Colonel Joseph Whipple (1738-1816), father of Jefferson, arrived in the area in 1772 and built a farm at the confluence of Mill Brook and the Israel River near where the current bridge spans the Israel River. Whipple Road is named after him. This stretch of road ran 14 miles from the Jefferson-Lancaster town line to connect with the 10th New Hampshire Turnpike (completed in 1804) through Crawford Notch (Route 302). Little has changed on this part of the turnpike. It is still mostly a dirt road which runs from Route 2 in Riverton to Route 115A in the Meadows on across Route 115 and from there, as Cherry Mountain Road, to its terminus at Fabians near the Bretton Woods ski area. This road improved travel and trade and brought more settlers to the area, fulfilling the dream of Colonel Whipple.
Learn more about Colonel Whipple at nearby cache sites Whipple #1, #2, #3, #4, #6, #7 and #8.