Clark's Bears

Clark's Bears, previously named Clark's Trading Post,[1] is a visitor attraction in Lincoln, New Hampshire, United States, in the White Mountains. It is known for its trained bears[2] and for the White Mountain Central Railroad, a 30-minute, 2.5-mile (4.0 km) steam-powered train ride.

Avery's Garage at Clark's Bears, known as Clark's Trading Post at the time the picture was taken

Clark's Bears includes several museums:

  • Americana Museum - collections of American historic items including steam and gas engines, early household appliances, advertising and products
  • 1884 Pemigewasset Hook and Ladder Fire Station -horse-drawn fire engines, wagons and firefighting equipment
  • Clark History Museum - History of Clark's Trading Post and the Clark family
  • Florence Murray Museum - includes antique games, guns, swords, souvenir china, typewriters, railroad memorabilia
  • Avery's Garage - a replica gas station with early motoring memorabilia, vintage motorcycles and antique automobiles

The attraction is located along U.S. Route 3, 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the village of North Woodstock and 9 miles (14 km) south of Franconia Notch.

History

The property opened as a roadside stand in 1928 known as "Ed Clark's Eskimo Sled Dog Ranch", selling souvenirs and allowing visitors to view Florence and Ed Clark's Labrador sled dogs.[2] The Clarks purchased their first black bear in 1931, and Florence and Ed's sons Edward and Murray began training the bears in 1949.[3]

In the 1950s, the Clark brothers began salvaging old steam locomotives and displaying them at the Trading Post. This led to the construction of the White Mountain Central Railroad, a purpose built tourist railroad with a standard gauge track. Construction on the railroad began in 1955 and the first train ride was on July 30, 1958. The 30-minute train ride includes an appearance by the Wolfman, a wild prospector protecting his unobtainium mine, who harasses the train passengers. The current train ride is powered during most of the season by a Climax steam locomotive and mid-weeks during fall foliage season by a 1943 GE diesel locomotive. The train's route includes a 1904 Howe truss covered bridge that was dismantled from East Montpelier, Vermont, and reassembled across the Pemigewasset River at the Trading Post.[4]

See also

References
  1. Bailey, Kathleen D. (July 28, 2019). "Clark's Bears: The side shows may change, but the bears remain". New Hampshire Union Leader. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  2. Andrew Burmon (Oct 12, 2012). "Clark's Trading Post's Black Bears Help Keep a Roadside Tradition Alive". The Huffington Post. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
  3. "Clark's Trading Post [history]". Clark's Trading Post. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
  4. "Take a steam-powered journey through history, but beware of The Wolfman!". Clark's Bears. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
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