Woodsville, New Hampshire | |
|---|---|
 View of Woodsville, NH, from the north | |
  Woodsville  Woodsville | |
| Coordinates:44°9′08″N72°2′13″W / 44.15222°N 72.03694°W /44.15222; -72.03694 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Grafton |
| Town | Haverhill |
| Area | |
• Total | 1.88 sq mi (4.86 km2) |
| • Land | 1.85 sq mi (4.79 km2) |
| • Water | 0.027 sq mi (0.07 km2) |
| Elevation | 456 ft (139 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 1,431 |
| • Density | 773.6/sq mi (298.68/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 03785 |
| Area code | 603 |
| FIPS code | 33-87140 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0870998 |
Woodsville is acensus-designated place (CDP) and the largest village in the town ofHaverhill inGrafton County,New Hampshire, United States, along theConnecticut River at the mouth of theAmmonoosuc River. The population was 1,431 at the2020 census.[2] AlthoughNorth Haverhill is now the county seat of Grafton County,[3] the village of Woodsville has traditionally been considered the county seat, as the county courthouse was originally located there. The county buildings are now located halfway between Woodsville and the village of North Haverhill to the south.
Woodsville was named for John L. Woods, a figure in its early development. He arrived fromWells River, Vermont, a village across theConnecticut River narrows inNewbury, and in 1829 purchased asawmill which had been operating on theAmmonoosuc River since 1811. He manufacturedpine lumber, and opened a store in his house.[4] Springsnowmelt carriedlog drives down the Connecticut and Ammonoosuc rivers. Alog boom was built across the Connecticut River to Wells River to hold the logs briefly for sorting. Logs not destined for Woods' mill were released gradually to avoid jams in the Ox Bow meadow downstream. Log drivers detailed to work at the boom enjoyed Woodsville's saloons andred-light district.[5]
The Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad opened at Woodsville in 1853 and built its division offices and a branch repair shop. It replaced the original 1805 bridge between the states with a two-level span, featuring a toll highway below and railroad tracks on the roof.[6] The village boomed into an importantrailway town andjunction, endowed with fine examples ofVictorian architecture. It also became a center for legal affairs. The log drives were stopped after 1915, when pleasure boat owners complained about the hazards to navigation.[7] In 1889, the Grafton County Court moved from Haverhill Corner to Woodsville, where it remained until moving halfway to North Haverhill in 1972.[8]
Woodsville is in the northwest corner of the town of Haverhill, bordered to the north by the town ofBath and to the west by theConnecticut River, which forms the state border withVermont. According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2), of which 1.9 square miles (4.8 km2) are land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 1.46%, are water.[9] TheAmmonoosuc River runs just north of the CDP and reaches itsconfluence with the Connecticut River at the northernmost point in the community.
Woodsville is crossed byU.S. Route 302 and by state routes10 and135. US 302 leads northeast 21 miles (34 km) toLittleton and west across the Connecticut River toWells River, Vermont, and 3 miles (5 km) toInterstate 91. Route 10 leads south from Woodsville 37 miles (60 km) toHanover, and Route 135 leads north 20 miles (32 km) toInterstate 93 northwest of Littleton.
Woodsville serves as the commercial center for the town of Haverhill and the surrounding communities, including several just to the west inVermont. Many of the town's commercial businesses, including supermarkets, sit-down and fast-food restaurants, and banks, are located near the junction of US 302 and NH 10. Cottage Hospital, a critical-access hospital serving the area, is also located in Woodsville.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1,542 | — | |
| 1960 | 1,596 | 3.5% | |
| 1970 | 1,336 | −16.3% | |
| 1980 | 1,195 | −10.6% | |
| 1990 | 1,122 | −6.1% | |
| 2000 | 1,081 | −3.7% | |
| 2010 | 1,126 | 4.2% | |
| 2020 | 1,431 | 27.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] | |||
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,126 people, 482 households, and 293 families residing in the CDP. There were 558 housing units, of which 76, or 13.6%, were vacant. The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.5%white, 0.2%African American, 0.5%Native American, 1.5%Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.3%some other race, and 1.9% from two or more races. 1.2% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.[11]
Of the 482 households in the CDP, 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.1% were headed bymarried couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34, and the average family size was 2.87.[11]
23.9% of residents in the CDP were under the age of 18, 9.4% were from age 18 to 24, 26.3% were from 25 to 44, 28.1% ere from 45 to 64, and 12.3% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.[11]
For the period 2011–15, the estimated median annual income for a household was $40,708, and the median income for a family was $34,635. Theper capita income for the CDP was $14,945. About 28.4% of the population and 20.3% of families were below thepoverty line, including 40.1% of those under age 18.[12]
In Robert Frost's narrative poem, "A Hundred Collars" (North of Boston), Doctor Magoon is forced to share a room overnight with the loquacious Lafe in Woodsville, "a place of shrieks and wandering lamps/And cars that shook and rattle—and one hotel."[citation needed]
In 2017, theOxygen network produced a six-part television documentaryminiseries titledTheDisappearance of Maura Murray, hosted by journalist Maggie Freleng.[14]
Municipalities and communities ofGrafton County, New Hampshire,United States | ||
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