Greenville, New Hampshire

Not to be confused with Greenfield, New Hampshire.

Greenville, New Hampshire
Town
The Souhegan River in the center of Greenville
Location in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
Coordinates: 42°46′02″N71°48′44″W / 42.76722°N 71.81222°W / 42.76722; -71.81222
Country	United States
State	New Hampshire
County	Hillsborough
Incorporated	1872
Government
•  Board of Selectmen	Kathleen McNamara, Chair Douglas A. Reardon Trevor Josti
• Town Administrator	Tara Sousa
Area [1]
• Total	6.9 sq mi (17.8 km2)
• Land	6.9 sq mi (17.8 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	830 ft (250 m)
Population  (2020) [2]
• Total	1,974
• Density	287/sq mi (110.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code	03048
Area code	603
FIPS code	33-31940
GNIS feature ID	0873613
Website	www.greenvillenh.org

Greenville is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,974 at the 2020 census, ^[2] down from 2,105 at the 2010 census. ^[3] It is located at the junctions of New Hampshire routes 31, 45, and 123.

History

Print of Greenville from 1886 by L.R. Burleigh with a list of landmarks as well as an inset facsimile of an 1847 rendering of Mason Village

Once a part of Mason called "Mason Village", Greenville is one of the state's newest and smallest towns, incorporated in 1872. ^[4] It is located at the High Falls on the Souhegan River, whose plentiful water power provided the mill town with the state's first industries, making cotton and woolen goods. Because of the falls, Greenville was always a manufacturing center. The Columbian Manufacturing Company was established in 1826 to make textiles in both Greenville and neighboring New Ipswich. ^[5] The Columbian is long gone, but its fine brick buildings still dominate the village, kept company by Queen Anne style houses on side streets. The mills are now used for other businesses and storage, and one has been converted into housing for the elderly.

Greenville once had a Boston & Maine Railroad trestle. Before it was dismantled for safety reasons, local residents turned out one sunny afternoon to watch Bronson Potter, Mason resident and inventor, fly a private airplane underneath the span on a wager.^{[ citation needed ]} The railroad depot, which still stands, was once an important landmark that put the tiny towns of Mason and Greenville "on the map". It has since been turned into a Chinese restaurant and lounge.

• 
  Columbian Hotel c. 1880
• 
  Greenville in 1886
• 
  View of the mills in 1886
• 
  East Main Street in 1919
• 
  B. & M. trestle c. 1915

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.9 square miles (17.8 km²), all of it recorded as land. ^[1] The Greenville CDP, which includes the town center, occupies the northern part of the town and has an area of 3.4 sq mi (8.8 km²). The Souhegan River passes through the town center.

Greenville's highest point is Barrett Hill, near the western border of the town, with an elevation of 1,270 feet (390 m) above sea level. The northern half of the town is drained by the Souhegan River, while the southern half is drained by tributaries of Walker Brook and Mason Brook, which flow south to the Squannacook River, a tributary of the Nashua River in Massachusetts. The entire town is within the Merrimack River watershed. ^[6]

Adjacent municipalities

• Wilton (north)
• Mason (east and south)
• New Ipswich (west)
• Temple (northwest)

Roadways

Four state highways traverse Greenville. NH Route 31 enters the state in Mason from Ashby, Massachusetts, on MA Route 31. NH 31 intersects NH 124 before entering Greenville. NH 31 runs north-south for the entire length of the town before entering Wilton to the north. The highway shares a right-of-way with NH Route 123 which intersects it and runs north to Pleasant Street. Pleasant Street is the main access road to downtown Greenville from NH 31 in the south. NH 123 continues on a left turn in downtown Greenville and runs south to New Ipswich and NH 124. Further down Main Street in Greenville is the beginning of NH Route 45, which runs northwest to Temple, ending at NH Route 101. NH Route 124 crosses the southwest corner of Greenville but intersects no other highways within the town limits.

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Greenville has a warm-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

Climate data for Greenville, New Hampshire, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 2000–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	65 (18)	70 (21)	79 (26)	92 (33)	92 (33)	100 (38)	104 (40)	104 (40)	100 (38)	94 (34)	80 (27)	76 (24)	104 (40)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	54.7 (12.6)	54.5 (12.5)	62.7 (17.1)	76.5 (24.7)	86.6 (30.3)	89.5 (31.9)	91.1 (32.8)	87.7 (30.9)	85.7 (29.8)	74.9 (23.8)	67.3 (19.6)	56.1 (13.4)	92.9 (33.8)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	30.2 (−1.0)	34.2 (1.2)	41.5 (5.3)	54.7 (12.6)	66.3 (19.1)	74.1 (23.4)	79.4 (26.3)	77.8 (25.4)	70.4 (21.3)	57.9 (14.4)	46.3 (7.9)	35.5 (1.9)	55.7 (13.2)
Daily mean °F (°C)	22.3 (−5.4)	24.5 (−4.2)	31.9 (−0.1)	43.8 (6.6)	54.3 (12.4)	62.9 (17.2)	68.8 (20.4)	66.7 (19.3)	59.7 (15.4)	47.8 (8.8)	37.9 (3.3)	27.5 (−2.5)	45.7 (7.6)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	14.4 (−9.8)	14.8 (−9.6)	22.3 (−5.4)	32.8 (0.4)	42.4 (5.8)	51.7 (10.9)	58.2 (14.6)	55.7 (13.2)	48.9 (9.4)	37.7 (3.2)	29.5 (−1.4)	19.6 (−6.9)	35.7 (2.0)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	−4.1 (−20.1)	−1.1 (−18.4)	6.3 (−14.3)	22.1 (−5.5)	31.0 (−0.6)	41.1 (5.1)	48.7 (9.3)	46.4 (8.0)	34.9 (1.6)	25.3 (−3.7)	14.9 (−9.5)	3.3 (−15.9)	−7.0 (−21.7)
Record low °F (°C)	−20 (−29)	−16 (−27)	−10 (−23)	10 (−12)	24 (−4)	32 (0)	38 (3)	38 (3)	22 (−6)	10 (−12)	0 (−18)	−10 (−23)	−20 (−29)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	3.42 (87)	3.28 (83)	4.25 (108)	4.35 (110)	3.73 (95)	4.26 (108)	3.64 (92)	3.84 (98)	4.25 (108)	5.42 (138)	4.11 (104)	4.96 (126)	49.51 (1,257)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	19.2 (49)	19.2 (49)	15.7 (40)	2.9 (7.4)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.4 (1.0)	1.9 (4.8)	16.1 (41)	75.4 (192.2)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	9.0	7.2	8.6	9.3	10.9	10.5	9.0	8.4	7.9	9.4	8.7	9.2	108.1
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	6.1	5.4	4.2	1.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	1.2	4.0	22.3
Source 1: NOAA [7]
Source 2: National Weather Service (mean maxima and minima 2006–2020) [8]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	1,072		—
1890	1,255		17.1%
1900	1,608		28.1%
1910	1,374		−14.6%
1920	1,346		−2.0%
1930	1,319		−2.0%
1940	1,236		−6.3%
1950	1,280		3.6%
1960	1,385		8.2%
1970	1,587		14.6%
1980	1,988		25.3%
1990	2,231		12.2%
2000	2,224		−0.3%
2010	2,105		−5.4%
2020	1,974		−6.2%
U.S. Decennial Census [2] [9]

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,105 people, 861 households, and 537 families residing in the town. There were 933 housing units, of which 72, or 7.7%, were vacant. The racial makeup of the town was 97.0% white, 0.6% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.2% some other race, and 1.4% from two or more races. 2.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. ^[10]

Of the 861 households, 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were headed by married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44, and the average family size was 3.02. ^[10]

In the town, 23.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.0% were from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 32.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males. ^[10]

For the period 2011–2015, the estimated median annual income for a household was $52,602, and the median income for a family was $63,850. The per capita income for the town was $24,457. 13.8% of the population and 8.6% of families were below the poverty line. 24.9% of the population under the age of 18 and 11.7% of those 65 or older were living in poverty. ^[11]

Greenville presidential election results ^[12]

Year	Democratic	Republican	Third parties	Total Votes	Difference
2020	47.53% 501	50.47%532	1.99% 21	1,054	2.94%
2016	41.29% 379	53.70%493	5.01% 46	918	12.42%
2012	53.13%509	44.26% 424	2.61% 25	958	8.87%
2008	55.35%533	43.93% 423	0.73% 7	963	11.42%
2004	50.27%471	48.13% 451	1.60% 15	937	2.13%
2000	50.20%380	42.93% 325	6.87% 52	757	7.27%
1996	55.42%409	29.40% 217	15.18% 112	738	26.02%
1992	40.39%334	32.89% 272	26.72% 221	827	7.50%
1988	33.56% 245	65.48%478	0.96% 7	730	31.92%
1988	32.20% 247	67.41%517	0.39% 3	767	35.20%
1980	35.50% 257	51.10%370	13.40% 97	724	15.61%
1976	56.26%364	41.42% 268	2.32% 15	647	14.84%
1972	59.53%331	38.85% 216	1.62% 9	556	20.68%
1968	64.81%420	31.02% 201	4.17% 27	648	33.80%
1964	81.01%563	18.99% 132	0.00% 0	695	62.01%
1960	72.35%539	27.65% 206	0.00% 0	745	44.70%
1956	58.01%384	41.99% 278	0.00% 0	662	16.01%
1952	58.31%414	41.69% 296	0.00% 0	710	16.62%
1948	69.42%445	30.11% 193	0.47% 3	641	39.31%
1944	73.33%451	26.67% 164	0.00% 0	615	46.67%
1940	73.32%470	26.68% 171	0.00% 0	641	46.65%
1936	73.28%458	24.80% 155	1.92% 12	625	48.48%
1932	74.39%430	25.61% 148	0.00% 0	578	48.79%

Notable people

• Henry Richardson (1917–1981), New Hampshire's first African American state legislator
• Brian Viglione (born 1979), drummer for The Dresden Dolls

See also

• New Hampshire portal

• Greenville Wildlife Park, a small zoo that closed in 2003

References

1. "2021 U.S. Gazetteer Files – New Hampshire". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
2. "Greenville town, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
3. United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census website, 2010 Census figures. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
4. New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile
5. Coolidge, Austin J.; John B. Mansfield (1859). A History and Description of New England. Boston, Massachusetts: A.J. Coolidge. pp.  574–575. coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859.
6. 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.
7. "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
8. "NOAA Online Weather Data". National Weather Service. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
9. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
10. "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (DP-1): Greenville town, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
11. "Selected Economic Characteristics: 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (DP03): Greenville town, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
12. "Election Results". sos.nh.gov.

External links

• Official website
• Chamberlin Free Public Library
• New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile