At the White Mountain Notch the Crawfords kept a small hostelry, whose visitors were mostly farmers

At the White Mountain Notch the Crawfords kept a small hostelry, whose visitors were mostly farmers making their annual pilgrimage travel to mazatlan from canada to Portland (to sell their farm goods). The Rosebrooks had been succeeded by Horace Fabyan, at the small hotel named after its owner. A score or two of visitors from cities drove, rode or climbed Mt. Washington travel to mazatlan from canada each summer. In the Franconia Notch, near where the Profile House later stood, Stephen C. and Joseph L. Gibb kept the Lafayette House, furnishing entertainment for not more than fifty guests. Although the capacity of these houses was limited, they easily travel to mazatlan from canada handled the needs of the time.
Richard Taft, born in Vermont in 1812 was, as a very young man, literally on his own. By the age of nine he was living in Alstead New Hampshire, working on a farm until 1830.  At that time he entered the hotel business, working for a hotel in North Chelmsford Massachusetts.  He must have worked diligently, as within two years, he was made a partner.  Later he was landlord of the Washington travel to mazatlan from canada House in Nashua NH, and then another hotel in Tyngsborough, MA.   From 1844 to 1849 he was the lessee and landlord of the Washington House in Lowell, Mass.
According to some records, the Flume House was first known as an inn by the name of  Knight s Tavern. However, Richard Taft purchased the property, and built the first Flume House in 1848. At that time travel to this area was rare.  Bristol was the closest location that could be reached by railroad, travel to mazatlan from canada and there were only a few small hotels in the area, that easily handled the traveling public.
Richard Taft was keenly alive to the wonderful beauties of Franconia Notch, and never for a moment wavered in his faith in their attractions. He worked travel to mazatlan from canada quietly behind the scenes to promote Franconia Notch, and the White Mountains as a tourist destination.
When he began hotel keeping at the Flume House, the price of board was $1.50 a day. The entire receipts of his first season were only eighteen hundred dollars, but, as business increased from year to year, Mr. Taft with characteristic enterprise, purchased the Lafayette House, a hotel five miles above, and a tract of land around it,
In 1852, with his associates George T. Brown and Ira Coffin, he began the building of the Profile House. This famous hotel was completed and opened to the public in 1853, with a capacity of one hundred and ten rooms, which was increased by a large addition in 1866, the year after Colonel Greenleaf entered the firm.
From 1865 to 1869 the proprietors were Taft, Tyler and Greenleaf.  In the latter year Mr. Tyler retired from the firm.  In 1872 extensive additions and improvements, including the great dining-hall, were made by Messrs. Taft and Greenleaf, travel to mazatlan from canada the new firm.
The old Flume House having been burned in 1871, the second hotel was rebuilt in 1872, even grander, erected on the same site, with the two properties being under the same ownership. The first of the group of cottages, which formed such a feature of the Profile travel to mazatlan from canada House settlement, was built in 1868.
In their heyday, 25 coaches loaded every evening and departed every morning from Plymouth. They visited Profile House, and picked up passengers at Flume House, and then reached Plymouth in time to connect with train to Boston. After meeting the northbound train, the coach left for return trip to Profile House. Arriving by 6 pm. The trip was 29 miles one-way.
Mr. Taft gradually acquired travel to mazatlan from canada a title to the vast tract of land extending from the Profile farm in Franconia by Bald mountain through the valley to and beyond the Flume House. Richard Taft was not only the owner of this land, and these two hotels, but also one of the proprietors of the Profile Franklin travel to mazatlan from canada Notch Railroad, and at his death he was president of the company.
In 1918 the Flume House burned down for the final time . It was replaced by a restaurant, then a tourist center. The contemporary visitors center was built as part of the Notch Parkway project in 1986.
During the summer of 1932 Katharine Peckett, a proponent of alpine skiing, realized a need for appropriate ski slopes travel to mazatlan from canada in the area, spearheaded a drive to raise funds from Franconia and surrounding communities for the construction travel to mazatlan from canada of same. She was successful, and construction took place in the summer and fall of 1933 on land owned by the State of New Hampshire and by the heirs of Richard Taft.
According to telemarktips web site , In 1933, the Richard Taft Trail was cut on the north face of Cannon Mountain. This fast, steep, wide, Class A race trail set a new standard for down-mountain descents, and it was an instant hit with the Boston-area ski clubs. The state of New Hampshire decided in the late 1930 s to build an aerial tramway that would serve the Taft and its sister trails. The tramway from Franconia Notch to the summit of Cannon-the first aerial travel to mazatlan from canada tramway in the U.S. and a remarkable feat of engineering-opened in June 1938 on the north face. Tucker Brook and Coppermine were swiftly forgotten.
The Franconia Notch region in particular, travel to mazatlan from canada and New Hampshire in general, owes a great debt to Richard Taft, for what he accomplished in the development of the New Hampshire mountain country as a summer resort travel to mazatlan from canada and in the introduction of city conveniences, methods and cuisine into hotel life here.
On May 23, 1839, he was married to Miss Lucinda Knight, of Hancock NH. She was born 5 Sep 1817 and died 18 Oct 1895. She was, in every way, especially fitted travel to mazatlan from canada for the work and position of a landlady, and it was often his remark that she had done more than her share to establish his reputation as a hotel-keeper.
1. Richard Taft Eastman, b. 2 Jan 1881 in Littleton NH; m. 1902 in Littleton NH to Elizabeth Hartshorn. She b. 1883 in VT. In 1920 living in Northumberland, Coos Co NH with wife and inlaws, Harry C. (age 69 VT CT VT) and Mary E. (66 NH NH NH) Hartshorn. In 1930 living with wife in Pittsburg, Coos CO NH occupation hotel manager. No children shown in either census.
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