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America's Stonehenge, Salem

Ruin · Mysterious Site
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America's Stonehenge is a privately owned tourist attraction and archaeological site consisting of a number of large rocks and stone structures scattered around roughly 30 acres (12 hectares) within the town of Salem, New Hampshire, in the United States. It is open to the public for a fee as part of a recreational area which includes snowshoe trails and an alpaca farm.

A number of hypotheses exist as to the origin and purpose of the structures. One viewpoint is a mixture of land-use practices of local farmers in the 18th and 19th centuries and construction of structures by owner William Goodwin, an insurance executive who purchased the area in 1937. Some claim that the site has a pre-Columbian European origin, but this is regarded as pseudoarchaeological. Archaeologist David Starbuck has said: "It is widely believed that Goodwin may have 'created' much of what is visible at the site today.": 106 
The site was first dubbed Mystery Hill by William Goodwin. This was the official name of the site until 1982, when it was renamed "America's Stonehenge", a term coined in a news article in the early 1960s. The rebranding was an effort to separate it from roadside oddity sites and to reinforce the idea that it is an ancient archaeological site. The area is named after Stonehenge in England, although there is no evidence of cultural or historical connection between the two.

It is mentioned, as Mystery Hill, on New Hampshire Historical Marker No. 72.
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America's Stonehenge reviews

TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 3.5
247 reviews
Google
4.4
TripAdvisor
  • It's pretty misleading calling it Stonehenge. It's a poorly maintained, scrappy site. It could be improved if the owners spent some money improving the signage, trail conditions and information... 
    It's pretty misleading calling it Stonehenge. It's a poorly maintained, scrappy site. It could be improved if the owners spent some money improving the signage, trail conditions and information...  more »
  • Waste of money for us. Short walk around property on wood chips. There were stones but not what we’d expected. 
    Waste of money for us. Short walk around property on wood chips. There were stones but not what we’d expected.  more »
  • Went over the weekend to visit this site and it was great. Weather was wonderful and the first hour we had the place all to ourselves. The self tour was wonderful and exciting to see history so close....  more
    Went over the weekend to visit this site and it was great. Weather was wonderful and the first hour we had the place all to ourselves. The self tour was wonderful and exciting to see history so close....  more »
Google
  • For starters, this place is amazing! There is a lot of history to see! As for the attraction itself, it is impressive to see how the people lived in that era. The trails to the sites were okay, but I suggest one wear a good pair of hiking boots or a good pair of tennis shoes with some good traction because I slipped on mud and fell. That said, I highly recommend visiting when the weather isn’t so frigid! The cost to tour the site was $14.00 per adult. The price is less expensive for children, and a military discount is available. There is also a lovely gift shop with various items to purchase and a small museum connected to the gift shop. A tour map and audio information are available to download on a cell phone. The parking is free, but it is a dirt parking lot, so if it rains, there will be large puddles. Overall the site is worth seeing! You will be amazed.
  • A sacred place. Such a beautiful, humbling experience. Would highly recommend to anyone, anywhere, of any age- to adventure here. It's open year round, we went on a 97° day but the shade from the trees didn't make it feel as hot as it was. It's open year-round, so we will be going back in the fall when foliage is at peak! We would also love to see & feel it in the winter & spring as well. All times of year offer a different but breathtaking experience. They have alpacas that are adorable near a visitors center which has a small historical museum within it, an area to sit down and watch an informational video about it all, clean working bathrooms and a shop where everyone in the family can find a precious souvenir. My whole family LOVED the experience. 😌 We can't wait to return.
  • The alpacas were busy eating, but the rest of the park was beautful. Views in every direction, the app guided tour was great and the map provided was very helpful for a general overview of the landmarks. The museum area and video were helpful for getting history of the site and areas nearby.
  • I really enjoyed the hike to see the American Stonehenge. Wear comfortable shoes for walking/hiking if you go. The Stonehenge was really cool, especially imaging people lived there so long ago. The Fall scenery around it was a treat as well.
  • Very well done site, without being overdone. Research and site history is well presented. Walking tour with accompanying voice tour on the app is excellent. Would be nice to see more 4k yr. ago artifacts, though stone remnants and speculation as to historical context are fascinating!

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