March 4, 2016

Stark Park (Manchester, NH)

By New England Nomad

Date Visited: February 27, 2016

Location: North River Rd, Manchester, NH

Cost: Free

Hours: Open daily sunrise to sunset

Parking:  There was not a designated parking area per se but there are many places to park on the side of the paved road leading from the entrance.

Stark Park

 

 

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New Hampshire isn’t known as the “Live Free Or Die” state for no reason.  The quote, which is said to have French origins and adorns license plates and other kitschy souvenirs, is directly attributed to General, and former New Hampshire resident, John Stark.  It was at John Stark Park in Manchester, NH, that I found this historical tribute to the revolutionary warrior.

The remaining of the “live free or die…”quote is lesser known, yet just as poignant.

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For someone who is so heroic and brave, General Stark is not someone who many of us are familiar with.  But, heroic he is.  As the plaque in front of his statue explains, after being kidnapped by a Native American tribe and eventually ransomed, Stark joined the American Revolution and became a general.  His most notable achievement was in 1777 when he commanded his troops to prevent British troops and supplies from connecting with the main army in Saratoga, New York, which was considered a key point which led to the American victory in the war.

Crisp blue skies awaited me at the park.  It almost felt fall-like.  What struck me most about the park was how peaceful it was.  The gazebo is a nice touch also.  The statue of General Stark was sculpted by Richard Recchia in 1948.  The park is one of the older parks in New Hampshire, dating back to 1893 (it is the second oldest park in Manchester).

 

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General Stark his, wife and a few of their children are buried at the bottom of the hill from the entrance.

One of the interesting things about Stark Park is the loop behind the park.  It’s only about a quarter of mile and it is a great place to take your dog for a walk.  But, there is a trail that branches off to a bridge and some other trails which eventually lead to the Heritage Trail.  But, apart from some interesting trees and some wildlife, there isn’t much on the trails.  Most of them lead to residential areas.  I walked most of the narrow trails as far as I could go before they ended, rather disappointingly, at roadways and residential areas.

The big payoff to walking the loop behind the park was meeting Bennie.  Bennie is a Chinook which is the state dog of New Hampshire.

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About New England Nomad

Hi I'm Wayne. Welcome to my blog. I am a true New Englander through and through. I love everything about New England. I especially love discovering new places in New England and sharing my experiences with everyone. I tend to focus on the more unique and lesser known places and things in New England on my blog. Oh yeah, and I love dogs. I always try to include at least one dog in each of my blog posts. I discovered my love of photography a couple of years ago. I know, I got a late start. Now, I photograph anything that seems out of the ordinary, interesting, beautiful and/or unique. And I have noticed how every person, place or thing I photograph has a story behind it or him or her. I don't just photograph things or people or animals. I try to get their background, history or as much information as possible to give the subject more context and meaning. It's interesting how one simple photograph can evoke so much. I am currently using a Nikon D3200 "beginner's camera." Even though there are better cameras on the market, and I will upgrade some time, I love how it functions (usually) and it has served me well. The great thing about my blog is you don't have to be from New England, or even like New England to like my blog (although I've never met anyone who doesn't). All you have to like is to see and read about new or interesting places and things. Hopefully, you'll join me on my many adventures in New England! View all posts by New England Nomad
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