Hudson, New Hampshire | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location withinHillsborough County,New Hampshire | |
| Coordinates:42°45′53″N71°26′23″W / 42.76472°N 71.43972°W /42.76472; -71.43972 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Hillsborough |
| Incorporated | 1673 |
| Annexed | 1731 |
| Incorporated | 1746 (renamed in 1830) |
| Villages |
|
| Government | |
| • Board of Selectmen |
|
| • Town Administrator | Roy E. Sorenson |
| Area | |
• Total | 29.3 sq mi (75.8 km2) |
| • Land | 28.3 sq mi (73.3 km2) |
| • Water | 0.97 sq mi (2.5 km2) |
| Elevation | 148 ft (45 m) |
| Population (2020)[2] | |
• Total | 25,394 |
| • Density | 898/sq mi (346.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 03051 |
| Area code | 603 |
| FIPS code | 33-37940 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0873631 |
| Website | www |
Hudson is atown inHillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. It is located along theMassachusetts state line. The population was 25,394 at the2020 census.[2] It is the tenth-largest municipality (town or city) in the state, by population.
The urban center of town, where 7,534 people resided as of the 2020 census,[3] is defined as theHudson census-designated place (CDP) and is located at the junctions of New Hampshire routes102,111 and3A, directly across theMerrimack River from the city ofNashua.
Hudson began as part of the Dunstable Land Grant that encompassed the current city of Nashua, New Hampshire, and the towns ofDunstable andPepperell, Massachusetts, as well as parts of other nearby towns on both sides of the border. In 1732, all of Dunstable east of theMerrimack River became the town of Nottingham, Massachusetts. Nine years later, thenorthern boundary of Massachusetts was finally officially established, and the New Hampshire portion of Nottingham became Nottingham West, to avoid confusion withNottingham, New Hampshire, to the northeast.[4]
In 1830, after the better part of a century, the name was changed to "Hudson" to avoid confusion with the older town of Nottingham. The name apparently comes from an early belief that the Merrimack River had once been thought to be a tributary of theHudson River, or that the area had once been explored byHenry Hudson; both proved to be entirely apocryphal stories, but the name of the town remains today.[citation needed]
A prominent family in Hudson history was the Alfred and Virginia Hills family, who owned a large tract of land north of Hudson Village. Dr. Hills' ancestors were original settlers of Hudson.[5] TheHills House on Derry Road (now listed on theNational Register of Historic Places) is the original family's vacation home and current location of the Hudson Historical Society. The grounds host the annual "Old Home Days" fair every year as well as "Harvest Fest" and the "Bronco Belly Bustin' Chili Fiesta", an Alvirne High School Friends of Music fundraiser.Hills Memorial Library (also listed on the National Register) is one of the oldest public lending libraries in the state, and occupies a stone and mortar building on Library Street.
Alvirne High School and the Alvirne Chapel, located on family land across Derry Road from the Hills House, were donated to the town. ("Alvirne" is a contraction of "Alfred" and "Virginia".) A strange rumor that the Hills' only son had died during a football game circled for many years, but Dr. and Mrs. Hills only had two daughters who did not survive infancy, so this was a made-up story. Out of respect, Alvirne High went many decades without a football team, despite being one of the largest high schools in the state. It was assumed that such a stipulation had been put as a condition of the high school's charter. When it was learned that no such condition had ever been recorded, financial pressures encouraged the formation of a football team. In fall of 1994, Alvirne High School fielded its first JV football team, with varsity play beginning in 1996. Alvirne High is home to one of the largest agricultural-vocational programs in the area, the Wilbur H. Palmer Agricultural and Vocational School. This school features several student-run businesses including a bank, restaurant, store, day care, dairy farm, and forestry program.[6]
Hudson is located in southeastern Hillsborough County along the southern edge ofNew Hampshire, with its southern boundary forming the Massachusetts state line. According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 29.3 square miles (75.8 km2), of which 28.3 square miles (73.3 km2) are land and 0.97 square miles (2.5 km2) are water, comprising 3.35% of the town.[1]
The highest point in Hudson is Bush Hill, at 515 feet (157 m) abovesea level, near the town's eastern border. Hudson lies fully within theMerrimack Riverwatershed.[7]
The town of Hudson had two historic centers, though modern development and suburban sprawl have obscured the difference.Hudson Village, roughly equivalent to theHudson census-designated place, is located at the western edge of town on the Merrimack River near the junctions ofRoutes 3A,111, and102, and was home to most of the original schools, libraries, and town government, though many of these functions have moved to new facilities elsewhere in town. The Town Hall still remains, though the main police station has moved to the eastern edge of town into an industrial park off Route 111. TheHills Memorial Library building remains as a historic landmark, though its collection has been moved to a new building, the Rodgers Memorial Library, located on Route 102 in the northeastern part of town.[8] The historic Kimball Webster School no longer holds classes, but today houses the town superintendent's office, though both the Library Street School and the H.O. Smith School are still active.[9] The Town Common at the intersection of Derry, Ferry, and Library streets is a park that displays large toy soldiers and other decorations atChristmas time.
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Hudson Center, historically Hudson's other town center, is located at the five-way intersection of Central Street (Route 111), Greeley Street, Kimball Hill Road, and Windham Road near the geographic center of the town. The two most important landmarks of Hudson Center have been lost to history.Benson's Wild Animal Farm, a zoo and amusement park, was closed in the late 1980s due to mounting financial losses. At one time there was a railway that passed through the Center, taking passengers all the way from the Boston area to Benson's. A rail depot stand remained on nearby Greeley Street through the 1970s. The acreage of Benson's Wild Animal Farm was purchased by the town and is now a park for passive recreation. Greeley Field, a popular park located in Hudson Center, contains a playground,Little Leaguebaseball diamond, andbasketball courts, where pick-up games still occur frequently. ARevolutionary War-era cemetery and an old school house (now housing) on Kimball Hill Road are located nearby.
According to theKöppen Climate Classification system, Hudson has awarm-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.
| Climate data for Hudson, New Hampshire, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1985–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 70 (21) | 75 (24) | 86 (30) | 94 (34) | 95 (35) | 98 (37) | 102 (39) | 99 (37) | 95 (35) | 85 (29) | 79 (26) | 74 (23) | 102 (39) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 55.3 (12.9) | 57.3 (14.1) | 67.1 (19.5) | 81.3 (27.4) | 88.8 (31.6) | 92.2 (33.4) | 94.0 (34.4) | 92.2 (33.4) | 88.8 (31.6) | 78.4 (25.8) | 69.2 (20.7) | 59.4 (15.2) | 95.6 (35.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 33.5 (0.8) | 36.5 (2.5) | 44.7 (7.1) | 57.9 (14.4) | 68.9 (20.5) | 77.7 (25.4) | 83.4 (28.6) | 81.8 (27.7) | 74.2 (23.4) | 61.3 (16.3) | 49.3 (9.6) | 38.9 (3.8) | 59.0 (15.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 23.2 (−4.9) | 25.0 (−3.9) | 33.8 (1.0) | 46.0 (7.8) | 57.3 (14.1) | 66.7 (19.3) | 72.3 (22.4) | 70.5 (21.4) | 62.5 (16.9) | 49.7 (9.8) | 38.8 (3.8) | 29.3 (−1.5) | 47.9 (8.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 12.9 (−10.6) | 13.5 (−10.3) | 22.9 (−5.1) | 34.1 (1.2) | 45.7 (7.6) | 55.6 (13.1) | 61.2 (16.2) | 59.1 (15.1) | 50.8 (10.4) | 38.0 (3.3) | 28.3 (−2.1) | 19.7 (−6.8) | 36.8 (2.7) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −7.4 (−21.9) | −4.6 (−20.3) | 3.5 (−15.8) | 21.0 (−6.1) | 30.3 (−0.9) | 41.0 (5.0) | 49.3 (9.6) | 46.5 (8.1) | 34.4 (1.3) | 23.6 (−4.7) | 13.4 (−10.3) | 1.2 (−17.1) | −10.3 (−23.5) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −23 (−31) | −18 (−28) | −11 (−24) | 14 (−10) | 24 (−4) | 33 (1) | 43 (6) | 37 (3) | 26 (−3) | 15 (−9) | −6 (−21) | −13 (−25) | −23 (−31) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.31 (84) | 3.21 (82) | 4.22 (107) | 4.06 (103) | 3.64 (92) | 4.16 (106) | 3.32 (84) | 3.75 (95) | 3.68 (93) | 4.66 (118) | 3.70 (94) | 4.35 (110) | 46.06 (1,168) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 17.1 (43) | 16.3 (41) | 14.6 (37) | 2.8 (7.1) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.6 (1.5) | 2.0 (5.1) | 13.4 (34) | 66.8 (168.7) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 11.8 | 10.7 | 12.2 | 12.2 | 13.1 | 11.9 | 11.0 | 10.5 | 9.5 | 11.2 | 11.2 | 12.0 | 137.3 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 7.7 | 7.9 | 6.1 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 5.8 | 30.4 |
| Source 1: NOAA[10] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service[11] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 1,064 | — | |
| 1800 | 1,267 | 19.1% | |
| 1810 | 1,376 | 8.6% | |
| 1820 | 1,227 | −10.8% | |
| 1830 | 1,282 | 4.5% | |
| 1840 | 1,144 | −10.8% | |
| 1850 | 1,312 | 14.7% | |
| 1860 | 1,222 | −6.9% | |
| 1870 | 1,066 | −12.8% | |
| 1880 | 1,045 | −2.0% | |
| 1890 | 1,092 | 4.5% | |
| 1900 | 1,261 | 15.5% | |
| 1910 | 1,344 | 6.6% | |
| 1920 | 1,954 | 45.4% | |
| 1930 | 2,702 | 38.3% | |
| 1940 | 3,409 | 26.2% | |
| 1950 | 4,183 | 22.7% | |
| 1960 | 5,876 | 40.5% | |
| 1970 | 10,638 | 81.0% | |
| 1980 | 14,022 | 31.8% | |
| 1990 | 19,530 | 39.3% | |
| 2000 | 22,928 | 17.4% | |
| 2010 | 24,467 | 6.7% | |
| 2020 | 25,394 | 3.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[2][12][13] | |||
As of thecensus[14] of 2010, there were 24,467 people, 8,900 households, and 6,683 families residing in the town. The population density was 864 inhabitants per square mile (334/km2). There were 9,212 housing units at an average density of 325.5 per square mile (125.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 93.0%White, 1.4%Black orAfrican American, 0.1%Native American, 3.0%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.9%some other race, and 1.6% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 2.9% of the population.[15]
There were 8,900 households, out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were headed bymarried couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73, and the average family size was 3.13.[15]
In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.9% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.[15]
For the period 2010–2012, the estimated median annual income for a household in the town was $83,640, and the median income for a family was $93,199. Male full-time workers had a median income of $62,038 versus $44,531 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $34,462. About 3.4% of families and 4.6% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 8.6% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.[16]
Hudson is the home of School Administrative Unit #81 of New Hampshire.
Hudson serves primarily as abedroom community for theGreater Boston metropolitan area, of which it is a part. In 2006, for example, there were an estimated 10,945 jobs in the public and private sector in Hudson, while the town's population was 24,729, with a civilian labor force of 14,818. The town's three largest employers are Benchmark Electronics,BAE Systems, and the Hudson School District.[4] Presstek is also headquartered in Hudson.
Three New Hampshire state routes traverse the town:
In addition to the three numbered state highways, about half of a two-mile section of the as-yet uncompletedCircumferential Highway also exists in Hudson. The road currently serves to connect Hudson to theEverett Turnpike in Nashua, using the Sagamore Bridge across the Merrimack River.
The nearest airports areBoire Field in Nashua andManchester–Boston Regional Airport along the border of Londonderry and Manchester. The nearest rail service is theLowell Line of theMBTA Commuter Rail which can be accessed at theCharles A. Gallagher Transit Terminal in Lowell, Massachusetts. The nearestAmtrak stations are Boston'sNorth Station orSouth Station. The nearest intercity bus depot is at the Nashua Transit Center in Nashua. Hudson currently has no public transportation in the town; though a street trolley formerly ran through the town connecting it to neighboring communities.
Two small recreational lakes exist within the town borders. Robinson (or Robinson's) Pond in the northern part of the town features a public access beach and boat ramp that can be accessed via Robinson Road. Otternic Pond (locally called "Tonic Pond"), located between Hudson Center and Hudson Village, has a public boat landing (Claveau Landing) that can be accessed off Highland Street. Both ponds are often used for fishing during the summer and skating and ice hockey during the winter. Musquash Pond (or Swamp), located in the southern part of the town, is a wild bird sanctuary and is utilized as a breeding ground by several threatened and endangered species of birds. In the early 1900s hunters would travel by horse from as far asDerry to camp and stalk game in the renownedswamp.
Benson's Wild Animal Farm reopened in May 2010 as Benson Park, a town park for recreational use. The park includes trails for walking, biking and hiking, several ponds, wildlife blinds, picnic areas, a children's playground, dog parks and a park store. There is no admission fee. Much work has been done and is ongoing to rehabilitate and maintain the park's trails, gardens, landscaping, and remaining buildings. The Old Lady in the Shoe, the gorilla house, the elephant barn, the A-Frame roof and other structures including the train stop building have been repaired. Cage concerts are held in the elephant barn cage. An official grand opening and re-dedication was held September 2010. The park is home to the largest9/11 memorial in the state.[17]
Hills Memorial Library, located in Hudson Village, was one of the oldest public lending libraries in the state before its closing in 2009, and is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places. While no longer open to the public, the building remains a prominent landmark in Hudson Village.
Two publicgolf courses exist in Hudson, the Whip-Poor-Will Golf Club offRoute 102 and the Green Meadow Golf Club on Steele Road (offRoute 3A/Lowell Road).
A 1/4-mile paved racetrack, the Hudson Speedway, lies near the northern edge of town by the intersection of Old Derry Road and Robinson Road. It can be accessed off Route 102. It hosts races from theNASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.
Places adjacent to Hudson, New Hampshire | |
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Municipalities and communities ofHillsborough County, New Hampshire,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other villages | ||
