The Bretzfelder Beavers at Bethlehem, NH

As far as I know, there is not a species of beaver named Bretzfelder!  The title of this report stems from a couple of beavers that I enjoyed watching while doing a short hike in the Bretzfelder Memorial Park, which is located in my hometown of Bethlehem, NH.  Toward the end of this Blog report, I'll provide some information about the Park, but with no further ado, shown below are a series of photos which highlight the beavers, and their habitat.

There are several beaver ponds along the trails at the Bretzfelder Park (see next 3 photos).

The next four photos show the Bretzfelder beavers.  I had absolutely nothing to do with multi-hued shades of water that is seen in many of these photos.  It's just the way it was.  No "photo-shop magic" was involved!

Okay, so much for the photos.  Here is some background about the Bretzfelder Memorial Park.  Most of this information is taken from their website (Click HERE).

The central focus of Bretzfelder Park is a giant White Pine tree, estimated to be more than 200 years old.  In the late 1800s, when Bethlehem was a haven for city folks seeking the clean air of the mountains, the tree became a popular place for visitors, who would wander down the quiet road and relax beneath the tree's branches, enjoying picnics in the quiet beauty of the forest.

Charles Bretzfelder, a New York lawyer, spent many summers in the White Mountains, and in 1920 he purchased the property surrounding the great White Pine tree.  He built a summer cottage there and spent many days walking in the cool mountain air, swimming in the chilly brook, and relaxing in the shade of the pine tree.  When a nearby tree fell and crashed into the giant White Pine, Mr. Bretzfelder hired tree surgeons to patch his tree's wounds, remove dead branches, install retaining bars, and attach a cable to an overhanging branch. The patient emerged unscathed and continues today to soar above its younger neighbors.

So special was the tree to Mr. Bretzfelder that he wanted it to be his final resting place.  Following his death in 1943, Bretzfelder's ashes were scattered around the base of the tree, and his family unveiled a memorial plaque that reads:
"May his wisdom and light forever shine upon this earth."

Bretzfelder's family hired "keepers of the tree" for many years.  But in 1979, Bretzfelder's daughter, Helen, bequeathed the tree and the surrounding 17 acres to the Forest Society as a memorial park.  The Forest Society is now the keeper of the tree and steward of the accompanying 77-acre property. Several trails loop through the Bretzfelder Park, as follows:

Wildlife Habitat Trail: 1.5 miles

Nature Trail: 0.4 miles

Pond Loop Trail: 0.75 miles

XC-Ski Loop Trail: 1.5 miles

Tree ID Trail:  0.12 miles

To sum it up, this was the first hike I did upon our return from a family visit to North Carolina and Delaware.  It was a short trek, but it was ever so sweet to be home again and walk the good earth of northern New Hampshire.   As always, it was fun to visit the family, but there really is no place like home! :)