The story of The Rocks is filled with fascinating people, but few left a legacy quite like Frances Glessner Lee, a pioneer whose work helped transform criminal investigation in America.

Her family’s connection to Bethlehem began in 1882, when her father, John Jacob Glessner, purchased 100 acres after spending several summers enjoying the region’s grand hotels. A successful businessman and early member of the Forest Society, Glessner established what would become a multigenerational family home.

Later in life, Frances made The Rocks her home. Fascinated by legal medicine, a field closely tied to what we now know as forensic science, she helped establish the Department of Legal Medicine at Harvard and supported its extensive library.

Her most famous contribution was the creation of 20 painstakingly detailed miniature crime scenes known as the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death. Designed to teach investigators how to carefully observe a scene and evaluate evidence, the miniatures became groundbreaking training tools for law enforcement.

In 1978, Frances’s surviving children donated The Rocks to the Forest Society for permanent conservation. Today, the 1,400-acre property protects not only an extraordinary New Hampshire landscape, but the story of a woman whose innovative work helped shape modern forensic science.

Frances’s legacy is also a reminder of the value of forward thinking in every pursuit. Today, Forest Society North at The Rocks carries that spirit forward as a flagship for the Forest Society in New Hampshire’s North Country, connecting people with the enduring importance of conservation, stewardship, and care for the places that shape our communities.