Milford, New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Milford is a town in Hillsborough County
, New Hampshire
, United States
, on the Souhegan River
. The population was 15,115 at the 2010 census. It is the retail and manufacturing center of a six-town area known informally as the Souhegan Valley.
The town center of Milford, where 8,835 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Milford census-designated place
(CDP), and is located at the junction of New Hampshire routes 13
and 101A.
Milford separated from neighboring Amherst
in 1794. Like most towns named Milford in the United States, its name comes from the fact that it grew around a mill
built on a ford - in this case on the Souhegan River
.
Milford was once home to numerous granite
quarries
, which produced a stone that was used, among other things, to make the pillars
for the U.S. Treasury
in Washington, D.C. - pillars that can still be seen on the American $10 bill. Its nickname remains "The Granite Town," although only one small quarry is in operation as of 2007.
Like many New England
riverside towns, Milford developed several thriving textile
mills in the 19th century. That industry left New England by World War II
, but Milford remains the commercial and retail center for surrounding towns. Major employers included casting company Hitchiner Manufacturing Co., a metal cable manufacturer Hendrix Wire and Cable Inc. and a contract manufacturing solutions company, Cirtronics Corporation.
Milford is home to the Milford State Fish Hatchery. The town also holds the Souhegan Valley Boys & Girls Club, built on the former home of the now-bankrupt private theater American Stage Festival.
Milford was a stop on the underground railroad
for escaped slaves. It was also the home of Harriet E. Wilson
, who published the semi-autobiographical novel Our Nig
: Or, Sketches in the Life of a Free Black in 1859, making it the first novel by an African-American published in the country.
Officially designated Union Square, the Milford Oval is neither square nor oval in shape, but rather triangular. The "square" name in American parlance denotes a town common irrespective of geometry, and the "oval" name dates from the 19th century, when it was oval in shape. The Oval is the town center, with the Pillsbury Bandstand
as its centerpiece and the Souhegan River as backdrop. The Oval is formed by a modified traffic rotary in which State Highways 13 and 101A intersect, with northbound 13 and eastbound 101A passing straight through and crossing each other at a right angle with a stop sign for traffic on Route 13. For many years, the Oval's traffic flow was treated as a series of three individual intersections of three one-way streets, resulting in the unusual arrangement whereby vehicles entering the Oval had right-of-way over vehicles turning left to continue through the Oval. This treatment was reversed in the 1980s to conform with traffic rotary norms whereby vehicles already in the Oval have right-of-way over vehicles entering the Oval.
, the town has a total area of 25.3 square miles (65.5 km²), of which 25.2 sq mi (65.3 km²) is land and 0.1 sq mi (0.258998811 km²) is water, comprising 0.24% of the town. Milford is drained by the Souhegan River. The town's highest point is near its western border, on the summit of Boynton Hill, at 814 feet (248.1 m) above sea level
.
The town center, or census-designated place
, has a total area of 5.7 square miles (14.8 km²), of which 0.04 sq mi (0.1035995244 km²), or 0.52%, is water.
Milford is bordered by Lyndeborough
and Mont Vernon
to the north, Amherst
to the east, Hollis
to the southeast, Brookline
to the south, Mason
to the southwest, and Wilton
to the west.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 13,575 people, 5,201 households, and 3,547 families residing in the town. The population density
was 536.5 people per square mile (207.1/km²). There were 5,316 housing units at an average density of 210.7 per square mile (81.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.76% White, 0.90% Black or African American
, 0.14% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races
, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.17% of the population.
There were 5,201 households out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples
living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 34.5% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,343, and the median income for a family was $61,682. Males had a median income of $42,244 versus $28,220 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $24,425. About 3.1% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.
of 2000, there were 8,293 people, 3,379 households, and 2,098 families residing in the town center, or census-designated place
(CDP). The population density
was 1,450.3 people per square mile (559.8/km²). There were 3,463 housing units at an average density of 605.6 per square mile (233.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.49% White, 0.99% Black or African American
, 0.10% Native American, 1.01% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races
, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.06% of the population.
There were 3,379 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples
living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 34.2% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $48,716, and the median income for a family was $57,933. Males had a median income of $40,412 versus $27,126 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $24,025. About 3.3% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 380,841 people, 144,455 households, and 98,807 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 149,961 housing units at an average density of 171 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...
, on the Souhegan River
Souhegan River
The Souhegan River is a tributary of the Merrimack River in the northeastern United States. long with a drainage area of , it flows north and east through southern New Hampshire to the Merrimack River....
. The population was 15,115 at the 2010 census. It is the retail and manufacturing center of a six-town area known informally as the Souhegan Valley.
The town center of Milford, where 8,835 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Milford 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...
(CDP), and is located at the junction of New Hampshire routes 13
New Hampshire Route 13
New Hampshire Route 13 is a long north–south state highway in the state of New Hampshire, United States. The highway runs from Brookline to Concord....
and 101A.
History
Amherst, New Hampshire
Amherst is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,201 at the 2010 census. Amherst is home to Ponemah Bog Wildlife Sanctuary, Hodgman State Forest, the Joe English Reservation and Baboosic Lake....
in 1794. Like most towns named Milford in the United States, its name comes from the fact that it grew around a mill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
built on a ford - in this case on the Souhegan River
Souhegan River
The Souhegan River is a tributary of the Merrimack River in the northeastern United States. long with a drainage area of , it flows north and east through southern New Hampshire to the Merrimack River....
.
Milford was once home to numerous granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
quarries
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
, which produced a stone that was used, among other things, to make the pillars
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
for the U.S. Treasury
Treasury Building (Washington, D.C.)
The Treasury Building in Washington, D.C. is a National Historic Landmark building which is the headquarters of the United States Department of the Treasury....
in Washington, D.C. - pillars that can still be seen on the American $10 bill. Its nickname remains "The Granite Town," although only one small quarry is in operation as of 2007.
Like many New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
riverside towns, Milford developed several thriving textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
mills in the 19th century. That industry left New England by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but Milford remains the commercial and retail center for surrounding towns. Major employers included casting company Hitchiner Manufacturing Co., a metal cable manufacturer Hendrix Wire and Cable Inc. and a contract manufacturing solutions company, Cirtronics Corporation.
Milford is home to the Milford State Fish Hatchery. The town also holds the Souhegan Valley Boys & Girls Club, built on the former home of the now-bankrupt private theater American Stage Festival.
Milford was a stop on the underground railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
for escaped slaves. It was also the home of Harriet E. Wilson
Harriet E. Wilson
Harriet E. Wilson is traditionally considered the first female African-American novelist as well as the first African American of any gender to publish a novel on the North American continent...
, who published the semi-autobiographical novel Our Nig
Our Nig
Our Nig: Sketches from the Life of a Free Black is an autobiographical slave narrative by Harriet E. Wilson. It was published in 1859 and rediscovered in 1982 by professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.. It is considered the first novel published by an African-American on the North American...
: Or, Sketches in the Life of a Free Black in 1859, making it the first novel by an African-American published in the country.
Officially designated Union Square, the Milford Oval is neither square nor oval in shape, but rather triangular. The "square" name in American parlance denotes a town common irrespective of geometry, and the "oval" name dates from the 19th century, when it was oval in shape. The Oval is the town center, with the Pillsbury Bandstand
Bandstand
A bandstand is a circular or semicircular structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts...
as its centerpiece and the Souhegan River as backdrop. The Oval is formed by a modified traffic rotary in which State Highways 13 and 101A intersect, with northbound 13 and eastbound 101A passing straight through and crossing each other at a right angle with a stop sign for traffic on Route 13. For many years, the Oval's traffic flow was treated as a series of three individual intersections of three one-way streets, resulting in the unusual arrangement whereby vehicles entering the Oval had right-of-way over vehicles turning left to continue through the Oval. This treatment was reversed in the 1980s to conform with traffic rotary norms whereby vehicles already in the Oval have right-of-way over vehicles entering the Oval.
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 25.3 square miles (65.5 km²), of which 25.2 sq mi (65.3 km²) is land and 0.1 sq mi (0.258998811 km²) is water, comprising 0.24% of the town. Milford is drained by the Souhegan River. The town's highest point is near its western border, on the summit of Boynton Hill, at 814 feet (248.1 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...
.
The town center, or 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...
, has a total area of 5.7 square miles (14.8 km²), of which 0.04 sq mi (0.1035995244 km²), or 0.52%, is water.
Milford is bordered by Lyndeborough
Lyndeborough, New Hampshire
Lyndeborough is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,683 at the 2010 census.- History :Originally granted by the Massachusetts General Court to veterans of New England's first war with Canada from Salem, Massachusetts, the area was known as Salem-Canada...
and Mont Vernon
Mont Vernon, New Hampshire
Mont Vernon is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,409 at the 2010 census.It is not clear why it is spelled differently from the many other towns in the United States named after Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington...
to the north, Amherst
Amherst, New Hampshire
Amherst is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,201 at the 2010 census. Amherst is home to Ponemah Bog Wildlife Sanctuary, Hodgman State Forest, the Joe English Reservation and Baboosic Lake....
to the east, Hollis
Hollis, New Hampshire
Hollis is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 7,684 at the 2010 census. The town center village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Hollis Village Historic District....
to the southeast, Brookline
Brookline, New Hampshire
Brookline is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,991 at the 2010 census. Brookline is home to the Talbot-Taylor Wildlife Sanctuary.-History:...
to the south, Mason
Mason, New Hampshire
Mason is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,382 at the 2010 census. Mason, together with Wilton, is home to Russell-Abbott State Forest.-History:...
to the southwest, and Wilton
Wilton, New Hampshire
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 3,743 people, 1,410 households, and 1,023 families living in the town. The population density was 145.3 people per square mile . There were 1,451 housing units at an average density of 56.3 per square mile...
to the west.
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 13,575 people, 5,201 households, and 3,547 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 536.5 people per square mile (207.1/km²). There were 5,316 housing units at an average density of 210.7 per square mile (81.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.76% White, 0.90% Black or African American
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...
, 0.14% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.21% 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 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.17% of the population.
There were 5,201 households out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% 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, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.11.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,343, and the median income for a family was $61,682. Males had a median income of $42,244 versus $28,220 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 $24,425. About 3.1% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.
Town center
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 8,293 people, 3,379 households, and 2,098 families residing in the town center, or 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...
(CDP). 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 1,450.3 people per square mile (559.8/km²). There were 3,463 housing units at an average density of 605.6 per square mile (233.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.49% White, 0.99% Black or African American
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...
, 0.10% Native American, 1.01% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.14% 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 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.06% of the population.
There were 3,379 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% 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, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 34.2% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $48,716, and the median income for a family was $57,933. Males had a median income of $40,412 versus $27,126 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 CDP was $24,025. About 3.3% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
External links
- Town website
- Milford Historical Society
- Milford Public Library
- The Cabinet - Current articles from Milford's local paper
- Milford Fish Hatchery
- New Hampshire State Page for Milford, NH
- New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Community Profile