Contoocook, New Hampshire
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Contoocook () is a village and
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), 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 counte ...
(CDP) within the town of Hopkinton in Merrimack County,
New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders 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 1,427 at the 2020 census. Contoocook is well known for its growth of small businesses, preservation of historical landmarks, community involvement and recreational activities within the village.


History

The village is named after the Contoocook River that runs through it. The name ''Contoocook'' comes from the
Pennacook The Pennacook, also known by the names Penacook and Pennacock, were Algonquian Indigenous people who lived in what is now Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and southern Maine. They were not a united tribe but a network of politically and culturally ...
tribe of Native Americans and perhaps means "place of the river near pines". Other variations of the name include the
Abenaki The Abenaki ( Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are Indigenous people 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 pred ...
meaning "nut trees river" or Natick language meaning "small plantation at the river". In previous centuries the area was known as "Contoocookville". It is the birthplace of
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
naval A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operatio ...
officer George H. Perkins. His daughter
Isabel Weld Perkins Isabel Anderson (March 29, 1876 – November 3, 1948), , was a Boston heiress, author, and society hostess who left a legacy to the public that includes a park and two museums. Life Early life Born at 284 Marlborough Street in Boston's B ...
and his son-in-law
Larz Anderson Larz Anderson (August 15, 1866 – April 13, 1937) was an American diplomat and ''bon vivant''. He served as second secretary at the United States Legation to the Court of St James's, London; as first secretary and later ''chargé d'affaires ...
maintained Perkins Manor as one of several summer homes. In describing the approach to Perkins Manor one commentator writes:
"In passing up the Concord and Claremont Railroad from Concord, the observant traveler has doubtless noticed the substantial and comfortable-looking homestead with large and trim front yard, shaded by thickly planted and generous topped maples, on the right-hand side of the road after crossing the bridge that spans 'Contoocook's bright and brimming river' at the pleasant-looking village of Contoocookville in the northern part of Hopkinton."


Geography

Contoocook is located in the northern part of the town of Hopkinton. New Hampshire Route 103 passes through the center of the village as Main Street and Park Avenue. New Hampshire Route 127 enters the village from the south as Maple Street and joins NH 103 along Park Avenue departing to the north. Interstate 89 runs along the western edge of the community, with access from Exit 6 (NH 127). I-89 leads southeast to
Interstate 93 Interstate 93 (I-93) is an Interstate Highway in the New England states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont in the United States. Spanning approximately along a north–south axis, it is one of three primary Interstate Highways ...
in the town of Bow, just south of Concord, the state capital. I-89 leads northwest to
Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
. NH 103 leads southeast to Hopkinton village and northwest to Warner. NH 127 leads southwest to West Hopkinton and north to Franklin. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the Contoocook CDP has a total area of , of which are land and , or 4.26%, are water. The Contoocook River flows through the center of the village, and the Warner River forms the northern edge of the community, flowing into the Contoocook.


Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,444 people, 610 households, and 397 families residing in the CDP. There were 638 housing units, of which 28, or 4.4%, were vacant. The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.9%
white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.7%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% some other race, and 0.8% from two or more races. 1.2% of the population were
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race. Of the 610 households in the CDP, 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were headed by
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37, and the average family size was 2.92. 23.1% of residents in the CDP were under the age of 18, 6.1% were from 18 to 24, 20.7% were from 25 to 44, 32.1% were from 45 to 64, and 17.9% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.9 males. For the period 2011–15, the estimated median annual income for a household was $84,083, and the median income for a family was $90,833. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the CDP was $27,077.


Sites of interest

''For sites of interest, see
Hopkinton, New Hampshire Hopkinton is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,914 at the 2020 census. The town has three distinct communities: Hopkinton village, mainly a residential area in the center of the town; Contoocook, the ...
''


Notable people

''For notable people, see
Hopkinton, New Hampshire Hopkinton is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,914 at the 2020 census. The town has three distinct communities: Hopkinton village, mainly a residential area in the center of the town; Contoocook, the ...
''


References

{{authority control Census-designated places in Merrimack County, New Hampshire Census-designated places in New Hampshire Hopkinton, New Hampshire New Hampshire placenames of Native American origin