Mason, New Hampshire | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Uncle Sam's house | |
 Seal | |
 Location inHillsborough County,New Hampshire | |
| Coordinates:42°44′37″N71°46′08″W / 42.74361°N 71.76889°W /42.74361; -71.76889 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Hillsborough |
| Incorporated | 1768 |
| Government | |
| • Board of Selectmen | Kate Batcheller, Chair Charles Moser John Suiter |
| Area | |
• Total | 24.0 sq mi (62.1 km2) |
| • Land | 23.9 sq mi (62.0 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.1 km2) 0.23% |
| Elevation | 745 ft (227 m) |
| Population (2020)[2] | |
• Total | 1,448 |
| • Density | 61/sq mi (23.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP codes | 03048 (Mason) 03086 (Wilton) |
| Area code | 603 |
| FIPS code | 33-46260 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0873661 |
| Website | masonnh |
Mason is atown inHillsborough County,New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,448 at the2020 census.[2] Mason, together withWilton, is home to Russell-Abbott State Forest.
Mason was first known as "Number One", the easternmost in a line of border towns including area allotted to theProvince of New Hampshire after its border with neighboringMassachusetts was fixed in 1739. The town was granted its own charter in 1749 by colonial governorBenning Wentworth, and in 1768 his nephew, GovernorJohn Wentworth, named it in honor of New Hampshire's founder, CaptainJohn Mason, who along with SirFerdinando Gorges had been granted the territory in 1622 by the Council of New England. In 1629 the land grant was split between the two proprietors, with Gorges retaining the eastern portion of the territory (present-dayMaine), and Mason holding the patent with title to the land that became New Hampshire.
Greenville was set off from Mason in 1872.[3]
Near the center of Mason is the boyhood home ofSamuel Wilson, the meat supplier who is believed to have inspired theUncle Sam character. The private house is today identified by a state historical marker. Another prominent local figure wasElizabeth Orton Jones, an author, illustrator and teacher better known as "Twig". Jones is noted for her recording of town history and her dedication toAndy's Summer Playhouse, a renowned youth theater founded in Mason.[citation needed] Pickity Place, a local cottage built in 1759 by Ebenezer Blood, was the model for the grandmother's house in Jones' 1948 illustrated version of "Little Red Riding Hood". Pickity Place was created by David and Judith Walter.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 24.0 square miles (62.1 km2), of which 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2) are water, comprising 0.23% of the town.[1] Mason is drained to the east by Spaulding Brook, Gould Mill Brook, and Wallace Brook, tributaries of theNissitissit River, and to the south by Walker Brook, a tributary of theSquannacook River in Massachusetts. The Nissitissit and Squannacook are both tributaries of theNashua River, and the entire town is thereby part of theMerrimack River watershed. The town's highest point is 1,100 feet (340 m) abovesea level, on an unnamed summit near the border with Greenville.
Mason is bordered byNew Ipswich andGreenville to the west,Wilton to the north,Milford to the northeast,Brookline to the east, andAshby, Massachusetts, andTownsend, Massachusetts, to the south.
The town is served by state routes31,123 and124.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 922 | — | |
| 1800 | 1,179 | 27.9% | |
| 1810 | 1,077 | −8.7% | |
| 1820 | 1,313 | 21.9% | |
| 1830 | 1,403 | 6.9% | |
| 1840 | 1,275 | −9.1% | |
| 1850 | 1,626 | 27.5% | |
| 1860 | 1,559 | −4.1% | |
| 1870 | 1,364 | −12.5% | |
| 1880 | 645 | −52.7% | |
| 1890 | 629 | −2.5% | |
| 1900 | 459 | −27.0% | |
| 1910 | 325 | −29.2% | |
| 1920 | 278 | −14.5% | |
| 1930 | 254 | −8.6% | |
| 1940 | 249 | −2.0% | |
| 1950 | 288 | 15.7% | |
| 1960 | 349 | 21.2% | |
| 1970 | 518 | 48.4% | |
| 1980 | 792 | 52.9% | |
| 1990 | 1,212 | 53.0% | |
| 2000 | 1,147 | −5.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,382 | 20.5% | |
| 2020 | 1,448 | 4.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[2][4] | |||
As of thecensus[5] of 2000, there were 1,147 people, 433 households, and 328 families residing in the town. The population density was 48.0 inhabitants per square mile (18.5/km2). There were 455 housing units at an average density of 19.0 per square mile (7.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.08%White, 0.17%African American, 0.09%Native American, 0.44%Asian, 0.44%Pacific Islander, and 0.78% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.96% of the population.
There were 433 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% weremarried couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $60,433, and the median income for a family was $61,908. Males had a median income of $43,558 versus $26,042 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $28,503. About 3.6% of families and 3.4% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.
Mason is immediately north of the Massachusetts border, with the center of town about 3 miles (5 km) from the state line. At the center of town are five public buildings: the library, elementary school, meetinghouse, church, and police station, all situated where Darling Hill, Old Ashby, Merriam Hill, Meetinghouse Hill and Valley roads meet. The students at the public middle and high school are tuitioned toMilford, which is northeast of Mason. To the west is Greenville, location of the shared post office. On Depot Road, less than a mile down the hill from town center, is the Volunteer Fire and EMS Department and Town Highway Department.
coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859
Places adjacent to Mason, New Hampshire | |
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Municipalities and communities ofHillsborough County, New Hampshire,United States | ||
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| Other villages | ||
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