Indian Mortar Traditional Cache

This is just a short walk of the highway, orange flag markers. Property owned by the Sandwich Fair Association which has given permission for this cache. Parking lot field near by is available free except Saturday and Sunday days of the Sandwich Fair which there is a fee. Small turn off beside the road just past cache coordinates. Not a busy highway but during fair days muggles are everywhere.

Indian Mortar, Sandwich NH; Info from the book Sandwich New Hampshire 1763-1990 by the Sandwich Hstorical Society.

The New Hampshire Native Americans-Abenakis, Pequakets, Ossipees tended to move about. One site in Sandwich registered with the state is a spot near the foot of Burleigh Hill where the Natives may have spent some time. Here Indian mortars-indentations in the rock used to pulverize vegetable material have been discovered. In this area the mortars were probably used to grind nuts or acorns. This site is unusual in two respects: it is in an upland area just two miles from Squam Lake on a direct route from Holderness; and there are two mortars together, the only such site found in the state to date. One mortar has pounding scars indicating the use of the pestle, but so far none has been found.

Indian trails in Sandwich followed the shores of Squam Lake and the Bearcamp River. It is on the east side of Bearcamp pond the other site registered with the state is located. Investigation has shown evidence of some Indian occupation on a temporary basis.