There are experiences you simply cannot get on a rail trail or by walking through a typical park. I thought I was showing up for a one-time expression of why a project like this matters to every community. But it quickly became something more. I watched remarkable people come together to create not just a trail, but an experience: a GPS-narrated journey that teaches you about the landscape you’re exploring.

The Merriam Farm Conservation Area was sold to the Town of Pelham by Fred Merriam with the intention that the land be protected—and, thanks to the creation of Virginia’s All Persons Trail, you’ll learn about the plants, wildlife, trees, and the generations-long history of the Merriam Family Farm. Most importantly, this land is now protected from developers who would have leveled what’s been part of Pelham’s story for decades.

We’re losing too many treasures across southern New Hampshire. Once land is developed, the animals are displaced, the history disappears, and the character of our communities changes forever. What makes New Hampshire great is being chipped away.

This trail happened because Pelham Pathways, Inc., the Pelham Conservation Commission, and countless people and businesses from New Hampshire and Massachusetts came together to create something lasting—something rooted in conservation, access, and community pride.

And we cannot overlook the role of Executive Councilor Janet Stevens. Elected in 2020 as only the second Republican woman to serve on the Executive Council since 1913, she has shaped policy in major areas—from environmental protection to infrastructure and school safety. When Pelham’s All Persons Trail hit critical permitting roadblocks, she stepped in. Her leadership helped break through bureaucracy and cleared the way—literally and figuratively—for this accessible trail to become reality.

Even U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan took notice. In her letter, she wrote:
“It is critical that we work together to help more people, no matter their abilities, fully experience and enjoy all that our trails have to offer… I am grateful to all of you who contributed to this project for your commitment to that same goal.”

Pelham Pathways Chairperson Yvonne La-Garde put it best:
“But let’s be clear: this trail didn’t build itself. It was built piece by piece, gift by gift, hour by hour—by this community.”

We know what it looks like when we lose the fight. Just remember the fate of Rockingham Park in Salem or the Woodmont Apple Orchard in Londonderry. Their histories are gone. Nothing remains for anyone to walk, explore, or learn from. Places that once defined communities were erased in the name of commercial and residential development.

Now ask yourselves:
When do we stop erasing our history? When do we choose community involvement over short-term profit?

If you want to see what protecting history—and protecting people—looks like, go visit Virginia’s All Persons Trail in Pelham. It’s a place where a piece of New Hampshire’s story has been preserved.

And it’s a place where you are not forgotten.

Alan Roy
Londonderry, NH