Mt. Moosilauke (1916) - Illumination
". . . The illumination of the White mountains, announced in last week's News was postponed from Saturday night on account of the threatening weather Saturday forenoon and took place on Sunday, the 3rd of September.
As it turned out Saturday night was perfect, so perfect that it was difficult to imagine a repetition of it. Such a repetition, however, actually was granted to mountain climbers. For Sunday night, too, was cold and so clear that we could see, as one man expressed it, 'clean into heaven.'
Mr. and Mrs. Albert E. Morse, the managers of the Tip Top, had their hospitality put to a severe test. At least 75 persons were sheltered under their roof that night. Until late in the evening parties were attempting to secure quarters by telephone. Harry A. Fifield made two trips up with parties and George Boynton took up a party of four. Miss Coates with girls from Camp Tahoma and Dr. and Mrs. Edwin Fauver with boys from Camp Pemigewasset helped to make things lively.
The illumination was scheduled to begin at nine o'clock. Promptly at that hour Dame Nature turned on a glorious display of northern lights. The crowd of on-lookers, now all out on the mountain-top, seemed to take it as a regular part of the program. But Mr. Fred Maynard, in charge of the man-made fireworks, was not far behind. A few lights on scattered peaks had already appeared.
Shortly after nine Mount Washington began to blaze, and soon the presidential range was outlined in a line of fire six miles long. Other lights became more numerous in all directions. One on Black mountain seemed so near that the sight-seers felt as tho' they could almost touch it. At intervals great rockets burst from the summit of Washington like shooting stars. It was just a bit cold and quite a number developed a strong preference for the fireworks inside the kitchen stove.
By nine-thirty the guests of the hotel were all crowded within doors. The allotment of sleeping quarters presented a problem. Camp girls slept two deep on the office floor, and it is reported that several prominent citizens spent the night suspended from nails in the kitchen. . . ."
From "Mountains Illuminated," pp. 533-636, The Moosilaukee Reader (Vol.2). ©1999.
