Washington, New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Washington is a town
in Sullivan County
, New Hampshire
, United States
. The population was 1,123 at the 2010 census. Situated in a hilly, rocky, forested area, and with 26 lakes and ponds, Washington is a picturesque resort area. It is home to Pillsbury State Park
.
Governor Jonathan Belcher
of Massachusetts
, the town was one of the fort towns designated to protect the colonies from Indian
attack, named "Monadnock Number 8". In 1751, the town was granted by Governor Benning Wentworth
as "New Concord". As the grant was never settled, the charter was revoked. Reuben Kidder of New Ipswich
acquired the grant, naming it "Camden". The first settlers arrived in 1768 and built log houses. By 1773, the community had 132 inhabitants. On December 13, 1776, the newly established American revolutionary government incorporated the town as "Washington", after George Washington
— the first named in his honor.
By 1830, the population had grown to 1,135. Using water power from the streams, mills manufactured lumber
, barrel staves, shingles, chair parts, bobbins, whip sockets, hosiery
, brick
s and washboards. Gristmill
s ground grain
. Sheep farms, producing wool
and mutton
, were an important business. In 1840, there were 200 farms. Tubbs Union Academy was founded in 1849, and although it did not last long, the school once enrolled over 100 students from New Hampshire
and beyond. The first Seventh-day Adventist
church was established in Washington in 1862. In 1886, the town produced 53 tons of maple sugar
.
The railroad era brought tourists, and hotels were built on the lakes and ponds; however, with 19th century migration to the Midwest, the town's population dwindled. As of 1960, it contained only 162 inhabitants. Washington has grown since, as its scenic beauty attracts tourists and retirees. The town contains significant examples of early architecture
, including the Town Hall, built as a meetinghouse in 1787, the Congregational
Church built in 1840, and the first Seventh-day Adventist Church
built circa
1843.
, the town has a total area of 47.6 square miles (123.3 km²), of which 45.4 sq mi (117.6 km²) is land and 2.2 sq mi (5.7 km²) is water, comprising 4.62% of the town. Ashuelot Pond
is in the southwest, and part of Highland Lake
is in the south. Lovewell Mountain
, elevation 2496 feet (760.8 m) above sea level
, is the highest point in town. As Edwin A. Charlton writes in New Hampshire As It Is (1855), the mountain "received its name from Captain John Lovewell
, who was accustomed to ascend it for the purpose of discovering the wigwam
s of the Indians
, and who, on one occasion, killed seven Indians near its summit." The Washington Town Common, elevation 1507 feet (459.3 m), is the highest town center in the state. (The town hall of Clarksville
is located at a higher elevation—1980 feet (603.5 m)—but there is no other village development there.)
Washington is bordered by Goshen
to the northwest, Newbury
and Bradford
to the northeast, Hillsborough
and Windsor
to the southeast, Stoddard
to the south, Marlow
to the southwest, and Lempster
to the west.
of 2000, there were 895 people, 370 households, and 277 families residing in the town. The population density
was 19.7 people per square mile (7.6/km²). There were 925 housing units at an average density of 20.4 per square mile (7.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.21% White, 0.34% Native American, and 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.45% of the population.
There were 370 households out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.8% were married couples
living together, 4.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.73.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 32.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 104.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,125, and the median income for a family was $50,000. Males had a median income of $34,688 versus $26,333 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $20,540. About 3.1% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Sullivan County
Sullivan County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 40,458 people, 16,530 households, and 11,174 families residing in the county. The population density was 29/; . There were 20,158 housing units at an average density of 38 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 1,123 at the 2010 census. Situated in a hilly, rocky, forested area, and with 26 lakes and ponds, Washington is a picturesque resort area. It is home to Pillsbury State Park
Pillsbury State Park
Pillsbury State Park is a state park located mainly in Washington and partially in Goshen, New Hampshire. It is home to the headwaters of the Ashuelot River.-External links:*...
.
History
Granted in 1735 by ColonialColony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
Governor Jonathan Belcher
Jonathan Belcher
Jonathan Belcher was colonial governor of the British provinces of Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, and New Jersey.-Early life:Jonathan Belcher was born in Cambridge, Province of Massachusetts Bay, in 1682...
of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, the town was one of the fort towns designated to protect the colonies from Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
attack, named "Monadnock Number 8". In 1751, the town was granted by Governor Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth was the colonial governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766.-Biography:The eldest child of the John Wentworth who had been Lieutenant Governor, he was born and died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Wentworth graduated from Harvard College in 1715...
as "New Concord". As the grant was never settled, the charter was revoked. Reuben Kidder of New Ipswich
New Ipswich, New Hampshire
New Ipswich is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,099 at the 2010 census. New Ipswich, situated on the Massachusetts border, includes the villages of Bank, Davis, Gibson Four Corners, Highbridge, New Ipswich Center, Smithville, and Wilder, though these...
acquired the grant, naming it "Camden". The first settlers arrived in 1768 and built log houses. By 1773, the community had 132 inhabitants. On December 13, 1776, the newly established American revolutionary government incorporated the town as "Washington", after George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
— the first named in his honor.
By 1830, the population had grown to 1,135. Using water power from the streams, mills manufactured lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
, barrel staves, shingles, chair parts, bobbins, whip sockets, hosiery
Hosiery
Hosiery, also referred to as legwear, describes garments worn directly on the feet and legs. The term originated as the collective term for products of which a maker or seller is termed a hosier; and those products are also known generically as hose...
, brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
s and washboards. Gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
s ground grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
. Sheep farms, producing wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
and mutton
Lamb (food)
Lamb, mutton, and hogget are the meat of domestic sheep. The meat of a sheep in its first year is lamb; that of a juvenile sheep older than 1 year is hogget; and the meat of an adult sheep is mutton....
, were an important business. In 1840, there were 200 farms. Tubbs Union Academy was founded in 1849, and although it did not last long, the school once enrolled over 100 students from 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 beyond. The first Seventh-day Adventist
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
church was established in Washington in 1862. In 1886, the town produced 53 tons of maple sugar
Maple sugar
Maple sugar is a traditional sweetener in the northeastern United States and Canada, prepared from the sap of the sugar maple tree.-Preparation:...
.
The railroad era brought tourists, and hotels were built on the lakes and ponds; however, with 19th century migration to the Midwest, the town's population dwindled. As of 1960, it contained only 162 inhabitants. Washington has grown since, as its scenic beauty attracts tourists and retirees. The town contains significant examples of early 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...
, including the Town Hall, built as a meetinghouse in 1787, 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 built in 1840, and the first Seventh-day Adventist Church
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
built circa
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1843.
Notable inhabitants
- Sylvanus ThayerSylvanus ThayerColonel and Brevet Brigadier General Sylvanus Thayer also known as "the Father of West Point" was an early superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point and an early advocate of engineering education in the United States.-Biography:Thayer was born in Braintree, Massachusetts,...
, United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
officer, "Father of West PointUnited States Military AcademyThe United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
"
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 47.6 square miles (123.3 km²), of which 45.4 sq mi (117.6 km²) is land and 2.2 sq mi (5.7 km²) is water, comprising 4.62% of the town. Ashuelot Pond
Ashuelot Pond
Ashuelot Pond is a water body located in Sullivan County in western New Hampshire, United States, in the town of Washington. It is situated along the upper reaches of the Ashuelot River, a tributary of the Connecticut River....
is in the southwest, and part of Highland Lake
Highland Lake (Stoddard, New Hampshire)
Highland Lake is a water body located in Sullivan and Cheshire counties in southwestern New Hampshire, United States, in the towns of Washington and Stoddard. The lake has two outlets. The north outlet feeds Shedd Brook, while the south outlet flows through Island Pond to the North Branch of the...
is in the south. Lovewell Mountain
Lovewell Mountain
Lovewell Mountain is a 2,473 feet monadnock associated with the Sunapee Ridge in southwest New Hampshire. The mountain is traversed by the 50 mile Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway and offers vistas from several ledges near its summit...
, elevation 2496 feet (760.8 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...
, is the highest point in town. As Edwin A. Charlton writes in New Hampshire As It Is (1855), the mountain "received its name from Captain John Lovewell
John Lovewell (Junior)
John Lovewell was a famous Ranger in the 18th century who fought during Dummer's War . He lived in present-day Nashua, New Hampshire...
, who was accustomed to ascend it for the purpose of discovering the wigwam
Wigwam
A wigwam or wickiup is a domed room dwelling used by certain Native American tribes. The term wickiup is generally used to label these kinds of dwellings in American Southwest and West. Wigwam is usually applied to these structures in the American Northeast...
s of the Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, and who, on one occasion, killed seven Indians near its summit." The Washington Town Common, elevation 1507 feet (459.3 m), is the highest town center in the state. (The town hall of Clarksville
Clarksville, New Hampshire
Clarksville is a town located in northern Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 265 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Berlin, NH–VT Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
is located at a higher elevation—1980 feet (603.5 m)—but there is no other village development there.)
Washington is bordered by Goshen
Goshen, New Hampshire
Goshen is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 810 at the 2010 census.- History :Incorporated in 1791, Goshen was first settled in 1768 as a part of Saville...
to the northwest, Newbury
Newbury, New Hampshire
Newbury is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,072 at the 2010 census. Newbury is home to part of Lake Sunapee, including Mount Sunapee State Park Beach. Mount Sunapee Resort, a ski area in Mount Sunapee State Park, is in the west...
and Bradford
Bradford, New Hampshire
Bradford is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,650 at the 2010 census. The main village of the town, where 356 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Bradford census-designated place , and is located west of the junction of New Hampshire...
to the northeast, Hillsborough
Hillsborough, New Hampshire
Hillsborough, frequently spelled Hillsboro, is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,011 at the 2010 census...
and Windsor
Windsor, New Hampshire
Windsor is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 224 at the 2010 census. It is the location of the Wediko Children's Services Summer Program and of , a summer adventure and travel camp founded in 1961.- History :...
to the southeast, Stoddard
Stoddard, New Hampshire
Stoddard is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,232 at the 2010 census.Between 1842 and 1873, the town was home to four glass manufacturers. The glass produced by these works, now known as Stoddard glass, is noted for its deep amber colors and design...
to the south, Marlow
Marlow, New Hampshire
Marlow is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 742 at the 2010 census. Marlow is home to Honey Brook State Forest.-History:...
to the southwest, and Lempster
Lempster, New Hampshire
Lempster is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,154 at the 2010 census. Settlements include the town center and the village of East Lempster.- History :...
to the west.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
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 895 people, 370 households, and 277 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 19.7 people per square mile (7.6/km²). There were 925 housing units at an average density of 20.4 per square mile (7.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.21% White, 0.34% Native American, and 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.45% of the population.
There were 370 households out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.8% 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, 4.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.73.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 32.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 104.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,125, and the median income for a family was $50,000. Males had a median income of $34,688 versus $26,333 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 $20,540. About 3.1% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
Sites of interest
- Washington Historical Society & Museum
- Shedd Free Library
- Birthplace of the Seventh-day Adventist Church