Lockes Island
Lockes Island is a small island of about 42 acres tucked close to the mainland near Glendale in Gilford. It is reached only by boat, but the crossing is short, and the Glendale shore has been the island's connection to the rest of the world since the first camps went up in 1890.
This is a camp island in the truest sense. Its community grew out of $10-a-year leases on old pasture land, and some of the cottages standing today date to that first generation, one of them built in 1899. Families have come back summer after summer for well over a century, and the island still has the unhurried, neighborly character that comes with that.
For a buyer, Lockes is a rare market. The island is small and tightly held, so homes change hands infrequently, and when one does come up it tends to draw buyers who are looking specifically for island life on Winnipesaukee. The figures at the top of this page update with the feed, so they show exactly where things stand today.
From Sheep Pasture to $10 Camp Leases
The recorded ownership story begins in 1817, when the whole island sold out of John Pierce's estate to Thomas Thompson for $621. It was known then as Thompson's Little Island, and later as Smith's Island, until Daniel Locke bought it in October 1837 and his name stuck. For most of the 1800s it was working land: summer pasture for sheep, cattle, and retired horses, with some firewood cut along the way.
Around 1890 the Locke widow and her daughter, Cora Roberts, began leasing land for camps at $10 a year. Pine Grove Cottage dates to 1890, Sunrise to 1907, Point O' Pines to 1911, and Wee Inn to 1922. As late as 1912 the interior was still mostly open, dotted with wild strawberries and scattered big pines, with trees only slowly taking back the old pasture. By 1928 a camp and its motorboat together sold for $2,800.
Island life ran on ingenuity. Groceries meant rowing to Glendale, taking the train to Lakeport, and catching a trolley into Laconia, then doing it all in reverse. Ice came over from Glendale each morning with the mail, from a shore presided over by Noah Goss, who ran the general store, served as stationmaster, and worked as game warden, and who was said to swap his straw hat for a railway cap the moment the train whistle blew. The Bates family built their boat, the Mary Jane, right on a camp porch. And when fire broke out at Camp Sunrise in 1941, neighbors formed bucket brigades and brought a pump over from Glendale to save the camps around it.
Condensed from our own history of the island, which draws on the island history preserved by the Gilford Public Library.
Read the full story of Lockes IslandFor Sale on Lockes Island
Hover a marker for the listing, or tap on a phone. Use the Depth toggle to see the water around Lockes Island.
The MLS record shows 8 sales on Lockes Island, 2 in the last five years, with recent home sales averaging $773,500. You can also search Lockes Island in the full listings browse.
Recently Sold on Lockes Island
Islands trade rarely enough that what has actually sold tells you more than what happens to be listed today. These are the recorded sales on Lockes Island over the last 5 years, newest first, at their closing prices.
14 Lockes Island
Gilford, NH 03249
3 BD | 1 BA | 1,037 sqft | 0.27 acres
Listing by Roche Realty Group · Heidi Kephart
Sold by Coldwell Banker Realty Gilford NH
12 Lockes Island
Gilford, NH 03249
3 BD | 2 BA | 992 sqft | 0.29 acres
Listing by Roche Realty Group · Heidi Kephart
Sold by KW Coastal and Lakes & Mountains Realty/Wolfeboro
IDX display courtesy of Yankee Pedlar Realtors, Wolfeboro NH.
PrimeMLS Listing Information displayed herein is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by PrimeMLS. This display of listings may or may not be the entire Compilation from the PrimeMLS database, and PrimeMLS does not guarantee the accuracy of such information. © PrimeMLS, Inc.
Listing brokers may report inaccurate data to michelle@yankeepedlarrealtors.com or call (603) 569-1000.
Getting There
Lockes Island is boat access only, with no bridge or causeway, but it sits close to the Gilford mainland near Glendale and the run over is a short one. The Glendale Docks on Dock Road are the natural access point, though they are reserved for Gilford residents and residential taxpayers with seasonal permits, so owners generally keep a boat plus a slip or mooring on the mainland side and somewhere to leave a car. That arrangement is worth sorting out before you buy rather than after.
The island is a private camp community with no public dock, beach, or trail. If you are not staying at or visiting a property there, it is best enjoyed from the water.
Looking for a slip or mooring on the mainland side? See boat slips, marinas, and launches.
Frequently Asked Questions
By boat only. Most residents and guests cross from the Glendale area of Gilford, which has been the island's link to the mainland since the earliest camp days. The trip is short, and many islanders count that built-in separation from the mainland as one of the island's great charms.
About 42 acres, in the town of Gilford, New Hampshire, close to the mainland near Glendale on Lake Winnipesaukee.
For Daniel Locke, who bought the island in October 1837. Before that it had been known as Thompson's Little Island, after the Thomas Thompson who bought it in 1817, and later as Smith's Island.
Around 1890. Through most of the 1800s the island was summer pasture for sheep, cattle, and horses. Then the Locke widow and her daughter, Cora Roberts, began leasing land for camps at $10 a year, and the summer community grew steadily from there. Some of the camps built in that first generation still stand.
Rarely. The island is small and the community tightly held, so homes change hands infrequently. The live listings and sales figures on this page come straight from the feed and show exactly what is available now. If nothing is, tell us you are watching Lockes and we will call you when something moves.
No. It is a private island of summer camps and homes with no public dock, beach, or trail, so plan to enjoy it from the water unless you are staying at or visiting a property there.
Not on Lockes itself. The one home we rent on an island is on Cow Island in Tuftonboro, and it is the closest you can get to trying the boat-access life for a week before committing to a deed.
New to island buying? Start with our island guide and the NH buyer's guide.
Watching Lockes Island?
Island sales often happen by word of mouth before they happen on the MLS. We have worked this lake from Wolfeboro since 1940. Tell us what you are looking for and we will keep you ahead of the listings.