Alton is a
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
in
Belknap County
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. ...
,
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
, 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
Mount Major is a mountain located in Alton, New Hampshire, south of Lake Winnipesaukee and northeast of Straightback Mountain in the Belknap Range.
The scenic, rocky summit is a popular hiking destination, accessible by multiple trails including ...
State Forest.
The primary settlement in town, where 499 people resided at the 2020 census, is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as the
Alton
Alton may refer to:
People
*Alton (given name)
*Alton (surname)
Places Australia
*Alton National Park, Queensland
* Alton, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Balonne
Canada
* Alton, Ontario
*Alton, Nova Scotia
New Zealand
* Alton, New Zealand, ...
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
(CDP) and is centered on the intersection of
New Hampshire Route 11
New Hampshire Route 11 is a east–west state highway in New Hampshire, running completely across the central part of the state. Its western terminus is at the Vermont state line in Charlestown, where it continues west as Vermont Route 11. The e ...
and
New Hampshire Route 140
New Hampshire Route 140 is a east–west state highway in central New Hampshire, running from Tilton to Alton. The western terminus of NH 140 is in Tilton at an intersection with U.S. Route 3, New Hampshire Route 11 and New Hampshire Route 132, ...
. The town also includes the village of
Alton Bay
Alton Bay is an unincorporated community in the town of Alton, New Hampshire, United States, and is located on Alton Bay, a cove of Lake Winnipesaukee which forms the southernmost point on the lake. The village is part of the Lakes Region, a popu ...
, a long-time resort located beside
Lake Winnipesaukee
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 long (northwest-southeast) and from wide (northeast-southwest), covering & ...
.
History
Originally called "New Durham Gore" because of rocky upland areas, or "gores", the town was settled in 1770, mainly by farmers because the highland areas provided less
frost
Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor in an above-freezing atmosphere coming in contact with a solid surface whose temperature is below freezing, and resulting in a phase change from water vapor (a gas) ...
. Merchants then filled the lowlands. Early Alton history recounts stories of the merchants trying to convince the farmers to incorporate. They would succeed on 15 January 1796,
[Statistics and Gazetteer of New-Hampshire (1875)](_blank)
/ref> when the community was named after Alton
Alton may refer to:
People
*Alton (given name)
*Alton (surname)
Places Australia
*Alton National Park, Queensland
* Alton, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Balonne
Canada
* Alton, Ontario
*Alton, Nova Scotia
New Zealand
* Alton, New Zealand, ...
, a small market town in Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
, England.
Alton was part of Strafford County until Belknap County was erected on 22 December 1840. By 1840, the village of Alton existed at the town's center. In 1847, the Cochecho Railroad began bringing passengers and freight to Alton Village and Alton Bay. By 1859, the town had two gristmill
A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the Mill (grinding), grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist i ...
s, seven sawmill
A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...
s, and five shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture t ...
factories. But the most famous business was the Rockwell Clough Company, established by William Rockwell Clough, inventor of the corkscrew
A corkscrew is a tool for drawing corks from wine bottles and other household bottles that may be sealed with corks. In its traditional form, a corkscrew simply consists of a pointed metallic helix (often called the "worm") attached to a hand ...
. By 1903, his company was producing 30 million corkscrews worldwide.
Since the mid-19th century, however, tourism has been the principal business. In 1863, an Adventist
Adventism is a branch of Protestant Christianity that believes in the imminent Second Coming (or the "Second Advent") of Jesus Christ. It originated in the 1830s in the United States during the Second Great Awakening when Baptist preacher Wil ...
group held a camp meeting
The camp meeting is a form of Protestant Christian religious service originating in England and Scotland as an evangelical event in association with the communion season. It was held for worship, preaching and communion on the American frontier d ...
at Alton Bay
Alton Bay is an unincorporated community in the town of Alton, New Hampshire, United States, and is located on Alton Bay, a cove of Lake Winnipesaukee which forms the southernmost point on the lake. The village is part of the Lakes Region, a popu ...
, which was the terminus of the Dover and Winnipiseogee Railroad. That was incorporated as the Alton Bay Camp Meeting Association (now known as ''Alton Bay Christian Conference Center'') in 1876. In 1872, the Boston & Maine Railroad
The Boston and Maine Railroad was a U.S. Class I railroad in northern New England. Originally chartered in 1835, it became part of what was the Pan Am Railways network in 1983 (most of which was purchased by CSX in 2022).
At the end of 1970, B ...
launched at Alton Bay the steamer ''Mount Washington'', the first side-wheeler and largest vessel on Lake Winnipesaukee. When destroyed by fire in 1939, a replacement ship was found, also christened ''Mount Washington''. Today, it continues to carry summer tourists between stops on the lake. The railway survived until 1935, and the old station at Alton Bay is now a community center.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the town has a total area of , of which are land and are water, comprising 23.4% of the town. Alton is located at the southern end of Lake Winnipesaukee
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 long (northwest-southeast) and from wide (northeast-southwest), covering & ...
, around the inlet known as Alton Bay. The village of Alton Bay
Alton Bay is an unincorporated community in the town of Alton, New Hampshire, United States, and is located on Alton Bay, a cove of Lake Winnipesaukee which forms the southernmost point on the lake. The village is part of the Lakes Region, a popu ...
is located at the southern tip of the bay, while the main village of Alton
Alton may refer to:
People
*Alton (given name)
*Alton (surname)
Places Australia
*Alton National Park, Queensland
* Alton, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Balonne
Canada
* Alton, Ontario
*Alton, Nova Scotia
New Zealand
* Alton, New Zealand, ...
is located farther south. The town is drained by the Merrymeeting River
The Merrymeeting River is a river in the Lakes Region of central New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of Lake Winnipesaukee, part of the Merrimack River watershed.
The river begins at the outlet of Merrymeeting Lake in the to ...
, the main inlet to Alton Bay. Mount Major
Mount Major is a mountain located in Alton, New Hampshire, south of Lake Winnipesaukee and northeast of Straightback Mountain in the Belknap Range.
The scenic, rocky summit is a popular hiking destination, accessible by multiple trails including ...
, in Mount Major State Forest, has an elevation of above sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...
. Popular with hikers, the summit offers unsurpassed views of Lake Winnipesaukee. The highest point in Alton is the north peak of Straightback Mountain, at , just west of Mount Major. Both mountains are part of the Belknap Mountains
The Belknap Mountains are a small mountain range in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire in the United States. The range lies in the towns of Gilford, Gilmanton, and Alton in Belknap County. The highest peak, Belknap Mountain, with an elevation o ...
range. Alton lies almost fully within the Merrimack River
The Merrimack River (or Merrimac River, an occasional earlier spelling) is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Mas ...
watershed
Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to:
Hydrology
* Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins
* Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...
, though a tiny corner is in the Piscataqua River
The Piscataqua River (Abenaki: ''Pskehtekwis'') is a tidal river forming the boundary of the U.S. states of New Hampshire and Maine from its origin at the confluence of the Salmon Falls River and Cochecho River. The drainage basin of the river ...
(coastal) watershed.
The town is served by five state highways. New Hampshire Route 11
New Hampshire Route 11 is a east–west state highway in New Hampshire, running completely across the central part of the state. Its western terminus is at the Vermont state line in Charlestown, where it continues west as Vermont Route 11. The e ...
passes through the center of town, leading northwest along the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee to Gilford and thence to Laconia
Laconia or Lakonia ( el, Λακωνία, , ) is a historical and administrative region of Greece located on the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Its administrative capital is Sparta. The word ''laconic''—to speak in a blunt, c ...
, and southeast to Rochester
Rochester may refer to:
Places Australia
* Rochester, Victoria
Canada
* Rochester, Alberta
United Kingdom
*Rochester, Kent
** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area
** History of Rochester, Kent
** HM Prison ...
. New Hampshire Route 28
New Hampshire Route 28 is an north–south state highway in eastern New Hampshire. It connects the town of Ossipee in east-central New Hampshire with Salem on the Massachusetts border, while passing through Manchester, the largest city in the sta ...
also passes through the center of town, leading north to Wolfeboro and south to Pittsfield
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Pittsfield ...
and Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
. New Hampshire Route 140
New Hampshire Route 140 is a east–west state highway in central New Hampshire, running from Tilton to Alton. The western terminus of NH 140 is in Tilton at an intersection with U.S. Route 3, New Hampshire Route 11 and New Hampshire Route 132, ...
leads from Alton west to Gilmanton and Tilton. New Hampshire Route 11A
New Hampshire Route 11 is a east–west state highway in New Hampshire, running completely across the central part of the state. Its western terminus is at the Vermont state line in Charlestown, where it continues west as Vermont Route 11. The e ...
leaves NH 11 in West Alton and goes west into Gilford, and New Hampshire Route 28A
New Hampshire Route 28 is an north–south state highway in eastern New Hampshire. It connects the town of Ossipee in east-central New Hampshire with Salem on the Massachusetts border, while passing through Manchester, the largest city in the sta ...
forms an alternate route north from Alton Bay
Alton Bay is an unincorporated community in the town of Alton, New Hampshire, United States, and is located on Alton Bay, a cove of Lake Winnipesaukee which forms the southernmost point on the lake. The village is part of the Lakes Region, a popu ...
to NH 28.
Adjacent municipalities
* Wolfeboro (north)
* New Durham (east)
* Barnstead (south)
* Gilmanton (southeast)
* Gilford (west)
* Tuftonboro (northwest)
Demographics
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 5,250 people, 2,145 households, and 1,511 families residing in the town. There were 4,281 housing units, of which 2,136, or 49.9%, were vacant. 1,928 of the vacant units were for seasonal use. The racial makeup of the town was 98.4% white
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.1% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
n, 0.04% Native Hawaiian
Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, First Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians) ( haw, kānaka, , , and ), are the indigenous ethnic group of Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands.
Hawaii ...
or Pacific Islander, 0.2% some other race, and 0.9% from two or more races. 1.1% of the population were Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race.
Of the 2,145 households, 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.0% were headed by married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the town, 21.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.2% were from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 34.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males.
For the period 2011–2015, the estimated median annual income for a household was $66,823, and the median income for a family was $85,556. Male full-time workers had a median income of $46,223 versus $42,448 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the town was $29,693. 6.9% of the population and 4.6% of families were below the poverty line. 1.6% of the population under the age of 18 and 9.2% of those 65 or older were living in poverty.
Government
In the New Hampshire Senate
The New Hampshire Senate has been meeting since 1784. It is the upper house of the New Hampshire General Court, alongside the lower New Hampshire House of Representatives. It consists of 24 members representing Senate districts based on population ...
, Alton is in the 6th District, represented by Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
James Gray
James, Jim, or Jimmy Gray may refer to:
Politicians
* James Gray (Australian politician) (1820–1889), member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly
* James Gray (British politician) (born 1954), British politician
* James Gray (mayor) (1862–1916 ...
. In the New Hampshire House of Representatives
The New Hampshire House of Representatives is the lower house in the New Hampshire General Court, the bicameral legislature of the state of New Hampshire. The House of Representatives consists of 400 members coming from 204 legislative district ...
, Alton is in the Belknap 5th district, represented by Republicans Paul Terry and Peter Varney. On the Executive Council of New Hampshire
The Executive Council of the State of New Hampshire (commonly known as the Governor's Council) is the executive body of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The Executive Council advises the Governor on all matters and provides a check on the governor ...
, Alton is in the 1st District, represented by Republican Joseph Kenney
Joseph D. "Joe" Kenney (born July 12, 1960) is an American politician and member of the Republican Party who represented District 1 of the Executive Council of New Hampshire from 2014 to 2019. He previously served as a member of the New Hamps ...
. In the United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
, Alton is in New Hampshire's 1st congressional district
New Hampshire's 1st congressional district covers parts of Southern New Hampshire and the eastern portion of the state. The district contains parts of Hillsborough, Rockingham, Merrimack, Grafton, and Belknap counties; and the entirety of ...
, represented by Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
Chris Pappas.
Sites of interest
* Alton Historical Society & Museum
* Harold S. Gilman Museum
* Alton Bay
Alton Bay is an unincorporated community in the town of Alton, New Hampshire, United States, and is located on Alton Bay, a cove of Lake Winnipesaukee which forms the southernmost point on the lake. The village is part of the Lakes Region, a popu ...
, with an arcade, mini-golf, ice cream shop, multiple areas to eat, a marina, and other attractions
Historic photos
Image:Steamboat Landing, Alton Bay, NH.jpg, Steamer landing in 1905
Image:View of Advent Grove, Alton Bay, NH.jpg, Advent Grove in 1910
Image:Boarding & Dining Buildings, Alton Bay Camp Grounds.jpg, Boarding house in 1907
Image:Alton Bay and Lake Winnipesaukee, Alton Bay, NH.jpg, Alton Bay and Lake Winnipesaukee in 1905
Notable people
* Joel Bean Joel Bean (December 16, 1825 – 1914) was a Quaker (Religious Society of Friends) minister whose name has been associated with a branch of Quakerism that some label “ Beanite.”
Bean was born in Alton, New Hampshire. His parents are John a ...
(1825–1914), founder of Beanite Quakerism Beanite Quakerism refers to the independent tradition of Quakerism started by Quaker ministers Joel and Hannah Bean in the western United States in the late 19th century, and in a more specific sense refers to the three Western yearly meetings that ...
* George Franklin Drew
George Franklin Drew (August 6, 1827 – September 26, 1900) was the List of Governors of Florida, 12th Governor of the U.S. state of Florida.
Early life and career
George Franklin Drew was born on August 6, 1827 in Alton, New Hampshire. Dre ...
(1827–1900), 12th governor of Florida
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
* James B. French (1857–1932), member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin.
Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...
* Florence Holway (1915–2012), rape victim, subject of a 2003 HBO documentary
* Steve Leach (born 1966), right wing with seven NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
teams
* Don Sweeney
Donald Clarke Sweeney (born August 17, 1966) is a Canadian former ice hockey defenceman who played over 1,100 games in the National Hockey League (NHL), mostly with the Boston Bruins. He ranks among the top ten in many Bruins team statistics, inc ...
(born 1966), defenseman with the Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
and Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and were founde ...
References
External links
*
New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile
Gilman Library
the town library
{{authority control
Towns in Belknap County, New Hampshire
Populated places established in 1796
Populated places on Lake Winnipesaukee
Towns in New Hampshire
1796 establishments in New Hampshire