Recreation and Tourism

Beginning in the early 1900s, people began to use the river as a place to relax and enjoy nature. Summer camps were built to give children an opportunity to learn new skills and have fun. Highland House in Durham hosted visitors from Massachusetts who came to enjoy the view, river-based recreational activities, and the quiet away from the city. Its offerings even included a pavilion in the middle of the river. Camp Hedding in Epping operated as a religious retreat and meeting place from 1862 through the 1880s. It was so busy, with up to 18,000 visitors per day, that it warranted construction of a branch railroad.