The History of Crotched Mountain

Harry Alan Gregg, founder of the Crotched Mountain Foundation, was born in 1883. His love for children inspired him to start a program in Nashua where he arranged for host families to take poor children into their homes for the summer. This idea soon expanded and Gregg established a camp for children on Crotched Mountain.

Once Gregg established the children’s camp, he met Ezra Jones, MD, who was working to rehabilitate World War I veterans with war injuries. Jones was the first orthopedic doctor in New Hampshire. Together, they founded the New Hampshire Society for Crippled Children in 1936. The Society publicized the need for more extensive treatment programs for people with disabilities, lobbied for favorable legislation and carried on mobile rehabilitation clinics around the state.

Crotched Mountain opened its doors in 1953. The hallmark of its near 60-year history has been an ability to adapt to meet the needs of many populations, many of whom have unique challenges and disabilities.

Though Harry A. Gregg died in 1972, his vision for Crotched Mountain is still guides our work to this day - to create a lifelong alliance to people with disabilities.