The Fells

The Fells is a lakeside estate on Lake Sunapee featuring a 22-room Colonial Revival residence and six distinct gardens. The property spans 83.5 acres and includes nature trails through woodlands and preserved open spaces.

John Milton Hay, President Lincoln's secretary and later U.S. Secretary of State, purchased around 1,000 acres in 1888 as a summer home. The house and gardens developed over following decades, shaped by the family's wealth and gardening interests.

The formal gardens show cultivation methods from the early 1900s, mixing native plants with cultivated flowers that reflect deliberate landscape design. Walking through these spaces reveals how past inhabitants shaped the land to balance beauty with nature.

The property is open year-round with guided tours available for the main house, gardens, and nature trails throughout the grounds. Comfortable walking shoes are helpful since exploring the gardens and woodland paths is done on foot.

The name comes from a Scottish word for rocky upland pastures, reflecting both the original owner's heritage and the hilly terrain of the area. This choice of name connects the estate's identity to both personal roots and local geography.

Location: New Hampshire

Inception: 1987

Architectural style: Colonial Revival architecture

Website: https://fws.gov/refuge/john_hay

GPS coordinates: 43.35167,-72.04667

Latest update: December 12, 2025 07:53