Center Harbor, New Hampshire

Last updated

Center Harbor, New Hampshire
Town
R6E Kona Fountain wide.jpg
Kona Fountain in the center of town, 2007
Center Harbor Town Seal.png
Seal
Motto: 
Winter Home of the M/S Mt. Washington
Belknap-Center-Harbor-NH.png
Location in Belknap County, New Hampshire
Coordinates: 43°42′29″N71°27′49″W / 43.70806°N 71.46361°W / 43.70806; -71.46361
Country United States
State New Hampshire
County Belknap
Incorporated 1797
Government
 •  Board of Selectmen
  • Richard Drenkhahn, Chair
  • William Ricciardi
  • Harry Viens
Area
[1]
 • Total16.3 sq mi (42.1 km2)
 • Land13.3 sq mi (34.4 km2)
 • Water3.0 sq mi (7.7 km2)  18.3%
Elevation
553 ft (169 m)
Population
 (2020) [2]
 • Total1,040
 • Density78/sq mi (30.3/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code
03226
Area code 603
FIPS code 33-10660
GNIS feature ID0873561
Website www.centerharbornh.org

Center Harbor is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town had a population of 1,040. [2] It is situated between Lake Winnipesaukee and Squam Lake.

Contents

History

Center Harbor separated from the town of New Hampton and was first incorporated in 1797. The town name is derived from two sources: its location, centered between Meredith and Moultonborough harbors, as well as from the Senter family, who were owners of a large amount of property in the area. The town was a landing place for lake steamers and stagecoaches, making it a popular summer resort. Center Harbor was a favorite spot of John Greenleaf Whittier, and the home of Dudley Leavitt, author of the first Farmers' Almanac in 1797. [3] Center Harbor is the winter home of the paddle steamer MS Mount Washington, the largest boat on Lake Winnipesaukee.

Senter House Senter House, Center Harbor (NYPL b11708174-G91F045 001F).tiff
Senter House

Center Harbor witnessed the first intercollegiate sporting event in the United States, as Harvard defeated Yale by two lengths in the first Harvard–Yale Regatta on August 3, 1852, on Lake Winnipesaukee. [4]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 16.3 square miles (42.1 km2), of which 13.3 sq mi (34.4 km2) are land and 3.0 sq mi (7.7 km2) are water, comprising 18.33% of the town. [1] It has several miles of shoreline on Squam Lake and another mile on Lake Winnipesaukee, where its main "harbor" lies. The town center sits eccentrically near Center Harbor's northeastern border, where it rises gently from the shore at the junction of New Hampshire Routes 25 and 25B. The commercial district including the town center extends for several hundred yards along NH 25 into the neighboring town of Moultonborough. The highest point in town, Sunset Hill, elevation 1,121 feet (342 m) above sea level, overlooks the town center from the west. Center Harbor lies fully within the Merrimack River watershed. [5]

View of the lake from Senter House by Nathan W. Pease Lake Winnipiseogee, from Senter House, Center Harbor, by Pease, N. W. (Nathan W.), 1836-1918.jpg
View of the lake from Senter House by Nathan W. Pease

NH 25 passes through the eastern edge of town, including the town center, connecting Meredith to the south with Moultonborough to the northeast. U.S. Route 3 and NH 25 pass north–south through the western part of town, connecting Meredith to the south with Holderness to the northwest. NH 25B leads from the town center west to US 3 and NH 25, forming a shortcut for through travelers on NH 25.

The Proctor Wildlife Sanctuary, owned by the Audubon Society of New Hampshire, occupies 47 acres (19 ha) of woodlands northwest of the town center. Adjacent to this property is Center Harbor Woods, a 225 acres (91 ha) conservation area owned by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust and protected by a conservation easement held by the Squam Lakes Conservation Society and the town of Center Harbor. The two properties abut a third conservation property in neighboring Moultonborough, resulting in a block of protected woodland comprising nearly 400 acres (160 ha).

Adjacent municipalities

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1800 263—
1810 34932.7%
1820 48639.3%
1830 57718.7%
1840 5841.2%
1850 543−7.0%
1860 484−10.9%
1870 446−7.9%
1880 52116.8%
1890 479−8.1%
1900 422−11.9%
1910 420−0.5%
1920 4220.5%
1930 382−9.5%
1940 355−7.1%
1950 45127.0%
1960 51113.3%
1970 5405.7%
1980 80849.6%
1990 99623.3%
2000 9960.0%
2010 1,09610.0%
2020 1,040−5.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [2] [6]
Nichols Memorial Library, 2007 R6E Nichols Mem Library.JPG
Nichols Memorial Library, 2007

As of the census [7] of 2000, there were 996 people, 414 households, and 293 families residing in the town. The population density was 74.4 inhabitants per square mile (28.7/km2). There were 653 housing units at an average density of 48.8 per square mile (18.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.80% White, 1.00% Hispanic or Latino and 0.80% Asian.

There were 414 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.75. In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 31.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $51,806, and the median income for a family was $55,938. Males had a median income of $35,526 versus $24,231 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,627. 6.7% of the population and 4.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.4% of those under the age of 18 and 5.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Government

In the New Hampshire Senate, Center Harbor is in the 2nd District, represented by Republican Bob Giuda. On the Executive Council of New Hampshire, Center Harbor is in the 1st District, represented by Republican Joseph Kenney. In the United States House of Representatives, Center Harbor is in New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district, represented by Democrat Ann McLane Kuster.

Economy

The Moulton House, c. 1910 The Moulton House, Center Harbor, NH.jpg
The Moulton House, c. 1910

Aside from small dairy and truck farms, the community's main industry is tourism. Restaurants and motels dot the shoreline, with a beach and playground at the town's center which is shared by residents of Moultonborough.

Education

Steamer Landing, 1906 Landing, Center Harbor, NH.jpg
Steamer Landing, 1906

Center Harbor's one-room schoolhouse closed in the 1970s, and students now attend Inter-Lakes Elementary and Inter-Lakes Junior-Senior High in Meredith, joining students from that town and from Sandwich. During the period 1963–1973, a college existed in Center Harbor. Named Belknap College, it occupied several locations in town, using old hotels for dorms, though the academic campus was located several miles away. Anchored by a mansion recently used for the New Hampshire Music Festival, and several other buildings, the campus was a center of activity.

The town was the home of Immaculate Conception Apostolic School, an all-male Roman Catholic boarding school, educating between 80 and 100 students from grades 7 to 12. It is sponsored by the Legionaries of Christ, a religious congregation of the Roman Catholic Church. It was listed for sale in 2021.

Notable people

Culture

Center Harbor hosts a Fourth of July celebration featuring a road race (including a children's race around the library), parade, band concert, and fireworks over the lake. The Center Harbor Town Band, founded in 1878, offers free concerts on Fridays in the summer. In the winter, the town is a stop for snowmobile enthusiasts.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belknap County, New Hampshire</span> County in New Hampshire, United States

Belknap County is a county in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of the 2020 census, the population was 63,705. The county seat is Laconia. It is located in New Hampshire's Lakes Region, slightly southeast of the state's geographic center. Belknap County comprises the Laconia, NH Micropolitan Statistical Area, which in turn constitutes a portion of the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT Combined Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alton, New Hampshire</span> Town in New Hampshire, United States

Alton is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,894 at the 2020 census, up from 5,250 at the 2010 census. It is home to Alton Bay State Forest and Mount Major State Forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gilford, New Hampshire</span> Town in New Hampshire, United States

Gilford is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 7,699 at the 2020 census, up from 7,126 at the 2010 census. Situated on Lake Winnipesaukee, Gilford is home to Governors Island, Ellacoya State Beach, Belknap Mountain State Forest, Gunstock Mountain Resort, and the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, a seasonal outdoor concert venue. The lakeside village of Glendale lies within Gilford's borders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laconia, New Hampshire</span> City in New Hampshire, United States

Laconia is a city in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 16,871 at the 2020 census, up from 15,951 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Belknap County. Laconia, situated between Lake Winnipesaukee and Lake Winnisquam, includes the villages of Lakeport and Weirs Beach. Each June, the city hosts Laconia Motorcycle Week, also more simply known as "Bike Week", one of the country's largest rallies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Hampton, New Hampshire</span> Town in New Hampshire, United States

New Hampton is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,377 at the 2020 census. A winter sports resort area, New Hampton is home to George Duncan State Forest and to the New Hampton School, a private preparatory school established in 1821.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sanbornton, New Hampshire</span> Town in New Hampshire, United States

Sanbornton is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,026 at the 2020 census. It includes the villages of North Sanbornton and Gaza.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tilton, New Hampshire</span> Town in New Hampshire, United States

Tilton is a town on the Winnipesaukee River in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,962 at the 2020 census, up from 3,567 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of Tilton and Lochmere and part of the village of Winnisquam. Tilton is home to the Tilton School, a private preparatory school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moultonborough, New Hampshire</span> Town in New Hampshire, United States

Moultonborough is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,918 at the 2020 census, up from 4,044 at the 2010 census. Moultonborough is bounded in large part by Lake Winnipesaukee in the southwest and to a lesser extent by Squam Lake in the northwestern corner. The town includes the census-designated place of Suissevale and the community of Lees Mill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandwich, New Hampshire</span> Town in New Hampshire, United States

Sandwich is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. Its population was 1,466 at the 2020 census. Sandwich includes the villages of Center Sandwich and North Sandwich. Part of the White Mountain National Forest is in the north, and part of Squam Lake is in the southwestern corner of the town. As such, Sandwich lies on the boundary between New Hampshire's Lakes Region and White Mountains Region. The Sandwich Range of the White Mountains lies partially within the town, as does the namesake Sandwich Mountain. The town is home to the Sandwich Fair, a popular agricultural fair that occurs every October.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Winnipesaukee</span> Lake in New Hampshire, U.S.

Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, located in the Lakes Region at the foothills of the White Mountains. It is approximately 21 miles (34 km) long (northwest-southeast) and from 1 to 9 miles wide (northeast-southwest), covering 69 square miles (179 km2)—71 square miles (184 km2) when Paugus Bay is included—with a maximum depth of 180 feet (55 m). The center area of the lake is called The Broads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meredith (CDP), New Hampshire</span> Census-designated place in New Hampshire, United States

Meredith is a census-designated place (CDP) and the main village in the town of Meredith in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,527 at the 2020 census, out of 6,662 in the entire town of Meredith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meredith, New Hampshire</span> Town in New Hampshire, United States

Meredith is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,662 at the 2020 census. Meredith is situated in the state's Lakes Region and serves as a major resort town. Meredith Village, the commercial center of the town, lies long the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, and several other large lakes lie partially or completely within the town borders. It is home to the Stonedam Island Natural Area and the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad, and it serves as one of the ports of call for the MS Mount Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wolfeboro (CDP), New Hampshire</span> Census-designated place in New Hampshire, United States

Wolfeboro is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Wolfeboro in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. It consists of the main village of Wolfeboro within the town, as well as the smaller village of Wolfeboro Falls. The population of the CDP was 3,300 at the 2020 census, out of 6,416 in the entire town of Wolfeboro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakes Region (New Hampshire)</span> Region in New Hampshire, United States

The Lakes Region of New Hampshire is located in the east-central part of the state, south of the White Mountains Region and extending to the Maine border. It is named for the numerous lakes in the region, the largest of which are Lake Winnipesaukee, Lake Winnisquam, Squam Lake, and Newfound Lake. The area comprises all of Belknap County, the southern portion of Carroll County, the eastern portion of Grafton County, and the northern portions of Strafford County and Merrimack County. The largest municipality is the city of Laconia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squam Lake</span> Lake in Belknap County, New Hampshire

Squam Lake is a lake located in the Lakes Region of central New Hampshire, United States, south of the White Mountains, straddling the borders of Grafton, Carroll, and Belknap counties. The largest town center on the lake is Holderness. The lake is located northwest of much larger Lake Winnipesaukee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Hampshire Route 25</span> State highway in New Hampshire, US

New Hampshire Route 25 is a 96.62-mile (155.49 km) long east–west state highway in New Hampshire. It runs completely across the state from Vermont to Maine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melvin Village, New Hampshire</span> Census-designated place in New Hampshire, United States

Melvin Village is a census-designated place (CDP) within the town of Tuftonboro in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. Its population at the 2020 census was 273. The village is a summer vacation spot on Melvin Bay of Lake Winnipesaukee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Center Sandwich, New Hampshire</span> Census-designated place in New Hampshire, United States

Center Sandwich is a census-designated place in the town of Sandwich in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. It is the primary settlement in the town and had a population of 156 at the 2020 census. The village center and surrounding area are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Center Sandwich Historic District.

Suissevale is a private subdivision in the town of Moultonborough in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. It is located between New Hampshire Route 109 and Moultonborough Bay, an arm of Lake Winnipesaukee. The subdivision is listed as a census-designated place (CDP) and had a year-round population of 328 as of the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashland (CDP), New Hampshire</span> Census-designated place in New Hampshire, United States

Ashland is a census-designated place (CDP) and the main village in the town of Ashland in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population of the CDP was 1,082 at the 2020 census, out of 1,938 in the entire town.

References

  1. 1 2 "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files – New Hampshire". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Center Harbor town, Belknap County, New Hampshire: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Dudley Leavitt of Center Harbor, NH". Lake Winnipesaukee Historical Society. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  4. ↑ McKenna, Robert (2003). The Dictionary of Nautical Literacy. McGraw-Hill Professional Reference. p. 157. ISBN   0-07-141950-0.
  5. ↑ Foster, Debra H.; Batorfalvy, Tatianna N.; Medalie, Laura (1995). Water Use in New Hampshire: An Activities Guide for Teachers. U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey.
  6. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  7. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  8. ↑ "Roadside History: Sign marks home site of Dudley Leavitt (1772-1851), publisher of one of nation's first farmer's almanacs" . New Hampshire Union Leader . February 28, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.