The Upper Valley...A Special Place


The Upper Valley Region is a special place for those of us who know it. But, where is it? In general, the Upper Valley is a geographic area which stretches on each side of the Connecticut River in central New Hampshire and Vermont. The river is the dividing line between two states, but it is also a bond between them. The region includes a variety of topography from the foothills of New Hampshire's White Mountains and the Green Mountains of Vermont to the rolling agricultural land along the Connecticut. The Upper Valley is approximately two hours from Boston, four and a half hours from New York City, and three hours from Montreal. New Hampshire's state capital, Concord, is about an hour away as is Montpelier, the capital of Vermont. Vermont's largest city is Burlington which is one and a half hours away; it takes about the same time to get to Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city.

The geographical center of the Upper Valley is Hanover/Lebanon on the New Hampshire side and White River Jct/Norwich in Vermont. Hanover is the home of Dartmouth College, one of the Ivies and the ninth oldest college in the nation. In Lebanon, on the edge of the Hanover/Lebanon town line is the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Lebanon is a retail/commercial and light industry center supported by a commercial airport.

On the Vermont side, White River Jct. (part of the Town of Hartford) is reminiscent of the glory days of the American railroad. Today, passenger service by Amtrak's "The Vermonter" makes daily stops in White River. It is also the crossroads of Interstates 89 & 91 which lead north-south and east-west. Norwich, just north of White River Jct., is a charming New England community which maintains its own special character while enjoying inter-relationships with Hanover and other communities. Norwich and Hanover make up the Dresden School District (the first inter-state school district in the nation created in 1963) which includes the Richmond Middle School and Hanover High School.

Some people might think of the area as "isolated northern woods". Yes, there are a lot of wooded terrain and conservation lands, and protection of our forests, open meadows, hillsides, and waterways are very important. But, the Upper Valley is readily accessible in any season by train, plane, bus and automobile on well maintained roads and interstate highways (the snow crews are terrific). Some visitors actually hike here via the Appalachian Trail (Maine to Georgia) which meanders  up and down Hanover's Main Street (business district) and then crosses the Connecticut River into Norwich. Commercial air service is available to New York and beyond, train service to and from White River Jct., and there is commercial bus service to major metro areas including Boston, New York City and Montreal. Advance Transit, a regional bus transportation system serves the area as well.

Beyond the central geographical core of the Upper Valley is an array of charming and distinctive communities and villages. One of the special qualities of the area is the combination of micro-urban environments with quiet, rural hamlets and open spaces only minutes apart. There are lifestyle choices; from rural living to in-town convenience; from larger communities to small villages; from farm and horse country to resort and recreational communities.

The economy in the Upper Valley is robust. The major employers include Dartmouth College, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Cold Regions Research & Engineering Lab (CRREL), and a number of research and development and light manufacturing companies which provide a stable foundation for employment and commerce. Biomedical, engineering and computer software research and development firms continue to emerge. The unemployment rate in the region has been consistently the lowest in both states.

Medical services in the Upper Valley are comprehensive. Just minutes from the Dartmouth Campus and the downtowns of Hanover and Lebanon is the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC). The medical center includes the 429 bed Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, The Hitchcock Clinic (multi-specialty group practice of over 350 staff physicians), the Norris Cotton Cancer Center (one of 28 comprehensive cancer research and treatment facilities in the country), Dartmouth Medical School, and a 224 bed Veterans Administration Hospital, located in White River Jct. There are also individual and group family practices, the Good Neighbor Health Clinic in White River, community hospitals such as Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital in Lebanon, and Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center in Windsor, VT, among several others within the general region.

There are also several retirement communities and assisted care facilities in the Hanover Area. Specific contact information is available at www.hanoverchamber.org under Business Directory and Retirement and Assisted Care category.

The Upper Valley is blessed with a wide array of shopping and dining options. There are retail businesses from mom and pop type stores to chain retail centers. There are strip and indoor malls in Lebanon to traditional Main Streets and business districts in Hanover and White River Jct. where there are lots of specialty shops and dining establishments. In Norwich, there is a renowned general store (Dan & Whit's) where it is said, "If we don't have it, you don't need it."

Communications outlets and media are plenty. The valley is home to a seven day regional morning newspaper and a number of weekly publications. The airwaves are active with a variety of AM & FM radio stations including traditional, oldies, country, talk, and easy listening. There is a local television station as well as state and New England wide coverage via cable and satellite services. There is also public radio and TV on both sides of the river and community access TV channels on cable. Local  network and telephone resources provide Internet and email services including DSL. Advancing technological services  allow many residents of the Upper Valley to enjoy a rural life style while keeping pace with their business interests in metropolitan areas.

Educational opportunities abound in the Upper Valley. There are private and public preschool, primary and secondary schools, as well as graduate and adult education programs. The area's schools, at all levels, are very highly regarded. Approximately twenty-five percent of Hanover High School's student population is tuition paying from communities outside of Hanover and Norwich. In addition to Dartmouth's undergraduate and graduate levels program, and its Institute for Lifelong Education at Dartmouth (ILIAD), there is the College for Life Long Learning (a part of the University System of NH), Lebanon College (community college), and variety of technical schools and colleges.

Dartmouth is a private, co-educational, four year liberal arts college, founded by the Reverend Eleazar Wheelock in 1769. The institution sits on a 200 acre main campus immediately adjacent to Hanover's downtown business district in the southwestern corner of the township. Dartmouth's undergraduate college is complemented by seventeen graduate programs in the arts and sciences and professional schools including the Tuck School of Business Administration, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Dartmouth Medical School. Dartmouth, with over 4,200 undergraduate and 1200 graduate students, is one of the most prestigious colleges in the nation. While Dartmouth emphasizes the traditions of a small college, the institution is recognized as a research university. The college employs over 3,000 faculty, administrators and staff members.

Cultural and academic activities are centered at Dartmouth's Hopkins Center for the Performing Arts and the Hood Museum of Art. Year round, there are conferences and lecture series including special events at the graduate schools and The Rockefeller Center for the Social Sciences.

Several communities have local theater groups and art exhibits and galleries including the AVA Gallery in Lebanon. The Montshire Museum of Science and the Conte Refuge Center, located on the banks of the Connecticut River in Norwich, offers indoor and outdoor exhibits, recreation and educational programs for all ages, all year long. Public libraries in our towns are well used and cherished institutions.

There is an abundance of individual, team and family recreational and sports opportunities for residents of all ages. Youth activities, organizations and sports include ice hockey, figure skating, downhill and cross country skiing (the Ford Sayre Ski Program has produced a substantial number US Ski Team Olympians), baseball, basketball, field hockey, track and field, soccer, football, lacrosse, tennis, and golf among others. Many area communities have recreational programs and community centers. The Connecticut River, which boasts designations as a Scenic Byway and National Heritage River, is just one of hundreds of rivers, streams, ponds and lakes offering a variety of canoeing, motor boating, rowing, sailing, and swimming. There are family camp grounds, picnic areas, and nature, walking and hiking trails and networks. Bicycle paths are emerging to connect downtowns and employment centers with more rural areas. The multi-use Northern Rail Trail of Grafton County, NH offers access for hiking, bicycling, skiing, horseback riding and snowmobiling. There are numerous golf courses and ski areas within a short drive from most corners of the Upper Valley,  and, of course, hunting, fishing, hiking and other outdoor recreation are popular in the "north country."

High school and college sports events are popular as well. Dartmouth College offers 34 men's and women's varsity sports including hockey, baseball, soccer, football, basketball, rowing, golf, and lacrosse among many others. Dartmouth's athletic teams compete against Ivy League and non-league opponents. Most area high schools have a full complement of athletic programs.

The Upper Valley is a great place to live and work, but there are some very special reasons why natives, "near natives" and newer residents call the Upper Valley home. It is a quiet place... the pace is slower than lots of other places. Low levels of crime, noise, and pollution contribute to a sense of being safe. The work ethic is strong and signs of independence and pride are all around. The beauty of the landscape, mountain and valley views, pastures and dense woodlands, rivers and lakes, stone walls, rural and village character, and the quality of fresh air and water combine to make this place special. Changing seasons...melting snows and emerging buds of spring, summer's colorful flowers and ripening hayfields...the crisp, refreshing air and brilliant colors of fall and the excitement of winter's first snowfall keep us in touch with the land. The charm of this valley can be found in its history, cultural sophistication, socio-economic and political mix, good neighbors, spectacular beauty and educational and recreational opportunities. The Upper Valley....a very special place to enjoy... for a day, a leisurely weekend, or a lifetime.