There is a special space between the three peaks of Ragged Mountain, Kearsarge Mountain, and Mount Sunapee. Many who live here can feel it; a peaceful, safe place we call home. If we ever leave, we frequently feel it tugging us back. Sure, our population does not reflect that of a place where people flock to, however, with maturity comes the proclamation that within the argument of quality versus quantity; quality always prevails. Here is what some new Andover residents had to say about why they moved here and why they love it:
Jeff Hall: “I moved to Andover because of a painting.”
Jeff grew up in the New London area in the 1960s. His family had their roots settled deeply in the New London region, having built some of New London’s iconic farm houses. Jeff traveled far and wide since childhood and ended up spending 22 years living in South America, amidst the dramatic 21,000 foot peaks of the Peruvian Andes.
Jeff felt the pull to come home from a comparably (to the Andes) small mound of Earth and Granite…You see, in the 1920s, Jeff’s Great Aunt had commissioned a famous painter, Gustave Adolph Wiegand, (who summered in the Lakes Region) to paint a landscape of Mount Kearsarge from the view of her farm. This painting that once hung in Jeff’s great aunt’s home on Seaman’s Road, traveled with Jeff’s uncle west, then was bought from his cousins in California, to end up hanging in Jeff’s parents home in Naples, Florida.
Upon his return to the States, the painting was on the wall when Jeff started looking for a New England farm. Seeing the painting every day helped him to narrow down his house searching to having just one must have: A view of Mount Kearsarge. Jeff is settled into his new (to him) home on Maple Street in East Andover where Kearsarge can be seen from the hill in the woods. The painting now hangs on his kitchen wall and Jeff loves seeing the painting come to life every day.
Christina Munger: “A perfect place to raise a family.”
Christina, her husband Paul, and their two boys moved to Andover last summer. Christina and Paul settled in Washington state but wanted to find a small town to raise their family in. They also needed extra space for their horses.
Christina has family who has lived in Andover for a few years. After coming to visit recently from Washington, they fell in love with the town. Most of all, they loved the scenery and outdoor activities. They knew they had to find a house here!
Christina now works in town and has met many wonderful people. They cannot wait to raise their children in such a supportive community. Christina says: “It’s better than we could have imagined!”