8New Hampshire's iconic 4,000-foot peaks, with their rugged character and natural beauty, have been attracting hikers, explorers, and outdoor enthusiasts to the White Mountains for more than 200 years. Though they are best known today for their long-standing popularity among peak-bagging hikers, these mountains played a major role in the development of the region from a daunting wilderness to a thriving recreational mecca. This transformation included the construction of the world-famous Mount Washington Cog Railway in 1869 and its various summit hotels atop the Northeast's highest peak, the cutting of hundreds of miles of recreational footpaths in the mountain valleys and on their steep slopes, and the creation of some of New England's first downhill ski trails on Mounts Moosilauke, Cannon, and Wildcat in the 1920s and 1930s. Over the years, the 4,000-footers have attracted visitors from all walks of life, including US presidents, renowned poets, world-class skiers, and Supreme Court justices.