Fritz Wetherbee: Martin's Ferry For a number of years the Martin Family operated a ferry across the river from right here, I’ll tell you the story Share Updated: 8:26 AM EDT May 28, 2021 Fritz Wetherbee: Martin's Ferry For a number of years the Martin Family operated a ferry across the river from right here, I’ll tell you the story Share Updated: 8:26 AM EDT May 28, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript settled in the town of Chester, New Hampshire is not in Chester. or to put it another way, the first place settled in Hooksett New Hampshire was in fact in the town of Chester and this is that place right here on the Merrimack River. The Home Depot and Target shopping center are just down there. But back in 1975, the road leading from the river became the major highway it was called the white Hall Road and it became Route 27. That’s the reason I said the oldest part of Hooksett was actually Chester. Chester was settled in 1719, which makes it one of the oldest towns in the state. A portion of Auburn the town of Kandy were also later cut out of the original Chester. You can probably figure out why in major highway built in the 18th century came from Exeter and Hampton the right here on the river. That’s because here on the river was one of the first fairies across the Merrimack River. The place is still called Martins ferry after the Martin family operated the business and a small business developed here with its own school and trading post. There was a depot located right over there during the road from the highway is called Martins ferry Road. buildings that are just east of here is Webster Hall of Southern New Hampshire University. nowadays, this is part of and owned mostly by Southern New Hampshire University. and where Martins ferry Road meets North Road, there was a plaque commemorating the fairy and another plaque that commemorates the Elm house in which flourished at the turn-of-the-century. it had steam heat and electricity. very fancy. the default had service to the in and took his clientele there