Johnson & Little Canada, New Hampshire emerges from the mists of time as a fascinating historical site in New Hampshire. This abandoned settlement, with its stories of rise and decline, offers valuable insights into the economic and social forces that have shaped the region over generations.
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Remarks: The historical significance of Johnson & Little Canada extends beyond its physical remains, offering a window into New Hampshire’s past development patterns. Local preservation efforts continue to document and protect what remains of this once-thriving community.
Johnson & Little Canada: Twin Ghost Towns of New Hampshire’s Logging Empire
The ghost towns of Johnson and Little Canada represent a fascinating chapter in New Hampshire’s industrial history, offering a window into the boom-and-bust cycle of early 20th century logging communities. These twin settlements, located in the White Mountains near present-day Lincoln, emerged and disappeared within a remarkably short timeframe, leaving behind only scattered remnants and historical records to tell their story. Their brief but vibrant existence illustrates the economic, social, and environmental forces that shaped New Hampshire’s North Country during the height of the lumber industry.
Origins and Development
The story of Johnson begins in the late 19th century with George Johnson, an experienced lumberman from Monroe, New Hampshire. Johnson first appears in Lincoln tax records in 1899, initially taxed only for logs, sawed lumber, and store goods rather than for a sawmill operation. By 1900, Johnson had partnered with Harry Stebbins, and together they were assessed for a sawmill valued at $8,000—a substantial investment for the time that signaled their serious intentions in the lumber business.
The location Johnson selected for his operations was strategic, situated just a short distance north of the already-established J.E. Henry mill complex in Lincoln. The proximity to Henry’s operation was no coincidence; the area offered access to vast timber resources and, crucially, existing transportation infrastructure that could be leveraged for Johnson’s enterprise. This positioning would later facilitate cooperation between the two lumber operations, despite their status as competitors.
The settlement’s growth accelerated in 1905 when Johnson and Stebbins secured a contract to harvest several thousand acres of prime timberland owned by the Publishers Paper Company of Maine. This agreement marked a turning point, providing the partners with access to extensive forest resources that would fuel their operation’s expansion. As part of this arrangement, they leased an existing sawmill and associated buildings near the Lost River Gorge and Caves in Woodstock, establishing the physical core of what would become the town of Johnson.
Recognizing the need for efficient timber transportation, Johnson took a significant step in 1907 by incorporating the Gordon Pond Railroad. This 6½-mile logging railroad became operational in 1908, connecting the forests being harvested to Johnson’s mills. The railroad represented both a substantial investment and a commitment to large-scale, long-term operations in the area. It allowed Johnson to access timber from a vast territory extending from Mount Lafayette to the Lost River area, dramatically increasing the operation’s productive capacity.
Community Life in Johnson
As the lumber operation grew, so too did the settlement around it. Tax records provide valuable insights into Johnson’s development as a company town. The 1910 Lincoln tax invoice reveals that Johnson’s holdings included a main mill and machinery valued at $6,000, a smaller mill worth $300, railroad engines and cars valued at $6,000, and 20 buildings assessed at $5,100. The company store carried merchandise worth $3,000, while the operation maintained substantial inventories of both uncut logs (1,000,000 board feet valued at $6,000) and sawn lumber (800,000 board feet worth $8,000).
By 1912, just two years later, the settlement had grown significantly, with tax records noting 30 buildings valued at $8,125 in addition to the mill facilities. A Sanborn Fire Insurance Company map from 1911 provides a detailed snapshot of Johnson’s physical layout, showing a substantial industrial complex surrounded by community facilities. The map documents a large sawmill, powerhouse with three boilers, engine house, blacksmith shop, school, store and post office, boarding house, harness shop, grain storage buildings, a large horse and cattle barn, and several tenements for workers and their families.
The workforce that populated Johnson was substantial and diverse. The 1910 Lincoln tax invoice lists 78 men by name, along with 28 workers identified only as “Polanders” a common practice at the time when town clerks struggled with unfamiliar names. This notation reveals not only the size of the operation but also its reliance on immigrant labor, particularly from Eastern Europe. These workers formed the backbone of the physically demanding lumber industry throughout New England during this period.
Despite its status as a company town focused on industrial production, Johnson developed many characteristics of a traditional New England community. Correspondence published in The Plymouth Record in 1906 offers glimpses into everyday life in the settlement. The January 27 issue noted that “wedding bells are soon to ring again” and that James McGraw had a telephone installed both signs of a community with social connections and gradually modernizing amenities. The February 24 issue mentioned that several children were attending school in Lincoln “because there is no school in Johnson in the winter,” suggesting seasonal variations in the settlement’s educational provisions. The December 8 issue reported that “Mrs. Gigner has moved here for the winter” and that Edward Pichette, the “young son of Joseph Pichette is quite sick ordinary human concerns that transcended the settlement’s industrial purpose.
Johnson achieved sufficient prominence to warrant its own post office, which operated from 1899 to 1915. George Johnson himself served as the first postmaster, a position that reflected his central role in the community. The establishment of postal service represented an important milestone, formally recognizing Johnson as a distinct place rather than merely an extension of Lincoln or a temporary work camp.
The Rise of Little Canada
While Johnson focused primarily on softwood lumber, the forests of the White Mountains contained valuable hardwood resources as well. In 1909 and 1910, George Johnson sold the hardwood timber rights on his land to Edward Matson, a Pennsylvania businessman specializing in hardwood flooring. This transaction led to the establishment of a second settlement near Johnson, which Matson named “Little Canada.”
Matson’s operation centered around a large mill and kiln built on land along the Gordon Pond Railroad line. The proximity to Johnson’s railroad was crucial, as it provided the transportation infrastructure needed to bring raw materials in and ship finished products out. Matson constructed homes for his workers, a boarding house, and a wagon hub factory, creating a distinct industrial community adjacent to Johnson.
The name “Little Canada” reflected a common naming convention in New England mill towns, often applied to neighborhoods or sections where French-Canadian workers predominated. However, Matson appears unique in having formally adopted this name in official documents rather than using it as a local nickname. By 1911, Matson’s buildings were valued at $3,100 in tax records, and by 1912, the settlement had 32 residents a small but significant community.
Little Canada’s industrial focus complemented rather than competed with Johnson’s operations. While Johnson’s mills processed softwood for general construction lumber, Matson’s enterprise specialized in hardwood flooring, a value-added product that commanded higher prices. The Northern Pennsylvania Hub Company also established operations at the site, though the exact relationship between this company and Matson’s main enterprise remains somewhat unclear. The 1911 Sanborn map shows that the Hub Company drew power from Matson’s mill powerhouse, suggesting close operational integration.
The symbiotic relationship between Johnson and Little Canada extended to transportation infrastructure. Johnson’s Gordon Pond Railroad served both settlements, bringing raw materials to Matson’s operation and carrying finished products out to market. This arrangement benefited both enterprises, allowing them to share the costs and benefits of the railroad while focusing on different segments of the lumber market.
Decline and Abandonment
Despite their apparent success and substantial investments, both Johnson and Little Canada proved remarkably short-lived. By 1916, just a decade after reaching its peak development, Johnson stood completely deserted. The catalyst for this rapid decline came in 1915 when the settlement’s large mill was destroyed by fire. With most of the accessible timber on the leased lands already harvested, the economic rationale for rebuilding the mill had disappeared. The combination of resource depletion and infrastructure loss proved fatal to the community.
Little Canada’s fate was similarly brief. Historical accounts suggest that Matson’s enterprise lasted only a few years, with operations ceasing by 1916. Some local stories indicate that George Johnson may have taken advantage of Matson’s inexperience in the lumber business, perhaps selling timber rights that were less valuable or more difficult to harvest than Matson had anticipated. Whether due to business miscalculation or simply the exhaustion of accessible hardwood resources, Matson’s venture failed to achieve long-term viability.
The land that had supported Johnson became one of the early acquisitions for the newly established White Mountain National Forest, marking a transition from industrial exploitation to conservation. This shift reflected changing national attitudes toward forest resources, with increasing emphasis on sustainable management rather than rapid extraction. The creation of the White Mountain National Forest in 1918 represented a response to the environmental consequences of the intensive logging that had characterized the region in previous decades.
While the settlements themselves disappeared, the name “Johnson” persisted on maps of the area for many years afterward. The 1925 Appalachian Mountain Club map still showed the town, preserving its memory even as its physical structures vanished. Some buildings from Johnson, including the schoolhouse, were relocated to Lincoln and North Woodstock, finding new uses in these more enduring communities.
Physical Legacy and Remains
Today, very little remains of Johnson itself. The construction of Route 93 destroyed much of what might have survived, following earlier damage when Route 3 was widened. The most visible remnants are the bases for steam engines, which can still be found by knowledgeable observers, along with scattered debris that hints at the settlement’s former existence.
Ironically, more substantial physical evidence remains of Little Canada than of the larger settlement of Johnson. Archaeological investigations have identified large concrete stanchions, stone foundations, debris from the powerhouse, and the likely location of the boarding house. On a nearby hill west of the kiln remains, artifacts from the Northern Pennsylvania Hub Company can still be found, providing tangible connections to this brief industrial venture.
Perhaps the most enduring physical legacy of these ghost towns is the railroad bed of the Gordon Pond Railroad. Portions of this right-of-way remain visible in the landscape, and some sections have found new life as part of the White Mountain Central Railroad, a tourist attraction at Clark’s Trading Post. This repurposing represents an interesting continuity, with tracks originally laid for industrial purposes now serving recreational and educational functions.
Historical Significance
Johnson and Little Canada exemplify a particular type of New Hampshire ghost town the company logging town that flourished briefly during the peak of the White Mountain lumber boom. Unlike some abandoned settlements that declined gradually over generations, these communities emerged and disappeared within the span of a single decade, their fates tied directly to the extraction of a specific natural resource.
The story of these twin settlements illustrates several important aspects of New Hampshire’s economic and social history. First, they demonstrate the central role of the lumber industry in developing the White Mountain region. Before tourism became the area’s economic mainstay, timber extraction drove investment, employment, and infrastructure development. The substantial capital investments in mills, railroads, and supporting facilities reflect the economic significance of this industry.
Second, Johnson and Little Canada highlight the phenomenon of the company town in New England’s industrial development. Unlike the independent farming communities that characterized earlier settlement patterns, these towns existed primarily to serve the needs of a single business enterprise. Their physical layout, governance structures, and even their very existence depended on corporate decisions rather than organic community development.
Third, the brief lifespan of these settlements reveals the unsustainable nature of the intensive logging practices of the era. The rapid depletion of timber resources within a decade demonstrates why conservationists became increasingly concerned about the future of New England’s forests. The transition of the land to the White Mountain National Forest represents an early example of environmental restoration following industrial exploitation.
Fourth, the workforce demographics of Johnson, with its significant immigrant component, reflect broader patterns of labor and immigration in early 20th century New England industry. The presence of Polish workers, identified only by nationality rather than by name in official records, illustrates both the economic opportunities that drew immigrants to remote industrial sites and the marginalized status they often occupied within these communities.
Johnson and Little Canada in Regional Context
Johnson and Little Canada were not isolated phenomena but part of a broader pattern of logging settlements that appeared and disappeared throughout the White Mountains during this period. Their development paralleled that of other company towns established by lumber barons like J.E. Henry, whose operations in Zealand and later Lincoln represented the largest in the region.
The relationship between Johnson and the Henry operations illustrates the complex competitive and cooperative dynamics that characterized the lumber industry. While George Johnson competed with Henry for timber resources, he also arranged to use Henry’s railroad facilities in Lincoln to support his operations. This pragmatic approach reflected the economic realities of an industry where massive infrastructure investments necessitated some degree of cooperation even among rivals.
Johnson and Little Canada also exemplify the transition from small-scale, locally owned lumber operations to larger, more capital-intensive enterprises often backed by out-of-state interests. The involvement of the Publishers Paper Company of Maine and Edward Matson of Pennsylvania represents the increasing integration of New Hampshire’s forests into regional and national economic networks. This shift brought greater investment but also meant that decisions affecting local communities were increasingly made by distant corporate entities with limited connection to the region.
Legacy in Local Memory and Tourism
While Johnson and Little Canada have physically disappeared, they maintain a presence in local historical memory and increasingly in heritage tourism. The White Mountain National Forest and local historical societies have worked to document and interpret these sites, recognizing their value in telling the story of the region’s development.
For modern visitors to the White Mountains, these ghost towns offer a counternarrative to the region’s dominant image as a pristine natural landscape. They remind us that the forests tourists enjoy today are largely second-growth, having regenerated after the intensive logging of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The abandoned cellar holes, mill foundations, and railroad grades serve as subtle but significant reminders of this industrial past.
The repurposing of portions of the Gordon Pond Railroad as part of Clark’s Trading Post’s White Mountain Central Railroad represents a particularly interesting form of adaptive reuse. This tourist attraction allows visitors to travel along the same route once used to transport lumber, though now the experience is framed as entertainment rather than industry. This transformation mirrors the broader economic shift in the White Mountains from resource extraction to tourism and recreation.
Conclusion: The Ephemeral Nature of Industrial Settlements
Johnson and Little Canada stand as testaments to the ephemeral nature of communities built entirely around resource extraction. Unlike agricultural settlements that could sustain themselves indefinitely through renewable farming practices, these logging towns existed only as long as the timber resources that justified their creation. Once those resources were depleted a process that took less than a decade the economic rationale for the towns’ existence vanished.
The story of these ghost towns continues to resonate today as communities throughout New Hampshire and beyond grapple with economic transitions and resource dependencies. The boom-and-bust cycle that created and then abandoned Johnson and Little Canada offers lessons about sustainable development and the dangers of building communities around non-renewable resource extraction.
Yet there is also something poignant about these places that flared briefly into existence and then disappeared, leaving only scattered physical remnants and documentary traces. They represent a chapter in New Hampshire’s history when the seemingly limitless forests of the White Mountains drew ambitious entrepreneurs and hardworking laborers to create communities in remote locations, communities that proved as transient as the resources they harvested.
Today, as hikers and tourists pass through the regenerated forests where Johnson and Little Canada once stood, few recognize that these peaceful woodlands once echoed with the sounds of sawmills, locomotives, and the daily life of bustling communities. This transformation from virgin forest to industrial site to abandoned ghost town to protected forest land encapsulates in microcosm the environmental and economic history of New Hampshire’s North Country over the past century and a half.
Sources:
https://www.whitemountainhistory.org/abandoned-towns/johnson-and-little-canada
https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/six-new-england-ghost-towns/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ghost_towns_in_New_Hampshire
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defunct_placenames_of_New_Hampshire
https://www.whitemountainhistory.org/abandoned-towns
