Old Postcard of “State Road Reeds Ferry NH”
Traveling in New Hampshire isn’t difficult because of mountains, moose, or mud season—though all three will happily sabotage you. No, the real challenge is that every single road in the Granite State has between two and four names.
The name you hear depends entirely on who you’re talking to, what town line you just crossed, which direction you’re heading, and whether the person giving directions believes in signage.
Examples:
The Route 3 / Daniel Webster Highway / DW Highway / Elm Street Situation
You’re on Route 3, except you’re not—because locals will tell you you’re on the Daniel Webster Highway, unless you’re in Nashua, where it’s the DW Highway, unless you’re in Manchester, where suddenly it’s Elm Street, and none of these names appear on the same sign at the same time.
– Your GPS says: “Continue on US‑3 North.”
– Your passenger says: “Stay on the DW.”
– The road sign says: “Elm St →”
And you, a fool, think these are three different roads.
Example 2: The Route 101 / 101A / Amherst Street / Nashua Road / That Road to Milford
Route 101 is a perfectly normal highway until it decides to split into 101A, which is also Amherst Street, which becomes Nashua Road, which locals call “the road to Milford” even when you’re already in Milford. Ask three people for directions and you’ll get:
– “Take 101.”
– “No, take 101A.”
– “No, take Amherst Street.”
-“No, take the Milford Road.”
They are all the same road. They are also not the same road. This is the New Hampshire paradox.
Example 3: The Kancamagus Highway / The Kanc / Route 112 / That Scenic Thing
The Kancamagus Highway is one of the most beautiful roads in America, but it suffers from the Granite State Naming Curse. Depending on who you ask, you’re on:
– The Kancamagus Highway
– The Kanc
– Route 112
– “That scenic thing through the Whites”
If you ask a local for directions, they’ll say: “Take the Kanc.”If you ask your GPS, it will say: “Turn left on NH‑112.”
If you ask a tourist, they’ll say: “We’re trying to get to that scenic thing.”
All three are correct. None are helpful.
Example 4: The Everett Turnpike / FE Everett / Route 3 / The Toll Road / The Free Road
The Everett Turnpike is a masterclass in identity crisis. It is simultaneously:
– The Everett Turnpike
– The FE Everett
– Route 3
– The Toll Road
– The Free Road (in the sections where the tolls mysteriously vanish)
If you tell someone, “I’m on Route 3,” they’ll assume you’re on the DW Highway. If you tell someone, “I’m on the Everett,” they’ll assume you’re paying a toll. If you tell someone, “I’m on the free part,” they’ll assume you’re lying.
Example 5: The Road That Changes Names at Every Town Line
This is not a specific road. This is all roads. You can drive five miles and encounter:
– Old County Road
– County Road
– New County Road
– County Road Extension
– County Road (No Outlet)
– County Road (But Actually It Does Outlet If You Know the Trick)
The road never changed. The town did.
Why This Happens
New Hampshire is a place where towns fiercely name their own roads, state routes overlay those names, historical names linger, and locals refuse to use whatever the DOT put on the sign last year. It’s not chaos. It’s tradition. It is “the New Hampshire way.”
The Granite State Travel Philosophy
If you ask a New Hampshirite for directions, if they are in a good mood, they won’t give you road names. They’ll give you landmarks, such as:
– “Take a left where the old Agway used to be.”
– “Go past the Dunkin’, not the other Dunkin’, the real Dunkin’.”
– “Turn right after the place that burned down in ’98.”
This is how you navigate a state where roads have four names and none of them matter.
== Additional Reading ==
New Hampshire’s Turnpike History
The Origin and History of New Hampshire’s Daniel Webster Highway
New Hampshire’s Last Highwaymen
(This story inspired by Linda Carruth)
