The name "Bretton Woods" rings in history as the site of the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference (1944) that determined the form of the world monetary system created after World War II.

The influence of the conference, held at the grand Mount Washington Hotel, was felt for a half century thereafter.

The rich and powerful gathered at Bretton Woods (map) because of its spectacular natural beauty, its variety of amusements, and its elegant accommodations. These are the same reasons vacationers come today.

The Mount Washington Hotel, recreated now as the Omni Mount Washington Resort, is an even finer place to spend precious vacation time. Nearby, the Bretton Wood Ski Resort provides challenging conditions for both downhill and cross-country skiing.

There's a feeling here of being set apart from civilization, of being off in the forest, because the busy towns of the White Mountains such as Lincoln and North Conway are on the other sides of Mount Washington, far away. The closest "civilization" here is the small town of Twin Mountain to the northwest, near which is the base station for the Mount Washington Cog Railway. To the southeast is Crawford Notch State Park, with its pretty lake.

—by Tom Brosnahan

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