New Boston, New Hampshire | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Town Hall | |
 Seal | |
| Nickname: Gravity Center of the World | |
 Location inHillsborough County,New Hampshire | |
| Coordinates:42°58′33″N71°41′30″W / 42.97583°N 71.69167°W /42.97583; -71.69167 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Hillsborough |
| Incorporated | 1763 |
| Government | |
| • Select Board |
|
| Area | |
• Total | 43.2 sq mi (111.9 km2) |
| • Land | 42.8 sq mi (110.9 km2) |
| • Water | 0.4 sq mi (1.0 km2) 0.92% |
| Elevation | 420 ft (130 m) |
| Population (2020)[2] | |
• Total | 6,108 |
| • Density | 143/sq mi (55.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP code | 03070 |
| Area code | 603 |
| FIPS code | 33-50740 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0873674 |
| Website | www |
New Boston is atown inHillsborough County,New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,108 at the2020 census,[2] up from 5,321 at the 2010 census.[3] New Boston is home to the annual Hillsborough County Agricultural Fair and the Molly Stark Cannon. The 1743 cannon, which appears on the town seal, was given by GeneralJohn Stark to the New Boston Artillery Company after theBattle of Bennington.[4]
The town's central village is listed as theNew Boston census-designated place, with a population in 2020 of 326.
The town was first granted in 1736 bycolonial governorJonathan Belcher ofMassachusetts andNew Hampshire. At the time, lands to the west of theMerrimack River, disputed between the two provinces, were treated by Belcher as part of Massachusetts, and he granted the town to severalBoston families. It was to have been called "Lanestown" or "Piscataquog Township", but by 1751 they called it "New Boston" after their hometown. Not all the grantees took up their claims, and the land was regranted 10 years later to settlers fromLondonderry, New Hampshire. When the town was incorporated in 1763, GovernorBenning Wentworth formally recognized the long-used name of "New Boston".[5]
In 1820, the town had 25sawmills, sixgrain mills, two clothing mills, twocarding mills, twotanneries and abark mill. It also had 14 schoolhouses and atavern. The Great Village Fire of 1887, which started when a spark from acooper's shop set a barn on fire, destroyed nearly 40 buildings in the lower village. In 1893, therailroad came to New Boston, and farm produce was sent by rail to city markets.[6] Passenger service was discontinued in 1931, and the tracks were removed in 1935. Today the former grade is the multi-use New Boston Rail Trail.
The town is home to the 2,800-acre (1,100 ha)New Boston Space Force Station, which started as anArmy Air Corps bombing range in 1942. By 1960, it had become aU.S. Air Force base for tracking militarysatellites. In July 2021, the facility was given its current name and began operating as part of theUnited States Space Force. New Boston was also home to theGravity Research Foundation from the late 1940s through the mid-1960s. FounderRoger Babson placed it in New Boston because he believed it safe from nuclear fallout should New York or Boston be attacked.
Dodge's Store, in the center of town, was established in 1872 and was owned and operated by five generations of the Dodge family until 1994. Clarence H. Dodge started the family business, and ownership remained in the Dodge family until Malcom J. Dodge sold the business in 1994 due to a downturn in the economy. The store closed on August 29, 2011, due to the owner's financial problems, but has since been reopened under new ownership.[7]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 43.2 square miles (111.9 km2), of which 42.8 square miles (110.9 km2) are land and 0.39 square miles (1.0 km2) are water, comprising 0.92% of the town.[1] New Boston is drained by theSouth Branch andMiddle Branch of thePiscataquog River, except for the town's southeastern corner, which is drained by Joe English Brook, a tributary ofBaboosic Brook. The entire town is part of theMerrimack River watershed. Joe English Hill, elevation 1,285 feet (392 m) abovesea level and the highest point in the town, is in the south.
The town is crossed by state routes13,77, and136. The three state highways meet in the center of the town atNew Boston village.Klondike Corner is a low-density residential area in the southeastern part of the town.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 1,202 | — | |
| 1800 | 1,491 | 24.0% | |
| 1810 | 1,619 | 8.6% | |
| 1820 | 1,686 | 4.1% | |
| 1830 | 1,680 | −0.4% | |
| 1840 | 1,570 | −6.5% | |
| 1850 | 1,477 | −5.9% | |
| 1860 | 1,369 | −7.3% | |
| 1870 | 1,241 | −9.3% | |
| 1880 | 1,144 | −7.8% | |
| 1890 | 1,067 | −6.7% | |
| 1900 | 1,002 | −6.1% | |
| 1910 | 982 | −2.0% | |
| 1920 | 768 | −21.8% | |
| 1930 | 693 | −9.8% | |
| 1940 | 773 | 11.5% | |
| 1950 | 865 | 11.9% | |
| 1960 | 925 | 6.9% | |
| 1970 | 1,390 | 50.3% | |
| 1980 | 1,928 | 38.7% | |
| 1990 | 3,214 | 66.7% | |
| 2000 | 4,138 | 28.7% | |
| 2010 | 5,321 | 28.6% | |
| 2020 | 6,108 | 14.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[1][8] | |||
As of thecensus[9] of 2000, there were 4,138 people, 1,434 households, and 1,162 families residing in the town. The population density was 96.6 inhabitants per square mile (37.3/km2). There were 1,462 housing units at an average density of 34.1 per square mile (13.2/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.02%White, 0.36%African American, 0.10%Native American, 0.36%Asian, 0.31% fromother races, and 0.85% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.63% of the population.
There were 1,434 households, out of which 44.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.3% weremarried couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.9% were non-families. 12.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.4% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 5.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $66,020, and the median income for a family was $69,458. Males had a median income of $47,173 versus $32,417 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $26,488. About 3.1% of families and 4.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
New Boston is part of School Administrative Unit 19, along withGoffstown. New Boston Central School provides public elementary school through grade six for town residents. Students subsequently attendMountain View Middle School in Goffstown through eighth grade, followed byGoffstown High School.
New Boston is part ofNew Hampshire's 2nd congressional district,[10] represented by DemocratAnn McLane Kuster.
New Boston is served byNew Hampshire's 9th State Senate District.
New Boston'sfairgrounds are host to several events each year, including the Hillsborough County Fair, which usually takes place in September. The fair helps to preserve the agricultural roots of the area, and families can enjoy rides, exhibits, and the famous tractor pull.[11]
TheFourth of July celebration is one of the larger productions in the area, starting with a parade featuring an assortment of floats created by locals, marching bands, and emergency vehicles, winding through the center of town and ending at the fairgrounds. The annual firing of theMolly Stark cannon also takes place.
Places adjacent to New Boston, New Hampshire | |
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Municipalities and communities ofHillsborough County, New Hampshire,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
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| Other villages | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
