Hopkinton, New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Hopkinton is a town in Merrimack County
, New Hampshire
, United States. The population was 5,589 at the 2010 census. It consists of three villages: Hopkinton, West Hopkinton, and Contoocook
. The town is home to the Hopkinton State Fair, adjacent to Contoocook village.
The town was granted by Colonial
Governor Jonathan Belcher
in 1735 as "Number 5" to settlers from Hopkinton
, Massachusetts
, who renamed it "New Hopkinton." First settled in 1736, colonists were required to build homes, fence in their land, plant it with English
grass, and provide a home for a minister, all within seven years. The community would be incorporated in 1765 by Governor Benning Wentworth
. Built in 1789, the Congregational
Church has a Revere
bell. The legislature met in Hopkinton occasionally between 1798 and 1807. In 1808, the town competed for the coveted position of state capitol, but was defeated by nearby Concord
.
A substantial portion of the town in the north was named "Contoocook Village" for a tribe of the Pennacook
Indians
who once lived there. Due to its position along the Contoocook River
, it became a center for water-powered industry, particularly lumber
and textiles. The Contoocook covered railroad bridge
in the village is a remnant of the Boston & Maine Railroad
and is the oldest covered bridge
of its kind still standing in the United States.
Since 1915, Hopkinton has been home to the Hopkinton State Fair, an event which attracts thousands of visitors each year during the Labor Day
weekend.
The high school teams are nicknamed the Hawks.
, the town has a total area of 45.1 square miles (116.8 km²), of which 43.3 sq mi (112.1 km²) is land and 1.8 sq mi (4.7 km²) is water, comprising 3.99% of the town. Hopkinton is drained by the Contoocook
and Warner
rivers. The highest point in town is Shaker Hill, on the border with Henniker
, with an elevation of 923 feet (281.3 m) above sea level
. Hopkinton lies fully within the Merrimack River
watershed
.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 5,399 people, 2,084 households, and 1,544 families residing in the town. The population density
was 124.7 people per square mile (48.2/km²). There were 2,210 housing units at an average density of 51.1 per square mile (19.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.46% White, 0.13% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.04% from other races
, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population.
There were 2,084 households out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.1% were married couples
living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 30.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $59,583, and the median income for a family was $69,737. Males had a median income of $50,107 versus $28,974 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $30,753. About 0.7% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.
Merrimack County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 136,225 people, 51,843 households, and 35,460 families residing in the county. The population density was 146 people per square mile . There were 56,244 housing units at an average density of 60 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. The population was 5,589 at the 2010 census. It consists of three villages: Hopkinton, West Hopkinton, and Contoocook
Contoocook, New Hampshire
Contoocook is a village and census-designated place within the town of Hopkinton in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,444 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. The town is home to the Hopkinton State Fair, adjacent to Contoocook village.
History
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 Jonathan Belcher
Jonathan Belcher
Jonathan Belcher was colonial governor of the British provinces of Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, and New Jersey.-Early life:Jonathan Belcher was born in Cambridge, Province of Massachusetts Bay, in 1682...
in 1735 as "Number 5" to settlers from Hopkinton
Hopkinton, Massachusetts
Hopkinton is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, just under 30 miles west and south of Boston. The town is best known as the starting point of the Boston Marathon, held annually on Patriots' Day in April, and as the home of computer storage firm EMC Corporation.For geographic and demographic...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, who renamed it "New Hopkinton." First settled in 1736, colonists were required to build homes, fence in their land, plant it with English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
grass, and provide a home for a minister, all within seven years. The community would be incorporated in 1765 by 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...
. Built in 1789, the Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
Church has a Revere
Paul Revere
Paul Revere was an American silversmith and a patriot in the American Revolution. He is most famous for alerting Colonial militia of approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride...
bell. The legislature met in Hopkinton occasionally between 1798 and 1807. In 1808, the town competed for the coveted position of state capitol, but was defeated by nearby Concord
Concord, New Hampshire
The city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
.
A substantial portion of the town in the north was named "Contoocook Village" for a tribe of the Pennacook
Pennacook
The Pennacook, also known by the names Merrimack and Pawtucket, were a North American people that primarily inhabited the Merrimack River valley of present-day New Hampshire and Massachusetts, as well as portions of southern Maine...
Indians
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
who once lived there. Due to its position along the Contoocook River
Contoocook River
The Contoocook River is a river in New Hampshire. It flows from Pool Pond and Contoocook Lake on the Jaffrey/Rindge border to Penacook , where it empties into the Merrimack River. It is one of only a few rivers in New Hampshire that flow in a predominantly northward direction...
, it became a center for water-powered industry, particularly lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
and textiles. The Contoocook covered railroad bridge
Contoocook Railroad Bridge
The Contoocook Railroad Bridge is a covered bridge on the former Contoocook Valley Railroad line spanning the Contoocook River in the center of the village of Contoocook, New Hampshire...
in the village is a remnant of the Boston & Maine Railroad
Boston and Maine Railroad
The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
and is the oldest 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...
of its kind still standing in the United States.
Since 1915, Hopkinton has been home to the Hopkinton State Fair, an event which attracts thousands of visitors each year during the Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend.
The high school teams are nicknamed the Hawks.
Notable inhabitants
- Rose Flanders Bascom, one of the first female lion tamers in America, born in 1880
- Carlton ChaseCarlton ChaseCarlton Chase was the first Bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.-Early life:...
(1794–1870), EpiscopalEpiscopal Church (United States)The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
bishop of New Hampshire - Stephen Harriman LongStephen Harriman LongStephen Harriman Long was a U.S. army explorer, topographical engineer, and railway engineer. As an inventor, he is noted for his developments in the design of steam locomotives. He was also one of the most prolific explorers of the early 1800s, although his career as an explorer was relatively...
(1784–1864), engineer, explorer, inventor - John Lynch (b. 1952), Governor of New HampshireGovernor of New HampshireThe Governor of the State of New Hampshire is the supreme executive magistrate of the U.S. state of New Hampshire.The governor is elected at the biennial state general election in November of even-numbered years. New Hampshire is one of only two states, along with bordering Vermont, to hold...
- David SouterDavid SouterDavid Hackett Souter is a former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He served from 1990 until his retirement on June 29, 2009. Appointed by President George H. W. Bush to fill the seat vacated by William J...
(b. 1939), former 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...
justice
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 45.1 square miles (116.8 km²), of which 43.3 sq mi (112.1 km²) is land and 1.8 sq mi (4.7 km²) is water, comprising 3.99% of the town. Hopkinton is drained by the Contoocook
Contoocook River
The Contoocook River is a river in New Hampshire. It flows from Pool Pond and Contoocook Lake on the Jaffrey/Rindge border to Penacook , where it empties into the Merrimack River. It is one of only a few rivers in New Hampshire that flow in a predominantly northward direction...
and Warner
Warner River
The Warner River is a river located in central New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Contoocook River, part of the Merrimack River watershed....
rivers. The highest point in town is Shaker Hill, on the border with Henniker
Henniker, New Hampshire
Henniker is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 4,836. Henniker is home to New England College, Ames State Forest and Craney Hill State Forest....
, with an elevation of 923 feet (281.3 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...
. Hopkinton 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...
.
Demographics
Census
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 5,399 people, 2,084 households, and 1,544 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 124.7 people per square mile (48.2/km²). There were 2,210 housing units at an average density of 51.1 per square mile (19.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.46% White, 0.13% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.04% 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 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population.
There were 2,084 households out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.1% 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, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.01.
The median income for a household in the town was $59,583, and the median income for a family was $69,737. Males had a median income of $50,107 versus $28,974 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 $30,753. About 0.7% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.
Sites of interest
- Little Nature Museum
- New Hampshire Antiquarian Society
- Contoocook Depot and Restored Pullman Passenger Coach
