Downtown Keene, New hampshire -
New
England My Happy Place Photo of the Day
Why You Should be Keen on Downtown Keene, N.H.
Downtown
Keene, New
Hampshire.
by Eric
Hurwitz. Page updated on 2/25/2022.
Share
this
New
England travel article with your friends...
Somebody forgot to tell Keene, N.H., that a thriving small
town downtown is a thing of the past.
In this world of solely focusing on bringing in superstores and other
big box retail attractions, Keene ignored all myopic trends and also
focused on improving its already impressive downtown. Sure, Keene
has its share of much-needed chain stores on the outskirts, but the
vibrant nature of its downtown shines through with every step of the
way -- it's not only for locals but a destination for travelers.
And with a mix of in town Keene State College students and a
residential population ranging from young families to conservative
old-timers, downtown Keene has something for everyone.
A lively downtown.
Eye-catching historical homes and
municipal buildings, a lovely city common with gazebo, church with tall white steeple, landscaped
tree-lined walkways, an old school diner (Lindy's, 19 Gilbo Ave.) and locally-owned stores with colorful signs competing with each
other for your attention... it's really the prototype for what a downtown district should look like.
What's especially impressive is
that you'll see very few vacant storefronts -- a real testimony to how
a downtown can succeed, even during a down economy. It's also
proof that with a little bit of visionary planning, retail chains and
locally-owned downtown stores can co-exist in the same community.
A welcoming city center with a small town feel.
You could literally do all your Christmas shopping in downtown Keene.
How many small town or city centers could boast that? What's more, the downtown charm expresses itself wonderfully any time of the year with summer ideal for walking Main Street front to back within its mountain town setting. Fall surrounds the city center with colorful leaves. Winter brings a quaint, cozy, snow-filled Currier and Ives look and spring, the blossoming of myriad flowers throughout the downtown.
Hannah Grimes Marketplace.
Keene possesses so many great places to eat, shop and take in culture too numerous to list here but one standout we'd like to mention is the Hannah Grimes Marketplace (42 Main St #3734). This wonderful shop features more than 250 artisans all producing products made within 150 miles of Keene. It's the epitome of the universal slogan, "Shop local, buy local." It's equally nice to enjoy a cup of coffee or some hot chocolate and a muffin at
Brewbakers (97 Main Street). or catching a movie or play at the restored circa-1924 Colonial Theater (95 Main Street).
Downtown Keene also retains a remarkable sense of preservation with, as mentioned, beautiful historic homes and buildings. As a prime example, the United Church of Christ building at Central Square was first constructed in 1786 and then moved and restyled in the 19th century. Its presence stands tall as a landmark in the central district.
United Church of Christ.
As the main commercial center of southwestern New Hampshire, Keene
represents this beautiful region quite well. An added benefit is that
you're just minutes away from scenic Mt. Monadnock, pristine lakes and ponds
and classic small New Hampshire towns like Harrisville, Peterborough and
Walpole. It's really the best of both worlds -- a fantastic downtown
and surrounding rural New England, at its best.
A wonderfully walkable downtown.
Ultimately, Keene is the the type of downtown we grew up with, so it's heartwarming
to see a small city like this show such community pride within the thriving central district. It's also amazing
that a town of about 23,000 people can offer a downtown that rivals
communities with much higher populations. Be sure to visit this gem of a downtown -- it's one of the best in all of New England!
Find a hotel in Keene
If you
enjoyed
this article, please share through any of the social media buttons
below --
thanks!
Stay
connected with VisitingNewEngland at 
Facebook
Twitter 
Pinterest
Google+
FREE
SUBSCRIPTION
Sign up for our
free VisitingNewEngland.com E-NEW ENGLAND TRAVEL NEWSLETTER
Featuring our
latest New England travel insider's news updates and stories, discounts
and coupons!
