Lee Historical Society

The Hale Farm house located on Mast Road was built about 1785 by Captain Robert Parker. At this location, Captain Parker and his partners built the privateer “General Sullivan” which was taken apart and hauled by oxen to Newmarket and put back together. The “General Sullivan” was a Sloop-of-War and a very success venture for Captain Parker and his group of investors. Here is more information about the ship: http://www.awiatsea.com/Privateers/G/General%20Sullivan%20New%20Hampshire%20Ship%20%5BDalling%20Manning%5D.html

The first photo shows the Hale Farm main house. The second graphic is of the “Letters of Marque” issued by the Continental Congress in 1778 to the owners of the General Sullivan to “make Captures of British Vessels and Cargoes”. The third photo is of the coin commissioned for the 200th anniversary of Lee in 1966 depicting the “General Sullivan”. Contributed by Scott Bugbee

The South Lee School was built in the 1880’s and faced Wadleigh Falls Road (Route 152) and was located on the northeast corner of Fox Garrison across the road from the Union Meeting House.

This photo is dated 1880 but the documentation we have found says that the school was built in 1888. The back of the photo says that Frank A. Davis was the teacher when the photo was taken.

This was another historical glimpse of Lee. Check back for more old photos of Lee in the coming weeks and months. Please let us know if you want to see more of these kinds of posts.

Note: The building burned down in December 1945. The only remnant of the South Lee School is the stone steps leading up to the front door. They can still be seen on the site. Contributed by Scott Bugbee

The town built this shed behind the present day town hall as a place to house town tools. At the Annual Town meeting in March of 1915 the town took up Warrant Article #5 – ‘To see if the Town will vote to build a building for the road machine and other town implements and make appropriation for same” –“It was voted to empower the Selectmen to build such building as their judgment deemed appropriate the cost not to exceed 300 dollars”. The 1916 Town Report shows this was accomplished for the sum of $245.88.

When the railway came through Lee in 1874,”transients, hobos or tramps” traveling on the railway freight cars would stop in Lee and ask for handouts and a place to sleep. The town took on the responsibility for providing food and lodging for these men. The town’s selectmen paid various townsfolk 25 cents per night to feed them. Town records show $2.50 was spent in 1923 to build tramp bunks and, in 1927, $3.00 to buy mattresses and springs for the “tramp room” in the Tool Shed. The Great Depression created a greater need as the town spent $29.50 for the care of 59 transients in 1934. After the Second World War, the need appears to have lessened because there doesn’t appear to be any people housed after that time.

In 1956, the town spent $1,286.35 on the shed to make it deeper to house the new Adams grader. Through the years, the shed has been used to house police evidence and police cars, book shelves, to shelter the town vault, and more recently as once again a tool and storage shed. Historic items and equipment too large for the Lee Historical Society’s museum continue to be housed in this shed.

In 2018, the building was put on the New Hampshire Register of Historic Places (NHDHR) for being one of the only remaining tramp sheds left in the State. The State called the building “Tool Shed with Tramp Room”. In 2019, the Lee Heritage Commission placed a sign on the building to acknowledge its important place in the Town’s history. (See a photo of the sign below.)

This building was one of two tramp houses located in Lee. The other tramp house was located at Lane’s Crossing near the present day intersection of Calef Highway (Route 125) and Stepping Stones Road. (See a photo on right.) Contributed by Scott Bugbee

The Old Union Meeting House served as a common church for the various religious denominations of the town. It was erected early in the 17th century. Simple in design, it seated at least 250 people on the main floor and in its roomy gallery.

During the early 1900s, the Meeting House was used by the different church groups in Lee for Sunday morning and afternoon services. On week days, it became a town hall for local entertainments and activities.

By 1928, when its usefulness seemed ended, it was torn down.

It was located at the intersection of Wadleigh Falls Road and Fox Garrison in South Lee. Contributed by Scott Bugbee

The first recorded settlement of the area that would become the Town of Lee occurred at Wadleigh Falls. There were many factories and businesses located there over the years as well as a post office at one time. With the dam powering many of the businesses the area grew and was an important part of the town. This photo from about 1880 shows the Wadleigh Falls area looking toward Newmarket. As you can see lots of people turned out for the photo. We know the names of many of those in the photo. From the left of the photo, Guy Glidden and Blanche Glidden, whose family members would start the Glidden Paint Company, are just a few of people identified. Contributed by Scott Bugbee

Route 125 was the original track bed for the railroad.The South Lee Train Station was there in the late 19th century and the early 20th century.The white building on the right is still there as is the house on the right. The house is currently the Plumer Bed & Breakfast. The building in the middle center of the photo was the train station and the building on the near left was the milk house. Contributed by Scott Bugbee