Our Towns

The Greater Pittsfield
Chamber of Commerce
Pittsfield, NH
Incorporated 1966

Greater Pittsfield Chamber Commerce - Area Towns

Granted in 1727, this community was one of several established to deal with rapidly expanding population in the seacoast area. A majority of new settlers came from either Barnstable on Cape Cod or Hampstead on Long Island, and the name Barnstead is a conjunction of the two. Barnstead Parade, the town's central highway, was located on the Province Road which ran between Portsmouth and the Governor's summer house in Wolfeboro.

Chichester
www.chichesternh.org

One of seven towns granted in 1727 when New Hampshire was still a part of Massachusetts. As were several other towns, it was named in honor of Thomas Pelham Holles, Duke of Newcastle, Earl of Chichester, and England’s Secretary of State (1724-1754). Holles was in charge of colonial policy, and was very involved in relations between the American Colonies and England. The charter for Chichester was a pattern for other town charters, requiring the planting and cultivation of land, and building dwelling houses, roads, a schoolhouse, and a church, all within three to five years.

Epsom
www.epsomlibrary.com

One of seven towns chartered by Massachusetts authorities in 1727 long before New Hampshire became an independent province, when John Wentworth was Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. The name most likely came from Epsom, England, home of the Earl of Derby, who had established horse racing stables there at about the same time the town was chartered. Epsom Downs became famous for its Derby horse race. England's Epsom was also known for the curative value of its mineral springs, the source of Epsom salts.

Gilmanton
www.gilmantonnh.org

This town was chartered in 1727 by Lieutenant Governor John Wentworth of Massachusetts, though it was not settled until 1761 due to threats of Indian attack. The name Gilmantown was chosen because there were 24 Gilman family members receiving land grants. At one time it was the second-largest town in the state; only Portsmouth was larger. The original grant had more land than today's town, with villages and parishes including Belmont, Gunstock Parish (Gilford), Hurricane, Tioga, Factory Village, and Lakeport. The parish of Averytown was the site of an unprofitable iron-mining enterprise, and is still known as Gilmanton Iron Works.

Loudon
www.loudonnh.org

This town was originally part of a 1727 grant that included Canterbury and Northfield. It was set off and incorporated as Loudon on petition of residents in 1773, who felt that the distance to the meetinghouse and insufficient roads were an obstacle to attending public worship and public affairs of the town. The name Loudon was to honor John Campbell, fourth Earl of Loudoun, who fought with the English army as an aide-decamp to the king during the Seven Years' War. Under Lord Loudoun's orders Major Robert Rogers organized the famous Roger's Rangers frontier fighters. One of Lord Loudoun's aides, John Loudoun McAdam, is known for developing the "macadamizing" process of road surfacing.

Northwood
www.town.northwood.nh.us

First settled in 1763, and known as the North Woods, a parish of Nottingham. It was incorporated as a separate town upon agreement with Nottingham in 1773. In 1791, the General Court of New Hampshire authorized a committee to survey and lay out a road between Durham and Concord, which became the First New Hampshire Turnpike. The road runs the length of Northwood, and the town's many taverns accommodated travelers. At one time, there were some 12 sawmills in the town, five of which were replaced by shoe factories.

Pittsfield
www.pittsfield-nh.com

For many years, this territory was the unnamed northern parish of Chichester. In 1782, John Cram, William Chase, and Jonathan Leavitt Jr. petitioned the legislature on behalf of residents for incorporation of a parish separate from Chichester. The petition was granted in March 1782. Like Pittsburg in the north, Pittsfield was named for William Pitt, Prime Minister of England, and a great friend of the Colonies prior to the American Revolution, who had died in1778. Pittsfield was home to Hiram Americanus Tuttle, Governor of New Hampshire, 1891-1893.

Date This Page Last Updated
November 08, 2007