Conway, New Hampshire | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Town Hall (right) inCenter Conway | |
 Seal | |
 Location inCarroll County, New Hampshire | |
| Coordinates:43°58′43″N71°07′08″W / 43.97861°N 71.11889°W /43.97861; -71.11889 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Carroll |
| Incorporated | 1765 |
| Villages | |
| Government | |
| • Type | New England town |
| • Board of Selectmen |
|
| • Town Manager | John Eastman |
| Area | |
• Total | 71.7 sq mi (185.8 km2) |
| • Land | 69.5 sq mi (180.0 km2) |
| • Water | 2.2 sq mi (5.8 km2) 3.14% |
| Elevation | 466 ft (142 m) |
| Population (2020)[2] | |
• Total | 9,822 |
| • Density | 141/sq mi (54.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP codes | |
| Area code | 603 |
| FIPS code | 33-14660 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0873570 |
| Website | conwaynh |
Conway is atown inCarroll County,New Hampshire, United States. It is the most populous community in the county, with a population of 9,822 at the2020 census,[2] down from 10,115 at the 2010 census.[3] The town is on the southeastern edge of theWhite Mountain National Forest. There are five villages in the town:Conway,North Conway,Center Conway,Redstone andKearsarge. Additionally, it shares a portion of the village ofIntervale with the neighboring town of Bartlett.[4]
Conway serves as the main economic and commercial hub for Carroll County. Tourism remains Conway's biggest economic engine, with numerous lodging and rental properties serving visitors to the eastern White Mountains and theMount Washington Valley, while the technology sector makes up the second largest source of employment. Sites of interest in the town include natural sites such as Cathedral Ledge (popular withclimbers),Echo Lake andConway Lake, as well as several nearby ski resorts. TheConway Scenic Railroad provides day trips to various locations. The village of North Conway features a popularoutlet shopping district.
The region was once home to thePequawketIndians, anAlgonquianAbenaki tribe. Along theSaco River they fished, hunted or farmed, and lived inwigwams sheltered withinstockades. In 1642, explorerDarby Field ofExeter paddled up the Saco in acanoe, and reported seeing "Pigwacket," an Indian community stretching from present-day Conway toFryeburg, Maine. The Pequawket tribe dwindled fromdisease, probablysmallpox brought from abroad. In May 1725, duringDummer's War, 36 men fromDunstable, Massachusetts led byJohn Lovewell skirmished with the Pequawket. The Pequawket losses are not known but the result of the day's battle was the withdrawal of the tribe from the area.
In 1765,colonial GovernorBenning Wentworth chartered sixty-five men to establish "Conway", named forHenry Seymour Conway, who was later named Commander in Chief of theBritish Army. To keep his land, a settler had to plant 5 acres (20,000 m2) for every fifty in his share, and to do it within five years. The first roads were built in 1766. Construction of the first meetinghouse began at Redstone. Never completed, it could only be used in summer, with services held whenever a minister visited. Eventually, the partly finished meetinghouse was moved to Center Conway. In 1775, the town raised small sums to build two schoolhouses, one in North Conway. By 1849, however, the town had twenty school districts.
By the middle-19th century, artists had discovered the romantic beauties of theWhite Mountains, and "Artist Falls Brook" became a favorite setting forlandscape paintings. KingEdward VII of the United Kingdom bought twelve White Mountain paintings to hang inWindsor Castle. Among the artists to work here wereAsher B. Durand andBenjamin Champney, the latter known to paintMount Washington while sitting in the middle of Main Street.
ThePortsmouth, Great Falls and Conway Railroad entered Conway in 1871. Therailroad was bought by theBoston & Maine, and joined in town by rivalMaine Central. They transportedfreight, mostly wood and wood products, away from Conway, and they brought tourists. Numerous inns and taverns were built in the 19th and 20th centuries, and tourism remains today a principal business. The firstski trail began operating in 1936 atMount Cranmore, whereHannes Schneider ofAustria provided instruction starting in 1939. In 1959, theKancamagus Highway opened, connecting Conway withLincoln. It travels through Kancamagus Pass, named for aPennacook chief, and at 2,850 feet (870 m) abovesea level is the highest paved through-road in New Hampshire.
Since the 1930s, the population of the nearby city ofBerlin has decreased significantly, from 20,018 in 1930 to 10,051 in 2010. This decline, coupled with the population increase in Conway and the surrounding community, has led to higher levels of economic development in the Conway area than the rest of northern New Hampshire. Conway has both a tourism-based economy andservice economy. As of 2002, the largest employer in the town was Memorial Hospital, employing 350 people, followed by the Conway School District,Hannaford Bros. Co., Red Jacket Resorts, andWalmart.[5]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 71.7 square miles (185.8 km2), of which 69.5 square miles (180.0 km2) are land and 2.2 square miles (5.8 km2) are water, comprising 3.14% of the town.[1] Conway is drained by theSaco River and its tributary, theSwift River. The highest point in the town isBlack Cap at 2,369 feet (722 m) abovesea level.
Conway is divided into a number of separate villages. The largest isConway village, in the southwestern part of town, whileNorth Conway is known as a destination for outlet shopping.
The villages of Conway include:
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 574 | — | |
| 1800 | 705 | 22.8% | |
| 1810 | 1,080 | 53.2% | |
| 1820 | 1,365 | 26.4% | |
| 1830 | 1,601 | 17.3% | |
| 1840 | 1,811 | 13.1% | |
| 1850 | 1,767 | −2.4% | |
| 1860 | 1,624 | −8.1% | |
| 1870 | 1,607 | −1.0% | |
| 1880 | 2,094 | 30.3% | |
| 1890 | 2,331 | 11.3% | |
| 1900 | 3,154 | 35.3% | |
| 1910 | 3,413 | 8.2% | |
| 1920 | 3,102 | −9.1% | |
| 1930 | 3,217 | 3.7% | |
| 1940 | 3,651 | 13.5% | |
| 1950 | 4,109 | 12.5% | |
| 1960 | 4,298 | 4.6% | |
| 1970 | 4,865 | 13.2% | |
| 1980 | 7,158 | 47.1% | |
| 1990 | 7,940 | 10.9% | |
| 2000 | 8,604 | 8.4% | |
| 2010 | 10,115 | 17.6% | |
| 2020 | 9,822 | −2.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[2][6] | |||
As of the census of 2010, there were 10,115 people, 4,479 households, and 2,638 families residing in the town. The population density was 145.7 inhabitants per square mile (56.3/km2). There were 6,921 housing units at an average density of 99.7 units per square mile (38.5 units/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.9% White, 0.3%African American, 0.4%Native American, 1.0%Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.2% some other race, and 1.2% from two or more races. 1.0% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.[7]
There were 4,479 households, out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were headed bymarried couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22, and the average family size was 2.78.[7]
In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.7% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.[7]
For the period 2007–2011, the estimated median annual income for a household in the town was $44,700, and the median income for a family was $52,083. Male full-time workers had a median income of $36,337 versus $32,525 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $25,427. 12.5% of the population and 5.6% of families were below the poverty line, as well as 16.2% of people under the age of 18 and 13.2% of those 65 or older.[8]
Tourism plays a major role in Conway's economy, with the town providing access to the White Mountains. There is oneski area,Cranmore Mountain Resort, in Conway and several others nearby. North Conway is a major shopping destination withoutlet anddepartment stores. Hotels, bed and breakfasts, and inns can be found in every village, including the historicEastern Slope Inn in North Conway.
In addition to tourism, the Mount Washington Valley Economic Council has been growing thetechnology industry through business parks and economic assistance.[9] The largest technology employer in the region is The Echo Group, anelectronic health recordsoftware developer.[10]
With nearly 20% of Carroll County's population residing in Conway, the town is the commercial center for the county as well as a large area of rural westernMaine, with heavy development along the portion ofU.S. Route 302 andNew Hampshire Route 16 that are co-signed through town. In addition to the factory outlet stores, there are also big-box stores, supermarkets, restaurants, and hotels.[citation needed]
Conway has aNew England town form of government. The executive branch consists of the five-memberboard of selectmen who are elected, while the town manager is employed by the selectmen to be the chief administrator of the town. The legislative branch is theopen town meeting. The town adopted this form in 1956.
John Eastman is the town manager of Conway.[11]
A. Crosby Kennett High School, built in 1923, was located at 176 Main Street in Conway village until 2007, when a new building opened near the village of Redstone. The former high school building now houses the middle school.
Located in the center of the popularWhite Mountain National Forest, Conway is the major commercial center forBartlett,Jackson,Madison,Chatham,Eaton,Hart's Location, andAlbany, New Hampshire as well asFryeburg,Brownfield,Lovell, andStow, Maine. There are a number of restaurants, two breweries, the year-roundCranmore Mountain Resort, over a hundred local and national stores, and several museums and theatres.
TheMount Washington Observatory's Weather Discovery Center, located in downtown North Conway, provides information and interactive exhibits on Mount Washington and the weather that surrounds it, and affords visitors the opportunity to video-conference with observers on the summit.
Public bus service is operated by Tri-County Community Action Program Inc. The service, which is called the Blue Loon, operates five days a week.[14]
The nearest airport isEastern Slopes Regional Airport in Fryeburg, Maine. Eastern Slopes is ageneral aviation airport. Scheduled commercial service is available fromPortland International Jetport inPortland, Maine andManchester-Boston Regional Airport inManchester, New Hampshire. Bus service connects Conway and Manchester viaConcord Coach Lines.
Four New Hampshire State Routes, one U.S. Route, and one Maine State Route cross Conway.
Memorial Hospital is located in North Conway. Memorial has a 24-hour emergency department.
The freeConway Daily Sun is published in Conway. Two other papers,The Carroll County Independent andThe Mountain Ear also serve Conway. A localOutside Television affiliate broadcasts from North Conway. Several radio stations are based in or have outlets in Conway, includingWHOM,WMWV,WOKQ, andWVMJ.
Valley Vision, apublic-access network, is available on cable channel 3. The Town of Conway airs programming on Valley Vision under the name Conway Community Television (CCTV).
Places adjacent to Conway, New Hampshire | |
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Municipalities and communities ofCarroll County, New Hampshire,United States | ||
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| Towns |  | |
| Township | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other villages | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
