Schouler Park

This park has changed over the years and now serves many functions throughout the year. Dr. James Schouler left a bequest of $3,000 to the town and that was used to buy this land from the Boston and Maine Railroad on the express condition that it be used only for a public park.

Surrounding the park is the Conway Scenic Railroad train station, fire station, the North Conway Community Center, the New England Ski Museum, North Conway Golf Course and Country Club, the Steve Eastman Memorial Field and Mud Bowl Hog Coliseum and a number or shops and restaurants.

Thanks to the generosity of Harvey Dow Gibson the park was the site of many events over the years including horse shows.

Inside the park are fields for baseball, football, and soccer. During the winter an ice skating rink is set up.

The North Conway Golf Course and Country Club was established in 1895.

Babe Ruth played golf here.

View of Railroad Park (now Schouler Park) as seen from the tower of the Kearsarge Hotel. On the right can be seen the steeple of the First Baptist Church which still exists in the same location. Several of the other buildings also remain allowing the village to retain its original look and charm. Beyond the village setting is seen the vast panorama of mountains to the north starting with Humphrey’s ledge on the left, Mt. Washington, Pear Mountain, Thorn Hill, Thorn Mountain and ending with the foothills of Mt. Kearsarge on the right. The park was purchased by the Town in 1924 and in 1961 was renamed Schouler (pronounced “school” “er”) in honor of a local doctor and serves as Conway’s “Central Park.” Events ranging from baseball, football, ice skating, concerts, art shows, and the annual “Bark in the Park” dog festival have been held here. (Henney History Room, Conway Public Library)

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Aerial view of the Kearsarge Hotel site. The Harvey Dow Gibson playground named for a local boy made good, can be seen with its swings, slides, teeter toters, and so on. To the left is the site of the mudbowl’s “Hog Colliseum.” To the right is a band stand. Towards the back is the original North Conway Country Club House and the golf course beyond. Originally the Kearsarge House Links, installed about 1895, this golf course became the North Conway Country Club after the hotel burned in 1917. To the left of the golf course crops (probably corn) can be seen growing in the fields. The row of trees that once shaded the board walk from the train station to the Kearsarge hotel can be seen to the right of the club’s parking lot along the road to the train station which is just off the photo on the right. The fenced in field between the country club and the playground was used at times for horse shows organized by Gibson. (Henney History Room, Conway Public Library)

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Eastern Slope Horse Show, Summer, 1941. In the summer of 1938, Gibson founded this event. Mrs. Gibson, riding Gray Star, can be seen in the middle clearing the stone wall riding side saddle escorted by two traditionally attired gentlemen. In the background can be seen spectators on the playground’s swings and jungle gym. Mr. Gibson co-wrote a book on fox hunting. (James M. Bray photo, North Conway Public Library)

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North Conway Golf Course. View looking over the golf course towards Moat Mountains to the west. Here can be seen the high ledge on which North Conway was built over the flood plain or “Intervale” of the winding Saco River. In 1899, the newspaper Among the Clouds, reported that “the golf craze is over-running the mountain resorts as none of its sportive predecessors has done.” (Henney History Room, Conway Public Library)

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Babe Ruth and Harvey Dow Gibson. Through his connections and promotional activities, Harvey Dow Gibson brought many famous people to North Conway. Here Gibson enjoys a game of golf with none other than the great Babe Ruth. The swing sets of the village playground can be seen in the background. (James M. Bray photo, North Conway Public Library)

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Babe Ruth Testimonial, Summer 1945. Along with numerous other famous and prominent people, such as film maker Otto Lang, and travel commentator Lowell Thomas, Babe Ruth’s praise for North Conway were published in local Chamber of Commerce publications such as the Eastern Slope Regionnaire magazine. (Henney History Room, Conway Public Library)

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Babe Ruth’s daughter, Julia visited North Conway with her father and was active in the social and cultural scene here. She gave programs on two of her books, "Major League Dad: A Daughter's Cherished Memories" and "Babe Ruth: A Daughter's Portrait” at local book stores. Proceeds from the book sales were donated to the local Babe Ruth league. (Henney History Room, Conway Public Library)

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A “Bazaar” can be seen on the Rambler map on page nine near the train depot. The sign over the porch in this photograph reads, “Mrs. E. M. Masson & Daughter. Homemade Candies and Preserves.” Another reads, “soda, home made flavors, ice cream.” According to local tradition, it was built as a gift shop and moved here from near the Kearsarge Hotel. It now houses Richard M. Plusch Antiques. (Henney History Room, Conway Public Library)

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Just north is the famous “Hog Coliseum” current home of the annual Mud Bowl football competition played in the area since 1975. The Mount Washington Valley Hogs was formed by a small group of bartenders and friends in the area. Teams had played before in muddy cornfields off West Side Road and Cranmore Mountain Resort. The Hog Coliseum was built in 1981. This unusual form of football helps raise money for local charities. The event includes a full weekend of events including the Mud Bowl Parade. Below is the mascot for the “Valley Rats” at the Hog Coliseum, complete with rat tail. Some of the teams that have played include North Shore Mudsharks of Peabody, Mass, Nashua Mud Gumbys, Mt. Washington Valley Hogs, Merrimack Mudcats of Franklin, N.H., and the Cumberland Muckaneers of Cumberland, R.I. (Conway Historical Society)

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Harvey Dow Gibson and his wife lived across the street from the golf course and park in their home, Moat View, now the Gibson Center for Senior Services. Gibson was at the center of much of North Conway’s activities and organizations. An avid horseman, original owner of Cranmore Mountain Resort, successful businessman and community leader are just a few roles he played during his life in North Conway.

(North Conway Public Library)

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Gibson Center for Senior Services. In 1973, volunteers began providing senior services. In 2000, the old Gibson House was purchased and added on to. The Center offers a wide variety of programs such as meals, ballroom and belly dancing, Zumba, Tai Chi, lectures, and bus trips to Boston for Flower Shows, Red Sox games, etc. The original carriage house is now a thrift shop helping to support the center. (Conway Historical Society).

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George Cleveland, Grandson of President Grover Cleveland. Cleveland is the Executive Director of the Gibson Center for Senior Services. He frequently dons the apparel of his grandfather and presents a living history program in the persona of his grandfather, most recently at a celebration at the Statue of Liberty in New York City. Known as The Voice of the Valley on Conway radio, he has conducted over 3500 interviews with newsmakers from all parts of the world. George has spoken with most major Presidential candidates, a representative of an interplanetary confederation and many noted authors and musicians. One of George's more unusual fundraising endeavors was posing wearing only a hat in the 2003 "Tamworth Men In Hats" calendar that raised more than $75,000 for local charities. George Cleveland has been guiding tours throughout the White Mountains for more than 20 years. He is a well known local guide and an avid collector of tales and legends. He has frequently written for local publications on people and places of interest, including a North Conway bird walk with David Allen Sibley. (Henney History Room, Conway Public Library)