Bath, New Hampshire | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Bath, NH, from the northwest | |
| Motto: "Covered Bridge Capital of New England" | |
 Location inGrafton County,New Hampshire | |
| Coordinates:44°10′01″N71°57′58″W / 44.16694°N 71.96611°W /44.16694; -71.96611 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Grafton |
| Incorporated | 1761; 264 years ago (1761) |
| Villages | Bath Swiftwater Upper Village |
| Government | |
| • Selectboard |
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| Area | |
• Total | 38.6 sq mi (99.9 km2) |
| • Land | 37.7 sq mi (97.7 km2) |
| • Water | 0.85 sq mi (2.2 km2) 2.23% |
| Elevation | 531 ft (162 m) |
| Population (2020)[2] | |
• Total | 1,077 |
| • Density | 28/sq mi (11/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP codes | 03740 (Bath) 03785 (Woodsville) |
| Area code | 603 |
| FIPS code | 33-03940 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0873540 |
| Website | www |
Bath is a town inGrafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,077 at the2020 census,[2] unchanged from the 2010 census.[3] Now atourist destination andcommuter town forLittleton, the town is noted for its historic architecture, including theBrick Store and threecovered bridges. Bath includes the village of Swiftwater and part of the district known asMountain Lakes.
The town was granted in 1761, by GovernorBenning Wentworth, who named it for the politicianWilliam Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath. It was first settled in 1765 by John Herriman fromHaverhill, Massachusetts.[4] But the terms of the original grant were unfulfilled, so Bath was regranted on March 29, 1769, by GovernorJohn Wentworth. The first census, taken in 1790, recorded 493 residents.[5]
The town was granted to the Rev. Andrew Gardner and 61 others on September 10, 1761, by GovernorBenning Wentworth, who named it for the politicianWilliam Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath. It was first settled in 1765 by John Herriman fromHaverhill, Massachusetts.[4] But the terms of the original grant were unfulfilled, so Bath was regranted on March 29, 1769, by GovernorJohn Wentworth. The first census, taken in 1790, recorded 493 residents.[5]
Situated at thehead of navigation on theConnecticut River, and shielded from strong winds by theGreen Mountains to the west andWhite Mountains to the east, Bath soon developed into "...one of the busiest and most prosperous villages in northern New Hampshire."[5] Intervales provided excellentalluvial soil for agriculture, and theAmmonoosuc andWild Ammonoosuc rivers suppliedwater power formills. The population reached 1,627 in 1830, when 550 sheep grazed the hillsides.[4] A vein ofcopper was mined. The White Mountains Railroad up the Ammonoosuc River valley opened August 1, 1853, shipping Bath'slumber,potatoes,livestock andwood pulp. By 1859, the town had twogristmills and twosawmills.[6] Other industries would include awoolen mill,creamery,distillery and twostarch factories.[7]
A disastrous fire swept through Bath village on February 1, 1872, destroying theCongregational church, Bath Hotel and several dwelling houses. The church was rebuilt in 1873.[8] By 1874, Bath was served by the Boston, Concord and Montreal and White Mountains (N.H.) Railroad.[8]
But nearbyWoodsville in the town ofHaverhill developed into a majorrailroad junction, and the region's commercial center shifted there. By 1886, once thriving Bath was described as in decay.[5] But this economic dormancy of theVictorian era preserved much early architecture in the village, particularly in theFederal andGreek Revival styles. The Brick Store, built in 1824 and designed byAlexander Parris, dominated the town center until its closure in 2020.[9] Bath's Upper Village features a cluster of Federal-style houses based on the handbook designs of architectAsher Benjamin.[10]
Bath is in northwesternNew Hampshire, in the northern part of Grafton County. According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 38.6 square miles (99.9 km2), of which 37.7 square miles (97.7 km2) are land and 0.85 square miles (2.2 km2) are water, comprising 2.23% of the town.[1] TheConnecticut River forms the western boundary of the town; theAmmonoosuc andWild Ammonoosuc rivers flow through the town. Bath lies fully within theConnecticut Riverwatershed.[11] The highest points in Bath are a trio of knobs on Gardner Mountain, all found near the northernmost point in town and all measuring slightly greater than 1,980 feet (600 m) abovesea level.
Geologically, Bath is located at the northernmost extent of formerLake Hitchcock, a post-glacial lake that shaped the Connecticut River valley from this point south toMiddletown, Connecticut.[12]
The town is crossed byU.S. Route 302 andNew Hampshire Route 112. The village of Swiftwater is located along Route 112, near the town's boundary withHaverhill.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 498 | — | |
| 1800 | 825 | 65.7% | |
| 1810 | 1,316 | 59.5% | |
| 1820 | 1,498 | 13.8% | |
| 1830 | 1,627 | 8.6% | |
| 1840 | 1,591 | −2.2% | |
| 1850 | 1,574 | −1.1% | |
| 1860 | 1,366 | −13.2% | |
| 1870 | 1,168 | −14.5% | |
| 1880 | 1,032 | −11.6% | |
| 1890 | 935 | −9.4% | |
| 1900 | 1,006 | 7.6% | |
| 1910 | 978 | −2.8% | |
| 1920 | 838 | −14.3% | |
| 1930 | 785 | −6.3% | |
| 1940 | 686 | −12.6% | |
| 1950 | 706 | 2.9% | |
| 1960 | 604 | −14.4% | |
| 1970 | 607 | 0.5% | |
| 1980 | 761 | 25.4% | |
| 1990 | 784 | 3.0% | |
| 2000 | 893 | 13.9% | |
| 2010 | 1,077 | 20.6% | |
| 2020 | 1,077 | 0.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[2][13] | |||
As of thecensus[14] of 2000, there were 893 people, 350 households, and 253 families residing in the town. The population density was 23.4 inhabitants per square mile (9.0/km2). There were 450 housing units at an average density of 11.8 per square mile (4.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 99.33%White, 0.22%African American, 0.22%Native American, and 0.22% from two or more races.
There were 350 households, out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.4% weremarried couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 29.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,088, and the median income for a family was $47,000. Males had a median income of $27,679 versus $22,167 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $17,916. About 2.8% of families and 5.1% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.
Notable sites within Bath include:
The legend (or legends) behind one of the oddest vegetable plots in the state.
Places adjacent to Bath, New Hampshire | |
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Municipalities and communities ofGrafton County, New Hampshire,United States | ||
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