Holderness is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than city, cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares ...

Grafton County Grafton County is a county in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of the 2020 census, the population was 91,118. Its county seat is North Haverhill, a village within the town of Haverhill. Until 1972, the county courthouse and other offices ...

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a 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 to the nor ...

, United States. The population was 2,004 at the 2020 census. An agricultural and resort area, Holderness is home to the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center and is located on

Squam Lake Squam Lake is a lake located in the Lakes Region of central New Hampshire, United States, south of the White Mountains, straddling the borders of Grafton, Carroll, and Belknap counties. The largest town center on the lake is Holderness. The ...

. Holderness is also home to Holderness School, a co-educational college-preparatory boarding school.

History

The Squam Lakes were a trade route for

Abenaki The Abenaki ( Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States. They are an Algonquian-speaking people and part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Eastern Abenaki language was pre ...

Indians 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 ...

and early

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

an settlers, who traveled the Squam River to the Pemigewasset River, then to 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 Mass ...

and seacoast. In 1751, Thomas Shepard submitted a petition on behalf of 64 grantees to

colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 a ...

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 ...

for 6 miles square on the Pemigewasset River. The governing council accepted, and the town was named after Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness. The

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...

, however, prevented settlement until after the 1759 Fall of Quebec. The land was regranted as "New Holderness" in 1761 to a group of

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian province ...

families, and first settled in 1763. As proprietor of half the town, Samuel Livermore intended to create at New Holderness a great estate patterned after those of the English countryside. By 1790, the town had 329 residents, and in 1816, "New" was dropped from its name. Holderness became a

farming Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peop ...

and

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques ...

community, except for the "business or flat iron area" located on the Squam River, which has falls that drop about before meeting the Pemigewasset River. With

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 ...

to operate mills, the southwestern corner of town developed into an industrial center, to which the Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad entered in 1849. But the mill village would be at odds with the agricultural community, especially when denied civic amenities including gaslights and sidewalks. Consequently, in 1868, it was set off as Ashland. Tourists in the 19th century discovered the region's scenic mountains and lakes. Before the age of automobiles, they would depart the train in Ashland and board a steamer, which traveled up the Squam River to rustic fishing camps or hillside hotels beside Squam Lake. Today, Holderness remains a popular resort area, where in 1981 the movie '' On Golden Pond'' was filmed. In 1924, pioneer ornithologist

Katharine (Clark) Harding Day Katharine "Kitty" Harding Day (''née'' Clark; February 10, 1891 – March 27, 1975) was an American ornithologist from Boston. She was one of the first American women to use Bird ringing, bird banding to study the nesting behavior of native Ameri ...

studied a breeding population of the veery (''Catharus fuscescens'') in Holderness. Image:Carnes Island, Holderness, NH.jpg, Carne's Island Image:Steamer Halcyon, Holderness, NH.jpg, Steamer ''Halcyon'' Image:The Asquam House, Holderness, NH.jpg, Asquam House in 1912. A "high-class modern hotel on Shepherd Hill on the shores of Asquam Lakes".

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 An economy is an area of th ...

, the town has a total area of , of which are land and are water, comprising 15.05% of the town. Bounded on the northwest by the Pemigewasset River, Holderness is drained by Owl Brook and the Squam River. Part of

is in the east, and Little Squam Lake is in the center. Mount Prospect, 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 standardise ...

, is in the north. The highest point in Holderness is Mount Webster in the northeast part of the town, elevation and part of the Squam Range. Via the Pemigewasset River, Holderness lies fully within the

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 ...

. The town is served by U.S. Route 3 and state routes 25, 113 and

175 Year 175 ( CLXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Piso and Iulianus (or, less frequently, year 928 ''Ab urbe condita ...

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 in ...

of 2000, there were 1,930 people, 768 households, and 546 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was 63.5 people per square mile (24.5/km²). There were 1,208 housing units at an average density of 39.8 per square mile (15.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.88%

White White is the lightness, 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 diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 0.47%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 0.05% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 0.41% of the population. There were 768 households, out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were

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, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.91. In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.8 males. The median income for a household in the town was $47,895, and the median income for a family was $55,526. Males had a median income of $36,500 versus $26,116 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 $27,825. About 2.8% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.

Town government

Holderness is governed in the traditional New England style, with a five-member board of selectmen as its executive branch, and the traditional

town meeting Town meeting is a form of local government in which most or all of the members of a community are eligible to legislate policy and budgets for local government. It is a town- or city-level meeting in which decisions are made, in contrast with ...

as its legislative branch. Municipal elections and town meetings are customarily held in March.

Notable people

* George Butler (1943–2021), documentary filmmaker (''

Pumping Iron ''Pumping Iron'' is a 1977 American docudrama about the world of professional bodybuilding, with a focus on the 1975 IFBB Mr. Universe and 1975 Mr. Olympia competitions. Directed by George Butler and Robert Fiore and edited by Geof Bartz and La ...

'', '' The Endurance'') * Moses Cheney (1793–1875), abolitionist, conductor on

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. ...

Oren B. Cheney Oren Burbank Cheney (December 10, 1816 – December 22, 1903) was an American politician, minister, and statesman who was a key figure in the abolitionist movement in the United States during the later 19th century. Along with textile tycoon Ben ...

(1816–1903), founder of

Bates College Bates College () is a Private college, private liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine. Anchored by the Historic Quad, the Campus of Bates College, campus of Bates totals with a small urban campus which includes 33 Victorian Houses as some of th ...

Arthur Livermore Arthur Livermore (July 29, 1766 – July 1, 1853) was an American politician and attorney who served as a United States representative from New Hampshire. Early life and education Born in Londonderry in the Province of New Hampshire, Livermore ...

(1766–1853), US congressman * Samuel Livermore (1732–1803), US senator * Hercules Mooney (1715–1800), officer in the Continental Army * Lorenzo L. Shaw (1828–1907), mill owner''Yarmouth Revisited'', Amy Aldredge (2013) * May Rogers Webster (1873–1938), naturalist, founded Lost River Conservation Camp near her summer home in HoldernessDan True
''Hummingbirds of North America: Attracting, Feeding, and Photographing''
(University of New Mexico Press 1995): 82-83.

Sites of interest

The town has multiple properties 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 artist ...

: * Boulderwood, a private summer camp *

Burleigh Brae and Webster Boathouse Burleigh Brae and Webster Boathouse are a historic summerhouse and boathouse in Holderness, New Hampshire. Located near Carns Cove off New Hampshire Route 113, Burleigh Brae is part of an extensive estate owned by the locally prominent Webster ...

Camp Carnes Camp Carnes is a historic private summer camp in Holderness, New Hampshire. Located on an island in Squam Lake's Carnes Cove off New Hampshire Route 113, the 1894 camp is one of the first to be established on an island in Squam Lake, and forms pa ...

, a private summer camp * Camp Ossipee, a private summer camp * Chapel of the Holy Cross *

Chocorua Island Chapel The Chocorua Island Chapel is a non-denominational chapel located on the island of the same name on Squam Lake in Grafton County, New Hampshire, in the town of Holderness. It is an open-air place of worship, created as an extension of Camp Ch ...

* Holderness Free Library *

Holderness Inn The Holderness Inn is a former 19th century hotel building on United States Route 3 in Holderness, New Hampshire. Built in 1895–96, it is the only such building standing in the Squam Lake area, from a period when there were a significant number ...

* North Holderness Freewill Baptist Church–Holderness Historical Society Building * Rockywold–Deephaven Camps *

Shepard Hill Historic District The Shepard Hill Historic District encompasses an enclave of summer retreat properties in Holderness, New Hampshire. Centered on a stretch of Shepard Hill Road east of Holderness center, the area was one of the first to be developed as a summe ...

* Trinity Church *

True Farm True Farm is a historic farm and summer estate in Holderness, New Hampshire. Located off New Hampshire Route 113 on True Farm Road, the farm is based around a c.1820 farmhouse, and was expanded into a summer estate in 1920 by George Saltonstall ...

Watch Rock Camp Watch Rock Camp is a historic summer camp in Holderness, New Hampshire. Located off New Hampshire Route 113 on the shore of Squam Lake, the camp was built in 1926 for Herbert and Elizabeth Gallaudet; he was a scion of the founders of Gallaudet ...

, a private summer camp *

Webster Estate The Webster Estate is a historic summer estate in Holderness, New Hampshire. Located near Carns Cove on Squam Lake off New Hampshire Route 113, the estate belongs to the locally prominent Webster family. It includes a number of houses: the Home ...

References

External links

*
Holderness Free Library

at NH.gov
Holderness Historical Society

Squam Lakes Association

Squam Lakes Natural Science Center
{{authority control Towns in Grafton County, New Hampshire Populated places established in 1761 Towns in New Hampshire