For many decades the settlement along the outlet of Little Lake Sunapee, between that body of water and Otter Pond, has been called "Otterville." Portions of the area were annexed by the town of New London in 1804 and 1817.
In 1812, Amasa Sargent "removed to Goosehole... where he built a saw-and-grist mill over the brook." This was the first industrial enterprise along this stream. Nine years later the mill was sold to Jacob Harvey of Sutton. Ownership changed hands many times in later years, ending with Hiram A. Eastman. This particular mill operated continuously for more than 125 years.
In 1823 there was also a carding mill in Otterville run by J.P. Sabin and John Page, Jr. Under their management the mill prospered so much that a large boarding house and general store were established. The cloth mill was purchased by John W. Taylor in 1848, and for the next 50 years he dressed cloth and carded rolls there. He also ran the general store.
Otterville also had a long series of blacksmiths, shoemakers, and other small businesses. Among the those keeping store "at the bridge" were John W. Taylor, Moses A. Fellows, and Fred Farwell. The latter owned the store until well into the 20th century.
John Taylor turned the second floor of his store into a social hall, and here Otterville had its parties and general meetings. Mr. Taylor introduced religious services shortly after the Civil War. In 1894 Mrs. Sanford Fisher donated land for a proposed Union Chapel, finally dedicated on August 17, 1902. After WWII, the NH Route 11 was redirected away from the Chapel and the settled part of Otterville. The mills closed as their services were no longer needed, and the blacksmith shop closed as automobiles gained popularity.
[Notes: There is a historical marker erected by the Town of New London in 1967 near the Otterville bridge. This article was abridged from Historical Sketches of New London, New Hampshire, 1977. Photos courtesy of New London Town Archives.]