If you have ever wanted to be the main character in your own Hallmark Movie, Peterborough is the charming New England town for you. There’s great shopping—antiques, home décor, crafting, art galleries, clothing shops and more, with a hub at Depot Square. You’ll also find good food at Waterhouse, Cooper’s Hill Pub, Bantam Grill, Pearl, Kogetsu at the Boiler House, and other eateries. Or pick up your own ingredients at the Peterborough Farmer’s Market.
Peterborough’s recently renovated library continues the legacy of public access to knowledge (This the proud home of the country’s first free, modern public library!) Local history also includes many homes that were stops on the Underground Railroad. Check out this blog post on Peterborough to dig deeper.
Need medical care? Monadnock Community Hospital and its large network of primary and specialty practices provide high-quality care for the community. It’s one of the reasons this is such a great place to start a family, as the birthing suite is top-notch. Amenities include comfortable accommodation for family and in-room nourishment, private rooms, rocking chairs, a soaking tub, a rain room, TV and wifi. And when it’s time for baby to go home, the family will be welcomed by the community, who is ready to support them through this exciting time.
Some of New Hampshire’s best hiking is here, with Miller State Park, Temple Mountain, and Cranberry Meadow Bog Trail. Adams Playground has a pool, ballfields, tennis, a bike park with pump track, and playground spaces.
Follow these Instagram accounts for a cross-section of Keene goings-on:
Peterborough is surrounded by other charming Cheshire and Hillsborough County towns. Dublin, Jaffrey, Temple, and other hamlets are nearby, while Manchester and Nashua are just a short drive east.
Peterborough is a close-knit but welcoming community, one you can weave your life into. Whether you join Rotary or a running club, participate in the Peterborough Players or Peterborough Woman’s Club, join the Cornucopia Project or support conservation at the nearby Harris Center, there’s a place—and a purpose—for you here.
The greater Peterborough area provides you with a wealth of opportunities for pursuing a fulfilling career, or for building a business. Enjoy working here and living fully.
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Emerson: It’s a very quick identifier when people say, “I’m from the Monadnock Region”—it’s something that comes to mind right away and rolls off the tongue with a lot of pride. I think people really love being from this area, and it’s a backbone of who they are. A few weeks back, a couple in their mid-20s came into the shop. They were from Massachusetts, looking at apartments here, and said they’ve always wanted to live in Peterborough. And I was so excited by the idea that there are people who are just starting their families or their careers who looking to move to the Monadnock Region. That narrative of young people wanting to leave this area—it’s great to see it disproven, that people are eager to come here and contribute and be a part of what we all love so much.
MEGHAN: I was born in Nashua and raised in Peterborough, but I’ve moved all over: Connecticut, Boston, Burlington, Arizona. And I spent a number of years traveling the country for my former job [in marketing for Pepsi], seeing different cities and suburbs and rural communities, yet none of them truly felt like someplace where I would want to come back and live. There’s an intangible quality to being here and living in the Monadnock Region, something I can’t necessarily put my finger on. I think that’s part of what makes it so great: Each person loves it for their own reason
JOSH: Adam and I met working together at a summer job in Rhode Island, and we were both on the same page for starting a business that was health- and wellness-focused. I believe New Hampshire was the best place to do that—this region is full of entrepreneurs, and we hope what we are building in Peterborough is encouraging everyone else to see the potential in what can be done in beautiful southwest New Hampshire.
ADAM: In Peterborough, what we discovered was, in my eyes, the true sense of community. Which was: If you’re trying to do something, the response is, How can I help? What can I do? How can I lift you up? A lot of that help and advice came from the business talent that lives in the Monadnock Region, and a lot of that comes from older or retired people with decades of experience in their given fields. What we’ve learned from them, we probably wouldn’t have gotten in a city like Boston. They had the time and the knowledge to help us, and they had the desire to give back.
Jenni: I started working in MacDowell’s New York office in 2013 and moved to Peterborough in 2020. Even before the pandemic started, I’d been thinking about leaving the city and had enjoyed visiting Peterborough on work trips. Being able to keep my job and my connections to my coworkers made this major life transition feel much less intimidating.
MacDowell was founded in 1907 and has a rich history. Both new and long-tenured staff are committed to stewarding the organization and dedicated to MacDowell’s mission of serving artists. Having this shared purpose leads to a natural sense of community.
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Our friends at Yankee Magazine have put together a special online visitor guide to all that’s great about our region. As a bonus, you’ll get a copy of our eNewsletter.