Wolfeboro Historical Society Digital Archive |
The Lake Wentworth area covers Lake Wentworth, Crescent Lake, and Pleasant Valley. As there are no specific borders, there will be some overlap with South Wolfeboro and Wolfeboro Falls.
Lake Wentworth is the largest lake totally within the Town of Wolfeboro. It has about 15 miles of shoreline, covers 3,037 acres (about 5 sq. miles), and has about 20 islands. Originally known as Smith's Pond (possibly named after a surveyor or hunter), the name was changed around 1880 after Provincial Gov. John Wentworth, whose estate and mansion was on the northeast side. The Lake life is less hectic than Lake Winnipesaukee and has attracted many summer residents.
Crescent Lake, originally called Crooked Pond, is a small lake of 147 acres, connected to Lake Wentworth via a section of the Smith River, with no elevation change. Crescent Lake has an access point to both lakes at Mast Landing on Center St. and a dam that controls the lakes level. Past the dam, a rapids section of the Smith River leads to a holding pond in Wolfeboro Falls. The drop of 30 feet to Lake Winnipesaukee provided water power for Wolfeboro Falls industries.
Pleasant Valley is the area on the south side of Lake Wentworth, from South Main St. to the Brookfield Town line, and was once known as Raccoonboro. Farms, orchards and poultry businesses were active, and some are still operating. Many summer residences and camps, for children and adults, were built along the shoreline, starting in the 1880's.
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