Center Harbor, New Hampshire | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Kona Fountain in the center of town, 2007 | |
 Seal | |
| Motto: Winter Home of the M/S Mt. Washington | |
 Location inBelknap County, New Hampshire | |
| Coordinates:43°42′29″N71°27′49″W / 43.70806°N 71.46361°W /43.70806; -71.46361 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Belknap |
| Incorporated | 1797 |
| Government | |
| • Board of Selectmen |
|
| Area | |
• Total | 16.3 sq mi (42.1 km2) |
| • Land | 13.3 sq mi (34.4 km2) |
| • Water | 3.0 sq mi (7.7 km2) 18.3% |
| Elevation | 554 ft (169 m) |
| Population (2020)[2] | |
• Total | 1,040 |
| • Density | 78/sq mi (30.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP code | 03226 |
| Area code | 603 |
| FIPS code | 33-10660 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0873561 |
| Website | www |
Center Harbor is atown inBelknap County,New Hampshire, United States. As of the2020 census, the town had a population of 1,040.[2] It is situated betweenLake Winnipesaukee andSquam Lake.
Center Harbor separated from the town ofNew Hampton and was first incorporated in 1797. The town name is derived from two sources: its location, centered betweenMeredith andMoultonborough harbors, as well as from the Senter family, who were owners of a large amount of property in the area. The town was a landing place for lakesteamers andstagecoaches, making it a popular summer resort. Center Harbor was a favorite spot ofJohn Greenleaf Whittier, and the home of Dudley Leavitt, author of the firstFarmers' Almanac in 1797.[3] Center Harbor is the winter home of the paddle steamerMSMount Washington, the largest boat onLake Winnipesaukee.
Center Harbor witnessed the first intercollegiate sporting event in the United States, asHarvard defeatedYale by two lengths in the firstHarvard–Yale Regatta on August 3, 1852, on Lake Winnipesaukee.[4]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 16.3 square miles (42.1 km2), of which 13.3 sq mi (34.4 km2) are land and 3.0 sq mi (7.7 km2) are water, comprising 18.33% of the town.[1] It has several miles of shoreline onSquam Lake and another mile onLake Winnipesaukee, where its main "harbor" lies. The town center sits eccentrically near Center Harbor's northeastern border, where it rises gently from the shore at the junction ofNew Hampshire Routes 25 and25B. The commercial district including the town center extends for several hundred yards along NH 25 into the neighboring town ofMoultonborough. The highest point in town, Sunset Hill, elevation 1,121 feet (342 m) abovesea level, overlooks the town center from the west. Center Harbor lies fully within theMerrimack Riverwatershed.[5]
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NH 25 passes through the eastern edge of town, including the town center, connectingMeredith to the south withMoultonborough to the northeast.U.S. Route 3 and NH 25 pass north–south through the western part of town, connecting Meredith to the south withHolderness to the northwest. NH 25B leads from the town center west to US 3 and NH 25, forming a shortcut for through travelers on NH 25.
TheProctor Wildlife Sanctuary, owned by the Audubon Society of New Hampshire, occupies 47 acres (19 ha) of woodlands northwest of the town center. Adjacent to this property is Center Harbor Woods, a 225 acres (91 ha) conservation area owned by theLakes Region Conservation Trust and protected by a conservation easement held by theSquam Lakes Conservation Society and the town of Center Harbor. The two properties abut a third conservation property in neighboring Moultonborough, resulting in a block of protected woodland comprising nearly 400 acres (160 ha).
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 263 | — | |
| 1810 | 349 | 32.7% | |
| 1820 | 486 | 39.3% | |
| 1830 | 577 | 18.7% | |
| 1840 | 584 | 1.2% | |
| 1850 | 543 | −7.0% | |
| 1860 | 484 | −10.9% | |
| 1870 | 446 | −7.9% | |
| 1880 | 521 | 16.8% | |
| 1890 | 479 | −8.1% | |
| 1900 | 422 | −11.9% | |
| 1910 | 420 | −0.5% | |
| 1920 | 422 | 0.5% | |
| 1930 | 382 | −9.5% | |
| 1940 | 355 | −7.1% | |
| 1950 | 451 | 27.0% | |
| 1960 | 511 | 13.3% | |
| 1970 | 540 | 5.7% | |
| 1980 | 808 | 49.6% | |
| 1990 | 996 | 23.3% | |
| 2000 | 996 | 0.0% | |
| 2010 | 1,096 | 10.0% | |
| 2020 | 1,040 | −5.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[2][6] | |||
As of thecensus[7] of 2000, there were 996 people, 414 households, and 293 families residing in the town. The population density was 74.4 inhabitants per square mile (28.7/km2). There were 653 housing units at an average density of 48.8 per square mile (18.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.80%White, 1.00%Hispanic orLatino and 0.80%Asian.
There were 414 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.75.In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 31.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $51,806, and the median income for a family was $55,938. Males had a median income of $35,526 versus $24,231 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $25,627. 6.7% of the population and 4.4% of families were below thepoverty line. Out of the total population, 13.4% of those under the age of 18 and 5.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
In theNew Hampshire Senate, Center Harbor is in the 2nd District, represented byRepublicanBob Giuda. On theExecutive Council of New Hampshire, Center Harbor is in the 1st District, represented by RepublicanJoseph Kenney. In theUnited States House of Representatives, Center Harbor is inNew Hampshire's 2nd congressional district, represented byDemocratAnn McLane Kuster.
Aside from smalldairy and truck farms, the community's main industry istourism. Restaurants and motels dot the shoreline, with a beach and playground at the town's center which is shared by residents of Moultonborough.
Center Harbor's one-room schoolhouse closed in the 1970s, and students now attend Inter-Lakes Elementary and Inter-Lakes Junior-Senior High inMeredith, joining students from that town and fromSandwich. During the period 1963–1973, a college existed in Center Harbor. Named Belknap College, it occupied several locations in town, using old hotels for dorms, though the academic campus was located several miles away. Anchored by a mansion recently used for the New Hampshire Music Festival, and several other buildings, the campus was a center of activity.
The town was the home ofImmaculate Conception Apostolic School, an all-male Roman Catholic boarding school, educating between 80 and 100 students from grades 7 to 12. It is sponsored by theLegionaries of Christ, a religious congregation of the Roman Catholic Church. It was listed for sale in 2021.
Center Harbor hosts aFourth of July celebration featuring a road race (including a children's race around the library), parade, band concert, andfireworks over the lake. The Center Harbor Town Band, founded in 1878, offers free concerts on Fridays in the summer. In the winter, the town is a stop forsnowmobile enthusiasts.[citation needed]
Places adjacent to Center Harbor, New Hampshire | |
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Municipalities and communities ofBelknap County, New Hampshire,United States | ||
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| Other villages | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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