A Brief History of Perkins Pond

Perkins Pond likely received its name from the Perkins family that lived at a home on Perkins Pond Road around 1860. Town records indicate the building of a home in 1769 with a current address of 140 Perkins Pond Road, potentially the same or one of the homes owned by the Perkins.

 In the mid-late 1800s, area landowners included Ryder, Eastman, George, and Felch in addition to Perkins. The nearest roads to Perkins Pond included what are currently knows as Perkins Pond Road to the north, Old Springfield Road to the west and Ryder Corner Road to the south. Due to the limited access from Old Springfield and Ryder Corner Roads, food and other supplies were packed and hiked into some of the first cottages that were constructed around Perkins Pond in the early 1900s. By 1903 there were several cottages, mostly along the western shore, with one cottage on the north end and another on the island.

 In the 1930s the Perkins Pond area, which is less than two miles from Sunapee Harbor was gaining popularity. Family year-round and seasonal inhabitants included Wickwas, Shackett, Barber, Stetson, Parks and Cady (now Mercer). Shorefront lots were subdivided from the larger land tracts. Several lots, approximately 100 ft. x 100 ft. along the west shore of the pond, formerly a cow pasture and where Mary's Road is today, were sold by the Doxtor family for one hundred dollars.

 When the Stetson family first arrived evidence of the hurricane of 1938 and the salvaging of the downed trees for milling. The western shore was charred by a recent fire, from branches left from the logging suspected to have been caused by a boiler or ignition of a sawdust pile.

 A few sawmill operations were established along the shore of Perkins Pond. These mill locations included one, to the northwest, on land now owned by the Creans, a second to the northeast, presently owned by Dressel and Beebe and a third to the south, now owned by the Leavitts. During the active milling operations, log booms were constructed for the purpose of floating logs near what is now known as North Shore Road, the most accessible location at the time. To this day, sawdust deposits are still apparent on property currently owned by the Leavitts.

By the 1950s, approximately 60 structures bordered the Perkins Pond shoreline with most of the development on the southwest and southeast shorelines. Only three homes were in the remaining part of the watershed. The southern end of Burma Road and northern end of Piney Point Road were known during this time as "little Finland" due to the heritage of many of its residents, many of whom had built saunas on their properties.

 The Perkins Pond Land Owners Association (PPLOA), which later changed its name to The Perkins Pond Protective Association (PPPA), formed sometime in the 1950s. Paul Lovejoy and Ray Barrett were Co-Chairmen at the time. PPLOA dues were $5 per year.

 During the 1960s and 1970s, bladderwort density increased, often making boat navigation northwest of the island quite difficult. By 1987, approximately 20 additional structures had been built on the shore of Perkins Pond and 10 more within the watershed.

In 1990 the PPPA established a south outlet by installing a 24-inch diameter culvert that traversed more than 300 feet towards Ryder Corner Road. During the first winter, the pipe heaved, and subsequently, the culvert was shortened to approximately 100 feet from the pond under Piney Point Road.

2000s to Today:
In the year 2000, during Gary Szalucka’s 20 years as President of the PPPA, the Board of Directors started an annual summer festival. 

The annual summer festival continues today.  The day starts with a boat parade around the pond.  Each boat is entered into the “most decorated boat” contest, and the votes are counted at the afternoon party. The Gearan family on Burma Road seems to always win or come in a close first. A family on the lake will host and select that date of their choice. There is a potluck picnic and barbecue, a raffle of donated items, and Perkins Pond memorabilia is typically available for purchase. The festival is a wonderful time for all to meet and spend time together. All are welcome.

Perkins Pond has always celebrated the 4th of July, and for many years the PPPA supported a fireworks display from the Jack DeClerk and Stan Clem’s cottages on the shoreline on Mary’s Road.  In addition, residents supported the Sunapee Fire Department fundraiser with the purchase of flares. On the eve of July 4th, each cottage lit their flares. 

Beginning July 4, 1976, due to high fireworks insurance costs, the PPPA financial support was discontinued. Residents continued to support the Sunapee Fire Department flare fundraiser until that program was discontinued. Today, several individual homes host extravagant firework displays, primarily in the coves along Piney Point and Mary’s Road. You can hear the clapping and yelling as the residents enjoy this wonderful celebration for the 4th of July. 

Another celebration takes place on New Year's Eve and on July 4th. Bob Caruthers had a homemade cannon. He would fire it from his east shore lakefront, and you could hear the echoing for minutes as the sound reveled off our surrounding hills. Today, one of our residents has managed to continue this celebration.

On March 13, 2012, after two unsuccessful votes in 2008 and 2010 to approve a sewer project around Perkins Pond, PPPA Then President, Gary Szalucka and Vice-President, Robin Saunders, steered the project to victory as the voters of Sunapee approved a project to install sewer to Perkins Pond. In 2014, the Project was completed.  Today, all cottages within 100 feet of the Pond are connected to the Sunapee sewer system.

2021 Census of Perkins Pond Cottages:

As of 2021, there are 103 cottages on Perkins Pond, of which 21 are year-round residents