Lakeside living in Ossipee
Within the New Hampshire Lakes Region, Ossipee is known for its lakes and greenery. The Carroll County seat is named for its original inhabitants, the Ossipee tribe, and shares a name with the circular mountain range within its borders. The town is 50 miles from Portland, Maine, and home to part-time and full-time residents who crave like-side living and mountain views. “The majority of people I work with are looking for recreation on the lake,” says Angela Smith, a Realtor with Lakefront Living Realty-The Smith Group. Smith has been working in the industry since 2021. The area is divided into communities such as Center Ossipee, West Ossipee and Ossipee Valley. These areas usually have a few restaurants and retailers, and more homes than the open greenery of the mountainous region.
Lakes and hiking trails throughout the region
Ossipee Lake is the largest lake in the area and a hub for outdoor recreation. It offers fishing on covered bridges and boating. Several beaches ring the lake, where visitors can admire the view or go for a dip. The Ossipee River Dam controls the water level of Ossipee Lake. Despite this, inclement weather and snowmelt from the Ossipee Mountains may result in flooding. Near the shore, down Long Sands Road, is Constitution Park. The recreation area has several sports fields, courts, a playground, and a dog park. Farther along the shoreline is the Indian Mound Golf Club, a private 18-hole course with a restaurant open to the public.
The Ossipee area has several other ponds and lakes, such as Dan Hole Pond, which allows fishing and boating. The pond is near several hiking trails and the circular Ossipee Mountain range. The mountain range has hiking year-round and snowmobiling, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter. Other lakes are farther from the range, such as Duncan Lake, which has the public Cleveland Beach, where residents may swim and picnic.
Waterfront houses and homes along commercial roadways
Homes are along winding roadways and clustered near lakes or commercial streets. Residences are on large lots, surrounded by pine and maple trees. Many waterfront homes have private docks, especially those near Broad Bay in the Ossipee Lake Shores neighborhood. Most houses in the Ossipee area have private wells and sewer systems.
Cottage, Colonial Revival and Minimal Traditional are common housing styles. They range from $150,000 to $775,000. Waterfront homes can range from $1.2 million to $1.6 million.
Shopping and dining along Route 16 and Center Ossipee
“There’s a Center Ossipee, like a downtown area,” says Smith. “They’re trying to rejuvenate it.” The Sap House Meadery is a rustic tasting room in Center Ossipee, offering signature meads, small plates and hand-crafted cocktails. MountainView Station is down the road, serving classic American diner fare out of an old train station. Along state Route 16 are restaurants like McDonald’s and Dunkin’. There’s also a Farm to Table Market selling local produce in West Ossipee and a Hannaford near Duncan Lake.
Governor Wentworth schools get Bs and Cs
Governor Wentworth Regional School District, which gets a B-minus from Niche, serves the area. Ossipee Central receives a C, Kingswood Regional Middle gets a B-minus, and Kingswood Regional High gets a C-plus. High school students may attend classes and receive technical degrees in agriculture, hospitality and marketing.
State Routes lead to cities and towns
“Some people might commute to Wolfeboro,” says Smith. “They could commute to Portland or right over the border; there’s not a lot of other true cities they could commute to. They might work for local businesses. Parts of Ossipee can be a little remote.” State Route 28 leads 9 miles to Wolfeboro and 26 miles to Conway. Using Maine 22, Portland, Maine, is 50 miles away, and the New Hampshire border is only 9 miles from Ossipee.
Huggins Hospital is 9 miles away, and Portland International Jetport is 47 miles away. Houses of worship such as St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, the Second Congregational United Church of Christ and CrossRoads Church are near state Routes.
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Isabella Pontecorvo
