My name is Daniel Fife and I am here to describe the AWESOME place they call the Lakes Region. The Lakes Region is a part of New Hampshire. It a remarkable place to hang around. I will give an awesome description of it. The main part of it is a huge Lake called Lake Winnipesaukee which attracts many tourists and arouses my interest in the area more. IT has many islands on it even. It is many miles long and covers many towns like Gilford, Laconia, Wolfeboro, and Alton. Besides facts I have experienced, I am also describing my experience and time there. I have visited Laconia many times here and there and my family used to do our shopping there and would spend a whole day there, esp. in downtown. I started hanging out in Laconia for the social aspect in March 2010 as where I live, Plymouth, was drying up as its all college students and no one near my age as they all moved. I Saw one movie that took place in Lake Winnipesaukee, What about bob, but most of it wasn’t filmed in New Hampshire. Another famous thing on Lake Winnipesaukee is the Mount Washington Cruise which tours around the lake when the weather is warmer. The largest community in the Lakes Region is Laconia and much of the Lakes Region is in the Belknap County. I have become a well-known figure throughout Lakes Region. I plan to move there some day.  The Lake freezes in the winter and an ice out is declared when all the ice is gone and enough gone for the ships to move around the whole lake, and that usually happens in April and at that point all my friends go boating, tis the boating season.

Starting south bound direction Lakes Region starts past Plymouth (A college town with a university called Plymouth State University) that also has awesome foliage and a town common),. Here in Holderness, the town south of Ashland (Which has a downtown and the Common Man Flagship Restaurant and store, which is a family owned New Hampshire Restaurant franchise that serves great food) which is next to Plymouth, there is Squam Lake and the Science Center. I always went to summer classes in the Science Center 20 years ago. Squam Lake is a great area to do boating and fishing! In Ashland there is even a covered bridge near the lake. Holderness has a mini downtown, like a restaurant, small library and fire house.

  South is Center Harbor and on the border of Holderness and Center Harbor, where there is a lake near Downtown, and in downtown is a mini plaza with a Market and the Children’s Museum, I used to go there when I was a child. There is an area where Mount Washington cruise picks people up. Then heading north on 25 heading northeast are real estate offices, Dunkin Donuts, restaurants, a bank, Moultonborough high school, you can see a good view of the mountains, a convenience Store, a motel, a hardware store, Subway, The Library, the Junction of 109 and 25, where on 109 3 miles west is the Sandwich Fair in which they host around the Columbus Day 3 day weekend and host Barn Shows, rides, food, and winning games machines. I have been to it twice and a friend of mine got engaged on the Ferris wheel there. Near it is the Library. Back on Route 25 in Moultonborough and heading north, off a road on 109 (You can see a view of the mountains) leading off 25 (heading North is Ossipee, Maine and North Conway) is Woodshed Restaurant that was once owned by a friend of mine, golf courses, Castle of the Clouds (off 109 and on 171 that heads to Ossipee) where they have an expensive mansion on a hill that a rich person built that’s turned into a tourist attraction. In Castle of the clouds you can get a GREAT VIEW OF the area, and do hiking. There is also a restaurant and golf course. Then going south east is Tuftonboro, Moultonborough Bay, an area where you gas your car / boat on the lake, Camp Belknap where 8-16 year old boys go to camp from July-August and has been there for decades, I went to Camp there for 4 years and had fun there, I had a great relationship with the campers and counselors and I made friends with them, he had field trips to the beach, hiking, movie nights, Fun-filled Saturdays, Lunch, breakfast and Dinner, we would have deserts, dances that came from other camps. After Camp Belknap is a township called Melvin Village, then Wolfeboro which is a vacationer town and also by Lake Winnipesaukee. There is Braun Bay in Wolfeboro where many 20s-30 year old Lakes Region boys and girls go out and have recreational fun and go boating, and drinking, and much of this occurs around the 4^th of July. They all take their boats from Meredith and boat to here. During the boating ride you can see great views of the lake and land, and mountains too.  I went to Braun Bay with 5 friends in July 2011 and we went on a boat going from a boat station in Weirs Beach to Wolfeboro on Lake Winnipesaukee.  Downtown Wolfeboro has fantastic shops like a Hallmark store and Hunters IGA that’s was just bought out by Shop n Save and named Hunter’s Shop n Save. There is a gazebo and waterfront along the lake called Wolfeboro Bay!, which has a great view. Camp Belknap is located near the line of Tuftonboro and Wolfeboro. Then south of Downtown is Brewster Academy which is a private school and divided into many houses, a hospital, Wolfeboro Kingswood Regional High school which was renovated, Then south on interstate 28 is a great view of the mountains and woods, then the town of Alton where there is a traffic circle with McDonald’s and Hannaford, all built within the last 20 years, then heading north on route 11, after the traffic circle that leads to Epsom and Manchester southeast and Rochester and Portsmouth and the rest of the seacoast east, is downtown Alton which has a pizzeria, Gazebo, law offices, Town Hall, a few hardware stores, fire station, many small shops, (there is a road route 120 that leads us to Tilton which I discuss later) Dunkin Donuts, Alton  bay along Lake Winnipesaukee, a boating marina area, Winnipesaukee Pavilion and it sells cigars, a small town common, a place where they have a cruise (For Mount Washington Cruise ship) drop off area, resort homes, Shibley’s Ice Cream shop, small shops and restaurants, a beach resort called Sandy Point with a restaurant attached which is closed in Winters, then North on Route 11 in Alton is a scenic area where you can get an awesome view of the mountains and Lake Winnipesaukee.

Then you reach the town line of Gilford where there is Ellecoya Barn and Grill (there is a convenience store attached to it) and many of my friends work there and my friend is the manager there. Then north is Ellecoya state park which has trees, a picnic and a beach. The north on Route 11 is a scenic view of the mountains and Lake Winnipesaukee, it has an area where travelers, can stop and take pictures, then north is Gilford Beach where only Gilford residents can go, a waterfront off residential streets, Gilford Marina, Lyons Den which is a restaurant and bar owned by one of my friends parents, a hotel, Real estate place, Sawyers Dairy Bar which is only open in Spring and Summer, the north is Patrick’s Pub in a mini plaza that has live music, Music trivia every Wednesday and it’s a restaurant and a bar, in the same plaza is a gift shop and a boating store.  Next door is a new restaurant called Junior Crush house that opened in the Summer of 2013, owned by 2 of my friends. They have music trivia every Friday night. Near there off the road, is Beans and Greens which sells farm fruits, vegetables, and whoopee pies. The inside is wooden. There is a farm and cornfield outside. They hold a corn maze outside near Halloween, I have never tried it but want to some year. There are many boating shops in the Lakes Region for locals and vacationers to buy and take boats to the lake. Across the street is a motel called Fireside Inn, it is brown. Then south on Route 11A is Meadowbrook Center now Bank of NH Pavillion which holds concerts of famous bands the Band Perry. You park before reaching the place (Which has a great view of Gilford), and you walk a little distance, and then pay or reserve at the order booth (There are gates too), then you proceed. When you watch the band from inside the tent where its playing it costs 70 dollars, it has 3 seating configurations like standard reserved, small stage front pit and large pit stage front. When you watch it outside it’s 35 dollars. Besides that it has refreshment stands and tents town. Then south on 11A and on the junction of Kimball st is a former Strip club called Mardi Gras that was closed forever due to drug selling the police raided. Before it closed it cost 8 dollars to get in Mardi Gras and there were strippers you’d pay to give money to give you a lap dance. I went there a lot in 2010 and had fun! Around Marti Gras are Marinas and one of them is Gilford Yacht club, neighborhoods, hotels and Condos. Some of them have private drives. The stuff on the right side is alongside the lake. Then north of Kimball Street (near Marti Gras) then going on to Lilly Pond Road, which has storage facilities and Belknap Landscaping Company, Miles Marine which offers snow removal, is back on Route 11 (Lake Shore road) where there is Gilford Airport which only has commercial flights and no regular flights but has Avis rental car. Then across the street from the airport is Airport Plaza which offers an 8 Screen cinema called Gilford Cinema many Lakes Regioners go to see movies, and hit movies like Ted, Batman movies, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc. have played here, the cost for admission is 8 dollars. This is where I usually go see my movies; in the theater are advertisements for future movies and a few arcade games. The cinema was a department store called Globe Department Store and I visited it a lot when I was younger. It had low quality merchandise and closed 20 years ago since the owner retired. The other half of Globe is occupied by a vacant flee Market. My dad said the Globe Department Store was a King’s Department Store. In the same plaza is a pizza shop. One of my friends has worked there. There was a Family Dollar in that plaza but it moved. The plaza is mostly vacant. The plaza once had Globe Department Store logo (A world globe) on the sign until it was removed many years ago. In the plaza parking lot is a red Water tower, which you can even see from several miles away. Behind the plaza is residential neighborhoods, and near it is a Citgo gas station with Dunkin Donuts and a former Agway which sold farm supplies that’s now True Value Hardware, then down the road is the Laconia Gilford Bypass Route 11/3 which goes through Gilford Part of Laconia, then to Belmont near a place called Belknap Mall I will discuss later. Off Many exits of this are residential streets. Off an exit on Gilford Ave in Gilford Rotary is Piche Ski Shop, and is near Laconia Town Line and residential streets, which is a seasonal shop which sells skiwear, then north of it on Gilford Ave is a newly built Marriott Inn, across is a Mobil Gas Station with a convenience store, and near it is a business park , with mostly insurance and real estate places or other business like places, with Holbrook Insurance, JG Realty and another business place, then north on Gilford road is Laconia Animal Hospital then further up Gilford Elementary and High Schools, and near them is Gilford Village with an old style Gas station and convenience store, and near is a Library, Near Gilford Village is a view of the mountains and its great to look at, and residential neighborhoods and the woods and of course Belknap Mountain National Forest. Then west of Gilford Village is the Gilford Police and Fire station, Gunstock inn and fitness and behind it is a view of the lake and mountains, then north is a convenience store / restaurant, Gunstock mountain Resort area which is another popular tourist attraction which is a ski resort where many tourists and locals go skinning. There are ski lifts on the mountains. There is Also tubing and Ziplining. And there are tramways. There is an indoor lounge area. Within a month of Halloween, Gunstock holds Morbid Mountain which has people go through Halloween Decorated tours. One of them you go inside and it has graves, mirrors, coffins, many Halloween like decorations, spider webs, and people, usually in 20s, jump out at you and scary you. Then you walk a tour where there are graves and more people try to scary you or say scary things. They are dressed in scary make up, as a mummy, ghost or have pumpkin faces. But they didn’t have it in 2014.  THEN west of Gunstock is more woods and residential homes, then the townline of Alton, which leads to Lake Shore Road in Alton. Then back on Lake Shore Road is Wal-mart Plaza, which was built in 1991, I remember seeing it being built on the hill. In the Plaza is a Wal-mart, which was at first tiny compared to most Wal-marts, and was a Rich’s Department Store, a defunct regional New England chain, that went out in 1997 and Wal-mart opened a year later.  Walmart was expanded into space next door to become a supercenter, in which the expansion went from Spring 2013 to Halloween time 2014. The plaza had mostly empty store fronts like a vacant Hannaford (Formerly named Shop ‘ n save) that moved in Fall 2011 across the street and half of it is now Petco, a vacant CVS that moved in 2003, Olympia Sports,a vacant Fashion Bug which closed a year ago that’s now Walmart’s expanded space, a Chinese restaurant, Game Stop, a closing Payless Shoes that is now GNC, a nails place, a Home Goods which was a TJ Maxx which was an original store. The plaza once had Coconuts music then became Strawberrys Music which is gone and vacant and Sundial Shop which sold books and Hallmark ornaments and gifts.. Then east of the Wal-mart Plaza on Lake Shore Road is a closed down Getty, a hill of vacant ranch homes, Moccasin shop which sells stuff moccasins wear and which consolidated into its bigger shop in Meredith in 2013 or 2014, a café, Wendy’s which was built 10 years ago, a plumbing place, a bank, a former restaurant, Winnipesaukee Crossings which was formerly Lakes Region Plaza that was built in the 1960s. The plaza once had WT Grant (According to my dad) that became Kmart in the 1970s and the Kmart was small, outdated and never well stocked, it had a Family Restaurant and an auto center. The rest of the plaza had Jackson Star Market which I saw close in 1996, Osco Drug which moved near Downtown Laconia in 2000, Sundial shop which sold books and hallmark ornaments and gifts, and one other part of the plaza had Papa Ginos, Favya Shoes and a Dry Cleaner. Fayva closed in the 1990s and on the other end of the Plaza was a 2 screen Cinema that had lettering on top. One by one each store closed, I remember Kmart closing in 2001, and in 2004-2007 Lakes Region Plaza was demolished and rebuilt into the current Winnipesaukee Crossings with a Lowe’s Home Improvement that opened in 2007, a Papa Gino’s, and a modern Hannaford that opened in Fall 2011. Across the Street is Shaw’s Plaza with a Modern Shaw’s and TJ Maxx, both have operated in 2000 and 2001 from what I saw. I remember what was in this plaza was a Big Banana Grocery store with a big ape head on the building, Road Kill Café, a PK Zyla’s which sold used merchandise and Radio Shack. I remember this all closed in the 1990s. I used to enjoy shopping at Big Banana but now I forgot what it looks like. Then Across the street is CVS which was a Movie Mania rental store, behind it was Grossmans lumber which has been turned to other uses.  Then after is the Laconia Gilford line.

Now past the Laconia / Gilford line in Laconia is Weirs Blvd, and along it is a lake called Paugus Bay. On Paugus Bay is an Island called Little Island, First is a resort Margate Inn which is a hotel. Inside are hotel rooms, a pool and a room held for special functions, in March 2012 I went to that room for a friend’s birthday. Outside near the waterfront is Margate Beach bar which is only open from May to early October. I enjoy visiting there every Sunday and enjoying the nice sunshine! It has great view of the islands on the Lake and view of the other side which has trees and houses. I have seen weddings held there in the summer. Margate beach bar is a beautiful place to be at in the summer as it has outdoor seating and a waterfront. On the Dock you can launch a boat and go boating. The beach is on the property too. The Beach bar restaurant serves dinner, lunch and beer.  Some of the seats are patios. 2 of my friends work there. Then Across the street is another resort. Then next to it are Chinese Bistro and Baja Beach Club. Baja Beach Club has ladies night every Thursday and specials on drinks for ladies that night. The place is busy that night. My friend Krystal who owns Tasteless Candy shirts is a bartender there. I Go there every Thursday and dance to it!! Next to it is Paugus bay plaza which has offices and enclosed hallway, and a now former Cackling Crow bar. My dad and a friend told me the original Globe Department Store was there.  Then down the road are more mini motels, several condominiums and cottages (the view between this is GREAT with seeing what’s on this road and the lake nearby) then there is Christmas Island Resort which is a seasonal motel and next to it is Christmas Island Steakhouse which serves GREAT steak, has 25 cent wing night (on Chicken wings) on Wednesdays, Prime Rib Buffets. I go to 25 cent wing night EVERY Wednesday night and go on as many prime rib Thursdays as I can. Also on Thursdays is Mark French’s Karaoke night, which is temporary. It Also has a bar (3 of my friends are bartenders) and a pool table. Down stairs sometimes holds private functions. The owners are 2 of my friends. I hangout and visit there on Friday and Saturday nights as well. I meet up with many friends there. Then on a street below Christmas Island are private homes and cottages along the like. There is a dock for boaters too. But in Sept 2013, the condos at Xmas Island Caught on Fire during a bonfire, and they eventually got torn down. Christmas Island closed temporarily in January 2014 as property got sold when its lease expired. I was really sad this closed. Good news is They sold the restaurant back to the owners who intend to reopen in Summer 2015. The restaurant attracted many locals and many out of towners during bike week. The former motel next to Christmas Island is being turned into condos. Then further down on Weirs Blvd is more mini motels and condos, an ice cream shop that’s seasonal, Naswa Resort which is only open in late Spring, all Summer and early fall (Across the street is parking). Naswa resort is a motel. In the back of Naswa Resort is a beach, and a beach bear that serves food and a bar, they have bouncers check peoples id. There are patios. The Beach bar holds concerts and contests; one of such is Bikini Contests. In the Summer I would visit Naswa at least on Saturdays. I have had friends work there. I even went there many times in 2007 cause a friend from Plymouth State would work there. Across from Naswa is Karen’s Gift Shop which is now closed and vacant, I wish that didn’t happen) Then Down the road is a condominium complex (2 of my friends have lived there), then there is a diner, a gas station with a convince store, then there is a traffic circle where WEIRS BEACH (A part of Laconia) starts. After that is on the road called Daniel Webster Highway Endicott Road is the now defunct and vacant Surf Coaster which closed 10 years ago. Surf Coaster was a water park, now its gated off and rusting. The property is for sale. I never visited Surf Coaster. Then next is Daytona Go Cart which is a go kart racing park. It also offers water tubing and high ropes courses. There is an indoor arcade. I have never tried this place out but I want to. The next to it on the left is Weirs Community Center, then a mini mall, then the traffic circle again and after that is Thurston’s Marina which sells boats and is owned by a friend of mine, then there is a bridge, then there is a road off the major road which has cottages and Channel Marine which is where some people get their boats to go boating around lake Winnipesaukee, and it’s along the Paugus bay where you see a great view of Weirs Blvd and the back of the Condo and Naswa, then after the bridge is the former Salon Hill Inn which was a restaurant, bar and Inn which burned almost 3 years ago and is now to the ground as of now, Weirs Beach Drive In which only shows drive in movies in the summer (It shows up to date movies, then the Lobster Pound which serves seafood, burgers, has a bar. Its by friends of mine whom are brothers. I have friends who are waitresses and bartenders there. Miss NH of 2012 even works there. I have had some friends leave due to moving onto settling in relationships. The Restaurant has many seatings. It’s wooden inside too. Above, which is only open in the summer, is a roof deck which you can see a great view of Weirs Beach and Lake Winnipesaukee, has outdoor seating, and another bar. Music can play there and I have had friends have birthday parties there. The Lobster Pound always holds a Sunday Brunch or Easter Brunch. They close a couple days early in the week but the owners come in when it closes due to beer and food orders. Before the family bought it in 2007, it was a lot smaller and only the bar part was there. When the family bought it it was expanded to what it is now. They hold Halloween bashes there and open Christmas night for people to come drink. I was told before it was a Howard Johnson. The Lobster Pound became the Italian Faro in late 2014, after renovations and went from emphasizing on seafood to Italian food. Its still just as popular as a spot. Then Across from Lobster Pound is the famous Weirs Beach Sign. Weirs beach is a very popular tourist and summer destination that attracts many visitors in the summer. They hold fireworks every 4^th of July and also hold fireworks Labor day weekend to mark the end of the summer. Bike Week also occurs from the 2^nd Friday of June to Father’s Day and attracts thousands of bikers, and there are many parts of weirs were bikers reserve to park their bikes. This coming June will be 90 years since Bike Week Started in Laconia. During Bike Week there are many vendors selling gear to bikers for bike week, refreshment stands, the Lobster Pound now Faro holds a tent that holds a band and a huge bar. Many beautiful ladies from Florida star here. there is a 10 dollar cover charge to it, Much of Bike Week’s activity is on Lobster Pound property. The bars in Weirs Beach are all filled to where you have to arrive at 9 pm and have higher cover charges. Many non-bikers come for bike week too. This will be my 4^th bike week (coming in June) of participating in the Bike Week Fun. I always look forward to it. I meet up with many friends during this event. A lot of police patrol the area due to Bike week. Bikers also drive through Weirs Blvd (Which I mentioned above) too and stay at all the motels along it. The traffic circle is always closed for the last few days of bike week and detours are given throughout town, and a half a mile before the traffic circle is closed too. Many many pedestrians walk the bridge during Bike week. The restaurants in the area have longer hours during bike week.  Past the Weirs Beach sign off Endicott Rd / Daniel Webster Highway is (This road is closed to car traffic during bike week) on Lakeside Road is the beach which sits on the Grand Lake Winnipesaukee (Which I have said before is the big tourist driver to the area). Near it is Endicott Park. The area is closed in Winter. Near the beach is a railroad for trains, and a wooden walkway on the right side of the road where the beach is on. Then after that there are cottages along the road, seasonal ships (they are only open from May to Early Fall and during when they are closed they are boarded up) lined along the left hand side of the road. Those shops include a pizza place, t-shirt and souvenir gift stores, an ice cream place, an arcade. During Bike week I would always look around those places and even get some pizza. Going north on the same side of the Road is Tower Hill Tavern which plays music. Beside it is an Ice Cream and Pizza Place. Then next to it is Crazy Gringo which serves Mexican food and has a bar. Then next to it is Paradise Beach Club which is very popular to hang out in in the summer and many bar hopping Lakes Regioners and out of towners go there. It has a bar and some food such as seafood and prime rib, and some couch like tables. Bands play there every Saturday. I hang out there every Saturday night. There is an outdoors part to Paradise Beach Club and they have patios. Every Saturday before Halloween Paradise Beach Club holds a Halloween bash and has the best costume award. Its open from the first weekend of May to the last weekend of October. I know the people who own it. Then across the street is Weathervane seafood and Lakes region Roast beef, then next to it on the right is Weirs Pier which has a pier to walk on and in the pier is a pizza restaurant, arcade and souvenir shop, then next door is a spot where people line up to go on cruises (Same Boat Mount Washington Cruise) for Lake Winnipesaukee. They run Fridays and Saturday. When I went to college, they would have the senior cruise (the Friday of the last day of classes in May) on the Mount Washington cruise which would have dancing, dinner and beer. I went on it my last 3 years of college. Even Before I started hanging out in Laconia I would drive around Weirs Beach at times. And below is a Citgo gas station for boaters to gas. Then back on Daniel Webster Hwy / Endicott Rd heading north is Weirs Water slide water park which has a waterslide and pool, more cottages and mini motels, many are seasonal, Cumberland Farms. Kellerhaus Candies which sells toys, gifts, a make your own sundae bar and candy. Then north is a motel, Meredith Bay Colony Club which is a retirement area, Loony Bin Bar and Grill which is a compact bar and can be popular around Bike Week, Funspot which is the World’s largest Arcade, it has many arcade games and many of them are old school stuff like Batman 1989 movie and Simpsons. The main Floor is the arcades, a kiddie area, the whack the mallet game, bowling alley, a bar. And there is an area where you can hold friends birthday parties. There is an area where you can get coins to play games. Upstairs is a mini golf and classic games area. Downstairs are more arcade games, ski ball, an area where you can pick up prizes you won and the Bragging Draggin which serves burgers, fries, hotdogs and pizza. The workers in that wear pizza aprons. One of my friends has worked here. And in the eating area are photos of the old days of Funspot and newspaper clippings of it, and mentioning the original owner. This place can get really crowded on the weekends. They have Halloween bashes within 10 days before Halloween. I love to visit there and play games and eat at Bragging Draggin. Outside is a Bingo Parlor. Then south is Lakes Region Go Cart, biker stores, one of them is Called Boneyard, the Heat which serves Pizza and is a bar and has karaoke on Fridays. I stop in every now and then. I sang Ghostbusters song there in September. Then across is Alpine Adventures Zipling, Broken Spoke Saloon which attracts many bike weekers, Pine Wood Camping World, a kitchen supplies store, a vacant motel called Townline Motel which has been closed for a while, Pirates Cove Mini Golf, the Townline of Meredith

Then past the Town line of Meredith are real estate offices, a few cottages (one with a pool), a Trailer and Dock place, Acme Chopper, Black,  Bear Lodge, JB Scoops which has been there for as long as I could remember and one of my friends worked there and is now a renamed Ice Cream place,  a farm place that sells corn, Docks unlimited, a storage place, there are trees along this route, a wooden shack that sells pumpkins,  Longview country store, Allstate insurance, Fitness Edge Gym, a place that once sold playground equipment, Meredith Bay Colony club which is a luxury living place and home for retired people, a golf course near it, a furniture store which has been there for as long as I could remember, a few small owned businesses, a bank, a McDonald’s on a hill, Harts Turkey Farm which has a gift shop which has souvenirs and restaurant which sells turkey, as the restaurant’s title says, chicken and fries. It’s a popular place in the Lakes Region. Then next is a big Harley Davidson bike shop, that is also attractive during Bike Week, Volvo, Belknap Family Health Care, a car wash, then there is a convenience store / salon, Curves, Subway, a dance studio, railroad area, real estate places, Winnipesaukee Scenic Rail road, Children’s museum, an inn, a bridge over the lake, Meredith Marina, A building  supply place, a Chinese restaurant, the Lake House / Church Landing which is owned by the Common Man, which is a privately owned restaurant chain that owns different restaurants / inns with different names. Lake House Grill is along Lake Winnipesaukee (As is everything else this stretch of road on the right side) and serves steaks and seafood. Church Landing is a hotel with a few floors. One of my friends works there. Church Landing holds events such as weddings and private functions. Then after Lake House / Church landing is an old fashioned Irving / Convenience store, near it is an old fashioned sign pointing to the streets, the former Christmas Loft which sold Christmas Stuff, Century 21, a privately owned place with flower decorations, then Town Docks (which is only open in Spring, Summer and early Fall and also along the Lake) which serves burgers fries seafood on the other side facing the beach and lake, and waitresses serve customers, whom sit on patios, foods, there is an ice cream shop there too. Town Docks too is owned by Common Man and it has been there for id say 15 years. I visit there every summer and love it. Town Docks was once an ice cream place called Franken Sundae which I remember having a huge Frankenstein head on the sign and on the building a Frankenstein eating a sundae w a vulture and had a make your own sundae bar. I Was told the owner retired and sold it to Common Man, then there are the docks (There is parking there), on the lake where a Mount Washington Cruise picks people up, a gazebo where I have seen weddings held, The Camp restaurant (on the left side of the road) is a restaurant that serves crackers, seafood and apple chicken. Its also owned by the Common Man and located in Mill Falls Inn and Spa. I was told it’s been there for 15 years. A couple of my friends work there. In the same complex as the camp is a place called Oglethorpe, then across the street on the side of the Lake is Lago which is also owned by Common Man and has been there for 10 years. Lago is a restaurant with wooden tables, the staff is friendly and dressed in orange (I have a few friends that work there), it has Italian foods, serves pizza, salads, appetizers, cheese, crackers (There are free crackers in a basket when you walk in) and wine. The place has a bar too. Lago has wine down Wednesday nights which discounts the price of wine, which attracts many in the area, but doesn’t hold it in the summer due to tourists. I visit Lago EVERY Wednesday to see my friends who are participating in Wine Down Wednesday. I held my 28^th birthday there even!. The place is white and has a few floors. It has room for News Channel 4 in the building (it even says the news channel on one side of the building). The place has even offered tours to Italy. Outside is an outdoor seating area only open when the weather is nice and it’s a great place to sit as its alongside the lake and has a great view. Actually being where there is a great view of the lake is the best part of this area. In early February every year they hold Pond Hockey and Ice Hockey on the lake right by Lago and people all over come to visit and participate in the events. Many locals set up bobhouses near the events for most of the winter and many visitors set up tents when they go to see the event. Helicopters fly around the event. Then on route 25 west of Lago (that heads to the direction of Center Harbor and Moultonborough which I have already covered, and heads to Conway and White Mountains) is a pizza place, Aubachon Hardware, a condominium area, A big Meredith Village savings bank. Meredith Cinema which has 3 screens but shows the popular movies out then, a mini mall with gift shops, Hannaford, Olympia Sports and Rite Aid. I temember the plaza once had Ben Franklin variety store, Brooks Pharmacy and some grocery store. They revamped the plaza 5 years ago to what it is now. I miss the Ben Franklin. I used to go there a lot when I was younger. Then beyond are ice cream shops, a gas station, a consignment shop, banks and Interlakes High School. 3 of my friends who are dance teachers sometimes perform there. Now Back to around Lago on Daniel Webster Highway, across the Street is Mills Falls Marketplace and Inn which has hotel rooms, has wedding parties, has a restaurant called Giueseppe’s which has been there for 25 years. It’s quite popular this part of the Lakes Region. It serves pizza and has a bar. Giueseppe’s also has a down stars bar called the grotto where many partiers hangout and dance on a dance floor. Every Friday there is a DJ and on Saturdays there is a band. I Go there EVERY Friday and meet up with friends. Every Saturday a band plays. There is a small outdoor seating area. There is a stair way going form the Grotto to the restaurant! I had my 29^th birthday party at Giueseppe’s. There is always a 3 dollar cover charge. The Fishing Derby and Pond Hockey event I said earlier fills up Giuesppe’s on those those weekends. The Mill Falls Marketplace also has gift shops and a candy shop. Then up the road from Mill Falls (on Main st) is a mini downtown with gift shops, Bootleggers Shoes which is only in the Lakes Region, tattoo parlors, real estate places and hair salons. There are a couple bars and even a new one called Frog Tavern. I went in there once. There’s also the town library and a place that has the history of Meredith. Then up near Mcdonald’s to the east is 104 which has Annele’s gifts and a mini mall which once had Jackson Star Market and Rite Aid. 104 leads to New Hampton and Bristol. South of Mill Falls Marketplace is Ford, gas stations and Family dollar then the direction to Holderness and Ashland which we covered.

Ok now back to the Laconia / Gilford town line near Shaw’s and near Weirs Blvd to the north in Laconia and what becomes Union Ave and on it is BaySide Cemetary, Laconia Pet Center which is a pet store and even sells aquariums, a diner, a sports store, Laconia Animal hospital which was once Wendy’s from 1989 to 1996 (it closed due to no drive thru), a thrift and food pantry place, Barton’s Motel which has been there for a while and Annie’s book store is attached to it, Kentucky Fried Chicken that became Taco Bell in Spring 2014 and has been a big hit in the area, McDonald’s which has been there for 40 years and was rebuilt 2 years ago to a more modern place (the modern facility has a fireplace and tv) a vacant motorsports place, a home, a vacant Burger King which closed 5 years ago and was there for 30 something years. Burger King closed due to the high property values, but had a good location due to being along Paugus Bay. The view of Paugus Bay (And mountains in the distance) can be seen along the back of places on the right side of the road. Then there’s a Home Theater store, a power bike sports place, the awesome and popular T-Bones / Cactus Jacks! It’s been there since 2007 and was once a Bonanza Restaurant and the downstairs had a bar called Jeremiah’s.  The upstairs has T-Bones which sell steak and has a bar. Downstairs is Cactus Jacks Grill and Watering hole which serves southern Foods, chips, salads, burgers fries, cake. It has a bar. Cactus Jacks is also a popular hangout spot for Lakes Regioners and visitors come here too. It gets REAL busy on Friday and Saturday nights in the summer and when parking is at capacity, people have to park across the street, I hang out there too as I come there every day and I See a lot of my friends here. I know many of the workers. WE all hang out. I use my laptop when I have had great memories with friends here. I have had my 27^th, 28^th, 29^th, 30^th and 31^st birthdays here. When someone has a birthday party here, the whole working crew of Cactus Jacks comes over with a birthday cake singing happy happy birthday from the CJS crew happy happy birthday! Many of my friends work here. There is a TV and couch area called the Texas area.  The sign for Cactus Jacks always makes announcement for food specials or paybacks or comments of the holidays related to their business. In 2011 they even wished me happy birthday on their sign. Then after that is a car wash, an auto place. There’s Friendly’s, AmeriGas, Pizza Hut, Laconia Daily sun which is one of Laconia’s Newspapers and the place once sold games, Dairy Queen which closes in Winter and is a popular place to get ice cream. It has a drive thru and tables. It was torn down and rebuilt a few years ago. Then further along on Union Ave is a car wash, a former Pawn Shop named Cash N toys which closed in the Fall, Dunkin Donuts which is in the shell of a former home that was torn down, The old Dunkin Donuts that’s now a Chinese place, Trustworthy Hardware, D’angelo’s which was an Arby’s 20 years ago and I ate there a lot, an Auto parts place that was Midas, VIP, and near VIp is the Gilford Laconia line and here that is a slew of neighborhoods.

Then back to around Midas and VIP, past that is a wireless hone place, Laconia Water Department, Irwin Marina which is on the lake and sells boats, a café, a car place, Case N Keg which is a convenience store, a car wash Laconia Electric Supply, is a beauty place, Fratello’s restaurant which is an Italian restaurant (it even serves vegetarian pizza and scallops). The restaurant is 2 levels; the upper level has a bar, more seating and a greenhouse area. The lower level has more seating and a desert area. I know the manager and man yof the workers. I stop in a lot to see friends who are working there and take the crackers. They recently (Spring 2015) renovated the back end of the upper floor to make outdoor seating. The Fratello’s was once a bank and there is a special eating room in the former bank and the door closes. There is always someone playing the piano there. In the center of Lakeport is the lake (Still Paugus Bay) and in Lakeport are more neighborhoods and turning onto Elm st is the Restaurant called the O Steaks and Seafood. There is Lakeport Square by the lake that holds Halloween Decorations near Halloween and Christmas Decorations near Christmas, its awesome to see. Many of my friends have eaten there for get togethers or family dinners. On top of a restaurant it has a bar, hotel rooms in a place called Lake Opechee Inn and Spa, and has private functions and its located along side the lake called Opechee Bay, there’s a bar restaurant called CJ Avery’s, the Fire station, Lake port Landing which is a marina area, convenience stores, apartments,  Maderia, Paugus Bay Marina which is on the lake, Goss Reading room, more neighborhoods, Paugus bay, Elm street Elementary School, Laconia Country Club which is a golfing area and many of my friends golf there. They have golf Tournaments there then off of Elm st Meredith Center Road which leads to Meredith which has a convenience store which has been updated, a park, and on the way to New Hampton and Bristol, and the other road off Elm st is Parade Road (Which going north leads to Meredith where we covered and on the way to that is Tavern 27 and trees and neighborhoods and going south leads to Downtown and on the way are neighborhoods, manufacturing places, UPS, The Belknap County jail, Opechee Bay State Forest, more neighborhoods, and those neighborhoods are along Paugus Bay, Governor’s State Park, many apartment complexes, Opechee Park which is along the bay and a beach. There is a playground on it too. Every 4^th of July they hold fireworks there and have tons of refreshment stands that day. Then after that are more trees, more neighborhoods and Laconia Middle School. I have had 2 of my friends whom are dance teachers hold dancing events there, Then there’s Laconia Athletic Swim club has a gym, Fitness, Fitness classes like Zumba, Spin Clases and Body Combat, and a swimming pool for swimming classes. They are all taught by different instructors. You have to pay a membership to get in. Then after that is Laconia Clinic, Lakes Region Community Services which aids disabled people and downtown (Which I will later cover).

Now back to Lakeport around Frattellos going up on Union Ave is a convenience store, a closed pawn shop turning into a Bristo, a brown building complex, Robinson Auto Parts which has old school lettering, more neighborhoods around and apartments, a wellness place, Belknap Tire Co, Cadillac / Chevrlet car / truck dealership which underwent a renovation last year, Cantlin Services, a torn down place that’s now Aroma Joe’s which is a coffee shop with many different flavors and has  a drive thru, a Chinese restaurant called King’s Cuisine, a mini mall With Domino’s pizza Subway and real estate places. Rafferty’s Chiropractor which is owned by one of my friends father, Napa Auto Parts, a Pawn shop, a real estate place, Irving Convenience store then turning onto Messer st are more homes, a building, a vet service, Dutile’s Heating and Oil (which is owned by a husband of one of my friends), a car dealer ship Irwin Ford which sells many brands of cars. I bought my current and last car there. 2 of my friends work there. They sell cars and do car maintenance on them. Near it is Enterprise Rent a car, a mini bridge and the lake which is a popular hangout spot. Then beyond are more neighborhoods and the direction to downtown.

How back to Union Ave in Laconia and south of Irving is more homes, privately owned places, a hair place, pregnancy test place, a floral place, a law office, Taylor community which is a retirement area, the orthodontist, a vacant gas station and vacant Irwin Zone that sells used cars, NH Employment works where unemployed or people seeking jobs search for help or to collect benefits, gas station with service, a pizza place called Laconia House of Pizza, Laconia Refrigeration, a small restaurant, more privately owned places, Art Escape, Prior Attire which is a clothing consignment shop, a new restaurant called 405 that opened October 2013 and has become a big hit and it has clocks of different time zones showing the time 405 and near the kitchen area it says its 405 somewhere. There is half off pizza on Tuesday, music trivia on Thursday night and live music on Fri at 405. Laconia High School where many of my Lakes Region Friends went to school, Laconia Community Center and one thing it has is parks and rec, Auto Zone that was formerly Brooks Pharmacy, a gas station, Gilford Ave which leads to the Gilford Ave I mentioned many paragraphs ago which has Gunstock and Gilford Village, Rite Aid which was formerly Osco Drug, a building called Lakes Region Health Care Rehab services, a road which leads to Irwin on Messer st that I mentioned the paragraph above and residential homes, a bank, a church, CVS which was built a few years ago and is on land on what was a privately owned home and nails place, vacant stores, right off the road called Church st is Genesis Healthcare services, a restaurant called Brickfront where my friends work and has outdoor seating, a bridge that has a view of the bay, small downtown like convenience stores, Downtown, the back on Union Ave south of CVS and going further up and off this street is Lakes Region General Hospital, more homes (And there are neighborhoods near too) and apartments, a mill building that’s where a consignment shop is then the junction of South Main st and near Downtown, turning onto South Main st south (left direction) (on 106) is Dunkin Donuts, Vista Foods that was once IGA then Butsons Market, Melcher and Prescott Insurance Building, Meredith Village Bank, Dunkin Donuts, a Chinese restaurant once Weeks Restaurant (it had a mount Washington ice cream as you could get 12 scoops),  Wyatt Park, more homes and privately owned places and then south is the Belmont line where theres a gas station, more homes, manufacturing places, Metrocast which is a cable company, Lakes Region Casino (they have bands there too),a small downtown, Belknap Library, Dunkin Donuts, a hardware store, pizza places, then Gilmanton and heads the direction to Loudon Races where they have Nascar races every 3^rd Sunday of July and 3^rd Sunday of September. 30,000 come to watch every year. I have only been to one. Then after is Concord and beyond.

Back To the Junction of South Main st and Union Ave is Downtown (Finally) Laconia, and heading right is Landmark inn which is a hotel, then still on Main st in Downtown Laconia mall which is a pedestrian mall (my dad said it was once enclosed but they made it open to create the street and the back of this mall and back of some of these stores is on Beacon street West and both entrances to the stores are on Main st and Beacon st West), with Sawyers Jewelry, Wells Fargo Financial Advisors, a bridal shop, computer store, Funky Monkey which is a bar and one of the most popular basr in the town, Many of my friends go here later in the week. On Tuesday and Wednesdays is karaoke night. Friday and Saturdays they have  DJs and cover charges. They have a dance floor and there are many pool tables. I hangout there EVERY Saturday and some Saturdays its quite busy. I meet a lot of people there and see some of my friends there. I know the owners and workers. I used to sing there EVERY Wednesday and I know the people who have done both karaoke services there. Next Door is Family Dollar. Next door is Empire Beauty School where you go to school to be a hair dresser. Funky Monkey, Family Dollar and Empire Beauty School was a clothing department store called O’Shea and it had money from upstairs go in the cash registers like old times. I remember this closed 20 something years ago cause the owner retired. Near is Soda Shoppe which serves breakfast like food and I have eaten there many times. There are many law offices near and a parking garage is behind these stores (on Beacon st East). On Beacon st EAST (Along the river) is Belknap Mill place which was a mill which has law offices, a  gift shop and Central NH employment which offers temporary work to people. The inside retains a mill look, near it is a gazebo (that’s across Soda Shoppe and Parking Garage) in which I Saw a wedding last September and the reception was inside Belknap Mill, Laconia City Hall, a big parking area and the Post Office. Back to Main st near Funky Monkey and Empire Beauty School is Bootleggers Shoes which was Melnick’s shoes (my family and I used to go there tons and would even go to it’s sidewalk summer sales). On top of shoes they have a kid’s slide kids can play on while they wait for their parents to shop. Near Bootleggers on Beacon st West side is a row of antique shops. Then After Bootleggers, Main st side of the store, is Rent a Center which was a video store and before that a clothing store called Cherry and Webb Touraine, Citizens Bank. Then after it on Main st is a hair salon off the road on Pleasant st called Galleria Salon and Spa and further up on Pleasant st in downtown is Goodwill clothing store (The back entrance is on Beacon st west), a big church a parking area, many small shops, Downtown Deli, many antique shops and a DVD and VHS store. Now back on Main st past Citizens bank are law offices. The law offices and Galleria Salon and Spa was a gift store named Sundial Shop that sold gifts, stuffed bears, books, chocolates and cards. Until like 15 years ago the Sundial shop had a downstairs that had many books and kid’s stuff but it closed and then they kept shrinking the store. It even had a video rental store and that closed. The Sundial shop closed altogether in 2010. Its now the new home for Stages Academy (See later in the paragraph for the place) My dad said it was a Woolworth at one time. Across the street is an antique shop named Blooms. It sells many antiques and paintings. It was at first a JJ Newberrys until 1997. I went there a lot with my family and I thought it was junky. It had a lunch counter. After JJ Newberrys closed it was replaced by a similar variety store named Blooms which closed 5 years ago. Up the road on main st are 2 more hair salons (Sun Days Spa), antique Shops, vacant store fronts, Isa’s Formalwear and sells Bridal stuff, a Bakery, Greenlaw’s music, a closed video rental, a vacant Laconia theater (it had many great movies there once but movies migrated to Gilford Cinema 8 which I mentioned above). On a side road off Main st is Penny Patou Travel Agency, art work stores, nails shops, a sports shop, a tavern, a healthcare place. On the junction of Main st and Church st is the big Laconia Library (near It is a Church, Annie’s Books and Laconia Christian School) and west of it is Veterans Square where they have Burrito me which has burritos, a bank, Local eatery restuarant goldsmiths, and a florist shop, the new Holy Grail Restaurant which is a bar and restaurant which is in a former church, has entertainment the 2nd half of the week and has godlike images inside that is so beautiful looking, A big Bank of New Hampshire which has 3 levels and the sign spins and says the temperature, then near it is Pleasant st where there are Residential homes and the Laconia SAU office nearby, then turning onto Beacon st West is Streetcar complex  which has Hectors Fine Food and Spirits, offices, and the original home to Stages Dance Academy that one of my friends owns and started in 2010 and I take Zumba there, then it moved to the Old Sundial shop for larger quarters in 2014. Near the Streetcar Complex are Condos from mill buildings and 2 of my friends live in them. Between the Condos and Streetcar complex is Water st and along it is the river, then onto Beacon st west is the back of Funky Monkey, Family dollar and Melknicks and back to Landmark inn.

Downtown Laconia used to have anything you want and my family and I would shop there a lot, but now its bars and antique shops. Laconia had a history of being a mill town which manufactured textiles (They were along the river) and the mills closed decades ago. Those mill buildings are used for different purposes which I will explain later EVERY Saturday (or Sometimes Sunday) after thanksgiving they hold a parade in Downtown Laconia where they have Santa, The Grinch go by, Stages Dance Academy (which has had a parade for the dancers). I participated in it in 2010. I watch the parade every year. Many from the area go and watch. Every year by the Gazebo they have a Christmas tree.

Past Landmark inn on Court st turning right is Walgreens, a convenience store, Beyond the Belt Martial Arts and one of my friends is a teacher there.  Then more residential areas, a church, Mike Testa State Farm insurance and I know Mike and a few of the girls that work there, a Church, The courthouse, more insurance places Skate Escape Ice Rink. Near Skate Escape Ice Rink is Little Caesears Pizza, a panting place and Fair St which has the waterfront a view of downtown, Hectors manufacturing, a lumber place, Laconia Citizen which is a newspaper that services the area, a manufacturing place, a  vacant tire places, more homes, Water St Café, and Water st that leads to Streetcar Complex on Beacon st that we covered. Then Back on Court st By Skate Escape and further up is more residential streets, a baseball field, Platinum Salon where I get my haircut and a family I know owns it, I Also know all the hairdressers. It’s neat inside too. It was built from an old complex in 2006. Then more homes, Citgo with service, a Party Shop, Portland glass, a gift shop, a café, Ajs Towing and a friend of mine works for it, the bay which has a great view, an Auto repair place, Coldwell Real Estate, more cars supplies places, St Francis Nursing home. Then after all this is the town line of Belmont and Laconia.

Then beyond the town line of Belmont and in Belmont (the road is now Daniel Webster Highway) is a closed auto place, the end of the Laconia Bypass, a manufacturing place, on a side road and north is Top of the Town Restaurant whom a family of mine I know owns and they host dancing events later in the week, then back on Daniel Webster Highway Belknap Mall which is the only enclosed mall in the area and built 40 years ago, it has a small Shaw’s, Hair Excitement, CVS, Maurice’s clothing, a Mattress store, many privately owned places, a closed Blockbuster video, Radio Shack, a kids play area, in the middle of the mall near Christmas they always have Santa, Big Lots, Peebles Clothing, Planet Fitness which is 24 hours and all my friends go there, Us Cellular, a Wireless phone place, Dunkin Donuts, a pet store. The Big Lots , Peebles and Planet Fitness was an Ames Department Store and before that was a Zayre Department store, which relocated from one part of the mall 25 years ago (I Remember seeing the expansion). As Part of the Expansion was a few smaller stores like the Footlocker, Poore Simons and Radio shack, the first 2 are gone. The original Zayre in the mall, which had been there since the mall opened, became Decelle clothing which became Blockbuster Video and the Pet Store. The mall also once had Book Corner, Deering Ice Cream, a Hallmark store, Record Town and Rave Clothing store. Outside the mall is a mini plaza with Joanne Fabrics and a Chinese place. The Chinese place was a toy store called Toy Works which lasted from the 1980s somewhere to 2005 when it closed. I bought a lot of Toys there when I was younger. Then After the Belknap mall were Appliance stores, a car wash, a used car place, more car supplies places, there are many billboard advertisements along this road and they have one for Cactus Jacks (Which I mentioned, A home and Flooring place, a Laundromat, a Home Bargain outlet and mattressman(it has a coca cola sign), an appliance store called Barons, Goodyear Tires, a Chinese Restaurant, Broadway North Dance Studio which is owned by former Miss NH contestants and I know them. It offers dance to children and Zumba. a mini complex with a Mexican restaurant called El Jimador, Vacman and Robin which spoofs the Batman and Robin hey it even has the Batman and Robin logo, more smaller shops, Shooters Tavern and Restaurant (A few of my friends have worked there), car wash, Agway, Pichie’s Ski Shop,a storage place, and  many neighborhoods are near (Some have the lake near), then a bridge with a great view of the lake, Winnisquam Marina and the townline of Belmont and Sanbornton.

Then after the town line of Sanbornton, the road becomes Laconia Road in Sanbornton is a bridge where you see a great view of the lake, general store, off a side road is Steele Hill Resort (it has held private functions, holds promotions and once held Plymouth State’s Senior formal), then after that is the Townline of Tilton where there is Pirate Cove Golf Course and it has boardwalks along the golf course how fancy!,  a restaurant, campgrounds, a slew of motels (one with an indoor pool and that one is called Shalimar Resort), a view of the lake and an island, many homes and cottages along the way, a vacant shop, there are MANY neighborhoods and trees nearby, Lakeview Golf Club is near,  the township of Lochmere,  A Pawn Shop, places that sell Auto parts, True Value Hardware, a convenience store, Lochmere Country Club, a storage place, Hampton Inn (I have gone to Avon Conventions there) Home Depot which was built in 2001, Wendy’s which is in Home Depot Parking lot and built in 01, 99 Restaurant which was built like 10 years ago, Taco Bell that opened in Fall 2015, BJ’s which was built in the mid-1990s, Shaw’s Plaza with Shaw’s which closed in 2013 and is still vacant, Staples, US CELLULAR, and Green Ginger which was built 15 years ago. Applebee’s is in the parking lot. Shaws and BJs were on property in which was Pike Industries which relocated. Across the Street is a shopping meca called Lakes Region Outlet Center which has brand name stores like Bass, Van Heuson, Gap Outlet, Coach, Nine West and 60 others. It also includes Lakes Regions Starbucks which is popular among my friends, The Outlet mall was built in 1994. On property is Old Navy and Pizzeria Uno. It’s now Tanger Outlet Center as its owned by that company, which owns many other outlet malls. It is a very popular shopping destination for locals, ones who live in the state and tourists. Then south on the Road Tilt’n Dinner, A Chinese place, a place that shows Lakes Region History, Dunkin Donuts, a McDonald’s which was built in the mid 1980’s, a Burger King built in 1994, a Kentucky Fried Chicken that was built in the late 1990s, Volvo, Near Burger King and McDonald’s is route 140 which leads through Belmont and then goes to Alton, lumber plants, a manufacturing place, a hotel, then after that going on Laconia Rd is the bridge going over interstate 93, AutoServ, Market Basket Supermarket which was built in 2004, Wal-mart which opened in 1995 and was just expanded to a super Walmart, a bank, Auto Serve branch over a vacant Agway, Lowe’s Plaza that was built in 2006 and it has Kohl’s, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Pizza Hut and Chilis Bar and Grill, then down the road is the Police station, 3 convenience stores, apartments and homes, a church, downtown Tilton which has hair salons, tattoo parlors,  a unique looking shop (That looks like a home), pizza shops and a few small shops, there was once a video rental, a resortlike inn, Tilton Prep School, a riverside park, Tilton Town Hall, a mill turned mini mall with small shops, a quilting place and a hair salon which is enclosed, Winnisquam Regional School, storage places, a few privately owned places, salons, an auto parts place, a Chinese Restaurant, a Dairy Queen, Townline Plaza which holds Smitty’s Cinema and Bar and Grill, which shows movies that are currently released plus is a restaurant which serves food and even beer, you sit down at restaurant like tables and be served while watching the movie, Smitty’s was an A&P foods until 20 years ago. There is Dollar Tree and Tractor Supply which was an Ames Department Store. There are smaller shops in the plaza too. They used to have a Ben Franklin Crafts here. Theres a vacant Movie Gallery movie shop, then there’s the townline of Franklin, and past it is a Rite Aid, a mini mall with small offices, Hannaford (Formerly Shop N save and built 21 years ago), a bank, Soda Shoppe, a mini mall with Family Dollar, Smaller Shops and Auto Zone, then a CVS, a restaurant, McDonald’s with a playplace, auto shops, some smalls hops, downtown Franklin which has bars and small shops, Town Hall, the Library, A Gazebo  (Along the river and on a park),a church, Franklin Opera House, Daniel Webster Place, where Daniel Webster’s birth place was and he was a leading statesman and senator a while back, and the Franklin School District. There is a river along this and there were once some mills along it. Then there is the junction of this road and Route 3 which goes Concord South and north to New Hampton. The Lakes Region ends here

I recommend any of you to visit the Lakes Region. I took all these pics and all these places are places I have seen.  I have made tons of friends here over the years and you all can too when you visit here a lot, esp in the summer time.