Stark, New Hampshire - Sep 21, 2007 - Jefferson, New Hampshire, United States

September 21, 2007 49270 10:06

We went over to the Noah/Shannon party B&B this morning for breakfast. Blueberry pancakes, fresh blueberries, bacon, popovers, juice, coffee and tea. WOW!! What a treat.

We came back to the campsite and hooked up and headed out. We were right behind the Noah/Shannon clan and after a few stops, and a few bridges we reached Jefferson, New Hampshire. We stopped and checked into the campground while they went off to check into the Jefferson Inn.

We all had lunch at the RV and then headed up the road for a circle tour. Our main stop was in Stark, New Hampshire. It is a little village, no stores but a church, library, that is only open 2 days a week; the school, a covered bridge, a B&B, the cemetery and a new Heritage Society.

While we were looking at the library and woman walked across the street from the school and started talking to us. Well as it turned out she was basically the town information center, named Madeline. Madeline started to tell us about the bridge and church and then mentioned that she wished she had the key with her so she could show us the church.

Well to make a long story short, she ran home got the key and invited us in. The church was built in 1853 and is still being used for Sunday services. It is the Stark Union Church, non denominational.

As we were beginning to leave my Uncle asked her about the rope in the entrance, was that for a bell. Madeline replied in the affirmative and then asked if he would like to ring it. Of course. So with a little help from daughter Linda and about four pulls they finally rang the bell.

Just across the street from the church is a structure built into the hill. It is a crypt that was used to store the bodies of those who died during the winter since graves could not be dug in the frozen ground. They were held in the crypt until spring.

Madeline then told us about the Prisoner of War camp that was just up the road a few miles and about the book "Stark Decency" by Allen Koop. So after giving her our heartfelt thanks for all she had done we headed off up the road and found the historic marker on the POW camp.

The prisoners were held