Center Harbor, New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Center Harbor is a town
located in Belknap County, New Hampshire
, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 1,096, a number which multiplies severalfold during the summer months. It is situated between Lake Winnipesaukee
and Squam Lake
.
, and was first incorporated in 1797. The town gets its name from two sources: from its location, centered between Meredith
and Moultonborough
harbors, and also from the Senter family, who were owners of a large amount of property in the area. The town was a landing place for lake steamers and stagecoaches, making it a popular summer resort. Center Harbor was a favorite spot of John Greenleaf Whittier
, and the home of Dudley Leavitt, author of the first Farmers' Almanac in 1797. Center Harbor is the winter home of the paddle steamer MS Mount Washington
, the largest boat on Lake Winnipesaukee
.
Center Harbor witnessed the first intercollegiate sporting event in the United States, as Harvard defeated Yale
by two lengths in the first Harvard-Yale Regatta
on August 3, 1852 on Lake Winnipesaukee.
, the town has a total area of 16.5 square miles (42.7 km²). 13.4 sq mi (34.7 km²) of it is land and 3.1 sq mi (8 km²) of it is water, comprising 18.90% of the town. It has several miles of shoreline on Squam Lake
and another mile on Lake Winnipesaukee, where its main "harbor" lies. The town center sits eccentrically near Center Harbor's northeast border, where it rises gently from the shore at the junction of New Hampshire Routes 25
and 25B. The highest point in town, Sunset Hill, elevation 1121 feet (341.7 m) above sea level
, overlooks the town center to the west. Center Harbor lies fully within the Merrimack River
watershed
.
The Proctor Wildlife Sanctuary
, owned by the Audubon Society of New Hampshire, occupies 47 acres (19 ha) of woodlands northwest of the town center. Adjacent to this property is Center Harbor Woods, a 225 acres (91.1 ha) conservation area owned by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust and protected by a conservation easement held by the Squam Lakes Conservation Society and the town of Center Harbor. The two properties abut a third conservation property in neighboring Moultonborough, resulting in a block of protected woodland comprising nearly 400 acres (161.9 ha).
of 2000, there were 996 people, 414 households, and 293 families residing in the town. The population density
is 74.4 people per square mile (28.7/km²). There are 653 housing units at an average density of 48.8 per square mile (18.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town is 98.80% White, 1.00% Hispanic or Latino and 0.80% Asian.
There are 414 households out of which 28.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% are married couples living together, 9.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% are non-families. 22.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.38 and the average family size is 2.75.
In the town the population is spread out with 21.5% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 31.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 45 years. For every 100 females there are 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 101.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $51,806, and the median income for a family is $55,938. Males have a median income of $35,526 versus $24,231 for females. The per capita income
for the town is $25,627. 6.7% of the population and 4.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.4% of those under the age of 18 and 5.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
and truck farms, the community's main industry is tourism
. Restaurants and motels dot the shoreline, with a beach and playground at the town's center which is shared by residents of Moultonborough. The economy is booming, with the historic E.M Heath Grocery Store tripled in size, and now joined in town by Bayswater Book Co., Sam and Rosies Cafe and Bakery, Wild Meadow Canoe
and Kayak
Outfitter, Yikes Art Gallery, and Keepsakes Quilters. Upscale restaurants have opened, including Canoe and the Coe House, established in a landmark building.
, joining students from that town and from Sandwich
. During the period 1963 - 1973, a college existed in Center Harbor. Named Belknap College, it occupied several locations in town, using old hotels for dorms, though the academic campus was located several miles away. Anchored by a mansion now used for the New Hampshire Music Festival, and several other buildings, the campus was a center of activity.
The town is also the home of Immaculate Conception Apostolic School
, an all-male Roman Catholic boarding school, educating between 80-100 students from grades 7 to 12. It is sponsored by the Legionaries of Christ, a religious congregation of the Roman Catholic Church.
over the lake. In the winter, the town is a stop for snowmobile
enthusiasts.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
located in Belknap County, New Hampshire
Belknap County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 56,325 people, 22,459 households, and 15,496 families residing in the county. The population density was 140 people per square mile . There were 32,121 housing units at an average density of 80 per square mile...
, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 1,096, a number which multiplies severalfold during the summer months. It is situated between Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. It is approximately long and from wide , covering — when Paugus Bay is included—with a maximum depth of ....
and Squam Lake
Squam Lake
Squam Lake is a lake located in central New Hampshire, USA, south of the White Mountains, straddling the borders of Grafton, Carroll, and Belknap counties. The largest town center on the lake is Holderness...
.
History
Center Harbor separated from the town of New HamptonNew Hampton, New Hampshire
New Hampton is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,165 at the 2010 census. A winter sports resort area, New Hampton is home to George Duncan State Forest and to the New Hampton School, a private preparatory school established in 1821.The primary village in...
, and was first incorporated in 1797. The town gets its name from two sources: from its location, centered between Meredith
Meredith, New Hampshire
Meredith is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, USA. The population was 6,241 at the 2010 census. Meredith is situated beside Lake Winnipesaukee. It is home to Stonedam Island Natural Area and the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad...
and Moultonborough
Moultonborough, New Hampshire
Moultonborough is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,044 at the 2010 census. Moultonborough is bounded in part by Lake Winnipesaukee in the southwest and Squam Lake in the northwest corner...
harbors, and also from the Senter family, who were owners of a large amount of property in the area. The town was a landing place for lake steamers and stagecoaches, making it a popular summer resort. Center Harbor was a favorite spot of John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier was an influential American Quaker poet and ardent advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. He is usually listed as one of the Fireside Poets...
, and the home of Dudley Leavitt, author of the first Farmers' Almanac in 1797. Center Harbor is the winter home of the paddle steamer MS Mount Washington
MS Mount Washington
The MS Mount Washington is the flagship vessel of the Winnipesaukee Flagship Corporation. Its home port is on Lake Winnipesaukee in Laconia, New Hampshire, in the United States. The ship makes several ports of call around the lake during her scenic cruises in the spring, summer and fall months...
, the largest boat on Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. It is approximately long and from wide , covering — when Paugus Bay is included—with a maximum depth of ....
.
Center Harbor witnessed the first intercollegiate sporting event in the United States, as Harvard defeated Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
by two lengths in the first Harvard-Yale Regatta
Harvard-Yale Regatta
The Harvard-Yale Boat Race or Harvard–Yale Regatta is an annual rowing race between Yale University and Harvard University. First contested in 1852, annually since 1859 except during major wars fought by the United States, The Race is America's oldest collegiate athletic competition, predating The...
on August 3, 1852 on Lake Winnipesaukee.
Notable inhabitants
- Brad LeightonBrad LeightonBrad Leighton, born June 12, 1962 in Center Harbor, New Hampshire, is a former NASCAR driver. He competed in five career Busch Series events in his career....
, a former NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver who competed in five Busch SeriesBusch SeriesThe NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
events in his career, was born in Center Harbor in 1962. - Penny PitouPenny PitouPenelope Theresa 'Penny' Pitou is a former United States Olympic alpine skier, who in 1960 became the first American skier to win a medal in the Olympic downhill event. In 2001, Pitou was inducted into the New England Women's Sports Hall of Fame.Penny Pitou moved with her family from New York to...
, Olympic downhill skier, began skiing in her Center Harbor backyard in the 1940s
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 16.5 square miles (42.7 km²). 13.4 sq mi (34.7 km²) of it is land and 3.1 sq mi (8 km²) of it is water, comprising 18.90% of the town. It has several miles of shoreline on Squam Lake
Squam Lake
Squam Lake is a lake located in central New Hampshire, USA, south of the White Mountains, straddling the borders of Grafton, Carroll, and Belknap counties. The largest town center on the lake is Holderness...
and another mile on Lake Winnipesaukee, where its main "harbor" lies. The town center sits eccentrically near Center Harbor's northeast border, where it rises gently from the shore at the junction of New Hampshire Routes 25
New Hampshire Route 25
New Hampshire Route 25 is a long east–west state highway in New Hampshire. It runs completely across the state from Vermont to Maine.The western terminus of Route 25 is at the Vermont state line on the Connecticut River in Piermont, where the road continues west as Vermont Route 25...
and 25B. The highest point in town, Sunset Hill, elevation 1121 feet (341.7 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, overlooks the town center to the west. Center Harbor lies fully within the Merrimack River
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
.
The Proctor Wildlife Sanctuary
Proctor Wildlife Sanctuary
Proctor Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area maintained by the New Hampshire Audubon Society. It is located in Center Harbor, New Hampshire. The sanctuary is of second generation woodlands that has about two miles of hiking trails....
, owned by the Audubon Society of New Hampshire, occupies 47 acres (19 ha) of woodlands northwest of the town center. Adjacent to this property is Center Harbor Woods, a 225 acres (91.1 ha) conservation area owned by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust and protected by a conservation easement held by the Squam Lakes Conservation Society and the town of Center Harbor. The two properties abut a third conservation property in neighboring Moultonborough, resulting in a block of protected woodland comprising nearly 400 acres (161.9 ha).
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 996 people, 414 households, and 293 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is 74.4 people per square mile (28.7/km²). There are 653 housing units at an average density of 48.8 per square mile (18.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town is 98.80% White, 1.00% Hispanic or Latino and 0.80% Asian.
There are 414 households out of which 28.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% are married couples living together, 9.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% are non-families. 22.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.38 and the average family size is 2.75.
In the town the population is spread out with 21.5% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 31.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 45 years. For every 100 females there are 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 101.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $51,806, and the median income for a family is $55,938. Males have a median income of $35,526 versus $24,231 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town is $25,627. 6.7% of the population and 4.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.4% of those under the age of 18 and 5.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Economy
Aside from small dairyDairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
and truck farms, the community's main industry is tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. Restaurants and motels dot the shoreline, with a beach and playground at the town's center which is shared by residents of Moultonborough. The economy is booming, with the historic E.M Heath Grocery Store tripled in size, and now joined in town by Bayswater Book Co., Sam and Rosies Cafe and Bakery, Wild Meadow Canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
and Kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
Outfitter, Yikes Art Gallery, and Keepsakes Quilters. Upscale restaurants have opened, including Canoe and the Coe House, established in a landmark building.
Education
Center Harbor's one-room schoolhouse closed in the 1970s, and students now attend Inter-Lakes Elementary and Inter-Lakes Junior-Senior High in MeredithMeredith, New Hampshire
Meredith is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, USA. The population was 6,241 at the 2010 census. Meredith is situated beside Lake Winnipesaukee. It is home to Stonedam Island Natural Area and the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad...
, joining students from that town and from Sandwich
Sandwich, New Hampshire
Sandwich is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,326 at the 2010 census. Sandwich includes the villages of Center Sandwich and North Sandwich...
. During the period 1963 - 1973, a college existed in Center Harbor. Named Belknap College, it occupied several locations in town, using old hotels for dorms, though the academic campus was located several miles away. Anchored by a mansion now used for the New Hampshire Music Festival, and several other buildings, the campus was a center of activity.
The town is also the home of Immaculate Conception Apostolic School
Immaculate Conception Apostolic School
Immaculate Conception Apostolic School is an all-male Roman Catholic boarding school in Center Harbor, New Hampshire. Located within the Diocese of Manchester, it is sponsored by the Legionaries of Christ, a religious congregation of the Roman Catholic Church...
, an all-male Roman Catholic boarding school, educating between 80-100 students from grades 7 to 12. It is sponsored by the Legionaries of Christ, a religious congregation of the Roman Catholic Church.
Culture
Center Harbor hosts a Fourth of July celebration featuring a road race (including a children's race around the library), parade, band concert, and fireworksFireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
over the lake. In the winter, the town is a stop for snowmobile
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
enthusiasts.