New Castle, New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
New Castle is a town in Rockingham County
, New Hampshire
, United States
. The population was 968 at the 2010 census. It is the smallest town in New Hampshire
, and the only one located entirely on islands. It is home to Fort Constitution Historic Site, Fort Stark Historic Site, and the New Castle Common, a 31 acres (12.5 ha) recreation area on the Atlantic Ocean
. New Castle is also home to a United States Coast Guard
station, as well as the historic Wentworth by the Sea
hotel.
and was originally called Great Island. Settled in 1623, an earthwork defense was built on Fort Point which would evolve into Fort William and Mary
(rebuilt in 1808 as Fort Constitution). Chartered in 1679 as a parish of Portsmouth
, it was incorporated in 1693 and named New Castle after the fort. Until 1719 it included Rye
, then called Sandy Beach. The principal industries were trade
, tavern-keeping and fishing
. There was also agriculture
, using the abundant seaweed
as fertilizer
.
Beginning on June 11, 1682, Great Island experienced a supernatural
event—a Lithobolia
, or "Stone-Throwing Devil," recorded in a 1698 London
pamphlet by Richard Chamberlain. On a Sunday night at about 10 o'clock, the tavern home of George Walton, a planter, was showered with stones thrown "by an invisible hand." Windows were smashed, and the spit in the fireplace leapt into the air, then came down with its point stuck in the back log. When a member of the household retrieved the spit, it flew out the window of its own accord. The gate outside was discovered off its hinges. Rev. Cotton Mather
took an interest in the phenomenon, reporting that:
Fort William and Mary was the site of one of the first acts of the American Revolution
. On December 14, 1774, colonists arrived at midnight aboard a gundalow (sailing barge), waded ashore and climbed over the fort's wall. Captain John Cochran and the fort's five soldiers surrendered, whereupon the rebels loaded onto the boat 100 barrels of gunpowder
. As a gesture of chivalry
, they returned to Cochran his sword—with which he then lunged at them. Nevertheless, the boat was rowed up the Piscataqua River to Durham
, where the ammunition
was stored in the cellar of the Congregational
Church. The next day, the colonists returned to the fort and removed 15 of the lighter cannon and all small arms
. The gunpowder was used at the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill
.
A new route to the island was created in 1821 when three bridges (now two bridges and a causeway) connected Frame Point in Portsmouth with the northwestern corner of Great Island. Previously, a bridge on the southwestern point had been the only way to reach New Castle without a boat. The community was then an overlooked fishing village, which helped preserve its colonial architecture
. However, in 1874 the Hotel Wentworth
was built atop a hill with a view of Little Harbor and the ocean. After early financial difficulties, the establishment was purchased and elaborately refurbished in Second Empire style by Portsmouth alemaker and hotel
ier, Frank Jones. It became the area's most fashionable resort, growing in size until it was a village unto itself. When President Theodore Roosevelt
mediated the 1905 Treaty of Portsmouth
to end the Russo-Japanese War
, envoy
s from both countries stayed at the Wentworth by the Sea, ferried
by launch
to negotiations held at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
. The hotel was a setting for the 1999 movie, In Dreams
.
, the town has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²), of which 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km²) is land and 1.5 sq mi (3.9 km²) is water, comprising 65.13% of the town. New Castle occupies an archipelago
, consisting of one main island (Great Island) and several smaller islands surrounded by the Piscataqua River and Atlantic Ocean. The highest point of land is located at The Wentworth-by-the-Sea Hotel, where the elevation reaches 60 feet (18.3 m) above sea level
.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 1,010 people, 443 households, and 314 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,222.6 people per square mile (469.8/km2). There were 488 housing units at an average density of 590.7 per square mile (227.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.82% White, 0.59% African American, 0.50% Asian, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population.
There were 443 households out of which 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.6% were married couples
living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.65.
In the town the population was spread out with 17.8% under the age of 18, 3.4% from 18 to 24, 20.8% from 25 to 44, 34.0% from 45 to 64, and 24.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $83,708, and the median income for a family was $93,290. Males had a median income of $57,375 versus $35,568 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $67,695. None of the families and 0.6% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64. New Castle is New Hampshire's wealthiest town in terms of median per capita income.
In 2004, 352 inhabitants were registered Republicans
, and 164 were registered Democrats
. http://services.alphaworks.ibm.com/manyeyes/view/S2fqLEsOtha6thUGVQ-RE2-
Rockingham County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 277,359 people, 104,529 households, and 74,320 families residing in the county. The population density was 399 people per square mile . There were 113,023 housing units at an average density of 163 per square mile...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 968 at the 2010 census. It is the smallest town in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, and the only one located entirely on islands. It is home to Fort Constitution Historic Site, Fort Stark Historic Site, and the New Castle Common, a 31 acres (12.5 ha) recreation area on the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. New Castle is also home to a United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
station, as well as the historic Wentworth by the Sea
Wentworth by the Sea
The Wentworth by the Sea is a historic grand hotel in New Castle, New Hampshire, United States. It is now called The Wentworth by the Sea Hotel & Spa...
hotel.
History
The main island on which the town sits is the largest of several at the mouth of the Piscataqua RiverPiscataqua River
The Piscataqua River, in the northeastern United States, is a long tidal estuary formed by the confluence of the Salmon Falls and Cocheco rivers...
and was originally called Great Island. Settled in 1623, an earthwork defense was built on Fort Point which would evolve into Fort William and Mary
Fort William and Mary
Fort William and Mary was a colonial defensive post on the island of New Castle, New Hampshire at the mouth of the Piscataqua River estuary. First fortified by the British in 1632, the fort guarded access to the harbor at Portsmouth....
(rebuilt in 1808 as Fort Constitution). Chartered in 1679 as a parish of Portsmouth
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
, it was incorporated in 1693 and named New Castle after the fort. Until 1719 it included Rye
Rye, New Hampshire
Rye is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,298 at the 2010 census.-History:The first settlement in New Hampshire, originally named Pannaway, was established in 1623 at Odiorne's Point. The first settler in Rye was William Berry...
, then called Sandy Beach. The principal industries were trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
, tavern-keeping and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
. There was also agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, using the abundant seaweed
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
as fertilizer
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
.
Beginning on June 11, 1682, Great Island experienced a supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
event—a Lithobolia
Lithobolia
Lithobolia is the title of a pamphlet printed in London 1698 by Mr. Ricard Chamberlain providing an account of a poltergeist-type haunting that had occurred some years before. Two copies of the pamphlet exist in the British Library called: "Lithobolia, or stone throwing Devil...
, or "Stone-Throwing Devil," recorded in a 1698 London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
pamphlet by Richard Chamberlain. On a Sunday night at about 10 o'clock, the tavern home of George Walton, a planter, was showered with stones thrown "by an invisible hand." Windows were smashed, and the spit in the fireplace leapt into the air, then came down with its point stuck in the back log. When a member of the household retrieved the spit, it flew out the window of its own accord. The gate outside was discovered off its hinges. Rev. Cotton Mather
Cotton Mather
Cotton Mather, FRS was a socially and politically influential New England Puritan minister, prolific author and pamphleteer; he is often remembered for his role in the Salem witch trials...
took an interest in the phenomenon, reporting that:
- "This disturbance continued from day to day; and sometimes a dismal hollow whistling would be heard, and sometimes the trotting and snorting of a horse, but nothing to be seen.... A man was much hurt by some of the stones. He was a Quaker, and suspected that a woman, who charged him with injustice in detaining some land from her did, by witchcraft, occasion these preternatural occurrences. However, at last they came to an end."
Fort William and Mary was the site of one of the first acts of the American Revolution
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. On December 14, 1774, colonists arrived at midnight aboard a gundalow (sailing barge), waded ashore and climbed over the fort's wall. Captain John Cochran and the fort's five soldiers surrendered, whereupon the rebels loaded onto the boat 100 barrels of gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
. As a gesture of chivalry
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
, they returned to Cochran his sword—with which he then lunged at them. Nevertheless, the boat was rowed up the Piscataqua River to Durham
Durham, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,664 people, 2,882 households, and 1,582 families residing in the town. The population density was 565.5 people per square mile . There were 2,923 housing units at an average density of 130.5 per square mile...
, where the ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
was stored in the cellar of the Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
Church. The next day, the colonists returned to the fort and removed 15 of the lighter cannon and all small arms
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
. The gunpowder was used at the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
.
A new route to the island was created in 1821 when three bridges (now two bridges and a causeway) connected Frame Point in Portsmouth with the northwestern corner of Great Island. Previously, a bridge on the southwestern point had been the only way to reach New Castle without a boat. The community was then an overlooked fishing village, which helped preserve its colonial architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
. However, in 1874 the Hotel Wentworth
Wentworth by the Sea
The Wentworth by the Sea is a historic grand hotel in New Castle, New Hampshire, United States. It is now called The Wentworth by the Sea Hotel & Spa...
was built atop a hill with a view of Little Harbor and the ocean. After early financial difficulties, the establishment was purchased and elaborately refurbished in Second Empire style by Portsmouth alemaker and hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
ier, Frank Jones. It became the area's most fashionable resort, growing in size until it was a village unto itself. When President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
mediated the 1905 Treaty of Portsmouth
Treaty of Portsmouth
The Treaty of Portsmouth formally ended the 1904-05 Russo-Japanese War. It was signed on September 5, 1905 after negotiations at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine in the USA.-Negotiations:...
to end the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
, envoy
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
s from both countries stayed at the Wentworth by the Sea, ferried
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
by launch
Launch (boat)
A launch in contemporary usage refers to a large motorboat. The name originally referred to the largest boat carried by a warship. The etymology of the word is given as Portuguese lancha "barge", from Malay lancha, lancharan, "boat," from lanchar "velocity without effort," "action of gliding...
to negotiations held at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard , often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard located in Kittery on the southern boundary of Maine near the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It is used for remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships...
. The hotel was a setting for the 1999 movie, In Dreams
In Dreams (film)
In Dreams is a 1999 psychological thriller film directed by Neil Jordan. It stars Annette Bening as a New England illustrator who begins experiencing visions of a missing child who turns out to be her own daughter; through her dreams, she begins having psychic connections to a serial killer ...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²), of which 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km²) is land and 1.5 sq mi (3.9 km²) is water, comprising 65.13% of the town. New Castle occupies an archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
, consisting of one main island (Great Island) and several smaller islands surrounded by the Piscataqua River and Atlantic Ocean. The highest point of land is located at The Wentworth-by-the-Sea Hotel, where the elevation reaches 60 feet (18.3 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
.
Demographics
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,010 people, 443 households, and 314 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,222.6 people per square mile (469.8/km2). There were 488 housing units at an average density of 590.7 per square mile (227.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.82% White, 0.59% African American, 0.50% Asian, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population.
There were 443 households out of which 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.65.
In the town the population was spread out with 17.8% under the age of 18, 3.4% from 18 to 24, 20.8% from 25 to 44, 34.0% from 45 to 64, and 24.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $83,708, and the median income for a family was $93,290. Males had a median income of $57,375 versus $35,568 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $67,695. None of the families and 0.6% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64. New Castle is New Hampshire's wealthiest town in terms of median per capita income.
In 2004, 352 inhabitants were registered Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, and 164 were registered Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
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Sites of interest
- Fort Constitution Historic Site
- Fort Stark Historic Site
- Kittery Point Yacht Club
- New Castle Congregational Church
- New Castle Historical Society & Museum
- Portsmouth Harbor LightPortsmouth Harbor LightPortsmouth Harbor Lighthouse is located within Fort Constitution in New Castle, New Hampshire, USA.The station was established in 1771 and was the 10th of 11 light stations established prior to the American Revolution. The first tower was a shingled wooden structure with an iron lantern and copper...
(or Fort Point Light) - Portsmouth Yacht Club
- The Wentworth by the Sea
Further reading
- John Albee, New Castle, Historic and Picturesque; Cupples, Upham & Company, Boston, Massachusetts 1884
- Charles W. Brewster, Rambles About Portsmouth; C. W. Brewster & Son; Portsmouth, New Hampshire 1859