Excerpt from Exeter in 1776: Sketches of an Old New Hampshire Town as It Was a Hundred Years Ago, Prepared for the Ladies’ Centennial Levee Held in Exeter, Feb, 22, 1876
The change in the character of the public highways, since 1776, is worthy of special notice. For many years be fore the Revolution the lumber-trade was the chief business of the town. Vast quantities of the choicest spoils of the forest were brought each year from inland points, to the Ex eter landing, - a part to be used for the construction of ships here, and the remainder to be rafted, or otherwise transported down the river. The greater share of the money raised for the repair of the highways was expended on the roads towards Brentwood and Epping, over which the staple commodity in which our citizens were so deeply interest ed was hauled to tide water and a market. The result of it was that the other ways were sadly neglected. F ortu nately this was of less consequence from the fact that most of the travel at that period, was upon horseback. The river, too, served admirably as a public highway, in former times, between the settlements upon its banks. So long as people could do their business by means of boats, they were not so particular about the condition of the roads.
The basin of the salt river, six score years ago, pre sented a far busier scene than it does to-day. The channel was then capable of affording a passage to vessels ofcon siderable size, and ships of from two hundred to five hun dred tons’ burden were built here six or eight of them each season, it is said. Several vessels were owned here, and made voyages along the coast and to the West Indies and Europe. With ships unloading their cargoes at our wharves, with carpenters and caulkers plying their busy trades in our shipyards, and with long lines of teams dragging the mighty pines to the river side, the spectacle must have been full of life and animation. Perhaps something of the same sort may again be realized, when the obstructions to the naviga tion of the Squamscot shall be removed.
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