A 1913 mansion sits on a New Hampshire peak with the whole Lakes Region at its feet

A shoe tycoon’s dream still stands in the clouds

High in the Ossipee Mountains of Moultonborough, New Hampshire, a 16-room mansion sits on a rocky outcropping with the whole Lakes Region spread out below it.

Thomas Plant built this place in 1913 and 1914 as a retirement retreat, and he called it Lucknow. More than a century later, the estate earned its National Historic Landmark designation in December 2024.

The trails are free, the views cost nothing, and the story behind the man who built it all starts with a pair of shoes.

From shoe laster to mountain estate owner

Thomas Gustave Plant was born in Bath, Maine, in 1859 and left school at 14. He apprenticed as a shoe laster and climbed from factory floor to factory owner in 11 years.

By 1910, his Thomas G. Plant Company in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, ranked among the largest shoe factories in the country. He sold the business that same year, retired, and sailed to Europe.

While traveling in 1912, he met Olive Dewey. They married in 1913 and broke ground on Lucknow almost immediately.

Arts and Crafts architecture built into the mountain

The Boston firm J. Williams Beal and Sons designed the mansion in the Arts and Crafts style, with the surrounding landscape driving every decision.

Builders used Maine white oak timbers along with local rhyolite and Conway pink granite so the structure would settle into the mountain rather than stand apart from it.

The steeply pitched roof, covered in red terra cotta clay tiles, gives the whole building its castle-like silhouette against the ridgeline. Inside, Irving and Casson-A.H. Davenport handled the interiors, with glass by Tiffany and lighting fixtures by Edward F. Caldwell and Co.

The mansion’s technology was decades ahead of its time

Walk through the mansion today and the rooms tell two stories at once. One is about a wealthy couple at the turn of the century.

The other is about how far ahead of their time they were willing to build.

The home had a central vacuum system, a house-wide interphone for room-to-room communication, and an ammonia-brine refrigeration system that preceded the modern refrigerator. Circular needle showers lined the bathrooms.

Interlocking tiles covered the kitchen floors. All of it dates to 1913 and 1914, and all of it is on display during the mansion tour.

A self-guided tour through a house frozen in time

Getting to the mansion is part of the experience. A trolley runs every 15 minutes from the Carriage House, climbing toward the summit.

Once you’re inside, the self-guided tour covers the first and second floors at whatever pace you set. The rooms are arranged as though Tom and Olive Plant stepped out for a walk and haven’t come back yet.

Museum interpreters stand throughout the house and can answer questions as you go.

For a closer look at how the place actually ran, the guided basement tour pulls back the curtain on the mechanical systems that kept it all working.

Views that stretch across the entire Lakes Region

The mansion sits on a rocky outcropping once called the Crow’s Nest, and every window frames a different piece of the landscape below. Lake Winnipesaukee spreads out to the south.

The Belknap Mountains rise to the west. On a clear day, the view reaches well past the immediate Lakes Region in every direction.

The rear veranda and lawn give you the full panorama without a pane of glass in the way. Photographers show up regularly for this shot.

It’s one of the most recognized views in the state.

Seven waterfalls on the Brook Walk trail

The Brook Walk follows Shannon Brook for about 1.2 miles out and back, passing seven named waterfalls along the way.

The Falls of Song is the one people come back and talk about, a 40-foot plunge waterfall a short hike from the road.

Bridal Veil Falls, Twin Falls, Whittier Falls, and Emerald Pool Falls are all along the route, each marked with interpretive signs that include historical images of the brook.

The trail works for most ability levels, and the combination of water, shade, and forest keeps it cool even in summer.

Thirty miles of trails and five mountain summits

The conservation area surrounding the estate covers 5,246 acres and holds 30 miles of trails and historic carriage roads.

Five summits are within reach: Mt. Shaw, Mt. Roberts, Black Snout, Turtleback Mountain, and Bald Knob. Mt. Shaw tops out at 2,990 feet, making it the highest point in the Lakes Region, with open views from the summit.

Mt. Roberts draws hikers who want multiple viewpoints spread across the climb.

The Lakes Region Conservation Trust maintains all 16 designated trails and runs a Hiker Achievement Patch Program for anyone who completes them all, including all five summits.

Shannon Pond is filled with rainbow trouts for the catch

Shannon Pond sits near the main trailhead and serves as the natural starting point for most visits. The pond is stocked with rainbow trout you can watch from the bank or feed from the edge.

A large meadow opens up nearby, flat enough for families to spread out and take a break between activities. Birds and waterfowl come and go throughout the day, and the pond draws other wildlife as well.

The Carriage House, the trolley to the mansion, and the main trail connections all sit within easy walking distance of the water.

Fall foliage turns the whole mountain into something else

Castle in the Clouds sits high enough that the fall color surrounds you rather than staying at eye level.

The hardwood forests on the slopes turn red, orange, and gold as the season moves through September and October, and the mountaintop position means you’re looking out over miles of color change rather than standing in the middle of it.

Add the lake views and the mountain ridgelines in the distance, and peak foliage season draws the highest visitor numbers of the year for exactly that reason. Plan accordingly if you want elbow room.

Music nights, car shows, and horseback riding fill the season

The estate runs a full calendar from late May through late October.

Music nights, garden tours, and guided hikes rotate through the season alongside immersive theater performances that bring the history of Lucknow to life with actors in period settings.

Car shows and yoga on the rear lawn show up on the calendar too. If you want to get on a horse, a separate outfitter on the property handles trail rides.

The 2026 season runs from May 23 to Oct. 25, so there’s plenty of time to plan around the event you want.

Visit Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough, New Hampshire

Castle in the Clouds sits at 455 Old Mountain Road in Moultonborough, New Hampshire.

The mansion and grounds are open seasonally from late May through late October, with self-guided tours, guided tours, and basement tours all available during open season.

The Carriage House serves food with mountain views on the side.

Hiking trails in the conservation area are free and open year-round from dawn to dusk, so you can walk the Brook Walk or hit the summits even outside of mansion season.

Check the official website for current admission prices, event listings, and tour times before you go.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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