Henniker 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 o ...

Merrimack County Merrimack County is a county in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 153,808, making it the third-most populous county in New Hampshire. Its county seat is Concord, the state capital. The county was or ...

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. As of the 2020 census, the reported total population of the town was 6,185, although the figure, 27.9% greater than the 2010 population, has been questioned by local officials. Henniker is home to

New England College New England College (NEC) is a private liberal arts college in Henniker, New Hampshire. As of Fall 2020 New England College's enrollment was 4,327 students (1,776 undergraduate and 2,551 graduate). The college is regionally accredited by the ...

and

Pats Peak Pats Peak is an independent alpine ski resort located in Henniker, New Hampshire, in the United States. The ski area opened in 1963 and has a vertical drop of . It is roughly a 90-minute drive from Boston, Massachusetts. The four Patenaude broth ...

Ski Area. Henniker is a

college town A college town or university town is a community (often a separate town or city, but in some cases a town/city neighborhood or a district) that is dominated by its university population. The university may be large, or there may be several sma ...

and resort area, featuring both

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee ( ...

and white-water

kayak A kayak is a small, narrow watercraft which is typically propelled by means of a double-bladed paddle. The word kayak originates from the Greenlandic word '' qajaq'' (). The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each s ...

ing. The main village of the town, where 3,166 people resided at the 2020 census, is defined as the Henniker 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 th ...

at the junction of

New Hampshire Route 114 New Hampshire Route 114 (abbreviated NH 114) is a secondary north–south highway in central New Hampshire. The highway runs between Bedford in Hillsborough County and Grantham in Sullivan County. The southern terminus of NH 114 is at New ...

with Old Concord Road. The town also includes the village of West Henniker.

History

The area was first known as "Number Six" in a line of settlements running between the Merrimack and

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the ...

rivers. In 1752, the Masonian Proprietors granted the land to Andrew Todd, who called it "Todd's Town". Settled in 1761 by James Peter, it was dubbed "New Marlborough" by others from

Marlboro, Massachusetts Marlborough is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 41,793 at the 2020 census. Marlborough became a prosperous industrial town in the 19th century and made the transition to high technology industry in the ...

. Incorporated in 1768 by Governor John Wentworth, the town was named for Sir John Henniker, a London merchant of

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hog ...

and fur, with shipping interests in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

and

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most d ...

.Austin J. Coolidge & John B. Mansfield, ''A History and Description of New England;'' Boston, Massachusetts 1859
/ref> In the 19th century Henniker had a high rate of congenital deafness, and its own

sign language Sign languages (also known as signed languages) are languages that use the visual-manual modality to convey meaning, instead of spoken words. Sign languages are expressed through manual articulation in combination with non-manual markers. Sign ...

, which may have played a significant role in the emergence of

American Sign Language American Sign Language (ASL) is a natural language that serves as the predominant sign language of Deaf communities in the United States of America and most of Anglophone Canada. ASL is a complete and organized visual language that is expre ...

. Farmers found the town's surface relatively even, with

fertile Fertility is the capability to produce offspring through reproduction following the onset of sexual maturity. The fertility rate is the average number of children born by a female during her lifetime and is quantified demographically. Fertili ...

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former ...

. Various mills operated by

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 ...

on the

, including a

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 ...

factory. By 1859, the population was 1,688. But the mills in Henniker were closed in 1959 by the Hopkinton-Everett Lakes Flood Control Project. The Edna Dean Proctor Bridge, a stone double-arch bridge spanning the Contoocook, was built in 1835. A building for Henniker Academy was constructed of split granite in 1836. Beginning in the late 1800s, the river's scenic beauty attracted tourism. The game of paintball originated in Henniker in 1981. Image:HennikerTownHall.JPG, Town Hall Image:TuckerFreeLibrary.JPG, Tucker Free Library Image:NECCoveredBridge.JPG, Covered bridge

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 th ...

, the town has a total area of , of which are land and are water, comprising 1.52% of the town. The village of Henniker, 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, suc ...

(CDP), has a total area of , all land. Henniker is drained by the

and its tributary Amey Brook. The town's southwest corner is drained by headwaters of Dudley Brook, leading to the Piscataquog River in neighboring Weare. 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 ...

. Craney Hill, elevation 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 standardis ...

and home of the

ski area, is in the south. The highest point in Henniker is an unnamed summit near the town's northwest corner, with an elevation of . Henniker is crossed by U.S. Route 202 and state routes 9 and

114 114 may refer to: *114 (number) *AD 114 *114 BC *114 (1st London) Army Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, an English military unit *114 (Antrim Artillery) Field Squadron, Royal Engineers, a Northern Irish military unit *114 (MBTA bus) *114 (New Je ...

Adjacent municipalities

* Warner (north) * Hopkinton (east) * Weare (southeast) * Deering (southwest) * Hillsborough (west) *

Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...

(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 inc ...

of 2010, there were 4,836 people, 1,780 households, and 1,124 families residing in the town. There were 1,928 housing units, of which 148, or 7.7%, were vacant. The racial makeup of the town was 95.7%

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 ...

, 1.2%

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 ...

, 0.4% Native American, 1.1%

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 are ...

n, 0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.5% some other race, and 1.1% from two or more races. 1.7% of the population were

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. Of the 1,780 households, 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% 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 ...

living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41, and the average family size was 2.91. 541 residents, or 11.3% of the population, lived in group quarters rather than households. In the town, 19.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 21.3% were from 18 to 24, 20.1% from 25 to 44, 30.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.5 males. For the period 2011–2015, the estimated median annual income for a household was $67,197, and the median income for a family was $80,845. Male full-time workers had a median income of $67,755 versus $49,677 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 $28,377. 10.3% of the population and 3.3% of families were below the poverty line. 12.8% of the population under the age of 18 and 5.5% of those 65 or older were living in poverty.

Government

In the New Hampshire Senate, Henniker is in the 15th District, represented by Democrat

Dan Feltes Dan Feltes (born March 23, 1979) is an American lawyer, a member of the Democratic Party, and represented the 15th district of the New Hampshire Senate from 2014 until 2020. Feltes was chair of the Senate Ways & Means committee and was vice cha ...

. On the

New Hampshire Executive Council 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 ...

, Henniker is in the 2nd District, represented by Democrat

Andru Volinsky Andru H. Volinsky (born March 13, 1956) is an American politician, attorney, and social justice advocate who served as a member of the Executive Council of New Hampshire from the 2nd district from 2017 to 2021. As an attorney, Volinsky served as ...

. 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 chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

, Henniker is in New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district, represented by Democrat Ann McLane Kuster.

Education

Henniker is part o
New Hampshire School Administrative Unit #24
which also includes Weare and

Stoddard, New Hampshire Stoddard is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,374 at the 2020 census, up from 1,232 at the 2010 census. Between 1842 and 1873, the town was home to four glass manufacturers. The glass produced by th ...

Kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...

and

primary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...

students atten
Henniker Community School
while secondary level students attend John Stark Regional High School in Weare. Henniker is also home to

, a four-year private

liberal arts college A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on undergraduate study in liberal arts and sciences. Such colleges aim to impart a broad general knowledge and develop general intellectual ca ...

. Henniker has a free library for residents, two community centers, and a Parent-Teacher Association.

Culture

Religion

Henniker has a

Congregational church Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

, a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

church, a Quaker meeting house, and Community Christian Fellowship.

Notable people

* Amy Beach (1867–1944), composer, pianist *

Laurie D. Cox Laurie Davidson Cox (August 18, 1883 – October 1, 1968) was a leading American landscape architect and Hall of Fame coach and contributor to the sport of lacrosse. He was professor of Landscape Engineering at the New York State College of ...

(1883–1968), landscape architect, lacrosse coach, college president * Robert Goodenow (1800–1874), US congressman * Rufus K. Goodenow (1790–1863), US congressman *

Ocean Born Mary Mary Wilson Wallace (July 26, 1720 – February 13, 1814), better known as Ocean-Born Mary, is a folklore figure of New England. Born on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean on July 26, 1720, the daughter of James Wilson and Elizabeth Fulton Wilson, Mary ...

(1720–1814), subject of a local ghost legend * James W. Patterson (1823–1893), US congressman, senator * Parker Pillsbury (1809–1898), minister; abolitionist * Edna Dean Proctor (1829–1923), writer * Jacob Rice (1787–1879), state legislator, farmer *

Kristen Ulmer Kristen Ulmer (born September 8, 1966) is a former professional extreme skier who retired from the sport in 2003 to further study and teach about overcoming fear. Early life and education Born and raised in the small town of Henniker, New Hamps ...

(born 1966), extreme skier, writer *

Ted Williams Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, primarily as a left fielder, for the Boston Red Sox from 193 ...

(1918–2002), left fielder with the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...

and manager of the Washington Senators/ Texas RangersHenniker Historical Society, "Introduction to the History of Henniker"
/ref>

Sites of interest

* Ames State Forest * Craney Hill State Forest *Henniker Historical Society at Henniker Academy *

References

External links

*
Tucker Free Library

Henniker Historical Society

New England College

{{authority control Towns in Merrimack County, New Hampshire Populated places established in 1768 1768 establishments in New Hampshire Towns in New Hampshire