Once a prized hunting spot for the Algonquin Native Americans, “Sunapee” roughly translates to “wild goose water.” Lake Sunapee, which sits at the foot of Mount Sunapee, in New Hampshire, regularly draws hundreds of thousands of waterfowls on their biannual migratory trips. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the north side of the mount was razed by overzealous logging companies. The local residents, alarmed that their beloved view of the mountain would be damaged for generations to come, rallied together and raised around $2,000 (around $50,000 in today’s dollars) to buy a few hundred acres from the company in 1911. In subsequent years, they continued to fundraise and purchase more acreage. Volunteers also blazed trails, built lean-tos, and groomed the shore of the lake to create a beach. In 1939, the residents’ years of effort were rewarded when the state of New Hampshire officially established the park as a state park.