In this post, we take a moment to sit with Dick Gould, who started the community of Ledgewood. Ledgewood is located in the towns of Bethlehem & Carroll, NH and is comprised of over 1,800 acres of woodlands, mountaintops, meadows & mountain streams. Over the years, homes have been built in Ledgewood—making a wonderful community and you could become an owner there as well, with opportunities to purchase your own special parcel of land or a new construction home—Rockwood. To learn more about Ledgewood, read the below conversation between our Sales Associate Angela Spencer and Dick Gould. Dick is the creator of Ledgewood and is also part owner of the Rockwood property—he shares with us some of the facets that make Ledgewood and Rockwood so very unique.   Angela: How did you come to the name Ledgewood? Dick: The simple fact that it is built on a Granite Mountain. There are outcroppings of ledge and lots of woods. I felt that it was descriptive of the history of the land and its natural characteristics. And to me, that is the best way to name a development. Angela: What was your vision in developing Ledgewood? Dick: What I always wanted to do in New Hampshire for myself and others was a subdivision that lots averaged 30-40 acres and had protective covenants that would be everlasting to preserve the nature and beauty that is New Hampshire. This property was a natural location to preserve the views for each and every lot. Depending where they were on the mountain side of Beech Hill. Plus, there is a large natural grove of Beechnut trees that provide lots of food for nut-loving animals like deer and bear here at Ledgewood. With this property, I could protect the property from encroaching properties that didn't share my same vision. This original piece of land abutted National Forest and this would enable me to continue my conservation work. On the Mountain View Grands original map it was called the Sleeping Giant. From their perspective it looks like a sleeping giant. I'm not sure which of the names came first—Sleeping Giant or Beech Hill. Angela: How many lots are in Phase 1? Dick: There are 24 lots. Angela: How many have been developed? Dick: 10 with one being built now. Angela: How many of those are full time residents? Dick: 5 are full-time and one that is almost full time. Angela: How many acres are in Ledgewood? Dick: There are 950 acres in Phase one and 818 in Phase two. Angela: How many acres are in the common area? Dick: There are 3 separate common areas within Ledgewood. There are two at the entrance. One on the right 29 acres with the pond and pavilion and the one on the left is 12 acres. Then further up Ledgewood Drive an additional 157 acres of conservation area, which will be a part of phase two. And a very small area of just a few acres around the upper pond. And both ponds have dry hydrants for use of the fire department should they ever need them. Angela: Can anyone use the ponds in Ledgewood? Dick: They must be accompanied by an owner of Ledgewood. Angela: When do you expect Phase 2 to begin? Dick: We have everything in place to start it when we are ready. However, it will not be started until we feel it is right for the whole good of Ledgewood. We want to make sure the market is right and the timing is right. Angela: How many lots are projected to be in Phase 2? Dick: There are currently 19 lots planned. The total acreage is 818 acres of which approximately 157 acres of common area will be conservation land. Angela: Why did you plant lupines along the road? Dick: Our first home in New Hampshire was in Sugar Hill and we fell in love with lupines. And we decided that we wanted to bring them here. We bought 10 million seeds and started throwing them out. Each year I throw out about a million seeds every spring and only about 6% will take. Some of course reseed. They take two years to grow to maturity to bloom. Angela: What animals have you seen in Ledgewood? Dick: Moose, Black Bear, Deer, Red Fox, Bobcats, Mink, Turkeys, Porcupine, Coyote, Snowshoe Hare, Rabbits, Squirrel, Chipmunks, Red Squirrels, Partridge, Bald Eagles, Osprey, Red Tail Hawks (mating pair), Owls, a variety of Hawks, Grouse, Woodcock, Cardinals and lots of song birds, Ducks, Geese, Otters & Beavers. Angela: For anyone not familiar with these animals, what should they know when encountering these amazing creatures in Ledgewood? Dick: If you are lucky enough to see one of these beautiful creatures, they are most likely will run the other way. For their benefit, keeping your distance and respecting their space and just observe them in their natural environment - my favorite way to enjoy nature. Angela: What is your favorite part of living in Ledgewood? Dick: I don't think I have just one. It's just so many things that has the elements I wanted to surround myself with for this part of my life. It has all the wildlife; bear, moose, turkey, bobcats, porcupine, fox, song birds, birds of prey. The variety of seasons keeps things always exciting and something to always look forward to. The change of the seasons and each and every single one has something to look forward to within it. Angela: What is your favorite time of year at Ledgewood and why? Dick: I can't answer that question because I love all of them. I love the seasonal changes. I grew up in Texas that had two days of fall and the rest was all summer. So I just simply love them all. Angela: What are some of your favorite activities to do in the area? Dick: I just simply enjoy being able to enjoy this place. And I hope that you will come and enjoy it for yourself. Angela: What made you decide to build Rockwood? Dick: We thought it was time to give people an option to buy a home in Ledgewood not just a parcel of land. I live with the best decorator in the world and she executed it beautifully. Angela: How did the name Rockwood come about? Dick: Well, in the first part of the building phase, when we were just clearing the lot there were a tremendous amount of large rocks. Some of them were too big to move no matter the size of the construction equipment. In fact, we moved the location of the home slightly to accommodate one of these boulders. Angela: What was your vision with Rockwood? Dick: We wanted to create a home where you could enjoy your company and the outdoors. That would offer you the perfect place to come back after your adventures and gather together. But also offer a place to just be off by yourself if you would want to curl up with a good book. ** To learn more about Ledgewood and Rockwood, feel free to visit here, or give us a call. We'd love to share this special place with you!