Hillsborough, frequently spelled Hillsboro, 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 5,939 at the 2020 census.
The town is home to Fox State Forest and part of Low State Forest.
The main village of the town, where 2,156 people resided at the 2020 census, is defined as the
Hillsborough census-designated place (CDP), and is located along the
Contoocook River
The Contoocook River () is a river in New Hampshire. It flows from Contoocook Lake on the Jaffrey/ Rindge border to Penacook (just north of Concord), where it empties into the Merrimack River. It is one of only a few rivers in New Hampshire that ...
at the junction of
New Hampshire Route 149
New Hampshire Route 149 (abbreviated NH 149) is a secondary east–west state highway in Hillsborough County in the southern part of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The road runs between the towns of Weare and Hillsborough.
The eastern termin ...
with Henniker Street and Main Street. The town also includes the villages of Hillsborough Center, Hillsborough Upper Village, Hillsborough Lower Village, and Emerald Lake Village.
History
The town was first granted in 1735 by
Jonathan Belcher
Jonathan Belcher (8 January 1681/8231 August 1757) was a merchant, politician, and slave trader from colonial Massachusetts who served as both governor of Massachusetts Bay and governor of New Hampshire from 1730 to 1741 and governor of New J ...
, colonial governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, as "Number Seven", one in a line of nine Massachusetts towns set up as defense barriers against
Indian
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Peoples South Asia
* Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor
** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country
* South Asia ...
attacks. The towns were renamed after the border between the two provinces was fixed in 1739, placing the towns in New Hampshire. Settled in 1741, the town was granted in 1748 by Governor
Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth (July 24, 1696 – October 14, 1770) was an American merchant and colonial administrator who served as the governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766. While serving as governor, Wentworth is best known for issuing several la ...
as "Hillsborough", named for Sir
Wills Hill,
Earl of Hillsborough
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...
. It would be incorporated in 1772 by Governor
John Wentworth.
Hillsborough was the birthplace of
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. He was a northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to the nation's unity ...
, the 14th president of the United States and the only president from New Hampshire. The
Pierce Homestead was built in 1804 (the year of his birth) by his father,
Benjamin Pierce, a general in the
Revolutionary War, and twice governor of New Hampshire. Restored in 1925, the home was designated a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in 1961. Listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
, the house is today a museum owned by the state and operated by the Hillsborough Historical Society.
A cluster of
five stone arch bridges built during the 19th century in Hillsborough is designated as a
National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark
__NOTOC__
The following is a list of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks as designated by the American Society of Civil Engineers since it began the program in 1964. The designation is granted to projects, structures, and sites in the United State ...
.
Railroad service was supplied to Hillsborough by the
Boston and 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 ...
from 1878 to 1972. Rail service north to
Henniker ceased in 1942, and Hillsborough became the end point on a line that once stretched in an arc from
Nashua Nashua may refer to:
* Nashaway people, Native American tribe living in 17th-century New England
Places
In Australia:
* Nashua, New South Wales
In the United States:
* Nashua, California
* Nashua, Iowa
* Nashua, Minnesota
* Nashua, Kansas City ...
to
Concord, New Hampshire
Concord () is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Hampshire and the seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2020 census the population was 43,976, making it the third largest city in New Hampshire behind Manchester and Nashua.
The village of ...
. The rails in Hillsborough were torn up in 1979. Hillsborough was once home to an iconic railroad
covered bridge and a curved wooden
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 ...
. The bridge burned due to arson in 1985, and the trestle was dismantled shortly thereafter. The Hillsborough Branch now ends at
Bennington
Bennington is a town in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. It is one of two shire towns (county seats) of the county, the other being Manchester. As of the 2020 US Census, the population was 15,333. Bennington is the most populous to ...
; the line from Bennington to Hillsborough is a
rail trail
A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetcar ...
.
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 2.24% of the town.
The town center, or
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 ...
, has a total area of .
The highest point in Hillsborough is Thompson Hill, at above sea level, in the northern part of town. Hillsborough is drained by the
Contoocook River
The Contoocook River () is a river in New Hampshire. It flows from Contoocook Lake on the Jaffrey/ Rindge border to Penacook (just north of Concord), where it empties into the Merrimack River. It is one of only a few rivers in New Hampshire that ...
and its tributaries,
Beards
A beard is the hair that grows on the jaw, chin, upper lip, lower lip, cheeks, and neck of humans and some non-human animals. In humans, usually pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards.
Throughout the course of history, societal at ...
and Sand brooks. Part of
is in the southwest. The town lies 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 ...
.
Adjacent municipalities
*
Bradford, New Hampshire
Bradford is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,662 at the 2020 census. The main village of the town, where 372 people resided at the 2020 census, is defined as the Bradford census-designated place (CDP) ...
(north)
*
Henniker, New Hampshire (east)
*
Deering, New Hampshire
Deering is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,904 at the 2020 census.
History
First settled about 1765, the town was incorporated on January 17, 1774, by John Wentworth, governor of the Province of ...
(southeast)
*
Antrim, New Hampshire
Antrim is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,651 at the 2020 census. The main village in the town, where 1,395 people lived at the 2020 census, is defined as the Antrim census-designated place (CDP) ...
(south)
*
Windsor, New Hampshire
Windsor is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 262 at the 2020 census. It is the location of the Wediko Children's Services Summer Program and of Windsor Mountain International, a summer adventure and t ...
(west)
*
Washington, New Hampshire
Washington is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,192 at the 2020 census. Situated in a hilly, rocky, forested area, and with 26 lakes and ponds, Washington is a picturesque resort area. It is home to Pill ...
(northwest)
Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 6,011 people, 2,392 households, and 1,614 families residing in the town. The population density was 137.9 people per square mile (53.2/km
2). There were 2,896 housing units at an average density of 66.4 per square mile (25.6/km
2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.4%
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 ...
, 0.6%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
or
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 ...
, 0.3%
Native American, 0.6%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.03% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 0.3%
some other race, and 1.8% from two or more races.
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 were 1.4% of the population.
There were 2,392 households, out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were headed by married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51, and the average family size was 2.98.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.
For the period 2007–2011, the estimated median annual income for a household in the town was $54,386, and the median income for a family was $67,621. Male full-time workers had a median income of $43,583 versus $32,030 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,232. About 7.1% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.5% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Hillsborough is part of School Administrative Unit (SAU) 34. Public schools serving the community of Hillsboro include:
* Hillsboro-Deering Elementary School
* Hillsboro-Deering Middle School
* Hillsboro-Deering High School
Sites of interest
*
Contoocook Mills Industrial District
The Contoocook Mills Industrial District of Hillsborough, New Hampshire, encompasses the industrial mill complex of the Contoocook Mills, a major business in the town from the 19th century to the mid-20th century. Industry on the banks of the C ...
*
DAR Museum Room, in the
Fuller Public Library
*
Five Stone Arch Bridges
*
Franklin Pierce Homestead
The Franklin Pierce Homestead is a historic house museum and state park located in Hillsborough, New Hampshire. It was the childhood home of the fourteenth president of the United States, Franklin Pierce.
Overview
The house is located on the e ...
(1804)
*
Railroad Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
(1903–1985)
*
Union Chapel (1887)
Notable people
*
Christopher Columbus Andrews
Christopher Columbus Andrews (October 27, 1829 – September 21, 1922) was an American soldier, diplomat, newspaperman, author, and forester.
Early life and career
Andrews was born in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, the son of a rural farmer. He ...
(1829–1922), soldier, diplomat, newspaperman, author, forester
*
David Bailey
David Royston Bailey (born 2 January 1938) is an English photographer and director, most widely known for his fashion photography and portraiture, and role in shaping the image of the Swinging Sixties.
Early life
David Bailey was born at Wh ...
, abolitionist in Abraham Lincoln legal case ''Cromwell vs. Bailey'' and militia officer in the
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans led by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis (Fox), and Kickapoos, known as the "British Band", crosse ...
(1832)
[Moore, William F. and Jane Anne, ''Collaborators for Emancipation: Abraham Lincoln and Owen Lovejoy'', pg. 53]
*
Wilson Bethel (born 1984), actor
*
James Frankland Briggs
James Frankland Briggs (October 23, 1827 – January 21, 1905) was an American politician and a U.S. Representative from New Hampshire.
Early life
Briggs was born to John and Nancy (Frankland) Briggs, on October 23, 1827 in Bury, Lancashire, Eng ...
(1827–1905), politician
*
Benjamin Pierce Cheney
Benjamin Pierce Cheney ( ; August 12, 1815 – July 23, 1895) was an American businessman, and a founder of the firm that became American Express.
Early life
Cheney was born in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, on August 12, 1815, to Jesse and Al ...
(1815–1895), a founder of
American Express
American Express Company (Amex) is an American multinational corporation specialized in payment card services headquartered at 200 Vesey Street in the Battery Park City neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City. The company was found ...
*
James Hill (1825–1897), 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, ...
and the
Wisconsin State Senate
*
Benjamin Franklin Keith
Benjamin Franklin Keith (January 26, 1846 – March 26, 1914) was an American vaudeville theater owner, highly influential in the evolution of variety theater into vaudeville.
Biography
Early years
Keith was born in Hillsboro Bridge, New ...
(1846–1914), vaudeville theater owner
*
Timothy G. O'Connell
Timothy G. O’Connell (1868–1955) was an American architect whose Boston-based practice specialized in ecclesiastical design.
O'Connell is reputed to have produced some 600 civic and religious buildings. Some of these structures such as the Ch ...
(1868–1955), architect
*
Benjamin Pierce (1757–1839),
governor of New Hampshire
The governor of New Hampshire is the head of government of New Hampshire.
The governor is elected during the biennial state general election in November of even-numbered years. New Hampshire is one of only two states, along with bordering Verm ...
and father of President
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. He was a northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to the nation's unity ...
*
Benjamin Kendrick Pierce (1790–1850), United States Army officer, son of Benjamin Pierce, brother of Franklin Pierce
*
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. He was a northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to the nation's unity ...
(1804–1869), 14th
President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
*
John Butler Smith
John Butler Smith (April 12, 1838 – August 10, 1914) was an American manufacturer and Republican politician from Hillsborough, New Hampshire who served as the 44th governor of New Hampshire from 1893 to 1895. He owned Contoocook Mills Company ...
(1838–1914), manufacturer, 44th
governor of New Hampshire
The governor of New Hampshire is the head of government of New Hampshire.
The governor is elected during the biennial state general election in November of even-numbered years. New Hampshire is one of only two states, along with bordering Verm ...
*
Gertrude Bass Warner
Gertrude Bass Warner (May 14, 1863 – July 29, 1951) was an American twentieth-century art collector, with particular interests in Asian art, religious artifacts, daily-life textiles, ceramics, paintings, and photographs. She lived, traveled, and ...
(1863–1951), art collector, pioneer of museum studies
References
External links
*
Greater Hillsborough Area Chamber of CommerceFuller Public Library
{{authority control
Towns in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
Populated places established in 1772
Towns in New Hampshire