© 2025 New Hampshire Public Radio

Persons with disabilities who need assistance accessing NHPR's FCC public files, please contact us at publicfile@nhpr.org.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Support essential local news and protect public media with a donation today!

On Lake Winnipesaukee's 3-Mile Island, a Summer Scene That Never Changes

Time moves differently—and is counted differently—on Three Mile Island.

The summer camp on Lake Winnipesaukee, which is owned and operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club, hasn’t changed much since its opening in 1900. And many of the campers, some of whom have been returning annually for more than half-a-century, are more likely to tell you when they first started coming to Three Mile, rather than admit their age.

Guests stay for one or two weeks in rustic cabins that dot Three Mile’s shores. They don’t have electricity, or flush toilets, just the AMC’s scratchy green blankets and a private dock made for morning swims. Campers, who range in age from 4 to 80-plus, may use a phone or gadget in the confines of the cabin, but all technology is prohibited from the public areas of Three Mile, including the rec hall, Main House and dock. Instead, campers idle away their days swimming, reading, kayaking or napping, when there isn’t a game of Capture the Flag in the works.

Take a listen to some of the unique rhythms and traditions of Three Mile in this audio postcard produced by NHPR’s Todd Bookman.

This story is part of NHPR’s series Surrounded: Stories from New Hampshire’s Islands.

As a general assignment reporter, I pursue breaking news as well as investigative pieces across a range of topics. I’m drawn to stories that are big and timely, as well as those that may appear small but tell us something larger about the state we live in. I also love a good tip, a good character, or a story that involves a boat ride.
Related Content

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.