She’Mea’Ga’ Wood Lore


Chief Passaconaway became the leader of the Pennacooks in 1620. He ruled a powerful federation of thirteen New Hampshire tribes. He spent his winters on the shores of the Merrimack in Penacook New Hampshire and his summers in the shadows of the White Mountains. On a scouting expedition of the northern slopes of Mount Washington he came upon a new species of tree that he had never seen before. Because of the altitude and the rugged nature of the area, the tree was distorted and stunted but had a wide rugged girth. He named it She’Mea’Ga, loosely defined as “Child of the Bear”.

Over the centuries since, the tree has become prolific to that area alone. A group of dedicated individuals now manage this stand of trees. Following good forest management practices, the tree in thinly harvested once each four years. Its wood is highly prized, even today.

It is said that at the moment of Passaconaway’s death, he was transported to heaven in a sleigh built of She’Mea’Ga’ wood pulled by a team of wolves. Legend also says that if you carry a piece of this wood on your person, you will have 7 years of good fortune.