Greenville 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
Hillsborough County,
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 1,974 at the
2020 census,
down from 2,105 at the 2010 census.
[United States Census Bureau]
U.S. Census website
2010 Census figures. Retrieved March 23, 2011. It is located at the junctions of New Hampshire routes
31,
45, and
123 123 may refer to:
* The first three positive Arabic numerals
* 123 (number), the natural number following 122 and preceding 124
* AD 123, a year of the Julian calendar, in the second century AD
* 123 BC, a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar
En ...
.
History
Once a part of
Mason
Mason may refer to:
Occupations
* Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces
* Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cut ...
called "Mason Village", Greenville is one of the state's newest and smallest towns, incorporated in 1872. It is located at the High Falls on the
Souhegan River
The Souhegan River is a tributary of the Merrimack River in the northeastern United States. It is long, with a drainage area of , and flows north and east through southern New Hampshire to the Merrimack River.
The river begins in New Ipswich, Ne ...
, whose plentiful
water power
Hydropower (from el, ὕδωρ, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by converting the gravitational potential or kinetic energy of a wa ...
provided the
mill town
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories, usually cotton mills or factories producing textiles. Europe
Italy
* ''Crespi d'Adda'', UNESCO World Her ...
with the state's first industries, making
cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...
and
woolen
Woolen (American English) or woollen (Commonwealth English) is a type of yarn made from carded wool. Woolen yarn is soft, light, stretchy, and full of air. It is thus a good insulator, and makes a good knitting yarn. Woolen yarn is in contrast t ...
goods. Because of the falls, Greenville was always a manufacturing center. The Columbian Manufacturing Company was established in 1826 to make
textile
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...
s in both Greenville and neighboring
New Ipswich
New Ipswich is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,204 at the 2020 census. New Ipswich, situated on the Massachusetts border, includes the villages of Bank, Davis, Gibson Four Corners, Highbridge, New ...
.
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
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 ...
trestle
ATLAS-I (Air Force Weapons Lab Transmission-Line Aircraft Simulator), better known as Trestle, was a unique electromagnetic pulse (EMP) generation and testing apparatus built between 1972 and 1980 during the Cold War at Sandia National Laborato ...
. 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
An airplane or aeroplane (informally plane) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and wing configurations. The broad spe ...
underneath the span on a wager. The
railroad depot
A train station, railway station, railroad station or depot is a Rail transport, railway facility where trains stop to load or unload passenger train, passengers, freight rail transport, freight or both. It generally consists of at least one r ...
, 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.
File:Columbian Hotel, Greenville, N.H, from Robert N. Dennis collection of stereoscopic views.jpg, Columbian Hotel
File:Greenville, N.H. (2674998059).jpg, Greenville in 1886
File:Mills, Greenville, NH.jpg, View of the mills in 1886
File:East Main Street, Greenville, NH.jpg, East Main Street in 1919
File:Railroad Bridge, Greenville, NH.jpg, B. & M. trestle
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 , all of it recorded as land.
The
Greenville CDP, which includes the town center, occupies the northern part of the town and has an area of .
Greenville's highest point is Barrett Hill, near the western border of the town, with 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 ...
. The northern half of the town is drained by the
Souhegan River
The Souhegan River is a tributary of the Merrimack River in the northeastern United States. It is long, with a drainage area of , and flows north and east through southern New Hampshire to the Merrimack River.
The river begins in New Ipswich, Ne ...
, while the southern half is drained by tributaries of Walker Brook and Mason Brook, which flow south to the
Squannacook River
The Squannacook River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed October 3, 2011 river in northern Massachusetts. It is a tributary of the Nashua River and part of the Merrimac ...
, a tributary of the
Nashua River
The Nashua River, long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed October 3, 2011 is a tributary of the Merrimack River in Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the United States. It i ...
in Massachusetts. The entire town is 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 ...
.
Adjacent municipalities
*
Wilton, New Hampshire
Wilton is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,896 at the 2020 census. Like many small New England towns, it grew up around water-powered textile mills, but is now a rural bedroom community with some m ...
(north)
*
Mason, New Hampshire
Mason is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,448 at the 2020 census. Mason, together with Wilton, is home to Russell-Abbott State Forest.
History
Mason was first known as "Number One", the easternmos ...
(east and south)
*
New Ipswich, New Hampshire
New Ipswich is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,204 at the 2020 census. New Ipswich, situated on the Massachusetts border, includes the villages of Bank, Davis, Gibson Four Corners, Highbridge, New ...
(west)
*
Temple, New Hampshire
Temple is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,382 at the 2020 census. It is home to Temple Mountain State Reservation, formerly the Temple Mountain Ski Area.
History
The area was first called "Pete ...
(northwest)
Roadways
Four state highways traverse Greenville.
NH Route 31 enters the state in
Mason
Mason may refer to:
Occupations
* Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces
* Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cut ...
from
Ashby, Massachusetts
Ashby is a New England town, town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,193 at the 2020 census, which makes it the least populous municipality in Middlesex County. The Town of Ashb ...
, 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
NH or Nh may refer to
Businesses and organizations
* All Nippon Airways (IATA code NH), formerly Nippon Helicopter, Japan's largest airline
* National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, a South Korean cooperative federation also known by its Kor ...
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
New Ipswich is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,204 at the 2020 census. New Ipswich, situated on the Massachusetts border, includes the villages of Bank, Davis, Gibson Four Corners, Highbridge, New ...
and NH 124. Further down Main Street in Greenville is the beginning of
NH Route 45, which runs northwest to
Temple
A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
, ending at
NH Route 101
New Hampshire Route 101 (NH 101) is a state-maintained highway in southern New Hampshire extending from Keene to Hampton Beach. It is the major east–west highway in the southern portion of the state.
The western terminus of NH 101 is in Keene ...
. 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
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Greenville has a
warm-summer humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.
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 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
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 ...
, 0.6%
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 ...
, 0.5%
Native American, 0.1%
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, 0.2%
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 1.4% from two or more races. 2.2% 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 861 households, 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% 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, 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.
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.
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
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 $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.
Notable people
*
Brian Viglione
Brian Viglione (born May 16, 1979, in Greenville, New Hampshire) is an American drummer best known for his work with The Dresden Dolls and Violent Femmes. He was also a prominent member of New York City's cabaret punk orchestra The World/Inferno F ...
(born 1979), drummer for
The Dresden Dolls
The Dresden Dolls are an American musical duo from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 2000, the group consists of Amanda Palmer (lead vocals and piano; additional: keyboards, harmonica, ukulele) and Brian Viglione (drums and backing vocals; ad ...
See also
*
Greenville Wildlife Park, a small zoo that closed in 2003
References
External links
*
Chamberlin Free Public Library
{{authority control
Towns in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
Populated places established in 1872
1872 establishments in New Hampshire
Towns in New Hampshire