More than a century after its abundant blossoms inspired vacationing author Louisa May Alcott to pen her novel Under the Lilacs, the rural retreat of Walpole continues to enchant locals and passers-through with its lush hills, historic architecture and calm, pastoral setting along the Connecticut River.

Incorporated in 1756 as “Bellowstown” after Colonel Benjamin Bellows and the fort he’d constructed to ward off Indian attack, Walpole was eventually renamed in 1761 to honor Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of Great Britain. With its fertile fields and the rushing water of the Connecticut, Walpole quietly flourished for decades as an agricultural and mill community turning out textiles, poultry, apples, potatoes and maple sugar. In 1785, the first bridge to span the Connecticut River was built in Walpole, a national marvel for its time, joining New Hampshire with neighboring Vermont. As railroads emerged nearly a century later, Walpole’s relaxed riverside lifestyle and lavish gardens would make it a resort destination for travelers seeking escape from the noisy city.

Today, Walpole very much remains the town it’s always been – a place where soft breezes still carry the scent of lilacs, folks wave as you drive past, and the tiny, unmanned store at Great Brook Farm – in operation since 1761 – trusts you to leave payment in the can when purchasing its raw milk, cheese and fresh meat. Locally produced food is big here, from the sweet corn and smoked cheese at Homestead and Boggy Meadow farms, to the overflowing baskets of apples at Alyson’s Orchards, and the gourmet chocolates made by hand at Burdick’s on Main Street. In North Walpole, the town’s innovative commercial base, you can follow the aroma to Bellows House Bakery, where former bed-and-breakfast owners Lois Ford and Lou Ciercielli each day turn out thousands of what have been voted the state’s tastiest – and gooiest – brownies.

Finally, no stop is complete without visiting Walpole’s historical society and museum, set in the temple-like, circa-1831 Walpole Academy building, and featuring centuries of local art, rotating exhibits, and a costume closet that – with more than 2,200 period pieces, each with its own story – would be the envy of any Hollywood set director. Visit www.walpolehistory.org for hours or to arrange a tour.

Walpole, NH

• Population of 3,693 (est. 2007)
• Located in Cheshire County (one of NH’s five original counties, organized in 1771 at Keene).
• The summit of Derry Hill is Walpole’s highest point in town at 1,663 feet above sea level.
• Walpole offers many seasonal treats including peak foliage season in the Connecticut River Valley from mid-September until early October. An abundance of conservation land trails offering hiking, mountain biking, and kayaking, with Sunday evening concerts on the town common a highlight of summer.
• Notable residents of Walpole have included: American novelist Louisa May Alcott, best known for “Little Women”; former Congressman Roger Vose; Horace Wells, who pioneered the use of anesthesia in dentistry—specifically nitrous oxide; Howard Petrie, an American radio, television and film actor featured in more than 30 feature films and 40 tv shows; Award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns.