Bath is tour spot for the outdoors and historic preservation
Incorporated in 1761 on the Ammonoosuc River, the town of Bath is a centuries-old community in New Hampshire’s rural White Mountains region. The village is packed with historic landmarks, including three covered bridges and an early 1800s general store still in operation today. The local historic preservation efforts—combined with scenic landscapes and outdoor recreation access—have put Bath on the map as a tourist destination that brings to life the quintessential New England small town. “The community gets its warmth from the people that live there,” says Elizabeth “Beth” Horan, a local Realtor and broker associate with Badger Peabody & Smith Realty. Bath is home to fewer than 1,100 full-time residents, but welcomes a steady stream of day trippers and seasonal visitors throughout the year. It also serves as a bedroom community to Littleton, which is 16 miles away and typically takes less than half an hour to drive to. The town has an overall CAP Index Crime Score of 1 out of 10, significantly lower than the national average of 4 and the lowest possible score on the index.
New England home styles on private lots
Bath’s housing options frequently reflect the town’s rural, historic character and feature a mix of older New Englanders, Capes- and Craftsman-style bungalows, farmhouses and waterfront estates. “You won’t find much new construction out in this area,” Horan says, though she adds that people will occasionally buy empty land lots so they can build new, custom properties—often vacation homes—and develop the land from scratch. With a median lot size of nearly one acre, Bath residents enjoy privacy and quiet on their property. Most single-family homes cost between $180,000 and $450,000, but some larger properties and waterfront estates have sold for as much as $670,000.
Served by School Administration Unit 23
Students living in Bath are served by School Administration Unit 23, or SAU No. 23; the towns of Benton, Haverhill, Piermont and Warren also fall under the district. For kindergarten through sixth grade, Bath Village School has an estimated enrollment of less than 50 students and receives an overall C-plus rating from Niche. Haverhill Cooperative Middle School teaches grades four through eight and is also rated C-plus, while Woodsville High School earns a C. High school students can enroll in Advanced Placement and college credit courses. The school also offers counseling for career and workplace skills through the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) program.
Bath’s four-season nature trails, riverfront and mountains
Outdoor recreation and vibrant landscapes surround Bath and offer scenic views and activities through all four seasons. In the spring and summer, the Ammonoosuc River flowing through town becomes a hub for fishing, kayaking, swimming and tubing. As fall approaches, people can watch the seasonal foliage on quick walks through the town’s wooded areas or on day-long hiking excursions throughout the White Mountains foothills. Locals can also find rail trails that follow along the Ammonoosuc River and weave through the town’s historic covered bridges.
Historic general store anchors Bath, with more shopping in Woodsville
The only place to shop and get food in Bath is The Brick Store, an iconic general store with business records dating back to the late 18th century. The store has transformed over the decades and undergone several renovations, but its original structure and design have stayed the same. The Brick Store reached national levels of recognition when former President Barack Obama visited the shop during his first campaign in 2007. The store has a deli, ice cream shop and a selection of cheese and fudge. The Brick Store neighbors the American Heritage Gallery of Art and the Bath Historical Society building. For any other commercial establishments, residents head outside of town. Errands are often done only 5 miles away in Woodsville, a community on the Connecticut River with a Shaw’s supermarket, Walmart and Ocean State Job Lot, a discount store. Woodsville dining options include fast-food chains like McDonald’s and local favorites like Shiloh’s Restaurant, which serves homemade comfort foods.
Route 302 links commuters to interstates and other towns
Bath residents primarily use their cars for everyday transportation, as the area has no public transit systems. U.S. Route 302 runs through the town and can take commuters east to Littleton, where people can access Interstate 93. Route 302 west brings drivers to state Route 135 in Woodsville, a highway that follows the Connecticut River and state line. Drivers going west on Route 302 can enter Interstate 91 just across the river in next-door Vermont. Cottage Hospital in Woodsville has a 24-hour emergency department less than 5 miles from Bath. Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and Burlington International Airport each take about two hours to drive to without traffic.
