As the year 1914 visited our ancestors here in Concord, there was cause for concern and there was a strong desire for rest and relaxation. The Great War had started overseas and the people in Concord watched closely in hopes of a quick resolution without involvement from the United States. Sadly, within a few short years, our country officially joined the Great War in April 1917.
The year 1914 saw many trials and tribulations here in Concord. The labor effort was being examined closely because our ancestors were working long hours with limited income. The Ford Motor Company announced they were limiting the workday to eight hours and guaranteeing a minimum wage of $5 for a dayโs work. Henry Ford sold 248,000 motor vehicles in 1914 and he was feeling quite generous with his support of the laborers that manufactured in his factories.
The people living in 1914 were looking at quality of life more and more. With Henry Ford setting the trend, there were other successful companies considering similar moves to help enhance the quality of life for the employees. Woodrow Wilson signed a Motherโs Day Proclamation and a young man named Babe Ruth made his Major League Baseball debut with the Boston Red Sox. Joe DiMaggio was born in 1914 and C.W. Post, the creator of the Post Cereal Company, passed away. Yes, our ancestors needed less stress and more rest and relaxation.
There was a trend during this period of time that was gaining in popularity, especially right here in Concord. For years prior the wealthy living in large cities such as Boston and New York City would plan an extended vacation with their entire families in the country. The wealthy would simply leave their permanent homes and seek the quiet beauty of the country. With New Hampshire being within a commutable distance, we find many glamorous lakeside mansions from this period, built by the wealthy as summer destinations. The Lakes Region hosted many of these wonderful estates where the wealthy could gather and enjoy the refreshing air until the first cool breezes of autumn arrived.
The children would enjoy the peaceful surroundings as the woman planned extravagant dinner gatherings under the warm summer skies. A wonderful trend that was somewhat elusive for the average person surviving on a fixed income of just $5.00 per day.
The term โSuburban Resortโ continued to grow in popularity and the people residing in Concord were discovering that they too could in fact live a similar life without traveling a great distance. The public here in Concord realized that the people from Boston arrived by train and took the trolley up North State Street towardย the island in Penacook. Word of the beautiful Contoocook River was spreading and people were purchasing land along the steep riverbanks to build small cottages that were enjoyable but still affordable.
Our ancestors knew the area well and continued to spread the word to friends and neighbors that their bungalows along the Contoocook shores provided as much rest and relaxation as the wealthy found on the shores of the lakes to the north.
As the year 1914 continued, many of the average laborers employed by Boston and Maine Railroad or on Rattlesnake Hill quarrying for granite, sought their own little getaway a few miles from home.
The advantage for the earlier citizens of Concord was tenfold. The river was close and assessable by trolley, horse or just a walk. The cottage could be constructed simply by the owner and visited frequently. During the summer months, many of the average citizens would work at their jobs and stop home to pick up their families for a trip up to the Contoocook River. A fine evening meal was enjoyed along with some boating, singing or marshmallows around a campfire. As the evening sun set to the west, the family would return home in time to retire for the evening and return to work the very next day. When the weekend arrived, the same practice followed with the families staying overnight and returning home to Concord on a Sunday evening.
It was a simple approach, a basic cottage and time together as a family along the shore of the Contoocook River. Families bonded and memories were made during this era when families spent quiet time together.
Our ancestors learned that wealth can come to a family in many different ways. Companionship and quiet moments together allowed our ancestors to feel very rich indeed.