Day 8
Friday, October 15, 2021
Sunrise over Louden, New Hampshire.
It was a bit foggy as I rolled out in the morning. But, the weather guessers were saying it wouldn't last. Just another beautiful day in New England.
What would a drive through New England be without a few covered bridges? First Stop, Rowell Bridge in Hopkinton. Built in 1854, it's one of the oldest covered bridges still in use. Along the way, steel rods were added for additional support. But otherwise, it's all original.
You're probably wondering where are the pictures of the lake. I did try and take that side trail. A little mud is one thing. The deep sucking stuff is another. I turned around. As for the signal tower. Somehow, I expected it to be taller.
Nice view though.
The loop took a little longer than I expected. But, it still felt good. Leaving the park, it was a good point to work myself over to Hwy 9 west.
I passed a sign for the Franklin Pierce Homestead. Since I really didn't know that much about him, I stopped. The sign said it should be open, but it wasn't.
I also passed an old stone arch bridge with a small parking area near the town of Stoddard. There was no doubt, I had to turn around. Construction of a bridge was authorized in 1852. As the bridge was bring built, some questioned the design and cost. But, here it is, still standing.
By the way, it was built without the use of mortar. It's just the stones.
Lunch was at the Elm Street Brewery in the town of Keene. Governor Wentworth named it in 1753 after Sir Benjamin Keene, the British ambassador to Spain.
Right along Hwy 9 sits the Chesterfield Gorge. There's a short loop trail that goes down one side, over a bridge and back on the other.
There was one more stop to make before heading to the motel. Tucked away on Gulf Road you'll find a place named the Madame Sherri Forest.
Just a short walk back into the woods, and you'll find the ruins of Madame Sherri's Castle.
There are a few differing details in her life depending on what source you choose. So, some backstory from the Chesterfield Historical Society. Antionette Bramare was born in Paris, France in 1878 and trained as a seamstress.
At the age of 21, she met her future husband, Andre Reila, an American expatriate and fugitive. They decided to travel to America and start a new life. They created elaborate cover stories. She opened a hat shop and began creating costumes for Broadway. Reila pursued his career a an actor. This put them two of them right where they wanted to be, among the rich and famous. Antoinette changed her name to Andre-Sherri as as a way to market their business.
Along the way, they met another aspiring costume designer named Charles LeMaire. He would go on to have a long career in Hollywood.
After eight years in New York together, Andre's chronic illness caught up with him. He wound up institutionalized until his death a few months later. Sherri accepted an invitation to get away to Chesterfield, New Hampshire. She fell in love with the area and bought six hundred acres of land.
It was here that she built her castle and threw extravagant parties. When her money ran out, Charles LeMaire sent her checks in appreciation of what she had done for his career. When the checks stopped coming, Sherri tried to hold on, but couldn't. With no work history over the previous twenty years, she wasn't even eligible for social security. She ended up on public assistance and in a nursing home.
Some of the detains of her life are different than the Historical Society's account, but you can see pictures of Madam Sherri, as well as her castle here:
My home for the night was the Colonial Motel. It's owned and operated by an Indian family, and comes complete with an attached Indian restaurant. I was one of the last to check in, and by default I get stuck with whatever room is left.
I have no issue with people traveling with their pets. I have no issue with pet friendly motels. I do take issue with motels not warning you they’ve given you a pet friendly room. There has GOT to be a way to hide that smell a little better. Fortunately, I was only here one night.
Coming Up,
I get called publicly called out by name.
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