Greater Peterborough & the Monadnock Region
Welcome to the Greater Peterborough Guide, an independent guide to one of New Hampshire’s most storied corners: the Monadnock Region of the Contoocook Valley. From the summit of Mount Monadnock to the stage lights of a summer playhouse, this is a place where small-town New England still feels genuinely lived-in — and it has been welcoming visitors, artists, and new residents for well over a century.
Peterborough sits at the heart of a cluster of towns — Jaffrey, Rindge, Dublin, Sharon, Temple, Antrim, Bennington, Fitzwilliam, Francestown, Greenfield, Greenville, Hancock, Harrisville, Mason, New Ipswich, and Wilton — that together form the greater Peterborough area. Our aim is simple: to help you understand what makes this region worth the drive, whether you are planning a weekend, researching a move, or simply curious about the place that inspired Thornton Wilder’s Our Town.
What You’ll Find Here
The guide is organized around the things people actually come here for. If the outdoors is your reason, start with outdoor recreation and our page on hiking Mount Monadnock. If you are drawn by culture, the region’s arts and entertainment scene punches far above the weight of its population. And if you are thinking about staying, our relocation overview lays out what daily life here is really like. Every page is written as an independent, editorial guide — no bookings, no memberships, just useful, honest information about a region we think deserves it.
A Region Defined by Its Mountain
Everything here orbits Mount Monadnock, the 3,165-foot peak that rises abruptly from the surrounding hills and gives the whole region its name. Often described as one of the most frequently climbed mountains in the world, Monadnock has drawn walkers since the days of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, both of whom hiked and wrote about it. The mountain’s bare, rocky summit — the result of nineteenth-century fires set to clear predators from the slopes — offers a panorama that, on a clear day, is said to reach all six New England states. The word “monadnock” itself has entered the English language as a geological term for an isolated hill that stands above the surrounding plain.
Small Towns, Big Culture
What surprises first-time visitors is how much creative life is packed into these villages. The MacDowell artist residency, founded in Peterborough in 1907, has hosted thousands of composers, writers, and visual artists — and Peterborough itself claims one of the first free public libraries in the world. A summer evening might mean live theatre, a chamber concert in a converted barn, or a gallery opening on a village green. Explore our attractions and live theatre pages to plan an evening out.
Every Season Has a Reason
Spring brings trout streams and maple sugaring; summer fills the lakes, trails, and stages; the autumn foliage here is among the most photographed in New England; and winter opens quiet cross-country trails and small, friendly ski areas. Because the region is less crowded than the White Mountains to the north, each of those seasons can be enjoyed at an unhurried pace — trailheads you can actually park at, restaurants where you can linger, roads made for wandering.
Start Exploring
However you arrive and whenever you come, we hope this guide helps you find your way around a region that rewards slowing down. Begin with a visitor’s overview of the region, dig into its remarkable heritage, or learn more about this guide and who stands behind it.