[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 14982-14983]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         CONWAY, NEW HAMPSHIRE

 Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, the town of Conway in New 
Hampshire is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year. Months of 
observances will culminate with a ceremony this Thursday, October 1, 
the anniversary date of the signing of the town's charter in 1775 by 
Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth. Appropriately, this commemoration 
will be held at Founders Park in Redstone, site of Conway's first 
meetinghouse and the early settlers' cemetery.
  Today, the Town of Conway--encompassing the villages of Kearsarge, 
Intervale, Redstone, Conway, North Conway, East Conway, Center Conway, 
and South Conway--is a vibrant and popular tourist destination, often 
described as the gateway to New Hampshire's spectacular White Mountain 
National Park. But the region's human history goes back many centuries 
prior

[[Page 14983]]

to the arrival of the first British explorers and settlers.
  The area was originally home to the Pequawket Native American tribe, 
members of the larger Algonquian Abenaki tribe. Along the bountiful 
Saco River, they fished, hunted, and farmed. The initial White explorer 
of the region, Darby Field of Exeter, first encountered members of the 
Pequawket tribe in 1642. The Native Americans' dominion over the area 
formally ended on October 1, 1775, when Colonial Governor Wentworth 
chartered 65 men to establish the new town of Conway, named for the 
commander in chief of the British Army, Henry Seymour Conway.
  By the mid-1900s, visitors from across America and also Europe 
discovered the wild beauty of the White Mountains. Artists came to the 
region to capture the landscape on canvas, creating what became known 
as the White Mountain School of Art. King Edward VII purchased 12 
paintings by artists of the White Mountain School to display at Windsor 
Castle.
  Beginning in 1871, the railroads came to Conway. Trains carried 
timber and wood products away from the town and brought more and more 
tourists into the town. North Conway was reborn as a booming tourist 
center for the region. By the early 20th century, so-called snow trains 
brought growing numbers of winter sports enthusiasts to Conway. Ski 
resorts began to open, led in 1937 by Cranmore, with its innovative 
``Skimobile'' ski lift.
  In the 1980s, the coming of scores of factory outlet stores 
transformed North Conway into a major shopping destination. Combined 
with a robust outdoor recreation industry, this ensured Conway's 
standing as a four-season attraction for visitors and was a major boost 
to the economy.
  From countless visits to Conway, including during my time as Governor 
and Senator, I can testify that its greatest assets are the everyday 
people of the town and its villages, who are unfailingly gracious and 
friendly. Conway takes its unique character not only from the stunning 
natural setting, but also from its stores, cafes, restaurants, and 
B&Bs--places where people know your name, and where the small-business 
owners are right there, every day.
  Conway's celebration of its first quarter millennium has required 
years of planning and countless volunteer hours from local citizens. In 
particular, I salute the tireless organizing efforts of Brian Wiggin 
and Jill Reynolds, co-chairs of the ``Conway Celebrates Legacy'' 
committee. I know that, for them, this has been a labor of love. I also 
congratulate board of selectmen chair, David Weathers, and the town's 
other leaders. Most importantly, I salute the townspeople and families 
of Conway, who warmly welcome many tens of thousands of visitors 
annually from across the United States and always make us proud to be 
Granite Staters.
  So congratulations to the Town of Conway. I wish everyone a wonderful 
celebration this Thursday.

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