She has seen the era of horse-drawn carriages, the dawn of the electric sewing machine and the need to make treats for soldiers during World War II, and on Tuesday Alice Garland celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends, though she says this day is no different from others.

A former Campton resident, Garland currently lives at Golden View Health Care Center in Meredith. On Tuesday family members and friends gathered for her 100th birthday party complete with cake, gifts and a slide show of photos from her life. Black and white photos of her as a child in a cap and frilly dress played with photos of her grandchildren and recent family gatherings.

"She's a feisty old lady, she's lived through a lot," daughter-in-law Nancy Garland said.

Alice Garland was born in Boston on Feb. 24, 1909, one of five sisters in addition to a brother. She moved to New Hampshire in 1913 and said she was "brought up in the country."

"We didn't do a lot," Garland said, "it's horse and buggy days."

ALICE GARLAND receives some help from great-granddaughter, Zoey Bell, during the party to celebrate Garland's 100th birthday Tuesday at Golden View Health Care in Meredith. (Alan MacRae/for the Citizen) Click here to view Foster's prints for sale

A graduate of Plymouth Normal School, Garland taught school in Tuftonboro for several years before marrying her husband, Clinton. Her family then settled at Mapleview Farm in Campton, which made maple candy and fudge. Garland also made fudge for soldiers during World War II.

She spent time as a homemaker and in later years had a small bed and breakfast establishment with her husband.

Garland has four children, John, Steven, Robert and Nancy, as well as 11 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Her husband died in 1958 and her children, Robert and Nancy, both died of cancer in 2005. Garland herself is a breast cancer survivor.

Garland lived on her own until she was 96 years old, though two hip fractures resulted in her requiring assisted living. She has been living in Golden View for the past year and a half.

Garland received the Boston Post Cane as the oldest resident of Campton in 2005.

ALICE GARLAND, 100, watches a video of family pictures with granddaughters Catherine Silver and Judith Bell during Garland's birthday celebration at Golden View Health Care Center on Tuesday. (Alan MacRae/for the Citizen) Click here to view Foster's prints for sale

Her son, John Garland, said the family has regular reunions at a cottage on Little Squam.

"We'd always celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving together, this one would be special," he said.

"It's amazing that we have an aunt that's a hundred," said niece Carole Hudoba of Manchester.

Family describe Garland as being strongly independent and self-sufficient, even in her later years.

"She'd be out trying to wash windows a couple years ago," said niece Maureen Langevin of Moultonborough. "She had her routines like anybody."

Garland also liked to cook, bake and garden and has an extensive knowledge of family history. Garland said she also used to sew and do crewel work, using her first electric sewing machine in the 1940s, though she has not been able to sew recently because of her eyesight. These days she mostly enjoys reading

"I'm no different than I was yesterday or the day before or the day before that," Garland said.

As for her long life, "Never drank, never smoked, maybe that's it. I've had a happy life."