New Hampshire
In Their Own Words with George Brown – New Hampshire Magazine
![In Their Own Words with George Brown – New Hampshire Magazine In Their Own Words with George Brown – New Hampshire Magazine](https://www.nhmagazine.com/content/uploads/2024/08/l/n/george-brown-file-art-scaled.jpeg)
There’s a sign high on the wall inside George Brown’s woodshop at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center that reads “grand juction.”
After 10 years and roughly 600 signs, the missing “n” is simply a reminder for Brown, a member of the Appalachian Mountain Club and official “Sign Maker,” to take his time when carving out the newest directional signs that line New Hampshire’s trails and which keep hikers on the right track.
Brown, along with AMC staff and volunteers, helps maintain about 440 miles of trails in White Mountain National Forest — about 750 trail signs in all. When current signs wear out their welcome, become difficult to read, splinter or get chewed by bears or porcupines, staff and volunteers will note its ID number on its reverse and add it to a continuously updated database. That’s where Brown comes in.
Using a premeasured, pretreated white pine board sourced locally, Brown uses a “signmaking machine” — “I’m sure there’s a fancier name,” he says (it’s a Marlin 3-D Carving Machine) — to make a tiny mark in the wood for character placement. Then the machine helps him carve each character using standardized letters in plastic molds.
After chiseling the message, he squeezes a bit of ordinary house paint — chrome green to be exact — into the grooves, then uses the handle end of a small paintbrush to spread the paint and fill in the carved letters. The rest of the sign receives house paint in white.
Retired signs are returned to the woodshop; each year a few are auctioned off, some for a handsome price.
Here’s an inside look at Brown’s craft.
New Hampshire Magazine: I think it’s always a relief to see one of your signs — then you know you’re in the right place.
George Brown: I look at it like it’s an adventure. And it’s like a discovery as you hike along. And I think when people come to a junction with a sign, it kind of confirms “Oh, yeah, we’re in the right place, at the right time, we hope.”
George Brown examines a damaged, splitting sign that has spent years enduring harsh elements.
NHM: I didn’t realize each sign is numbered.
GB: That’s the actual sign number in the database. There are so many things about trail work that people take for granted — signs being one of them. There’s just a lot of cleaning drainage, building rock walls, brushing the trail and blazing it. A lot of people just don’t know. I can’t fault them.
NHM: How long does it take to make one sign from start to finish for you?
GB: Well, of course, it depends on the number of lines but on average, I would say between an hour and a half to two hours, and that includes layout, which is quite time-consuming. But then you got to spend time putting it together. Sanding it, painting it. And painting the letters, as you can see, is the most time-consuming, because it’s so fine.
NHM: How many coats of paint do they get?
GB: The white is three (coats). One prime, two finish. And the green is just one coat. We always buy top-quality paint, because we don’t want to do those letters twice. Once is enough.
NHM: These signs seem very consistent. Who came up with this style?
![George Brown 7](https://www.nhmagazine.com/content/uploads/2024/08/g/f/george-brown-7-375x500.jpeg)
This wooden sign that was stationed on the Zeacliff Trail has a layer of patina from its time outdoors.
GB: These standards come from the owner of the White Mountain National Forest, which is the United States Forest Service. Most of the time making a sign is spent laying it out to make sure the trail name gets centered and that the text is all the way to the left and right like it’s supposed to be.
NHM: Do the distances on the signs ever need to be adjusted?
GB: Whenever I make a sign, I refer to the White Mountain Guide. You’ve seen that big thick volume? It tells me exactly where this sign is. I’ll look in the guide and make sure the distance is correct. Chances are, in fact, if you see any sign that is this thickness — five-quarter inch — it was one that I made.
NHM: How often are the signs replaced?
GB: I’m guessing 10 years, maximum 15. Ones that are in a somewhat sheltered location — this one is right around Lincoln Woods — this one will probably last 12 to 15 years, I bet.
NHM: What happens to the old, wornout signs?
GB: Every year, the AMC Trails Department will auction these off. It’s kind of fun to watch it. Someone paid like $1,800 last year (for one). I bet this one will get close to, if not more than, $1,800, because it was in the alpine zone. Anything that is above treeline and gets exposed to that kind of weather, which can be horrific, (is more valuable).
NHM: How long will you continue to do this?
![George Brown 3](https://www.nhmagazine.com/content/uploads/2024/08/h/c/george-brown-3-375x500.jpeg)
Brown uses locally sourced, treated white pine as he measures the proper distances between characters.
GB: As long as I can, as long as they want me to. I really enjoy it. It’s a great job. There’s always a challenge, but you do have to think through laying things out and spacing and checking the text to make sure it’s accurate.
NHM: Do you ever get bored with this job?
GB: No, it’s a fun gig. I get to work here at Pinkham. … And it’s a great community here of staff that you get to know pretty well. I’ve got two golden retrievers, and they’ve got many friends here that come in and say hi.
NHM: I came across a picture of you hiking, and you had a new sign in your backpack. Do you always replace them?
GB: No, I used to put some up. But my knees really started bothering me lately. It’s just real hard for me to get there, and I miss it horribly. There’s a seasonal staff person who puts signs up, but he also has a team of volunteers that puts signs up and also help with the inventory and assess trail conditions.
NHM: Do you still go hiking?
GB: I do. I maintain the trail over in Evans Notch. I call it the undiscovered gem of the White Mountain National Forest. I look after the lower part of Royce Trail — the first mile follows a cold river stream. And of course, the dogs love it.
![George Brown 8](https://www.nhmagazine.com/content/uploads/2024/08/o/q/george-brown-8-450x338.jpeg)
A new sign with chrome green paint in the letters awaits its marching orders.
NHM: That trail’s not too difficult?
GB: I was done by the end of the day. Because there’s a 2,000-foot elevation gain. So yeah, I still get out there, but I can’t do the 4,000-footers. I was on Emerald Bluff, a 2.4 mile hike along Israel Ridge Trail and Emerald Trail, a couple years ago, and I came to this beautiful outlook of Castle Ravine. And I had this real deep sense of remorse that I can’t do this anymore. And yet, right after that I said, “You know what, I feel just great that I was able to, that I can say that I did that.”
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New Hampshire
5 diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease in New Hampshire, health officials say
Authorities warned residents of Lincoln, New Hampshire, to monitor themselves for symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease after five people fell ill in June and July.
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services on Monday linked the outbreak of the bacterial pneumonia — which is caused by inhaling water droplets contaminated with Legionella bacteria — to a cooling tower behind the RiverWalk Resort in downtown Lincoln.
“Anybody who has visited the area near the contaminated cooling tower should monitor themselves for symptoms,” Dr. Benjamin Chan, New Hampshire state epidemiologist, said in a DHHS statement.
“People who develop fever or other symptoms of pneumonia within 14 days after spending time in this area should talk to their healthcare provider about testing for Legionella infection,” he added.
MORE: Donated organs likely caused Legionnaires’ disease in 2 lung transplant recipients: CDC
The cooling tower has been sanitized and put back into operation after discussion with state officials, RiverWalk Vice President Renee Blood told ABC News affiliate WMUR.
“Out of an abundance of caution, additional testing will be performed later this week,” Blood told WMUR. The test results are expected next week.
DHHS said the cooling tower’s continued operation could mean further exposure risks, particularly for people within a half-mile of the facility.
“Anyone who is visiting the specified area should assess their health risk,” DHHS said. “Those who are older, are current or former smokers, have weakened immune systems, or have certain medical conditions like chronic lung disease and diabetes are at higher risk for developing Legionnaire’s disease.”
Symptoms usually begin between two and 14 days following exposure and can include fever, cough and shortness of breath. The bacteria can also cause serious pneumonia, the stage known as Legionnaires’ disease. The condition can be fatal if left untreated.
DHHS noted, however, that most healthy people exposed to Legionella bacteria do not fall ill.
ABC News’ Victoria Arancio contributed to this report.
5 diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease in New Hampshire, health officials say originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
New Hampshire
Coast Guard rescues 6 people after boat catches fire off Portsmouth, New Hampshire
![Coast Guard rescues 6 people after boat catches fire off Portsmouth, New Hampshire Coast Guard rescues 6 people after boat catches fire off Portsmouth, New Hampshire](https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2024/08/12/30163053-9203-4a31-88e1-a03350c55e7c/thumbnail/1200x630/6b61089affab33be82ac6dd38fd28d7d/5bcbda07d5256f73e2d2b2c39c81ee46.jpg?v=ca135fae0838bc5b23b70dacd2a620f1)
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New Hampshire
New Hampshire has more chances to see Northern Lights this week. These are the best times
It’s happening yet again.
Aside from full moons, planetary alignments, eclipses, and meteor showers, the Northern Lights have made several appearances in the skies over New England this summer.
And you can still possibly catch a glimpse of them tonight, and tomorrow night as geomagnetic activity ramps up again. Most of New Hampshire and Vermont are within the forecasted view line again.
Here’s what to know.
When is the best chance of seeing the ‘Aurora Borealis?’
According to the the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA), people may still have a chance to catch of glimpse of the Northern Lights, also known as “Aurora Borealis.”
According to NOAA, the best chances will be on the evenings of Aug. 12 (tonight) and Aug. 13. The best time for looking for the lights is between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.
What causes the Northern Lights?
Northern lights are caused by the sun.
“The northern lights are created when energized particles from the sun slam into Earth’s upper atmosphere at speeds of up to 45 million mph, but our planet’s magnetic field protects us from energetic assault,” according to Space.com. “As Earth’s magnetic field redirects the particles toward the poles the dramatic process transforms into a cinematic atmospheric phenomenon that dazzles and fascinates scientists and sky-watchers alike.”
Brothers explained in a past interview “it’s the ejection of material from the sun that causes this reaction.” Brothers added those are called coronal mass ejections (CME’s).
How to see the Northern Lights
As always, dark skies make for better stargazing.
“We typically suggest getting away from cities and find a open field or hilltop to lay out under the stars and wait for the show to really peak at the late evening or early morning hours,” Brothers said in a past interview with Wicked Local.
If you’re having a hard time seeing them with the naked yet, try using your phone to get a glimpse.
This article originally appeared on wickedlocal.com: NH has another shot at seeing Northern Lights this week. Here’s when
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