The Bishop family was among the earliest settlers of Lisbon, in the White Mountains Region of NH. The Bishops started farming this land in 1770. For several generations from the late 1800’s until the 1950’s, the family successfully operated this beautiful place as a dairy and stock farm. In addition to the farmhouses, the Bishop family built six cottages in the early 1900‘s to accommodate the many travelers passing through. The Bishop Farm was sold to the Simson family who operated the farm until they sold it in the 1960’s. At that point the dairy farming was discontinued and the grounds became over run with vegetation. In the 50 years to follow the paint started to fade. Along with nature’s destructive forces, the house and barn was pilfered. By 2003 the barn floor was gone, the stair case and balusters were gone, supporting walls were removed, all of the chimneys in the cottages were destroyed. The house was about to cave in.
In the spring of 2003, the Salter family rescued this poor looking property and made the commitment to give her much needed TLC. Dan, Heather Maggie and Annie put their heart and soul into this wonderful place. After a three year restoration project we are proud to say the buildings stand tall and proud just like the old days! We are fortunate to have the Bishop family visit and reminisce about growing up on the farm. Now we can enjoy the spirit of how the farm once was.
In October, 2005 we opened the doors of Bishop Farm Bed and Breakfast in the old farmhouse. The six old cabins were transformed into 6 fabulous cottages during the summers of 2007 and 2008. All cottages were remodeled in their own style. There is also a barn. Back in it’s day the barn housed cows and horses. In the chicken coop our hardworking chickens provide fresh eggs every day as they did generations ago. There is a milk house and the carriage house, which in the old days this was the machine shop and now it is Annie’s shop.
We will continue to preserve this beautiful property so it can be enjoyed for generations to follow.
About the Innkeepers
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Annie Salter, Host Annie is very comfortable sitting atop a tractor, hiking on the property's trails, tubing on the river, or preparing an authentic home-cooked meal! Having grown up on a farm in Wisconsin, Annie pursued a career in horses - from breeding management to photography, to making horse-related jewelry. Annie is right at home on Bishop Farm and makes every guest feel the same way. Her pleasant personality, positive attitude, and helpful demeanor make her a valuable asset to Bishop Farm. |
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Maggie Salter, Host The matriarch of the Salter family continues to serve as an example of how to build a comfortable and loving household. With over forty years of experience in the restaurant industry (including running her own successful dinner club for several years) and as the mother of seven children, there is no end to Maggie’s creativity or ability to satisfy the palette of a guest. Her favorite part of Bishop Farm is trying new recipes, gardening, relaxing and working on a crossword puzzle in the veranda (that she helped build) and taking in the quiet country air. |
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Heather Salter, Partner Having grown up in Wisconsin, moving to California, and working as a Location Scout in the television & film business for the past 15 years, Heather knows the perfect location is the key to success. She feels at home coming back to her four-season roots. Having traveled the world for work and leisure, Heather knows what makes a stay enjoyable and comfortable, including all the amenities that make a traveler feel at home. She is confident guests of Bishop Farm will find their stay pleasurable, and a place they will look forward to returning to again and again. |
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Dan Salter, Partner After retiring from a career as a U.S. Naval Officer, Dan became interested in restoration and renovation. Once he had successfully completed several private and commercial properties including, restaurants and apartment buildings, he sought a bigger challenge, and found it in Bishop Farm! The once charming 1870's farmhouse had seen years of neglect and destruction. The inspection report was a dozen pages long, but Dan was not deterred by the major repairs that loomed ahead (including jacking the house up and replacing a major structural beam that had been torn out at some point). The labor of love was painstaking, taking nearly three years to complete. With new life, the old farmhouse welcomes guests with the same pride it did in its heyday. |