Seven to Save 2021: Weirs Drive-in/Archaeological Site, Laconia
Historical Significance Spanning Millennia
How many sites are important for what happened there 10,000 years ago AND for an outdoor use that flourished in the mid-20th century? This 12.6-acre property, now listed for sale for $3 million, is such a place. And the historic Weirs Drive-In electronic message sign is part of the deal.
Lake Winnipesaukee funnels into Paugus Bay at a narrow channel known as The Weirs, a village of Laconia and a booming tourist center. But at the end of the last Ice Age and continuing for 10,000 years, this place was frequented by indigenous peoples as a prime fishing area and potential village location. The Penacook tribe, members of the Abanakis, constructed weirs--a kind of woven fence across the river--that channeled fish for capture and gave the place its eventual name.
In 1949, the second drive-in movie theater in the state was built on the hillside just to the west of the Weirs Channel. It developed onto one of the largest, with four screens, two ticket booths, a snack bar, and a paved parking lot. All this has served as protection for the archeological site that former state archeologist Richard Boisvert has called “one of the densest, potentially most important archeological sites that we know of in New Hampshire.”
Drive-Ins: An Important Part of American and Movie History
Drive-in theaters are an American invention that developed along with the motion picture industry. The first patent for a drive-in theater was issued in 1933. The growing automobile market -- and development of comfortable car interiors – resulted in more than 4000 drive-ins across the country at their peak of popularity in the 1950s and 1960s. Their decline began with the adoption of Daylight Savings Time in 1966 and accelerated with the gas shortages of the 1970s as well as the invention of VHS, and subsequent movie rentals industry boom of the 1980s.
Preserving Two Important Aspects of America’s Past
Preserving both the indigenous history and below ground resources AND the historic drive-in may be compatible continuing uses, but the property is now for sale and the Lakes region is under significant development pressure. This property has been on and off the real estate market for the last 5 years and is currently for sale with a pending sales agreement. By listing the Weirs Drive-In, we hope that the new owner will consider the historic significance of the property’s resources as new plans are developed.
Click to learn more about our Seven to Save program and view past listees:
Thanks to our generous 2021 Seven to Save sponsors: Anagnost Companies, Chinburg Properties and Milestone Engineering & Construction, Inc. Also: Great Bridge Properties | JLT Painting | Turnstone Corporation | American Steeple & Tower Co., Inc. SMP Architecture | Dennis Mires, P.A., The Architects | Ciborowski Associates | Fisher Engineering | JR Graton Historic Restoration, LLC | Misiaszek Turpin, PLLC | Peter W. Powell Real Estate | Graham & Veroff, P.C. Summit Engineering | Yeaton Associates, Inc. | Ambit Engineering, Inc. | DB Architects, LLC | Altus Engineering, Inc. | Erie Landmark Co. Emanual Engineering, Inc. | Alba Architects, LLP | Enviro-Tote, Inc. | Arch Weathers Historic SashWorks, LLC | Udelsman Associates Hamblet Electric | Samyn-D’Elia Architects | Abatron, Inc. | Nobis Engineering, Inc.
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