Becky's Garden?

KTO · 08-24-2004, 08:04 PM

Curious---what's the story behind Becky's Garden? If anyone knows--please reply. Thanks!

PROPELLER · 08-25-2004, 08:52 AM

I read this in the Weirs Times 2 years ago. Long story short & this is legend not real; An indian chief had 2 daughters that did not get along & 1 daughter he gave an island to on the lake. To be fair he allowed the second daughter to pick any island she wanted so she picked the smallest island she could find so only she could live on it away from her sister. It goes something like that, probably missed some details. Maybe the Weirs Times has an archive you can look it up in. The well known historian Bruce Heald may have provided the story, not sure.

ghoti · 08-25-2004, 04:17 PM

I heard a similar tale. The version I heard was that it was one of the early landowners (one who got a landgrant from the governor), not an Indian Chief. As to the daughters, one was selfish and the other was not and they really didn't get along at all. The one who was not selfish pleased her father more and that prompted him to make her the offer of any island. She chose it to prove her superiority.

Either way (or maybe there's more!), it's one of the many stories that makes living on this lake so interesting, don't you think?

WeirsBeachBoater · 08-25-2004, 04:22 PM

Legend has it there was a wealthy gentleman from the Center harbor area, that had three daughters. The most beautiful one being Rebecca, the other two sisters were very spoiled, but Rebecca was very simple and loved tending to the flower gardens around the family homestead. One day the fathers cattle got loose and trampled and ruined Rebecca gardens. Rebecca was very upset and her father told her that to make it up to her he would purchase any island on the lake that she chose. The two spoiled sisters heard of this and were so jealous that they finally made the father agree to buy them each one as well. Well the father gave Rebecca first pick because he felt so badly about the gardens that were ruined. Being unselfish Rebecca looked until she found the smallest Island she could find, now it bears the name Becky's Garden. Now that is not the end of the story for Rebecca!!! Her tale of unselfishness spread far and wide until a very rich young man searched for her, due to her unselfish gesture and eventually took her hand in marriage. So as the legend says, Although it is the smallest island, it produced the greatest result.

jonr · 05-30-2005, 03:36 PM

We went by Becky's Garden this on Saturday but didn't see the dollhouse that I've seen there before. When is it put out for the summer? Who maintains it?

KTO · 06-02-2005, 04:25 PM

Got the following fromHere

Equally interesting is the legendary origin of Becky's Garden, the smallest charted island in the lake. An early settler of Center Harbor had several daughters, of whom the loveliest was Rebecca. While her sisters were frivolous and spoiled, Rebecca was a model young lady, and she beautified the surroundings of her father's house by her care of her garden, of which she was justly proud. One day her father's cattle escaped, and, before they were noticed, they had laid waste the beautiful garden plot. Rebecca was heartbroken, and her father, by way of consolation, offered her as a gift any one of the numerous islands in the lake which she might care to choose. Her sisters clamored for the same dower, and their father finally consented, giving Becky her first choice. This caused her sisters to be so envious that Becky decided to choose the smallest island she could find, and selected the one which bears her name today, an island that is scarcely more than a bush-covered rock. The other daughters picked out large, verdant islands.

The story of Becky's choice travelled far, as stories will; and a wealthy young farmer in the vicinity became so interested in hearing of the unselfish young maiden that he sought her acquaintance, and, finding her an attractive young lady, wooed and won her for his bride. Thus it was said that Becky's Garden, though the smallest of islands, produced the greatest results. Today, each year, a model house, complete in every detail, is placed on the island to distinguish it as inhabited despite its size-all in memory of the unspoiled Becky.

08-24-2004, 08:04 PM	#1
KTO Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Meredith, NH Posts: 391 Thanks: 30 Thanked 117 Times in 26 Posts	Becky's Garden? Curious---what's the story behind Becky's Garden? If anyone knows--please reply. Thanks! ________ vapourizers Last edited by KTO; 01-22-2011 at 05:07 AM.

08-25-2004, 08:52 AM	#2
PROPELLER Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 340 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I read this in the Weirs Times 2 years ago. Long story short & this is legend not real; An indian chief had 2 daughters that did not get along & 1 daughter he gave an island to on the lake. To be fair he allowed the second daughter to pick any island she wanted so she picked the smallest island she could find so only she could live on it away from her sister. It goes something like that, probably missed some details. Maybe the Weirs Times has an archive you can look it up in. The well known historian Bruce Heald may have provided the story, not sure. Last edited by PROPELLER; 08-25-2004 at 12:14 PM.

05-30-2005, 03:36 PM	#5
jonr Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 25 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Doll House on Becky's Garden We went by Becky's Garden this on Saturday but didn't see the dollhouse that I've seen there before. When is it put out for the summer? Who maintains it?

06-02-2005, 04:25 PM	#6
KTO Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Meredith, NH Posts: 391 Thanks: 30 Thanked 117 Times in 26 Posts	New Info Got the following fromHere Equally interesting is the legendary origin of Becky's Garden, the smallest charted island in the lake. An early settler of Center Harbor had several daughters, of whom the loveliest was Rebecca. While her sisters were frivolous and spoiled, Rebecca was a model young lady, and she beautified the surroundings of her father's house by her care of her garden, of which she was justly proud. One day her father's cattle escaped, and, before they were noticed, they had laid waste the beautiful garden plot. Rebecca was heartbroken, and her father, by way of consolation, offered her as a gift any one of the numerous islands in the lake which she might care to choose. Her sisters clamored for the same dower, and their father finally consented, giving Becky her first choice. This caused her sisters to be so envious that Becky decided to choose the smallest island she could find, and selected the one which bears her name today, an island that is scarcely more than a bush-covered rock. The other daughters picked out large, verdant islands. The story of Becky's choice travelled far, as stories will; and a wealthy young farmer in the vicinity became so interested in hearing of the unselfish young maiden that he sought her acquaintance, and, finding her an attractive young lady, wooed and won her for his bride. Thus it was said that Becky's Garden, though the smallest of islands, produced the greatest results. Today, each year, a model house, complete in every detail, is placed on the island to distinguish it as inhabited despite its size-all in memory of the unspoiled Becky.

08-25-2004, 04:17 PM	#3
ghoti Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 29 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I heard a similar tale. The version I heard was that it was one of the early landowners (one who got a landgrant from the governor), not an Indian Chief. As to the daughters, one was selfish and the other was not and they really didn't get along at all. The one who was not selfish pleased her father more and that prompted him to make her the offer of any island. She chose it to prove her superiority. Either way (or maybe there's more!), it's one of the many stories that makes living on this lake so interesting, don't you think?

08-25-2004, 04:22 PM	#4
WeirsBeachBoater Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 709 Blog Entries: 9 Thanks: 39 Thanked 148 Times in 65 Posts	Legend has it there was a wealthy gentleman from the Center harbor area, that had three daughters. The most beautiful one being Rebecca, the other two sisters were very spoiled, but Rebecca was very simple and loved tending to the flower gardens around the family homestead. One day the fathers cattle got loose and trampled and ruined Rebecca gardens. Rebecca was very upset and her father told her that to make it up to her he would purchase any island on the lake that she chose. The two spoiled sisters heard of this and were so jealous that they finally made the father agree to buy them each one as well. Well the father gave Rebecca first pick because he felt so badly about the gardens that were ruined. Being unselfish Rebecca looked until she found the smallest Island she could find, now it bears the name Becky's Garden. Now that is not the end of the story for Rebecca!!! Her tale of unselfishness spread far and wide until a very rich young man searched for her, due to her unselfish gesture and eventually took her hand in marriage. So as the legend says, Although it is the smallest island, it produced the greatest result.