BY NICOLE WATKINS | A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, an entire island on New Hampshire’s largest lake is for sale.
Located on Lake Winnipesaukee, Little Beaver Island is protected from rough winds by its unique location. Featuring long lake and mountain views, yet tucked away from boat traffic, Little Beaver Island offers the quiet lake living of an era long past.
The purchase — which is being offered at $4.2 million — includes mainland docking at the Beaver Management docks on Veasey Shore Road, just four minutes away from the island by boat. The mainland dock accommodates up to a 23-foot boat with two parking spaces for cars.
Veasey Shore Road is one of the lake’s most sought-after roads, known for having large, multimillion-dollar estates, with great views and waterfront.
Also included in the purchase is shared, undivided interest in roughly 11 acres and 1,200 feet of waterfront on nearby Big Beaver Island, including a beautiful mile-long walking path.
A main cottage with a 341-foot open porch and a 197-foot screen porch for lakeside dining is at one end of Little Beaver Island. A boathouse and two docks are at the island’s other end. There is an outdoor shower for convenience. A decked path between buildings on the island adds to the fairy tale quality of this property.
Blueberry bushes surround the island ready to be picked after a morning swim. The island has little beaches, two sheds and a “honeymoon cottage” which sleeps two. In total, the island comfortably sleeps nine and is being sold fully furnished. Enjoy sunsets, moon rises and some of the best swimming and boating areas on the lake. Shopping, hiking trails, gyms, spas and golf are all within 15 minutes. Manchester Airport is an hour away by car. It’s two hours by car to Boston.
As for the island’s history, Lake Winnipesaukee — which is 21 miles long — is a glacial lake. It has 264 islands. The Winnipesaukee people, who were a part of the Pennacock of the Algonquin nation, lived on its shores and fished the lake’s waters.
A Mr. Standish bought Little Beaver Island for his daughter. He had also bought Big Beaver Island. In order that his daughter would not have neighbors, he made a generous, visionary gesture. He put roughly 11 acres and about 1,200 feet of waterfront on Big Beaver Island in Beaver Management Corp. Not only would his daughter not have neighbors, she could enjoy a mile-long walking path directly across a narrow section of water between Big Beaver and Little Beaver Island. Today, owners on the Beaver Islands enjoy this path and an extensive stretch of waterfront, as well.
The island offers lake and mountain views in all directions, including a long view of the lake. The little sandy beaches make for easy access into the lake. The large stretch of lake all around the island is ideal for swimmers. The bay in front of the main cottage would be wonderful for watching small children in a rowboat or canoe. With pristine islands on either side, you are looking at waterfront and woods or sky, mountains and lake directly in front of you. The mosaic of rocks under the lake keeps boaters at a distance.
The four-minute boat ride across to your own Veasey Docking makes the trip to the mainland very easy, quick and safe. Not only does Veasey Shore have some of the most beautiful homes and shoreline on the lake, it puts you less than 10 minutes from golf courses, town tennis courts, shopping, gyms, restaurants, the post office and library. The 763-acre Page Pond and Forest trail system can be accessed by Veasey neighbors directly on Veasey shore for a variety of scenic hikes.
The boathouse built over the water could not be duplicated today given current regulations. The boathouse is ideal for housing an antique boat year-round. The antique boat in the boathouse may be available for sale, as well. In winter, a harness is used to lift a boat and keep it safe during winter.
The porches around the main cottage and separate honeymoon cottage porch encourage the outdoor island living that makes this property so special. Moving “indoors” after summer is generally cause for a mild depression. No matter how grand a house is, living indoors can’t compete with what being outdoors in nature at its most magnificent does for the soul. The amazing colors in the sky at every day’s sunrise and sunset are always different. Even the color of the lake changes with the weather. Yet, almost every day is great for swimming, canoeing, jet-skiing and sailing. A lake is different than the ocean, which requires more caution. Of course, if you were a camper in your youth, the classic cabin construction, antique glass in the windows and smell of the pine boards transport you to a more peaceful time.
The kitchen has contemporary appliances and butcher-block counters. A new kitchen floor of engineered wood has the look of whitewashed pine. This was just installed in 2022.
Veasey Shore and its environs are known for gentle waters, which allow lakeside enjoyment all day without heavy winds, and can only be appreciated by spending time at this Lake Winnipesaukee property and comparing it to many other locations around the lake.
Gunstock Ski Resort is the country’s largest county-owned ski resort. It’s only 30 minutes by car from the Veasey Shore docking. In summer you can enjoy more than 8,700 feet of zipping on Gunstock’s zip line and astounding views of Lake Winnipesaukee.
Mills Falls at the Lake (with four different resort hotel options) is less than 10 minutes from the Veasey Shore parking by car. There are lakeside indoor/outdoor restaurants and a spa deck available to locals. The influx of guests, conferences, guest speakers and, of course, the beautiful lakeside weddings held at Church Landing, are spectacles to behold.
Mount Lafayette, one of the largest and most challenging of the many hikes in the White Mountains, is less than an hour away by car. Many miles of additional conservation land with trails and beaches are within 10 minutes by car from Veasey Shore Road. Squam Lake, New Hampshire’s second-largest lake, has 30 percent of its watershed in conservation and about the same amount of its waterfront in conservation.
For more information, contact Nicole Watkins at 603-707-7575 or nicole@nicolewatkins.com.
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