The Only Henniker On Earth Also Happens To Be A Wonderful Small New Hampshire Town
Henniker, New
Hampshire feels like the ultimate hometown.
by Eric
Hurwitz. Page updated on 10/26/2021.
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Driving into Henniker, N.H., it was love at first sight.
Fixated on the "Henniker Pharmacy/Beer, Wine Groceries" sign with the
old-time Coca Cola logo, Henniker immediately felt like a warm safe
place that many other communities abandoned a long time ago in the name
of faceless commercial, residential and industrial development.
Henniker Pharmacy in Henniker.
It's easy to understand why Henniker is a special New England
travel
destination. Best known as home of Pat's Peak ski area and New England
College, Henniker (just west of the state capital of Concord) somehow
feels more a like a well-established, Mayberry RFD-like community than
just a ski vacation destination or college town.
Farmers' Market at Henniker Community Park.
Walking through the
well-defined downtown district, I did not see the presence of
overpriced ski shops, nor trendy local college hangout bars blasting
out loud rock music. Maybe those scenes were somewhere in town,
but my focus was on the Henniker Community Park and Center with a nice
expanse of land and gazebo (and a wonderful small-town farmers' market going on at that time), and the flow of the scenic Contoocook River, the Edna Dean Proctor stone double-arch bridge above the river, the
well-kept large Colonial homes, and the architectural brick beauty of
the 1903 Tucker Free Library and the Henniker Community School.
Contoocook River in downtown Henniker.
The aforementioned Henniker Pharmacy at 4 Bridge St., is a local treasure.
It's an authentic old-fashioned pharmacy seemingly stuck in time with
friendly service, antiquated aisles set up in a way that looks more
1965 than sleek and shiny 2018, and a refreshing silence in the air
without the need for background music pounding into the heads of
customers. The old building smell further evokes memories of
yesteryear.
Adding further to the town's wonderful New England ambiance: the
historical, old white building combo of the Congregational Church and
Historical Society Museum, as well as the view of a lighted up Pat's
Peak from Main St.
The downtown also features several niche shops (quilts, day spa, as
well as art, boutique and gift shops), SuperScoops at 58 Main St. (wonderful homemade ice cream, coffee, smoothies, etc.). and a few really good restaurants. We stopped by Daniel's
Restaurant and Pub (30 Main St.), a quaint, appealing dining spot
serving steaks, chicken, seafood, pasta, soups, salads, sandwiches and
homemade desserts. It's one of those made-for-New-Hampshire dining
spots that has a rustic feel while, fortunately, not feeling
"rusty."
Cozy small dining room at Daniel's in Henniker.
The "new" old look of the restaurant is quite inviting
with everything up-to-date, but without losing any of the retro rural
feel -- or pieces of the building. The atmosphere is especially
pleasant with gleaming wood floors, wall sconces, hanging lanterns and
plant baskets, an aquarium, wooden windows, candles at each
dining
table and a brick wall in the cozy bar area. With a grand view of the
Contoocook River from our table, we feasted on a delicious
oversized Caesar salad; chicken pot pie with a perfectly-formed flaky
crust, the right amount of salt (most chicken pies are oversalted), and
creamed spinach (and carrot fries on the side); and a terrific
Rueben with homemade sauerkraut. The homemade desserts involving
cake, ice cream, fruit and whipped cream are simply mouthwatering.
Dessert at Daniel's in Henniker.
Water views at Daniel's in Henniker.
After dining, we drove through town and took in the sweet feeling of
the small town night. The air was fresh, the old front-porch homes
looked tailor-made for us, and the lights at Pat's Peak looked like
Emerald City. What a beautiful scene in this jewel of a town!
Speaking of the Pat's Peak area, There's a fabulous place for pancakes
virtually right at the base of the mountain. The Intervale Farm Pancake
House (931 Flanders Rd.), another rustic restaurant gem, specializes in
delicious pancakes, French Toast, waffles and "Hungry Man's Breakfast"
with three eggs, two pancakes, one slice of bacon, one link of sausage,
homefries and one piece of toast. Unlike most other breakfast places,
the Intervale serves real maple syrup. The place has a real local
flavor and ranks amongst the best pancake houses in New Hampshire.
Coffee and maple syrup from the Intervale Farm Pancake House.
Henniker bills itself as "The Only Henniker on Earth." While the
slogan refers to the name of the town, it could be said that the catch
phrase implies that Henniker is also a one-of-a-kind community.
Henniker is just that, a town that feels like home and innately
promotes a sense of place and a feeling of well being. We'll certainly
be back soon to explore more of this "real" New England town!
Find a hotel room in nearby Concord
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