Hampton Beach, New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
district, census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
, and beach resort within the town of Hampton
Hampton, New Hampshire
Hampton is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 14,976 at the 2010 census. Located beside the Atlantic Ocean, Hampton is home to Hampton Beach, a summer tourist destination....
, in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
, located on the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. Its population at the 2010 census was 2,275. Hampton Beach is located in Rockingham County
Rockingham County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 277,359 people, 104,529 households, and 74,320 families residing in the county. The population density was 399 people per square mile . There were 113,023 housing units at an average density of 163 per square mile...
, approximately 15 miles (24.1 km) south of Portsmouth
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
. The community is a popular tourist destination and the busiest beach community in the state. Ocean Boulevard
New Hampshire Route 1A
New Hampshire Route 1A is an long state highway located in southeast New Hampshire. The route runs along the Atlantic coastline from the Massachusetts border north to Rye, then turns toward downtown Portsmouth. The southern terminus is at the Massachusetts state line in Seabrook at the junction...
, the main street along the beach, includes a boardwalk
Boardwalk
A boardwalk, in the conventional sense, is a wooden walkway for pedestrians and sometimes vehicles, often found along beaches, but they are also common as paths through wetlands, coastal dunes, and other sensitive environments....
, many shops and businesses, several seasonal hotels, and the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Opened in 1899, the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom is a seasonal live music and comedy venue located on the boardwalk of Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. The venue is open from April to November, and within those eight months schedules upwards of 70 shows...
. The Ballroom hosts many national acts throughout the summer months. Hampton Beach State Park was named one of four "Superstar" beaches in the US in 2011, for having had perfect water quality testing results in each of the last three years.
History
The Hampton Beach Village District was established on June 26, 1907, for the purpose of providing electric power and water to the summer tourist community. In 1923, the village's first fire station was built and is still in operation today.On February 26, 2010, during a severe storm, a fire burned down an entire block at Hampton Beach. The buildings destroyed included the Surf Hotel, Happy Hampton Arcade, and Mrs. Mitchell's Gift Shop. The fire started in the Surf Hotel and was spread to the other buildings by high winds. The cause for this fire is unknown. During the summer of 2010, the vacant lot (then cleared) was used for parking. It will be rebuilding the hotel soon.
Notable aspects
The New Hampshire Marine MemorialNew Hampshire Marine Memorial
The New Hampshire Marine Memorial is a mid-sized statue of New England granite on a tiered granite base. Designed in Classical style by Concord, New Hampshire design expert Alice Ericson Cosgrove and sculpted by Vincenzo Andreani, the memorial, dedicated to all New Hampshire servicepersons lost at...
is located on the beach along Route 1A at the terminus of New Hampshire Route 101
New Hampshire Route 101
New Hampshire Route 101 is a state-maintained highway in southern New Hampshire extending from Keene to Hampton Beach. It is the major east–west highway in the southern portion of the state....
.
The Hampton Bridge
Hampton Bridge
The Hampton Bridge is a bridge that spans the Hampton River near Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. Today, this bridge stands constructed with steel and concrete. Initially it was constructed of wood by Wallace D. Lovell and referred to as The Mile Long Wooden Bridge...
carries Route 1A into the south border of the community.
The Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Opened in 1899, the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom is a seasonal live music and comedy venue located on the boardwalk of Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. The venue is open from April to November, and within those eight months schedules upwards of 70 shows...
has been the center attraction at Hampton Beach for more than 100 years. The Ballroom continues to draw some of the top names in entertainment. Recently, the Ballroom placed in the top 30 for worldwide ticket sales in venues under 3,000 seats.http://www.casinoballroom.com/history.php#6
Hampton Beach Seafood Festival - Since 1988, the Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce and Seafood Festival Committee have helped put New Hampshire on the map as a vacation destination. The Hampton Beach Seafood Festival has a profound effect on seacoast businesses, the community, and the overall economy of the area. Restaurants, lodging, shops, and businesses in general depend on the Seafood Festival as the primary contributor to their bottom line. Many Chamber members say it is even bigger than the "4th of July" in sales volume. The Festival, held the weekend after Labor Day, is also instrumental in extending the summer season. Dozens of non-profit organizations also earn a major portion of their income through revenues earned at the Festival, allowing them to continue to support their causes that benefit the citizens of New Hampshire. The Hampton Beach Seafood Festival has evolved dramatically, and has been acclaimed as "One of the Top 100 Events in North America", by the American Bus Association in 1996, 2001, 2003 and 2006. Event attendance is now estimated as exceeding 150,000.
Hampton Beach Sand Sculpture Competition - Since 2001, the Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce has sponsored, with the help of Seaside Hotel, a sand sculpture competition that has brought numerous sculptors from across America to Hampton Beach in mid-June. The 4 day contest is seen by thousands and then put up for illumination for two weeks. Prizes (top prize of $50,000) are rewarded via fan voting and through the Chamber.
Fireworks - There are fireworks on the 4th of July
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
and every Wednesday of the summer at 9:30 pm.
External links
- Images of Hampton Beach by James F. Harrington