Exploring Our History

At the turn of the twentieth century, the distinguished and visionary industrialist Thomas Gustave Plant established his grand estate on the picturesque slopes of the Ossipee Mountains near Bald Peak. Gazing over the sweeping vistas of Lake Winnipesaukee, Mr. Plant envisioned an exclusive country club where friends and contemporaries could gather amid the beauty of New Hampshire’s natural landscape.

With exacting attention to detail, Mr. Plant meticulously planned the creation of a golf course, clubhouse, boathouse, and guest cottages that would reflect the elegance and grandeur of the setting. The famed New Hampshire architect Chase Whitcher was commissioned to design the original Clubhouse, Stables, Boathouse, and Dormitory, while the legendary golf course architect Donald Ross was engaged to design the golf course, a masterful layout that continues to be admired to this day.

The Bald Peak Country Club was incorporated in 1920, and two years after the first ground was broken, Mr. Plant’s vision was fully realized. In its early years, many of his friends and associates gathered at Bald Peak, establishing a legacy of fellowship and refinement that endures more than a century later.

Mr. Plant’s nearby residence, the renowned Castle in the Clouds, is no longer part of the Club property. However, it remains a treasured historic landmark, preserved and maintained for the public’s enjoyment by the Castle Preservation Society.

Today, Bald Peak’s original buildings still stand proudly on the hilltop overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee. The thousand-acre property offers unparalleled privacy, framed by stately pine forests, pristine lakefront, and gently rolling hills. Over time, the original ridge cottages have been converted into private residences, and additional homes have been thoughtfully added along the lakeshore and hillsides. Approximately one-third of the Club’s members reside within the Colony Club property, while the majority make their homes in neighboring lakeside communities.