4 New Hampshire Towns Where Famous Movies Were Filmed
While New Hampshire might not immediately come to mind as one of America’s best film locations, it has played a notable role in several successful movies. It has done so for decades. Rich in old colonial architecture and many small towns that have kept their New England character, the state gives filmmakers settings that feel authentic.
From board game adventures that send jungle chaos into quiet downtown streets to lakeside dramas featuring some of the most celebrated actors in American film history, New Hampshire has served as the backdrop for classic movies that continue to reach audiences long after their release.
Keene: Jumanji
When Jumanji reached theaters in 1995, it was unlike anything audiences had seen before, with unique characters, a lively storyline, and Robin Williams at the center. Downtown Keene, reimagined as the fictional town of Brantford, became the setting where the leads faced the jungle creatures released from a magical board game.
Keene was selected by chance after the film’s location manager found Central Square while searching for a coffee. Production crews then transformed the landmark into a worn version of itself, meant to show a town in decline. Dead shrubbery was added, paint on the gazebo appeared to peel, graffiti-covered walls, and a large Civil War-era statue was placed over the existing fountain.
Residents joined the production as extras, portraying homeless people, looters, and panicked citizens trying to escape stampeding animals. Filming also took place at Mount Caesar Cemetery in nearby Swanzey, where Williams' character visits his parents' graves.
Today, the Parrish Shoes mural on a brick wall near Central Square remains from the film. The Colonial Theatre on Main Street also screened Jumanji during the city's 30th anniversary celebration in June 2025.
Holderness: On Golden Pond
The 1981 drama On Golden Pond brought Henry Fonda, Katharine Hepburn, and Jane Fonda to Squam Lake near Holderness for a production that went on to win three Academy Awards, including Best Actor and Best Actress. Director Mark Rydell chose this quiet lake for its loon population and densely wooded shoreline, which he believed would portray the fictional Golden Pond where an aging couple spends what may be their final summer together.
Squam Lake, the second-largest lake entirely within New Hampshire, was used extensively during filming. Scenes of the couple fishing and watching for the returning loons were shot on the water and along its edges. The house used as the cottage remains a private residence, and while not open to visitors, it can be seen from the lake with careful viewing.
Cruises run by the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center pass several filming locations and include information about the lake's natural history and ecology. Highlights include Church Island and loon nesting sites.
Exeter: A Separate Peace
Although not a full-time resident of Exeter, author John Knowles drew heavily on his experiences at Phillips Exeter Academy when writing A Separate Peace, a coming-of-age story set in a New England boarding school during World War II. His familiarity with the academy shaped the novel’s setting and tone.
The 1972 film adaptation used the private school as its primary location, which gave the production a level of authenticity that extended to its casting. Most of the young actors were students or recent graduates of Phillips Exeter rather than professionals.
The academy’s campus remains open to visitors and has undergone minimal changes since filming. Beach scenes were shot at Salisbury Beach in Massachusetts, and train station sequences were filmed at Rockingham Junction in nearby Newfields.
North Conway: The Good Son
Released in 1993, the psychological thriller The Good Son was filmed in the White Mountains region of New Hampshire, featuring young actors Macaulay Culkin and Elijah Wood. North Conway, Conway, and the surrounding areas were used to support the story’s isolated tone. The production relied on the region’s harsh winter landscape and rugged terrain to shape the film’s atmosphere.
A Nor'easter caused several production cancellations and reinforced the film’s darker mood. Local landmarks also appeared on screen. The scene involving a dummy tossed from a bridge onto a highway was filmed at an overpass in Newington, near Greenland, and Conway Lake served as an additional location. Mirror Lake in Jackson was used for several outdoor scenes.
Away from its film history, North Conway remains a base for hiking and skiing in the White Mountains. The town sits on the Kancamagus Highway, one of New England’s well-known scenic routes. Echo Lake State Park has swimming and hiking with views of Cathedral Ledge, and Story Land draws families in summer and fall. The Conway Scenic Railroad runs heritage excursions through Crawford Notch.
How These Towns Fit into Film History
New Hampshire’s film industry has made steady use of its New England settings. From Keene’s downtown streets that stood in for a small town overtaken by jungle creatures to Squam Lake’s quiet role as the fictional Golden Pond, these locations remain part of the state’s film history. Visitors interested in movie sites will find that each town still reflects elements seen on screen.
