Chesterfield, New Hampshire | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Town hall and historical society | |
 Seal | |
 Location inCheshire County,New Hampshire | |
| Coordinates:42°53′14″N72°28′13″W / 42.88722°N 72.47028°W /42.88722; -72.47028 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Cheshire |
| Incorporated | 1752 |
| Villages |
|
| Government | |
| • Board of Selectmen |
|
| • Town Administrator | Alissa Thompson |
| Area | |
• Total | 47.5 sq mi (123.1 km2) |
| • Land | 45.6 sq mi (118.0 km2) |
| • Water | 2.0 sq mi (5.1 km2) 4.17% |
| Elevation | 853 ft (260 m) |
| Population (2020)[2] | |
• Total | 3,552 |
| • Density | 78/sq mi (30.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP codes | |
| Area code | 603 |
| FIPS code | 33-12260 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0873565 |
| Website | www |
Chesterfield is atown inCheshire County,New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,552 at the2020 census.[2] It includes the villages ofSpofford andWest Chesterfield. Chesterfield is home toSpofford Lake,Chesterfield Gorge Natural Area, and parts ofPisgah State Park and Wantastiquet Mountain State Forest.
Granted in 1735 by GovernorJonathan Belcher ofMassachusetts, this town was the site of Fort Number 1, first in the line of forts bordering theConnecticut River. After the border between Massachusetts andNew Hampshire was fixed, the town was incorporated on February 11, 1752[3] by GovernorBenning Wentworth as Chesterfield, named forPhilip Stanhope,4th Earl of Chesterfield. The first settlers were Moses Smith and William Thomas, who, with their families, came up the Connecticut in canoes, in the fall of 1761. Their chief subsistence through the winter and spring of their first year in the wilderness consisted ofsalmon andshad, of which there was a great abundance in the river, and deer, which were numerous in the forests.[3] The town contains some of the finest farmland in Cheshire County, yet once was also home to small manufacturing, notablyspinning wheel parts and hand tools.[4]
In 1772,Philip Embury conducted the firstMethodist religious services in New Hampshire at the James Robertson farm in Chesterfield, and in 1803,Francis Asbury preached here.Asbury Church is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places and is recognized for its historicpuritan design. Asbury Church is considered the "Mother Church of Methodism" in New Hampshire, and is the oldest Methodist church in the state. The town has had continual Methodist Sunday services for over 225 years.[5]
Chesterfield Academy, established in 1794, was for decades one of the most celebrated in the state.[6]Spofford Lake is one of the region's largest and oldest resorts.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 47.5 square miles (123.1 km2), of which 45.6 square miles (118.0 km2) are land and 2.0 square miles (5.1 km2), or 4.17%, are water.[1] Chesterfield is bounded on the west by theConnecticut River. The highest point in the town is near its southern border, atop Davis Hill, at 1,427 feet (435 m) abovesea level. Chesterfield lies fully within theConnecticut Riverwatershed.[7]
The town is served by state routes9 and63.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 1,905 | — | |
| 1800 | 2,161 | 13.4% | |
| 1810 | 1,839 | −14.9% | |
| 1820 | 2,110 | 14.7% | |
| 1830 | 2,040 | −3.3% | |
| 1840 | 1,765 | −13.5% | |
| 1850 | 1,680 | −4.8% | |
| 1860 | 1,434 | −14.6% | |
| 1870 | 1,289 | −10.1% | |
| 1880 | 1,173 | −9.0% | |
| 1890 | 1,046 | −10.8% | |
| 1900 | 981 | −6.2% | |
| 1910 | 770 | −21.5% | |
| 1920 | 601 | −21.9% | |
| 1930 | 704 | 17.1% | |
| 1940 | 591 | −16.1% | |
| 1950 | 970 | 64.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,405 | 44.8% | |
| 1970 | 1,817 | 29.3% | |
| 1980 | 2,561 | 40.9% | |
| 1990 | 3,112 | 21.5% | |
| 2000 | 3,542 | 13.8% | |
| 2010 | 3,604 | 1.8% | |
| 2020 | 3,552 | −1.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[2][8] | |||
As of thecensus[9] of 2000, there were 3,542 people, 1,366 households, and 1,005 families residing in the town. The population density was 77.7 inhabitants per square mile (30.0/km2). There were 1,632 housing units at an average density of 35.8 per square mile (13.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.80%White, 0.23%African American, 0.56%Native American, 0.17%Asian, 0.08% fromother races, and 1.16% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.56% of the population.
There were 1,366 households, out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.5% weremarried couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 30.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $51,351, and the median income for a family was $58,516. Males had a median income of $44,087 versus $26,547 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $25,051. About 4.9% of families and 4.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.
coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859.
Places adjacent to Chesterfield, New Hampshire | |
|---|---|
Municipalities and communities ofCheshire County, New Hampshire,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| City |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other villages | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
