Miller State Park
Pack Monadnock
LocationPeterborough and Temple, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States
Coordinates42°51′34″N 71°52′59″W / 42.85944°N 71.88306°W / 42.85944; -71.88306[1]
Area533.4 acres (215.9 ha)[2]
Elevation1,932 feet (589 m)[1]
Established1891[3]
Administered byNew Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation
DesignationNew Hampshire state park
WebsiteMiller State Park

Miller State Park is the oldest state-run park in New Hampshire, a state in the New England region of the United States. It is located in the towns of Peterborough and Temple, and is centered on Pack Monadnock, a 2,290-foot (700 m) mountain.[4]

Description

The 533-acre (216 ha) park was established in 1891 when 3 acres (1.2 ha) atop Pack Monadnock were donated to New Hampshire.[4] The name Pack comes from an Indian word meaning "little" and is used in comparison to nearby Mount Monadnock. Pack Monadnock has a paved auto road to the top and is the former site of two hotels. It has a renovated fire tower at the summit which is staffed seasonally.

The park has expanded over the years with land donations and purchases. Until 1901, cattle were driven by foot from Massachusetts farms for summer grazing on open pasture extending nearly to the summit.[4] Virtually all the pastures are now overgrown with forest, as little farming is done in the region.

The park is named for James Miller, a Peterborough native who was a brigadier general in the United States Army during the War of 1812 and became the first Governor of Arkansas Territory.[5]

The area is popular with hikers. The Wapack Trail runs through the park, crossing over Pack Monadnock.

In 2007, the state created Temple Mountain State Reservation on the south side of NH Route 101 across from the Miller State Park entrance, when it bought 325 acres (1.32 km2) around the closed Temple Mountain Ski Area.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Miller State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ↑ "State Lands" (PDF). New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development. July 2007. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Park History" (PDF). New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 "Miller State Park". New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  5. ↑ "James Miller (1776–1851)". The Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
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