Monroe, New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Monroe is a town in Grafton County
, New Hampshire
, United States
. The population was 788 at the 2010 census. The town is located along a bend of the Connecticut River
, across from Barnet
, Vermont
. It was originally chartered as part of Lyman
.
issued a grant ("Number 11") to 64 persons obligated to clear, farm and settle one tenth of each of their parcels or forfeit the grant. Only two made the attempt but the charter was extended, in 1769, for another five years. Eleven of the original 64 grantees were named Lyman. In that same year, Wentworth also granted to one Colonel John Hurd (of Portsmouth
part of the land which is today within the bounds of Monroe. The grant was named Hurd's Location and included five small islands in the Connecticut River
, known as "Deer Islands," and a parcel of land from below the present Village Bridge to the foot of Fifteen Mile Falls.
In addition to Hurd's Location, and the governor's 500 acres (2 km²), there were 23 lots of the 64 portions of Lyman located in "West Lyman," or the "Lyman Plain," now Monroe, making up less than 7500 acres (30.4 km²) of the present area. A portion of Bath
, to the south, was annexed in 1897.
The first known settlers on the "West Lyman" portion of Lyman were John Hyndman (also, "John Hinman"), with his wife and son, who settled on the largest of the Deer Islands (below the present-day Barnet Bridge) in 1784 and built a log cabin. When Colonel Hurd found out about it, he sued to have Hyndman evicted. A Barnet benefactor settled the controversy by purchasing title from Hurd. The first permanent settlers also came in the 1780s. They were the Olmstead families: Joseph, Timothy, and Israel, their wives and children. The first native son, Ethan Smith, was born in a cabin on the Canaan Road (over the Gardner Mountain to Lyman) in 1784.
Because of the difficulty traversing the steep "Gardner's Mountain" [sic], running north to south through the original Lyman
grant of 1761, the settlers of the western portion had different priorities and needs than the rest of Lyman to the east. Monroe was incorporated as a separate town in 1854. After appropriate consideration of the options, it was named after former President James Monroe
. It had 619 residents in 1860 and 504 in 1880.
"Captain" Phillip Paddleford, a Revolutionary soldier, settled in 1790, and built Monroe's first sawmill and gristmill on what is now called Smith Brook.
in width, being confined by walls of slate." Several copper mines were excavated along the "Back Road" and many parcels continue to have separate mining rights.
Test borings and surface samples during the 1928-1930 construction of Frank D. Comerford Dam
, in the Connecticut River, provided new geologic information regarding de-glaciation of the White Mountains
, and became the namesake of the "Comerford Suite". The dam, located on what was once called "Fifteen Mile Falls", is now used for flood control, irrigation and generation of electrical power for transmission to New England
states. At the time of its construction, it was the largest "retaining wall" in the United States, representing more than 90000 cubic yards (68,809.9 m³) of concrete.
Prior to the establishment of a series of dams, the river dropped 367 feet (111.9 m) in 15 miles (24.1 km), from Dalton
to Bath
.
, the town has a total area of 23.8 square miles (61.6 km²), of which 22.3 square miles (57.8 km²) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) is water, comprising 6.27% of the town. The town is bounded by the Connecticut River (which is also the state boundary with Vermont
) to its west and the long ridge of Gardner Mountain to the east. Signal Mountain, a knob on Gardner Mountain, is the highest point in Monroe, measuring 2299 feet (700.7 m) above sea level
. It has long been a major surveying reference point for maps and plats of the area between Mount Mansfield
and Mount Washington
.
NH 135
runs through the town, substantially parallel to the river, linking Monroe to Littleton
to the north and Bath
to the south. A northwestern segment of Bath was annexed to Monroe in 1895, stimulated by its shared geography with Monroe.
of 2000, there were 759 people, 310 households, and 231 families residing in the town. The population density
was 33.9 people per square mile (13.1/km²). There were 333 housing units at an average density of 14.9 per square mile (5.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.63% White, 0.00% African American, 0.00% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from other races, and 2.24% from two or more races. 0.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 310 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% were married couples
living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.4 males.
Median resident age: 43.9 years. Median house value: $98,700. 22% of Monroe residents age 25 and older have a bachelor's or advanced college degree.
The median income for a household in the town was $42,411, and the median income for a family was $46,346. Males had a median income of $35,125 versus $26,458 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $19,730. 1.6% of the population and 0.9% of families were below the poverty line. 0.0% of those under the age of 18 and 2.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Grafton County, New Hampshire
Grafton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of the 2010 census, the population was 89,118. Its county seat is North Haverhill, which is a village within the town of Haverhill. Until 1972, the county courthouse and other offices were located in downtown Woodsville, a...
, 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 788 at the 2010 census. The town is located along a bend of 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...
, across from Barnet
Barnet, Vermont
Barnet is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,690 at the 2000 census. Barnet contains the locations of Barnet Center, East Barnet, McIndoe Falls, Mosquitoville, Passumpsic and West Barnet.-Geography:...
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. It was originally chartered as part of Lyman
Lyman, New Hampshire
Lyman is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 533 at the 2010 census.- History :Lyman, along with Grantham, Lisbon, and eleven Vermont towns, was granted as compensation to General Phineas Lyman, a commander in the French and Indian War...
.
History
In 1762 Colonial Governor John WentworthJohn Wentworth (governor)
Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet was the British colonial governor of New Hampshire at the time of the American Revolution. He was later also Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia.-Early life:...
issued a grant ("Number 11") to 64 persons obligated to clear, farm and settle one tenth of each of their parcels or forfeit the grant. Only two made the attempt but the charter was extended, in 1769, for another five years. Eleven of the original 64 grantees were named Lyman. In that same year, Wentworth also granted to one Colonel John Hurd (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...
part of the land which is today within the bounds of Monroe. The grant was named Hurd's Location and included five small islands in 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...
, known as "Deer Islands," and a parcel of land from below the present Village Bridge to the foot of Fifteen Mile Falls.
In addition to Hurd's Location, and the governor's 500 acres (2 km²), there were 23 lots of the 64 portions of Lyman located in "West Lyman," or the "Lyman Plain," now Monroe, making up less than 7500 acres (30.4 km²) of the present area. A portion of Bath
Bath, New Hampshire
Bath is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,077 at the 2010 census. Now a tourist destination and bedroom community for Littleton, the town is noted for its historic architecture, including the Brick Store and three covered bridges...
, to the south, was annexed in 1897.
The first known settlers on the "West Lyman" portion of Lyman were John Hyndman (also, "John Hinman"), with his wife and son, who settled on the largest of the Deer Islands (below the present-day Barnet Bridge) in 1784 and built a log cabin. When Colonel Hurd found out about it, he sued to have Hyndman evicted. A Barnet benefactor settled the controversy by purchasing title from Hurd. The first permanent settlers also came in the 1780s. They were the Olmstead families: Joseph, Timothy, and Israel, their wives and children. The first native son, Ethan Smith, was born in a cabin on the Canaan Road (over the Gardner Mountain to Lyman) in 1784.
Because of the difficulty traversing the steep "Gardner's Mountain" [sic], running north to south through the original Lyman
Lyman, New Hampshire
Lyman is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 533 at the 2010 census.- History :Lyman, along with Grantham, Lisbon, and eleven Vermont towns, was granted as compensation to General Phineas Lyman, a commander in the French and Indian War...
grant of 1761, the settlers of the western portion had different priorities and needs than the rest of Lyman to the east. Monroe was incorporated as a separate town in 1854. After appropriate consideration of the options, it was named after former President James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
. It had 619 residents in 1860 and 504 in 1880.
"Captain" Phillip Paddleford, a Revolutionary soldier, settled in 1790, and built Monroe's first sawmill and gristmill on what is now called Smith Brook.
Notable inhabitants
- Jean HarrisJean HarrisJean Harris was the headmistress of The Madeira School for girls in McLean, Virginia who made national news in 1980 as the defendant in a high-profile murder case of her lover Dr...
, who made national news in 1980 as the defendant in a high-profile murder case of her ex-lover Dr. Herman TarnowerHerman TarnowerHerman Tarnower was a cardiologist and the author of the bestselling diet book The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet...
, a well-known cardiologist and author of the best-selling book The Complete Scarsdale Medical DietThe Complete Scarsdale Medical DietThe Scarsdale Medical Diet is a low-fat, low-calorie weight-loss diet system and accompanying book The Scarsdale Medical Diet is a low-fat, low-calorie weight-loss diet system and accompanying book The Scarsdale Medical Diet is a low-fat, low-calorie weight-loss diet system and accompanying book...
. Harris made Monroe her home after being pardoned in 1992 and prior to moving to a retirement center in Hamden, ConnecticutHamden, ConnecticutHamden is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town's nickname is "The Land of the Sleeping Giant." Hamden is home to Quinnipiac University. The population was 58,180 according to the Census Bureau's 2005 estimates...
. - Peter Paddleford, inventor of the wooden Paddleford Truss for covered bridgeCovered bridgeA 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. Many of his original bridges still stand. He was the builder of the "third Lyman Bridge" from Monroe to McIndoes, VermontBarnet, VermontBarnet is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,690 at the 2000 census. Barnet contains the locations of Barnet Center, East Barnet, McIndoe Falls, Mosquitoville, Passumpsic and West Barnet.-Geography:...
, in 1833, after the 1826 floods had taken out all bridges on the Connecticut River. It was a covered bridge of pine, over 300 feet (91.4 m) long, lasted over 96 years and was one of the oldest on the river.
Geology
Parts of the Ammonoosuc Gold Fields, which have never been successfully mined, are in Monroe. "Within the limits of the town are the narrows, at which place the Connecticut River is only five rodsRod (unit)
The rod is a unit of length equal to 5.5 yards, 5.0292 metres, 16.5 feet, or of a statute mile. A rod is the same length as a perch or a pole. In old English, the term lug is also used.-History:...
in width, being confined by walls of slate." Several copper mines were excavated along the "Back Road" and many parcels continue to have separate mining rights.
Test borings and surface samples during the 1928-1930 construction of Frank D. Comerford Dam
Frank D. Comerford Dam
Frank D Comerford Dam is an International Style concrete dam in the Fifteen Mile Falls of the Connecticut River, on the border between the U.S. states of New Hampshire and Vermont. The dam, located next to Monroe, New Hampshire, is named after Frank D. Comerford, who played an instrumental role in...
, in the Connecticut River, provided new geologic information regarding de-glaciation of the White Mountains
White Mountains (New Hampshire)
The White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, they are considered the most rugged mountains in New England...
, and became the namesake of the "Comerford Suite". The dam, located on what was once called "Fifteen Mile Falls", is now used for flood control, irrigation and generation of electrical power for transmission to 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...
states. At the time of its construction, it was the largest "retaining wall" in the United States, representing more than 90000 cubic yards (68,809.9 m³) of concrete.
Prior to the establishment of a series of dams, the river dropped 367 feet (111.9 m) in 15 miles (24.1 km), from Dalton
Dalton, New Hampshire
Dalton is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 979 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Berlin, NH–VT Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
to Bath
Bath, New Hampshire
Bath is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,077 at the 2010 census. Now a tourist destination and bedroom community for Littleton, the town is noted for its historic architecture, including the Brick Store and three covered bridges...
.
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 23.8 square miles (61.6 km²), of which 22.3 square miles (57.8 km²) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) is water, comprising 6.27% of the town. The town is bounded by the Connecticut River (which is also the state boundary with Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
) to its west and the long ridge of Gardner Mountain to the east. Signal Mountain, a knob on Gardner Mountain, is the highest point in Monroe, measuring 2299 feet (700.7 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...
. It has long been a major surveying reference point for maps and plats of the area between Mount Mansfield
Mount Mansfield
Mount Mansfield is the highest mountain in Vermont with a summit that peaks at above sea level. The summit is in Underhill; the ridgeline, including some secondary peaks, extends into the town of Stowe, and the mountain's flanks also reach into the town of Cambridge.When viewed from the east or...
and Mount Washington
Mount Washington (New Hampshire)
Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at , famous for dangerously erratic weather. For 76 years, a weather observatory on the summit held the record for the highest wind gust directly measured at the Earth's surface, , on the afternoon of April 12, 1934...
.
NH 135
New Hampshire Route 135
New Hampshire Route 135 is a long north–south state highway in New Hampshire. The highway runs north along the Connecticut River from Woodsville to Lancaster....
runs through the town, substantially parallel to the river, linking Monroe to Littleton
Littleton, New Hampshire
Littleton is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,928 at the 2010 census. Situated at the edge of the White Mountains, Littleton is bounded on the northwest by the Connecticut River....
to the north and Bath
Bath, New Hampshire
Bath is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,077 at the 2010 census. Now a tourist destination and bedroom community for Littleton, the town is noted for its historic architecture, including the Brick Store and three covered bridges...
to the south. A northwestern segment of Bath was annexed to Monroe in 1895, stimulated by its shared geography with Monroe.
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 759 people, 310 households, and 231 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 33.9 people per square mile (13.1/km²). There were 333 housing units at an average density of 14.9 per square mile (5.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.63% White, 0.00% African American, 0.00% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from other races, and 2.24% from two or more races. 0.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 310 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% 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, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.4 males.
Median resident age: 43.9 years. Median house value: $98,700. 22% of Monroe residents age 25 and older have a bachelor's or advanced college degree.
The median income for a household in the town was $42,411, and the median income for a family was $46,346. Males had a median income of $35,125 versus $26,458 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 $19,730. 1.6% of the population and 0.9% of families were below the poverty line. 0.0% of those under the age of 18 and 2.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
External links
- New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile
- Monroe, New Hampshire, unofficial town web site