Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Bretton Woods is an area within the town of Carroll
, New Hampshire
, USA, whose principal points of interest are three leisure and recreation facilities. Being virtually surrounded by the White Mountain National Forest
, its vista toward Mount Washington
and most of the rest of the Presidential Range
includes no significant artificial structures other than the Mount Washington Cog Railway and the Mount Washington Hotel
.
Bretton Woods was the site of the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference
in 1944 which has given its name to the Bretton Woods system
and led to the establishment of both the World Bank
and the International Monetary Fund
in 1945. The Bretton Woods system collapsed in 1971.
Bretton Woods is located along U.S. Route 302
, 5 miles (8 km) east of the village of Twin Mountain
and 20 miles (32.2 km) through scenic Crawford Notch
northwest of the town of Bartlett
.
"Bretton" etymology is coming from Breton
, Brittany
, the people at the west of France and one of the six Celtic nations.
The Mount Washington Hotel
and Resort is one in the last surviving handful of New Hampshire
grand hotels, and includes two golf courses, alpine and Nordic skiing, a 25000 square feet (2,322.6 m²) spa, sled rides, dog sled rides, tennis, horseback riding and much more in its facilities.
The Bretton Woods Mountain Resort
ski area serves both downhill and cross-country skiing
, primarily in the Rosebrook Mountains, located in Bethlehem
to the south. The downhill resort is the largest in New Hampshire, with 101 trails.
The tracks of the "Cog", and its associated buildings, lie up the slope of Mount Washington, in nearby Thompson and Meserves Purchase
. The "Base Road" from Bretton Woods and Fabyan's is the preferred route to the low-altitude end of those tracks (the Base Station of the Cog), except in those winters when the Mount Clinton Road is instead the only plowed road to their intersection. (The closing of the lower end of the Base Road had been traditional into 2004.) The Cog was operated during the winter seasons of 2004-2006 to take wilderness skiers partway up the mountain.
Carroll, New Hampshire
Carroll is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 763 at the 2010 census. The two largest villages are Twin Mountain and Bretton Woods. Carroll is an important access point for recreational areas in the White Mountains, including many 4,000-footers, the Zealand...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, USA, whose principal points of interest are three leisure and recreation facilities. Being virtually surrounded by the White Mountain National Forest
White Mountain National Forest
The White Mountain National Forest is a federally-managed forest contained within the White Mountains in the northeastern United States. It was established in 1918 as a result of the Weeks Act of 1911; federal acquisition of land had already begun in 1914. It has a total area of...
, its vista toward Mount Washington
Mount Washington (New Hampshire)
Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at , famous for dangerously erratic weather. For 76 years, a weather observatory on the summit held the record for the highest wind gust directly measured at the Earth's surface, , on the afternoon of April 12, 1934...
and most of the rest of the Presidential Range
Presidential Range
The Presidential Range is a mountain range located in the White Mountains of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. Containing the highest peaks of the Whites, its most notable summits are named for American Presidents, followed by prominent public figures of the 18th and 19th centuries.Mt...
includes no significant artificial structures other than the Mount Washington Cog Railway and the Mount Washington Hotel
Mount Washington Hotel
The Mount Washington Hotel opened in 1902 near Mount Washington, in the town of Carroll, New Hampshire. The area is better known as Bretton Woods, and includes the Bretton Woods ski resort nearby. It is located at the northern end of Crawford Notch, east of the village of Twin Mountain, New...
.
Bretton Woods was the site of the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference
United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference
The United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference, commonly known as the Bretton Woods conference, was a gathering of 730 delegates from all 44 Allied nations at the Mount Washington Hotel, situated in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, to regulate the international monetary and financial order after...
in 1944 which has given its name to the Bretton Woods system
Bretton Woods system
The Bretton Woods system of monetary management established the rules for commercial and financial relations among the world's major industrial states in the mid 20th century...
and led to the establishment of both the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
and the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
in 1945. The Bretton Woods system collapsed in 1971.
Bretton Woods is located along U.S. Route 302
U.S. Route 302
U.S. Route 302 is a spur of U.S. Route 2. It currently runs 171 miles north from Portland, Maine, at U.S. Route 1, to Montpelier, Vermont, at US 2...
, 5 miles (8 km) east of the village of Twin Mountain
Twin Mountain, New Hampshire
Twin Mountain is a village within the town of Carroll in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It is named for two prominent summits which rise to the south of the village, North Twin Mountain and South Twin Mountain ....
and 20 miles (32.2 km) through scenic Crawford Notch
Crawford Notch
Crawford Notch is the steep and narrow gorge of the Saco River in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, located almost entirely within the town of Hart's Location...
northwest of the town of Bartlett
Bartlett, New Hampshire
Bartlett is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,788 at the 2010 census. Bartlett includes the villages of Glen, Lower Bartlett and Intervale. It is set in the White Mountains, surrounded by the White Mountain National Forest...
.
"Bretton" etymology is coming from Breton
Breton people
The Bretons are an ethnic group located in the region of Brittany in France. They trace much of their heritage to groups of Brythonic speakers who emigrated from southwestern Great Britain in waves from the 3rd to 6th century into the Armorican peninsula, subsequently named Brittany after them.The...
, Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, the people at the west of France and one of the six Celtic nations.
Points of interest
Mount Washington Hotel
The Mount Washington Hotel opened in 1902 near Mount Washington, in the town of Carroll, New Hampshire. The area is better known as Bretton Woods, and includes the Bretton Woods ski resort nearby. It is located at the northern end of Crawford Notch, east of the village of Twin Mountain, New...
and Resort is one in the last surviving handful of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
grand hotels, and includes two golf courses, alpine and Nordic skiing, a 25000 square feet (2,322.6 m²) spa, sled rides, dog sled rides, tennis, horseback riding and much more in its facilities.
The Bretton Woods Mountain Resort
Bretton Woods Mountain Resort
Bretton Woods Mountain Resort is a ski area located in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, across from the Mount Washington Hotel.-Location and terrain:...
ski area serves both downhill and cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
, primarily in the Rosebrook Mountains, located in Bethlehem
Bethlehem, New Hampshire
Bethlehem is a hillside town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,526 at the 2010 census. It is home to Cushman and Strawberry Hill state forests. The eastern half of the town is within the White Mountain National Forest...
to the south. The downhill resort is the largest in New Hampshire, with 101 trails.
The tracks of the "Cog", and its associated buildings, lie up the slope of Mount Washington, in nearby Thompson and Meserves Purchase
Thompson and Meserve's Purchase, New Hampshire
Thompson and Meserve's Purchase is a township located in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the purchase had a population of 0....
. The "Base Road" from Bretton Woods and Fabyan's is the preferred route to the low-altitude end of those tracks (the Base Station of the Cog), except in those winters when the Mount Clinton Road is instead the only plowed road to their intersection. (The closing of the lower end of the Base Road had been traditional into 2004.) The Cog was operated during the winter seasons of 2004-2006 to take wilderness skiers partway up the mountain.