Are We in England?

If I described a place that had large stones arranged in a pattern that appeared to have a sacrificial purpose, would you say, “Stonehenge?” I know I would! What would you say if I told you this place is actually in Salem, New Hampshire? It is dubbed “America’s Stonehenge” or “Mystery Hill” depending on what source you are reading. America’s Stonehenge is not a circular structure of free standing stones like in England, but a village type layout on a hillside.

Years ago, I was watching “America Unearthed” on the Travel Channel. For those that may be interested, it was season 1, episode 6 and it was titled, “The Secret Stonehenge.” The episode was theorizing that the New Hampshire Stonehenge and the England Stonehenge were actually linked. I had no idea this place actually existed in America.

It just so happened that I was planning a New England road trip with my family, so I made sure to include this site in our itinerary. It was only about 40 miles north of Boston and 37 miles from Salem, MA. It is a no frills kind of place with its alpacas, small museum, and gift shop on the property. It was a leisurely trail walk up to the stone structures from the parking lot. We were allowed to take pictures and explore the site. In one of the tunnels, underneath the “sacrificial" stone, there is an area that projects your voice. One source called it the “Oracle Chamber.” This place really leaves you with so many unanswered questions.

One source stated that pottery fragments were tested and dated as far as 1000 BC. Another source referenced radiocarbon dating on charcoal taken from a fire pit and reported it to be 4000 years old. For certain, it is not known who built the structures and for what purpose. There were free standing stones in and around the area that appeared to signify astronomical importance. Yearly solstice events take place on the site, so be sure to check their website for dates and times so you can plan accordingly.

In my opinion, it is another one of history’s mysteries and a unique place to visit if you are in the area.

References: http://www.unmuseum.org/mysthill.htm https://www.stonehengeusa.com/about.html https://www.travelchannel.com/shows/america-unearthed/episodes/the-secret-stonehenge

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/americas-stonehenge-mystery-hill https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/americas-stonehenge-inside-the-rocky-history-of-new-hampshires-mystery-hill