New Boston Historical Society
New Boston, New Hampshire
AMC canoe in 1930s
Paddling down the Piscataquog in the 1930s — looking from River Road towards the Cement Barn

From the Diaries of Bill Fiske: Canoeing the Piscataquog
by Dick Jardine for the New Boston Beacon 4/2026

The Piscataquog River in New Boston is most often at its greatest depth in the month of April, making it the best month for canoeing the river. In his diaries, Bill Fiske provides evidence that organized canoe excursions on our river were popular a century ago.

On April 4, 1908 he wrote, "4 canoes went down the river," and he and his sons counted the same number 15 days later. By the 1930s, that number increased, as on April 13, 1935 he noted, "About 20 canoes going down the river today." Similarly on April 5, 1936: "20 canoes went down the river today."

The flotilla of canoes was likely paddled by members of the Appalachian Mountain Club on one of their almost-annual 20th century excursions down the Piscataquog. In the June 1947 issue of Appalachia, a publication of the AMC, John Hurd describes a 1926 trip on the Piscataquog in New Boston. While stating the river ran fast and high that year, he relates that even the inexperienced paddlers came out unharmed. The AMC canoe trips often started in Francestown and ended in New Boston on the first day, then proceeded on to Goffstown on day two. Another AMC author wrote that a Francestown resident greeted the AMC canoeists with, "I see you're back for your annual bath."

AMC canoeists
Looking from from the Main Street bridge toward the building now occupied by the Cure Café

Bill Fiske identified the connection with the AMC in April 1937 journal entries, with his usual poor spelling and grammar:
   April 10, 1937: I opened up the Depot for the Applacation Canoe Club this afternoon.
   April 11, 1937: I built a fire in the Community House this morning for the Appla. Canoe Club of Boston. The club eat lunch and dried their cloths at 2 P.M. in Depot.

By 1937, the B&M Railroad depot in New Boston had been purchased by the Playground Association of New Boston from B&M. In an interview recorded on the New Boston Historical Society web page, Bill Savoy made the claim that funds for the purchase of the depot and surrounding grounds were at least partially provided by the AMC with the provision that their canoeists could use the building during their weekend excursions on the Piscataquog. In that interview Savoy also noted that dinners were prepared and served to the AMC paddlers in the town hall, which some of us remember occurred into the 1960s. Savoy also recounted that the paddlers stayed overnight in the town hall, with the larger space being necessary to accommodate the "25, 30 of them." Bill Fiske mentions the AMC use of the river and the depot building in the 1940s.

AMC canoeists in 1972
"These AMC canoers tried the Piscataquog River last Sunday and found the water so high that most of the challenging rocks were covered up." — Gail Parker photo 1972

The arrival of the AMC canoeists was a big event in town in the 20th century, which Wayne Daniels confirms in another interview on file with the New Boston Historical Society. He relates that Mort Follansbee, described as "a little crazy," also participated in the paddling down the river on the day the AMC canoeists were doing their thing. Mort's choice of watercraft was different: he paddled a bathtub. Mort would start above the dam that was at the mill in town, and he'd go right over the top of the dam in his tub. Apparently, it was quite a spectacle as "people would be lined up all over the place, all the way downtown, just to see him come down through the town."

With all the snow we've had this winter, the river should provide great conditions for canoeing this year. I would not suggest attempting the feat in a ceramic canoe as Mort Follansbee did. — Dick Jardine