Franconia, New Hampshire

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Franconia, New Hampshire
nickname =
motto =


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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Grafton County, New Hampshire
settlement_type = Town


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New Hampshire
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Grafton
government_type =
leader_title = Board of Selectmen
leader_name =
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1772
area_magnitude = 1 E8
area_total_km2 = 170.8
area_total_sq_mi = 66.0
area_land_km2 = 170.6
area_land_sq_mi = 65.9
area_water_km2 = 0.2
area_water_sq_mi = 0.1
area_water_percent = 0.12
population_as_of = 2000
population_note =
population_total = 924
population_density_km2 = 5.4
population_density_sq_mi = 14.0
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 44 |latm = 13 |lats = 38 |latNS = N
longd = 71 |longm = 44 |longs = 54 |longEW = W
elevation_m = 283
elevation_ft = 928
website = http://www.franconianh.org/
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 03580
area_code = 603
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 33-27300
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0873599
footnotes =

Franconia is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 924 at the 2000 census. Set in the White Mountains, Franconia is home to Franconia Notch State Park. Parts of the White Mountain National Forest are in the east and south. The Appalachian Trail crosses the southern part.

History

First granted in 1764 by Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth as Indian Head, the town's settlers were unable to meet the terms of charter, and it was regranted in 1772 by his nephew, Governor John Wentworth, as Morristown. In 1782, the town was renamed Franconia due to the terrain's resemblance to the Frankish Alb in Germany. The town sits on a rich iron deposit, and the region once produced pig iron and bar iron for farm tools and cast iron ware.

The town is home to the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway, which rises to the 4,100-foot summit of Cannon Mountain. Built in 1938, it was the first passenger aerial tramway in North America.

The town was home to Franconia College in the 1960s and 1970s.

Notable residents

* Robert Frost, poet
* Bode Miller, skier
* Ernest Poole, author

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of convert|66.0|sqmi|km2, of which convert|65.9|sqmi|km2|abbr=on is land and convert|0.1|sqmi|km2|abbr=on is water, comprising 0.12% of the town. Franconia is drained by the Pemigewasset River, the Gale River, and the Ham Branch of the Gale River, in addition to Lafayette Brook. The north-western two-thirds of Franconia lies within the Connecticut River watershed, while the south-eastern corner lies in the Merrimack River watershed.cite book |title=Water Use in New Hampshire: An Activities Guide for Teachers |url=http://nh.water.usgs.gov/Publications/nh.intro.html |last=Foster |first=Debra H. |coauthors=Batorfalvy, Tatianna N.; and Medalie, Laura |publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey |year=1995]

The area of Franconia Notch is well-known for its natural features, including Profile and Echo lakes, the Basin, Mount Lafayette, Mount Lincoln, and Cannon Mountain. Mount Lafayette, at convert|5260|ft|m above sea level, is the highest peak in Franconia. The Old Man of the Mountain, a profile-like cliff which inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne to write "The Great Stone Face", collapsed on May 3, 2003.

In addition to the mountains around Franconia Notch, there are several other four-thousand footers within the town limits: Mount Garfield, Galehead Mountain, South Twin Mountain, and Owl's Head.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 924 people, 384 households, and 243 families residing in the town. The population density was 14.0 people per square mile (5.4/km²). There were 702 housing units at an average density of 10.7/sq mi (4.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.51% White, 0.11% African American, 0.65% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.32% of the population.

There were 384 households out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.76.

In the town the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 33.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,114, and the median income for a family was $46,979. Males had a median income of $29,500 versus $24,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,351. About 7.8% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.1% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.

ites of interest

* [http://www.franconiaheritage.org/ Franconia Heritage Museum & Iron Furnace Interpretive Center]
* [http://www.frostplace.org/ Frost Place]
* [http://www.skimuseum.org/ New England Ski Museum]

References

External links

* [http://www.franconianh.org Town website]
* [http://www.nh.gov/nhes/elmi/htmlprofiles/franconia.html New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]
* [http://www.franconianotchstatepark.com/ Franconia Notch State Park]
* [http://www.franconianotch.org/ Franconia Notch Chamber of Commerce]