Passaconaway

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Passaconaway, a name which translates to "Child of the Bear", was a chieftain in the Pennacook tribe.

One of the key native figures in the colonial history of New Hampshire, Passaconaway was born between 1550 and 1570 and died more than 100 years later in 1679, and was revered by both Native Americans and white settlers. He became chief of the Pennacook near the end of the 16th century, but it is not known whether he became chief by election or heredity.

Memorial to Passaconnaway at Pawtucket Falls

Legend has it that Passaconaway was a giant, a genius and possessed magical powers such as making water burn and making the trees dance. According to folklore, he could make dried up leaves turn green and make living snakes out of dead snake skin. European history records that Passaconaway lived at the top of the Pawtucket Falls in Lowell, Massachusetts; a marker was placed there in 1935. He later moved north, possibly to Merrimack, New Hampshire, near present-day Horseshoe Pond. It is suggested he may have died in Maine.

Passaconaway was one of the first native chieftains to lease land to English settlers in New England. His son Wonalancet was also sachem of the Pennacook. He too lived at the Pawtucket Falls, but was later exiled.

The present day Kancamagus Highway, a scenic route through the White Mountains of New Hampshire, bears the name of Passaconaway's grandson, Kancamagus. The two-lane highway passes the former village of Passaconaway, now a historic site maintained by the U.S. Forest Service. The site, shown as a village on topographic maps from 1931 and 1958, consists of an antique home used by former homesteaders, a second-growth forest with a trail that leads to a river, and a small cemetery with unique features. The former settlement is located in the incorporated town of Albany, New Hampshire. The public may visit the site, for a small daily fee.

A mountain summit in the White Mountains bears Passaconaway's name.