Cornish, New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Cornish is a town
in Sullivan County
, New Hampshire
, United States
. The population was 1,640 at the 2010 census. Cornish has three covered bridge
s. Each August, it is home to the Cornish Fair.
floated down the river by English
settlers. Incorporated in 1765 by Colonial
Governor Benning Wentworth
, it was named for Sir Samuel Cornish, a distinguished admiral
of the Royal Navy
. Cornish has historically been and continues to be a well-known summer resort for artists and writers. Seeking a studio away from the summer heat of New York City, sculptor
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
began coming to Cornish in 1885. Artist friends followed him, and the area became center of the popular Cornish Art Colony
.
Cornish is the site of the second longest wooden covered bridge
in the United States
, and the longest two-span covered bridge in the world. The Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge
, which spans the Connecticut River
, was built in 1866 at an original cost of $9,000.
, the town has a total area of 42.8 square miles (110.9 km²), of which 42.1 sq mi (109 km²) is land and 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km²) is water, comprising 1.68% of the town. The long ridge of Croydon Mountain follows the eastern boundary of town; the highest point in town is an unnamed knob on Croydon Mountain which reaches an elevation of 2323 ft (708.1 m) above sea level
. Cornish is drained by Mill Brook, Blow-me-down Brook
, and the Connecticut River
, which bounds it on the west. Cornish lies fully within the Connecticut River watershed
. The eastern part of the town is a portion of the approximately 25000 acres (101.2 km²) Blue Mountain Forest Association private game preserve, also known locally as Corbin Park, named after its founder, Austin Corbin
.
Cornish is dotted with several small villages, including Cornish Center, Cornish Flat
, Cornish City, Cornish Mills, South Cornish, Balloch
, and Squag City.
Cornish is served by state routes 12A and 120
.
of 2000, there were 1,661 people, 645 households, and 465 families residing in the town. The population density
was 39.4 people per square mile (15.2/km²). There were 697 housing units at an average density of 16.5 per square mile (6.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.71% White, 0.30% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races
, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population.
There were 645 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples
living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 31.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $53,393, and the median income for a family was $60,313. Males had a median income of $36,115 versus $29,474 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $23,165. About 2.8% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.
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...
in Sullivan County
Sullivan County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 40,458 people, 16,530 households, and 11,174 families residing in the county. The population density was 29/; . There were 20,158 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 1,640 at the 2010 census. Cornish has three covered bridge
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
s. Each August, it is home to the Cornish Fair.
History
Established in 1763, the town was once known as Mast Camp, because it was the shipping point for the tall mastsMast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
floated down the river by English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
settlers. Incorporated in 1765 by Colonial
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
Governor Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth was the colonial governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766.-Biography:The eldest child of the John Wentworth who had been Lieutenant Governor, he was born and died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Wentworth graduated from Harvard College in 1715...
, it was named for Sir Samuel Cornish, a distinguished admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. Cornish has historically been and continues to be a well-known summer resort for artists and writers. Seeking a studio away from the summer heat of New York City, sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Augustus Saint-Gaudens was the Irish-born American sculptor of the Beaux-Arts generation who most embodied the ideals of the "American Renaissance"...
began coming to Cornish in 1885. Artist friends followed him, and the area became center of the popular Cornish Art Colony
Cornish Art Colony
The Cornish Art Colony was a popular art colony centered in Cornish, New Hampshire from about 1895 through the years of World War I. Attracted by the natural beauty of the area, about 100 artists, sculptors, writers, designers, and politicians lived there either full time or during the summer...
.
Cornish is the site of the second longest wooden covered bridge
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the longest two-span covered bridge in the world. The Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge
Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge
The Cornish–Windsor Covered Bridge is a covered bridge that spans the Connecticut River between Cornish, New Hampshire and Windsor, Vermont. It was the longest covered bridge still standing in the United States until the Smolen–Gulf Bridge opened in Ohio in 2008.While the Old Blenheim Bridge had...
, which spans the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
, was built in 1866 at an original cost of $9,000.
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 42.8 square miles (110.9 km²), of which 42.1 sq mi (109 km²) is land and 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km²) is water, comprising 1.68% of the town. The long ridge of Croydon Mountain follows the eastern boundary of town; the highest point in town is an unnamed knob on Croydon Mountain which reaches an elevation of 2323 ft (708.1 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...
. Cornish is drained by Mill Brook, Blow-me-down Brook
Blow-me-down Brook
Blow-me-down Brook is a 12.8 mile long stream located in western New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River, which flows to Long Island Sound....
, and the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
, which bounds it on the west. Cornish lies fully within the Connecticut River 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 eastern part of the town is a portion of the approximately 25000 acres (101.2 km²) Blue Mountain Forest Association private game preserve, also known locally as Corbin Park, named after its founder, Austin Corbin
Austin Corbin
Austin Corbin was a 19th-century American railroad executive and robber baron. He consolidated the rail lines on Long Island bringing them under the profitable umbrella of the Long Island Rail Road....
.
Cornish is dotted with several small villages, including Cornish Center, Cornish Flat
Cornish Flat, New Hampshire
Cornish Flat is an unincorporated village in the town of Cornish in Sullivan County, New Hampshire.The village is located in a wide section of the valley of Blow-me-down Brook in the northeastern corner of the town of Cornish...
, Cornish City, Cornish Mills, South Cornish, Balloch
Balloch, New Hampshire
Balloch, New Hampshire is a place name in the southwest corner of the town of Cornish derived from the Balloch Farm, originally owned by James Balloch and, later, by his son William Balloch...
, and Squag City.
Cornish is served by state routes 12A and 120
New Hampshire Route 120
New Hampshire Route 120 is a long secondary north–south state highway in Sullivan and Grafton counties in the upper Connecticut River Valley region of New Hampshire. NH 120 runs between the towns of Claremont and Hanover....
.
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 1,661 people, 645 households, and 465 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...
was 39.4 people per square mile (15.2/km²). There were 697 housing units at an average density of 16.5 per square mile (6.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.71% White, 0.30% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population.
There were 645 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 31.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $53,393, and the median income for a family was $60,313. Males had a median income of $36,115 versus $29,474 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 was $23,165. About 2.8% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.
Sites of interest
- Balloch, New HampshireBalloch, New HampshireBalloch, New Hampshire is a place name in the southwest corner of the town of Cornish derived from the Balloch Farm, originally owned by James Balloch and, later, by his son William Balloch...
- Blow-Me-Down Covered BridgeBlow-Me-Down Covered BridgeBlow-Me-Down Covered Bridge is a historic wooden covered bridge on the Blow-me-down Brook in the town of Cornish, near Plainfield, New Hampshire.It was built in 1877 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.-External links:...
- Cornish-Windsor Covered BridgeCornish-Windsor Covered BridgeThe Cornish–Windsor Covered Bridge is a covered bridge that spans the Connecticut River between Cornish, New Hampshire and Windsor, Vermont. It was the longest covered bridge still standing in the United States until the Smolen–Gulf Bridge opened in Ohio in 2008.While the Old Blenheim Bridge had...
- Saint-Gaudens National Historic SiteSaint-Gaudens National Historic SiteSaint-Gaudens National Historic Site in Cornish, New Hampshire, preserves the home, gardens, and studios of Augustus Saint-Gaudens , one of America's foremost sculptors. This was his summer residence from 1885 to 1897, his permanent home from 1900 until his death in 1907, and the center of the...
Notable inhabitants
- Champion S. ChaseChampion S. ChaseChampion Spalding Chase was a Nebraska politician. Born in Cornish, New Hampshire, he went on to teach in Amsterdam, New York. He studied law. He moved to Wisconsin and served in the Wisconsin State Senate, and the Racine, Wisconsin Board of Education...
, politician - Jonathan ChaseJonathan Chase (colonel)Jonathan Chase was a soldier in the American Revolutionary War.Chase was born in Sutton, Massachusetts to Samuel Chase and his wife, Mary Dudley. As a young man, he moved to Cornish, New Hampshire and married Thankful Sherman of Grafton, New Hampshire on November 28, 1759. Together they had three...
, Revolutionary War officer - Philander ChasePhilander ChasePhilander Chase was an Episcopal Church bishop, educator, and pioneer of the United States western frontier in Ohio and Illinois.-Life:...
, founder of Kenyon CollegeKenyon CollegeKenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, founded in 1824 by Bishop Philander Chase of The Episcopal Church, in parallel with the Bexley Hall seminary. It is the oldest private college in Ohio... - Salmon P. ChaseSalmon P. ChaseSalmon Portland Chase was an American politician and jurist who served as U.S. Senator from Ohio and the 23rd Governor of Ohio; as U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Abraham Lincoln; and as the sixth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.Chase was one of the most prominent members...
, justice of the U.S. Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the United StatesThe Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, was born here - Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill (novelist)Winston Churchill was an American novelist.-Biography:Churchill was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Edward Spalding and Emma Bell Churchill. He attended Smith Academy in Missouri and the United States Naval Academy, where he graduated in 1894...
, writer - Thomas Wilmer Dewing, painter
- Michael DorrisMichael DorrisMichael Anthony Dorris was a prominent American novelist and scholar. During his career he presented himself as Native American and this identity was a key part of his professional activities and his public reputation; but its factuality is in doubt...
, author - Julie DuncanJulie DuncanJulie Duncan was a motion picture actress specialising in short subjects and Westerns. She was a champion steeplechase rider.-External links:...
, actress - Louise ErdrichLouise ErdrichKaren Louise Erdrich, known as Louise Erdrich, is an author of novels, poetry, and children's books featuring Native American heritage. She is widely acclaimed as one of the most significant writers of the second wave of what critic Kenneth Lincoln has called the Native American Renaissance...
, author - Hamlin GarlandHamlin GarlandHannibal Hamlin Garland was an American novelist, poet, essayist, and short story writer. He is best known for his fiction involving hard-working Midwestern farmers.- Biography :...
, author - Christian Gerhartsreiter, impostor
- Learned HandLearned HandBillings Learned Hand was a United States judge and judicial philosopher. He served on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and later the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit...
, judge - Percy MacKayePercy MacKayePercy MacKaye was an American dramatist and poet.-Biography:MacKaye was born in New York City, New York. After graduating from Harvard in 1897, he traveled in Europe for three years, residing in Rome, Switzerland and London, studying at the University of Leipzig in 1899–1900...
, playwright and poet - Charles A. PlattCharles A. PlattCharles Adams Platt was a prominent artist, landscape gardener, landscape designer, and architect of the "American Renaissance" movement. His garden designs complemented his domestic architecture.-Early career:...
, architect - Samuel L. PowersSamuel L. PowersSamuel Leland Powers was a United States Representative from Massachusetts.-Early life and education:Powers was born in Cornish, New Hampshire on October 26, 1848. He attended Kimball Union Academy and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1874...
, congressman - Augustus Saint-GaudensAugustus Saint-GaudensAugustus Saint-Gaudens was the Irish-born American sculptor of the Beaux-Arts generation who most embodied the ideals of the "American Renaissance"...
, sculptor - Louis St. GaudensLouis St. GaudensLouis St. Gaudens , was a significant American sculptor of the Beaux-Arts generation....
, sculptor - J. D. SalingerJ. D. SalingerJerome David Salinger was an American author, best known for his 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye, as well as his reclusive nature. His last original published work was in 1965; he gave his last interview in 1980....
, writer - Nathan SmithNathan Smith (physician)Nathan Smith was one of New England’s best-known and respected physicians. He was a skilled surgeon, teacher, writer, and practitioner...
, physician, founder of DartmouthDartmouth Medical SchoolDartmouth Medical School is the medical school of Dartmouth College, located in Hanover, New Hampshire, in the United States. The fourth-oldest medical school in the United States, Dartmouth Medical School was founded in 1797 by New England physician Nathan Smith and grew steadily over the course...
and YaleYale School of MedicineThe Yale School of Medicine at Yale University is a private medical school located in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. It was founded in 1810 as The Medical Institution of Yale College, and formally opened its doors in 1813....
medical schools - Nathan Ryno SmithNathan Ryno SmithNathan Ryno Smith was an American surgeon and medical school professor.Smith was born in Cornish, New Hampshire. He was the son of Sarah Hall Chase and Nathan Smith. Like his father Smith went into the medical profession, but he went to Yale instead of Harvard, receiving his MD in 1820...
, surgeon and professor - Gary A. WegnerGary A. WegnerGary Alan Wegner is an American astronomer, the endowed Leede '49 Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Dartmouth College, and recipient of the Alexander Von Humboldt Prize. Wegner was also a member of a famous group of seven astronomers called the Seven Samurai who, in the 1980s, discovered the...
, astronomer - Woodrow WilsonWoodrow WilsonThomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
, US President (summer resident at author Winston Churchill's Harlakenden House)
External links
- Town website
- George H. Stowell Free Library
- Cornish Fair
- local web site Cornish details & links
- Yahoo's Cornish neighborhood profile
- detailed Cornish statistics
- Corbin Park info
- Land Use in Cornish, N.H., a 2006 documentary presentation by James M. Patterson of the Valley NewsValley NewsThe Valley News is a seven-day morning daily newspaper based in Lebanon, New Hampshire, covering the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire and Vermont....
- New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile