed-out, decorated giant pumpkins compete in the fierce Pumpkin Regatta. There, they paddle up the portion of the Piscataquog River that runs through downtown Goffstown in a race that you won’t want to miss! The weekend’s festivities will include pie eating, art shows, artisan booths, a pet costume contest and more! Times vary. Main Street, Goffstown; goffstownmainstreet.org O C TO B E R 2 3 - 2 4 Laconia Pumpkin Festival
Enjoy the warm glow of thousands of carved pumpkins, while enjoying delicious local flavors and live entertainment in downtown Laconia. Downtown Laconia; laconiapumpkinfestival.com O C TO B E R 3 1 Portsmouth Halloween Parade
Start practicing your monster mash. The Port City’s cult-favorite event turns 30 this year, and the costumes (and camaraderie) promise to be bigger and better than ever. Everyone is invited to dress up and meet at Peirce Island for this celebration of community and creativity. Portsmouth, 7 p.m.; portsmouthnhhalloweenparade.org nhmagazine.com | October 2026 95
CONNECT | live free
O Captain! My Captain? BY K E N S H E L D O N
E
very family has its legends — stories that may or may not be entirely accurate. In my family, the story goes that we are descended from Capt. John Manley, a Revolutionary War hero. My mother was so convinced of this that she chose Manley as my middle name. This was a problem for a kid whose basic approach to confrontation was to avoid eye contact and protect my major organs. I was anything but manly. Later, as an adult, I began digging into Manley’s history to see if I really was descended from him. Along the way, I ran into other mysteries: where was he born, did he serve with the British Navy, and why — if he was such a hero during the Revolution — is he largely forgotten today? Now, bleary-eyed from reading thousands of pages of historic documents, I’ve answered most of those questions, and learned some intriguing things about Capt. John Manley. Manley exemplified the “live free” attitude. He was brave, bold … and also a bigamist. In 1764, he married my fifth great-grandmother under the name John Russell, which has caused historians to scratch their heads ever since. Some think he used an alias because he had jumped ship from a British vessel and didn’t want to be found, but 96 New Hampshire Magazine | October 2026
the answer is much simpler: He had already married another woman in Boston the year before. (Like him, I sometimes have trouble remembering things.) Before the Revolutionary War, Manley served as the master of merchant ships. The owner of one of these ships, Fortescue Vernon — whose name is on the famous Sons of Liberty bowl made by Paul Revere — sued Manley for money he thought Manley owed him. Manley hired a Boston lawyer to represent him, and the jury decided in Manley’s favor. The winning lawyer’s name was John Adams. Yes, that John Adams. In 1775, George Washington picked Manley to captain a ship and harass British vessels. Word came that a British munitions ship — the Nancy, chock-a-block full of gunpowder, weapons and other supplies that Washington’s army desperately needed — was headed to Boston. When the Nancy arrived at Boston Harbor, Manley dashed out in his schooner, pretending to be a pilot ship sent to guide the British ship into the harbor. His men boarded the ship with concealed weapons and captured the Nancy and its stunned crew without firing a shot. The munitions on the captured ship helped drive the British out of Boston. It was an audacious move on Manley’s part, one Washington called “an instance of divine favor.” Washington was so pleased with Manley that he made him commodore of his fleet — this was before America had an official Navy. Manley and John Langdon, signer of the Constitution and later governor of New Hampshire, were among the captains outfitting frigates to fight the British, Langdon in Portsmouth, and Manley in Marblehead. They were both having trouble getting cannons for their ships, but Langdon finally located some in Connecticut. The guns were shipped by way of Boston, where Manley intercepted them and made a deal with the agent, effectively cutting Langdon out. Needless to say, Langdon was not pleased, and Massachusetts and New Hampshire have been bickering ever since — but let the Family resemblance? Perhaps. record show that they started it. In 1779, Manley took command of the Jason, a privateer commissioned to attack British shipping. He received orders to head to Penobscot Bay in Maine as part of an armada to attack a British outpost there. Displaying the true Yankee spirit of cooperation, Manley promptly headed south, in the opposite direction, which was a good thing — the Penobscot expedition was a debacle, with 500 Americans killed and all vessels lost. Maybe John Manley and I aren’t that different after all. NH Ken Sheldon’s book “Captain John Manley: Patriot, Privateer, and America’s Forgotten First Hero,” will be released on Oct. 13, the U.S. Navy’s birthday.
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Access to the only specialized breast cancer program in the state? Possible. The Comprehensive Breast Program at Dartmouth Cancer Center is dedicated exclusively to breast health, benign breast disease, and breast cancer. Our breast care team offers the only specialty breast treatment in New Hampshire. As a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dartmouth Cancer Center offers patients access to clinical trials, bringing that same expertise to patients in Manchester and Nashua. Our breast specialists in medical, surgical, and radiation oncology work alongside breast imaging experts and plastic surgeons, reviewing every complex case together to create a personalized treatment plan for every patient. Right here, we have a healthy disregard for the impossible. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, visit: cancer.dartmouth.edu/breast
A Healthy Disregard for the Impossible™ More than 40 hospitals and clinics across the region. One world-class health system. In partnership with Dartmouth and the Geisel School of Medicine.