Jackson, New Hampshire: 10 Facts from History

 Tucked away in Mount Washington's massive geographical shadow within Carroll County, Jackson, New Hampshire, is a prototypical, postcard-perfect New England mountain village. Famous for its sweeping valley views, iconic covered bridges, and deep alpine heritage, Jackson's history tracks a unique path from isolation to a world-renowned haven for artists and skiers.

Old photo of the hotel at Jackson, New Hampshire, being closed for winter in March 1940

• Originally Settled as "New Madbury": Long before it bore its current name, the very first recorded permanent settlement in the valley was established in 1778 by a pioneer named Benjamin Copp and his family. Soon after, a wave of homesteaders migrated north from the coastal town of Madbury, New Hampshire, and casually dubbed their remote wilderness outpost "New Madbury."

• Incorporated in Honor of John Adams: When the community grew large enough to petition for official municipal status, it was formally incorporated on December 4, 1800. The town completely dropped its original name and adopted Adams as its legal title to honor John Adams, who was serving as the second President of the United States at the time.

• Renamed for Andrew Jackson—With Only One Dissenting Vote: In 1829, following a wave of political fervor surrounding the election of Andrew Jackson (the hero of the Battle of New Orleans), the town aggressively pivoted its political allegiance. They successfully petitioned the state legislature to rename the town "Jackson." The decision was so overwhelmingly popular that, out of the entire voting population, only one single ballot was cast in favor of keeping the original name "Adams."

• A Modern Rededication to a Geologist: In June 2021, the town underwent a highly unusual modern historical shift. Recognizing Andrew Jackson's controversial legacy regarding slavery and the Trail of Tears, the residents held a formal town meeting vote. While they decided to keep the town's actual name as "Jackson," they officially changed the town charter's designation to state that it is now named in honor of Dr. Charles Thomas Jackson, a prominent 19th-century New Hampshire state geologist.

• The Romantic Legend of the Honeymoon Bridge: Built in 1876 by regional master carpenters Charles Austin Broughton and his son Frank, Jackson's beautiful paddleford-truss covered bridge spans the Ellis River. Known officially as the Honeymoon Bridge, it earned its nickname from a long-standing, 19th-century local custom where young courting couples would pause in its deep, shaded wooden arches to "steal a kiss"—a tradition that remains a staple for modern wedding photography.

• The Hub of the White Mountain School of Art: In the mid-1800s, Jackson became the undisputed epicenter of the White Mountain School of Art. Celebrated landscape painters like Benjamin Champney flocked to the valley, setting up easels in the fields to capture the raw, romantic scale of the mountains. When these spectacular paintings were exhibited in major coastal cities like Boston and New York, it ignited the very first major tourism boom to the region.

• The Birth of "Boarding House" Tourism: When city tourists, inspired by the paintings, began arriving by stagecoach, Jackson had no hotels. Resourceful local farmers realized they could make more money hosting travelers than grazing sheep. They opened their doors to "summer boarders," slowly expanding their modest farmhouses with long porches, wraparound dining rooms, and extra bedrooms—a phenomenon that birthed the region's hospitality industry.

• The Oldest Mountain Jail Cell: Parts of the celebrated Christmas Farm Inn in Jackson date directly back to the town's earliest frontier layout. The historic "Saltbox" building on the property was originally built as a private homestead around 1778 by the Rufus Pinkham family. As the town expanded, a sturdy red outbuilding on the property was formally designated and utilized as the official, original Jackson town jail.

• The Evolution of the Eagle Mountain House: In 1879, local farmer Cyrus Gale realized his property had a flawless, panoramic view of the mountains. He abandoned traditional farming, built a small viewing rustic hotel, and opened it to the public. Though a devastating fire burned the original structure to the ground in 1915, it was entirely rebuilt on a grander scale in 1916. Today, the Eagle Mountain House stands proud as one of the very last surviving grand wooden resort hotels in the White Mountains.

• A Pioneer Capital for Cross-Country Skiing: In the mid-20th century, Jackson engineered a massive winter reinvention, moving away from being just a summer colony. The town established the Jackson Ski Touring Foundation (JSTF) as a community non-profit. Today, it manages an interconnected network of over 150 kilometers of meticulously groomed cross-country ski trails that weave directly through private front yards, public state parks, and downtown streets, consistently ranking it as one of the premier Nordic skiing destinations in North America.