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Folklore in New Hampshire

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10 of 7093 places

Folklore10

Suggest a stop

Stories a place tells about itself, passed down and still repeated.

  • Folklore42.8438° N, 71.2057° W

    America's Stonehenge

    Salem, NH

    Formerly known as Mystery Hill, this wooded property contains stone chambers, walls and standing stones that have inspired claims of ancient ceremonial builders and pre-Columbian European visitors. Those dramatic interpretations are disputed, and archaeologists have also connected much of the site to historic-era land use and later reconstruction. Whatever its origin, the maze of stone structures remains one of New Hampshire's defining mystery attractions.

    Access
    Open to visitors
  • Folklore43.2966° N, 71.9959° W

    Chicken Farmer Rock

    Newbury, NH

    For decades, a roadside boulder has carried the hand-painted message "Chicken Farmer, I Still Love You." Local versions of the story connect it to a long-ago romance, but the exact origin has become part fact and part community folklore. The rock is visible from the road; visitors should not stop in traffic or enter private property for a photograph.

    Access
    Roadside, no entry
  • Folklore43.0453° N, 70.7141° W

    Drowned Forest at Odiorne Point

    Rye, NH

    At sufficiently low tide, ancient tree stumps and root systems appear along the shore near Odiorne Point, remnants of a forest drowned as sea level changed thousands of years ago. The exposed wood creates the eerie impression of a forest floor emerging from the ocean. Visibility depends on tide and conditions, so this is not guaranteed on every visit. Secondary source: https://www.nhmagazine.com/explore-nhs-drowned-forest/

    Access
    Seasonal or ticketed
  • Folklore42.9334° N, 70.8348° W

    Eunice "Goody" Cole Memorial Stone

    Hampton, NH

    Eunice "Goody" Cole was repeatedly accused of witchcraft in seventeenth-century Hampton and became one of the best-known witchcraft figures in New Hampshire history. A memorial stone on the town green acknowledges the accusations and the strange local legends that continued long after her death. It is a concrete stop tied to one of the state's strongest witch-lore stories.

    Access
    Open to visitors
  • Folklore43.1753° N, 71.8220° W

    Grave of Ocean-Born Mary

    Henniker, NH

    Mary Wallace became known as "Ocean-Born Mary" because she was born aboard a ship crossing the Atlantic in 1720. Later storytellers transformed her life into tales involving pirates, hidden treasure and a supposedly haunted house, although much of that lore has been debunked. Her actual grave behind Henniker's town hall gives travelers a concrete stop tied to the legend. Secondary source: https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/ocean-born-mary-new-hampshire-legend/

    Access
    Seasonal or ticketed
  • Folklore42.9272° N, 72.2793° W

    Huntress Hall

    Keene, NH

    Keene State College students have long passed around stories of wheelchair sounds and other unexplained activity inside Huntress Hall, often attributing them to Harriet Huntress. Historical timelines complicate the legend because Huntress died before the residence hall opened, making this a good example of campus folklore evolving independently of fact. The hall is an active residence, so OddWay visitors should view it only from public campus areas.

    Access
    Roadside, no entry
  • Folklore43.2073° N, 71.5394° W

    Lake Winnipesaukee Mystery Stone

    Concord, NH

    This polished, egg-shaped stone was reportedly found near Lake Winnipesaukee in 1872 and is carved with a face, geometric designs and other symbols. Its maker and purpose have inspired more than a century of theories, though the precisely drilled holes have led some researchers to suspect a nineteenth-century origin rather than an ancient artifact. The stone is preserved by the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord.

    Access
    Seasonal or ticketed
  • Folklore42.9328° N, 70.8401° W

    Moulton Mansion

    Hampton, NH

    The old Moulton property is connected to one of Hampton's most enduring legends: General Jonathan Moulton supposedly promised the Devil his soul in exchange for having his boots filled with gold, then tried to cheat the bargain by cutting holes in the boots. Later versions of the tale add a mysterious fire and the disappearance of Moulton's wife. The surviving property is private, so view only from lawful public areas. Secondary source: https://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/history/moulton/legend.htm

    Access
    Private land, view only
  • Folklore42.8867° N, 71.7086° W

    Purgatory Falls and the Devil's Bean Pot

    Lyndeborough, NH

    Local folklore says the Devil once tried to cook beans beside the falls and left behind a large pothole known as the Devil's Bean Pot along with a nearby footprint-like impression in the rock. The actual landscape is a series of waterfalls and sculpted bedrock reached by hiking trails. The folklore gives an already unusual natural site a distinctly OddWay story.

    Access
    Open to visitors
  • Folklore43.9089° N, 71.2343° W

    The Chocorua Legend Historical Marker

    Tamworth, NH

    A state marker summarizes the legend of Chocorua, whose death on the mountain was later embellished into stories of revenge and a curse upon local settlers. Multiple versions disagree about what actually happened, and even the historical identity behind the legend is debated. The marker provides a concrete roadside point for a story that otherwise spreads across an entire mountain.

    Access
    Roadside, no entry