New Hampshire

Robert Frost (1874-1963)

Robert Frost, whose writings are often considered to capture the heart and soul of New England, was born in 1874 in San Francisco. When he was 11 his family moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts. In 1900, Frost's grandfather bought a farm in Derry, New Hampshire, for Robert's use. For Frost, the farm was an ideal setting to raise his family and write poetry in private. The Frost family moved to England in 1912. There, Frost was influenced by several British poets. By the time Frost returned to the United States in 1915, he had published two collections and his reputation was established. By the 1920s, he was the most celebrated poet in America, eventually winning four Pulitzer Prizes.

Robert Frost Farm
Route 28
Derry, New Hampshire
603-432-3091

Robert Frost and his family lived at this farm from 1900 to 1911. The simple two-story white clapboard farmhouse is typical of a rural New England residence of the 1880s. Guided house tours, a children's garden, walks along the Hyla Brook Trail, a summer lecture series, and poetry readings on selected Sundays are all available at the park. Books and other Frost-related items may be purchased at the Visitor's Center.
Hours: Buildings open May to June and September to mid-October, Wednesday through Sunday; daily, late June 28-early September. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Cost: $3-$5.

The Frost Place
Ridge Road
Franconia, NH
603-823-5510

The Frost Place, a farmstead in the White Mountains of New Hampshire where Robert Frost lived and worked, is used as a museum of Frost's life and work with signed first editions of his books. Visitors view the rooms where Frost lived and wrote and see an engaging half-hour video about his life. A half-mile Poetry-Nature Trail though fields and woods presents displays of Frost's Franconia poems mounted on plaques, surrounded by dozens of New England wildflowers and plants.
Hours: Memorial Day weekend through October 10. Hours vary; call ahead.
Cost: Fee charged

Celia Thaxter (1835-1894)

Born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Celia Laighton Thaxter grew up in the Isles of Shoals, including Appledore and Star islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean offshore between Rye, New Hampshire, and Kittery Point, Maine. Her father, Thomas Laighton, was a lighthouse keeper on several of the islands. After her marriage and a move to Massachusetts, she moved back to Appledore Island in Maine and became the hostess of her father's hotel, the Appledore House, and welcomed many New England literary and artistic notables to the island. Her garden on Appledore was famous. Her poems first appeared in The Atlantic Monthly and she became one of America's favorite authors in the late 19th century.


Star Island Tour
Via Isles of Shoals Steamship Company
315 Market Street
Portsmouth, NH
603-431-5500

The Isles of Shoals Steamship Company conducts a Star Island Walkabout Tour on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in the summer. Star Island is one of the nine islands located within the Isles of Shoals that is home to numerous historical landmarks and sights. Many visitors enjoy sitting along the coastline listening to the sounds of the ocean, soaking in the beautiful view of lively Gosport Harbor, the White Island Lighthouse, and the surrounding islands.