Nature Trail coming to 17-acre marshland site at Ol’ Adams Campground

Historic Seabrook site enters its next chapter

A wonderful new natural preserve is coming to Seabrook, on the site of the Ol’ Adams Campground.  This will be an amazing local place to enjoy nature. A big shout-out to the team at Friends of Seabrook Community ( FOSC ), including Jill Gordon, Forrest Carter Jr, Owen Carter-Duffy, Marcie Dow, Barbara Shea, Ashton Almeida, and Melanie Fuller-Eaton for their leadership and vision on the project.

About the site.   The new nature trail will be located on the former Ol’ Adams Campground,  a beautiful wooded 17-acre marshfront site bounded by Lower Collins Street, Marshview Circle and Route 286.  Many Seabrook residents have fond memories of the Ol’ Adams Campsite, which was operated by Seabrook residents June and Dick Adams for many years.  Neighbors have shared stories of swimming in the crick, clamming at the marsh, and buying candy at the campground store.

The site was also the location of the Noah Dow home, dating back to the early 1700s. It was at Noah’s home in December 1754, as recounted by Seabrook Town Historian Eric Small, that Noah’s brother Eliphaz Dow killed neighbor Peter Clough with a garden hoe. Eliphaz appeared in the court of Judge Meshech Weare, another Seabrook native. He was convicted of murder, and was the first man, and third person, to be executed in the province of New Hampshire.

The nature trail project is expected to be finished in 2025.  The satellite view below shows the Ol’ Adams Camp Land and Forest.  The eastern frontage looks across the marsh towards the Blackwater River and Brown’s Lobster Pound.

This property is owned by the Town of Seabrook, so we all have an ownership stake in it.  In last year’s election, Seabrook voters passed a Warrant Article which approved FOSC’s plan for the site, at no cost to the Town.  The Warrant Article calls for FOSC to spend up to $40,000 of its own funds, all donations, to get the project underway.

The nature trail project was the brainchild of Forrest Carter Senior, a Seabrook native and member of the Seabrook DPW team.  Clearly, the Carter family work ethic runs deep.  Forrest Jr is the Executive Director of FOSC, and he and his sister Cassandra Carter, the Director of the Seabrook Community Center, were in the woods working hard alongside the Phase 1 volunteer group.   Phase 1, to begin clearing the trails, began Saturday August 3, 2024. This phase was actually completed ahead of schedule, with a great showing of volunteers from town.   Many thanks to the members of the Seabrook Ladies Society Pickleball Group, Seabrook Community Center Pickleball Group, and Seabrook Home Depot for turning out in force!

FOSC’s plan for the site is to be non-invasive, and “let the land speak for itself”.   The trails will follow the natural contours of the land. 

The diagram below shows the proposed trail layout, and potential location of fitness equipment and lookout areas.  The first lookout will be at the trailhead Lower Collins Avenue, and will be handicapped-accessible. 

Future phases of the site may include expansion of walking trails, a marsh observation platform, and exercise equipment.  The Audobon Society has worked with FOSC on the site, and plans to provide informative placards for locating birds indigenous to the marsh.

In addition to local volunteers, FOSC had the help of several partners in this project.  These including Seabrook Adventure Zone , Sean Kolby at Seabrook Home Depot , and John Gonthier at Moe's Italian Sandwiches, Seabrook

FOSC has also developed a very strong working relationship with Seabrook’s The Brook Casino Under NH law, 35% of all gaming revenues are to be donated directly to charitable organizations.  FOSC has managed to become one of The Brook’s recipients, with 10 nights per year of events proceeds going to FOSC projects.

About FOSC.  Friends of Seabrook Community ( FOSC ) is a charitable organization based here in Seabrook.  FOSC was started as a NH nonprofit in 2013, spearheaded by Lyndsey Hamblet, a Seabrook resident and physical educator in the Seabrook School system, and Forrest Carter Jr.    In December 2016, FOSC gained its 501 C3 status as a Tax Exempt Non-Profit Charity in the state of NH.

FOSC’s mission is to create and support safe and healthy recreational spaces in the Seabrook community.  FOSC looks for projects which would benefit the majority of Seabrook residents.  100% of donations to FOSC go these projects.   FOSC projects are completely funded by these donations, at no cost to the taxpayers of Seabrook.

FOSC’s first project, in early 2017, was the rehabilitation of Veteran’s Memorial Park on South Main Street.  The park had been declared unsafe for children to play on, and was fenced off.  Seabrook voters passed a Town Warrant Article for the Basketball Court, and Seabrook DPW provided support and guidance.  FOSC gathered input from residents and students through a community survey.  A playground layout was selected, and the project moved forward to completion in the summer of 2018.  A Gaga Ball pit was added in 2019.  Veterans’ Park is now a town resource enjoyed by all ages.

Following the successful renovation of Veteran’s Memorial Park, the Town asked FOSC to continue its work.  The next project was the installation of the basketball court on South Main Street.  That was followed by the addition of playground equipment at the Governor Weare Playground, behind the 99 restaurant on Route 1.  FOSC has just installed a new set of swings at Governor Weare, and three more pieces of playground equipment are on order.

FOSC wants to hear from you.  The team at FOSC wants to hear from all of us, to let them know what we would like to see in Seabrook.  Please drop them a note at FOSC2901@gmail.com, or visit them on their website at www.friendsofseabrookcommunity.com