Records indicate a building that became a church may have existed near where the Weare Monument now is in 1665, but when it was first built is unknown. It was not until 1709 that the town was officially established as the Third Parish of Hampton. The Third Parish originally consisted of all land south of the Taylor River and north of the New Hampshire/Massachusetts border, or the modern-day towns of Seabrook, Kensington, and Hampton Falls.
A meeting house was built shortly after, and Thomas Crosby became the town's minister for the church. Forty-nine members of the Hampton Church were dismissed late in 1711,[why?] only to become members of the new church in the Third Parish. Parish officers and a representative were chosen in 1718. The first town meeting was held and town records began that year also. The 7,400-acre (30km2) town received its grant as an independent town with the name "Hampton falls" in 1726, but was still referred to as a parish until the Revolutionary War. Those who did use its actual name in writing spelled it with a lowercase f until around the same time.[5]
An attempt was made in 1732 to separate the western portion of Hampton Falls and make it a parish of Kingston. The proposal failed in a way, yet succeeded in another; the land was separated, but it did not become part of Kingston—in 1737 it became a town of its own, Kensington.[6]
A disease known as the "Throat Distemper" (now thought to have been a malignant form of diphtheria) infected the town with its symptoms in 1735 and 1736. 214 people of Hampton Falls perished, 96 of them being under the age of ten. Only two homes in town were throat distemper free. It passed through the town again in 1754, with far fewer casualties, but still many.[5]
Town Hall, completed in 1877, designed by Portsmouth architect Isaiah Wilson
Seventy-two people wanted Hampton Falls (which then included Seabrook and Kensington) to become a part of Massachusetts in 1739, including Meshech Weare, but the proposal failed in the end. In 1765, the Presbyterians of the town wanted to form a new parish in the southern portion of the town, where a church of their religion existed. A town meeting was held on December 30 when the rest of the villagers learned of the Presbyterians' plans, and it was decided that the town would be separated into two. The new parish was formed in 1768, and became incorporated under the name Seabrook shortly after. Hampton Falls was considered one of the leading manufacturing towns in the entire state of New Hampshire around the time of 1770.[5]
A plan to unite Seabrook and portions of Hampton Falls was proposed in 1782. The town would have been called "New Hampton Falls", but Hampton Falls was successful in making the proposal fail. In 1835, the town of Hampton Falls had a new meeting-house erected. Where in town it existed is unknown.[5]
2008 Fidelity Jumper Classic, held at the Silver Oak Equestrian Center
On the night between October 29 and 30 in 1827, an earthquake struck the small town. A flash of light from a fault in the southern region of the town occurred, with violent trembling shortly following. It caused at least three chimneys to collapse partially or completely, with several others cracked. A more severe earthquake had struck Hampton Falls on November 18, 1755.[5]
On May 21, 2006, an F2[7] tornado formed in the town at around 6:30p.m. EST.[8] It was near Interstate 95 where it overturned a truck, leaving two injured men and a kayak in a tree.[9]
Geography
The Hampton Falls River running through the Hampton Falls portion of the Seabrook-Hamptons salt marsh
The city of Boston is 45 miles (72km) to the south, and Portsmouth is 13 miles (21km) to the north.[10]
The highest point in town is the summit of Great Hill, at 246 feet (75m) above sea level), just north of Weares Mill on the Hampton Falls River.[11] According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 12.7 square miles (32.8km2), of which 12.2 square miles (31.7km2) are land and 0.42 square miles (1.1km2) are water, comprising 3.39% of the town.[1] The town is drained by the Hampton Falls and Taylor rivers and is part of the Hampton River watershed leading to the Atlantic Ocean via Hampton Harbor. Of roughly 4,400 acres (18km2) of salt marsh in the Seabrook-Hamptons Estuary, nearly 1,000 acres (4.0km2) lie within Hampton Falls.[12]
As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 1,890 people, 704 households, and 546 families residing in the town. The population density was 153.9 inhabitants per square mile (59.4/km2). There were 729 housing units at an average density of 59.7 per square mile (23.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.46% White, 0.05% African American, 0.74% Asian, 0.05% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of the population.
There were 704 households, out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.5% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. Of all households, 16.5% were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 30.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $76,348, and the median income for a family was $86,229. Males had a median income of $60,250 versus $36,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $35,060. About 2.2% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.
According to State figures, "Population in Hampton Falls tripled over the last fifty years, growing above the statewide average rate in three of the five decades. Decennial growth rates ranged from a nine percent increase between 1970–1980 to a 42 percent increase between 1960–1970. Population in Hampton Falls grew by a total of 1,251 residents, going from 629 in 1950 to 1,880 residents in 2000."[14]
Government
Like many New England towns, Hampton Falls has a town meeting/board of selectmen form of government. The current selectmen are Edward Beattie, Mark Lane, and Lou Gargiulo. Town meeting is held annually in the school auditorium, and elections are conducted using a New Hampshire Senate Bill 2 system.
The old East School, adjacent to the public library
Once a farming and lumbering community, the numerous falls on the Taylor River provided water power for mills operating within the town. Today it is largely residential, with numerous antique shops along U.S. 1.[14]Applecrest Farm Orchards, established in 1913, is the town's largest employer, with 18 employees.[17]
Education
Currently, the Lincoln Akerman School is the only public school in town. But at one point, five public schools existed, the North, South, West, and two East schools. One of the East Schools, founded around the time of the Civil War, burned down in 1947 when its furnace exploded, and the Lincoln Akerman School replaced it in 1949. While a new school was being built, students had to travel to the neighboring town of Seabrook to attend school. The other East School was moved to an area near the new library. Another school was turned into a home, and another was crushed by a boulder one winter when students pushed it off a hill.
In 1993, kindergarten was added to the school, though it is not required in the state of New Hampshire.
In the mid-1990s Dan Brown, future best-selling author of The Da Vinci Code, taught Spanish to the school's 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.
In 2003, Lincoln Akerman was cited in The Hampton Union for, according to the New Hampshire Educational Improvement and Assessment Program (NHEIAP), being notable for having scores that were "significantly above the state average" and climbing. Specific subjects cited were social studies, language arts, and math.[19]
The current principal is Beth Raucci, who has held that position since 2018.[20]
Notable people
Elmfield, built in 1787, where summer resident John Greenleaf Whittier died in 1892. Image c.1910
Rockingham County is a county in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of the 2020 census, the population was 314,176, making it New Hampshire's second-most populous county. The county seat is Brentwood. Rockingham County is part of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metropolitan Statistical Area and the greater Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT Combined Statistical Area. Per the 2020 census, it was New Hampshire's fastest growing county from 2010 to 2020.
Heath is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 723 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Effingham is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 census, the town population was 1,691, up from 1,465 at the 2010 census. Effingham includes the villages of Effingham Falls, Effingham, Center Effingham, and South Effingham. Pine River State Forest is in the south.
Weare is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 9,092 at the 2020 census. It is close to two important New Hampshire cities, Manchester and Concord.
Kensington is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,095 at the 2020 census.
Salem is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 30,089 at the 2020 census and an estimated 30,647 in 2022. Salem is a northern suburb of Boston located on Interstate 93. As the first town along I-93 northbound in New Hampshire, which lacks any state sales tax, Salem has grown into a regional commercial hub for the northern section of Greater Boston, anchored by the Mall at Rockingham Park and Tuscan Village. Other major sites include Canobie Lake Park, a large amusement park; and America's Stonehenge, a stone structure of disputed origins. It is the former home of Rockingham Park, a horse racetrack. The Sununu political family hails from Salem, including former New Hampshire governor and White House Chief of Staff John H. Sununu, and his sons John E. Sununu, a former U.S. senator, and Chris Sununu, current New Hampshire governor.
Seabrook is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 8,401 at the 2020 census. Located at the southern end of the coast of New Hampshire, on the border with Massachusetts, Seabrook is noted as the location of the Seabrook Station Nuclear Power Plant, the third-most recently constructed nuclear power plant in the United States.
South Hampton is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 894 at the 2020 census. South Hampton is home to Cowden State Forest and Powwow River State Forest.
Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. Its population was 16,049 at the 2020 census, up from 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood. Home to Phillips Exeter Academy, a private university-preparatory school, Exeter is situated where the Exeter River becomes the tidal Squamscott River.
Hampton is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 16,214 at the 2020 census. On the Atlantic coast, Hampton is home to Hampton Beach, a summer tourist destination.
Meshech Weare was an American farmer, lawyer, and statesman from Seabrook and Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. He served as the first president of New Hampshire. Before 1784 the position of governor was referred to as “president of New Hampshire.” He is also called “The father of New Hampshire.” The first president of the earlier Province of New Hampshire was John Cutt.
Warren Brown was an American politician, historian, gentleman farmer, businessman, and author from Hampton Falls, New Hampshire.
The Hampton River is a tidal inlet in the towns of Hampton and Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, the United States. It is surrounded by the largest salt marsh in New Hampshire, covering over 3,800 acres (15 km2).
The Browns River is a 2.9-mile-long (4.7 km) river, primarily tidal, in southeastern New Hampshire in the United States. It is part of the largest salt marsh in New Hampshire, covering over 3,800 acres (15 km2).
The Hampton Falls River is a 5.6-mile-long (9.0 km) river in southeastern New Hampshire in the United States. Its lower reaches are tidal, as part of the Hampton salt marsh close to the Atlantic Ocean.
Seabrook Beach is a census-designated place in the town of Seabrook and partially in the town of Hampton in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. It had a population of 1,078 at the 2020 census.
The Gov. Meshech Weare House is a historic house on Exeter Road in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. It was built in 1723, and is notable as the home of Meshech Weare, the first Governor of New Hampshire after it declared independence from the British crown. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
The 2018 New Hampshire Executive Council elections were held on November 6, 2018 to elect all five members of the Executive Council of New Hampshire. The party primaries were held on September 11.
The 2020 New Hampshire Executive Council elections took place on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, to elect all five members of the Executive Council of New Hampshire. The party primaries were held on September 8.
↑ Coolidge, Austin J.; John B. Mansfield (1859). A History and Description of New England. Boston, Massachusetts: A.J. Coolidge. p.515. coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Brown, Warren (1900). History of Hampton Falls Vol. I. Manchester, New Hampshire: John E. Clarke Co.
↑ Brown, Warren (1918). History of Hampton Falls Vol. II. Concord, New Hampshire: Rumford Press.
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