Font size

Cunningham Pond & Conservation Area

IMG_7671Annnie Cunningham Summer - CopyPhoto at right by Annie Card. 

In 1993, Liz Thomas found herself the beneficiary of what she called "a total surpass windfall." Her book, "The Hidden Life of Dogs," had landed on the best seller list where it remained for almost a year.
When the Goyette property on Cunningham Pond came on the market, the idea of a town beach took firm hold. Up until then, it looked like Peterborough would remain one of the few towns in the region without a town swimming hole.

Liz often talks about how gathering places help build strong community, and the new town beach in short order became a very popular one. Liz and Steve Thomas's gift of the land to the town came with one request: that dogs be welcomed, too. Happy canines often can be seen enjoying a swim at the boat launch area.

In December of 2019, as result of a well-coordinated community effort, the Monadnock Conservancy closed a deal to conserve 99 acres of land surrounding Cunningham Pond, another exciting success story.  Read the story of this effort at the Conservancy's website.  Several new trails across this land opened to the public in 2020.

SnowCunninghamRhonda Photo by Rhonda MacLeod. Ice has played a part in the pond's history, as have summer idylls. The town's first ice dealer cut ice fem the pond and stored large blocks in sawdust to last through the summer.

Learn More