Hampton Falls, New Hampshire

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Hampton Falls, New Hampshire
nickname =
motto =


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imagesize =
image_caption =

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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Rockingham 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 = Rockingham
government_type =
leader_title = Board of Selectmen
leader_name = Francis J. Ferreira, Jr., Chairperson
Stephen C. Volpone, Jr.
Theodore C.Tocci
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1726
area_magnitude = 1 E8
area_total_km2 = 32.4
area_total_sq_mi = 12.5
area_land_km2 = 31.6
area_land_sq_mi = 12.2
area_water_km2 = 0.8
area_water_sq_mi = 0.3
area_water_percent = 2.4
population_as_of = 2007
population_note =
population_total = 2,095
population_density_km2 = 66.3
population_density_sq_mi = 171.7
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 42 |latm = 54 |lats = 58 |latNS = N
longd = 70 |longm = 51 |longs = 49 |longEW = W
elevation_m = 20
elevation_ft = 66
website = [http://www.hamptonfalls.org/ www.hamptonfalls.org]
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 03844
area_code = 603
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 33-33460
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0873617
footnotes =

Hampton Falls (formerly the Third Parish and Hampton falls) is a New England town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town was settled in 1638, was a part of Norfolk County, Massachusetts Colony from 1643 to 1679, and became a town in 1726. The population was 1,890 at the 2000 census. The New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning estimated the town's 2007 population at 2,080. [cite web| url=http://www.nh.gov/oep/programs/DataCenter/Population/documents/2007_population_estimates.pdf| title="2007 Population Estimates of New Hampshire Cities and Towns"| date=June 2008| publisher=NH Office of Energy and Planning| accessdate=2008-06-03]

History

The land of Hampton Falls was first settled by Europeans in 1638, the same time as Hampton, which it was then part of. The settlement of Hampton joined Norfolk County, Massachusetts Colony, in 1643, along with Exeter, Dover, Portsmouth, and Salisbury and Haverhill of Massachusetts. The county existed until 1679, when the modern-day New Hampshire towns separated from Massachusetts Bay Colony. Records indicate a building that became a church may have existed near where the Weare Monument now is in 1665, but when it was first built is unknown. It was not until 1709 that the town was officially established as the "Third Parish" of Hampton. The Third Parish originally consisted of all land south of the Taylor River and north of the New Hampshire/Massachusetts border, or the modern-day towns of Seabrook, Kensington, and Hampton Falls. A meeting house was built shortly after and Thomas Crosby became the town's minister for the church. Forty-nine members of the Hampton Church were dismissed late in 1711, only to become members of the new church in the Third Parish. Parish officers and a representative were chosen in 1718. The first town meeting was held and town records began that year also. The 7,400 acre town received its grant as an independent town with the name "Hampton falls" in 1726, but was still referred to as a parish until the Revolutionary War. Those who did use its actual name in writing spelled it with a lowercase f until around the same time.cite book|last=Brown|first=Warren|year=1900|title=History of Hampton Falls Vol. I|publisher=John E. Clarke Co.|location=Manchester, New Hampshire]

An attempt was made in 1732 to separate the western portion of Hampton falls and make it a parish of Kingston. The proposal failed in a way, yet succeeded in another; the land was separated, but it did not become part of Kingston, but became a town of its own, Kensington.cite book|last=Brown|first=Warren|year=1918|title=History of Hampton Falls Vol. II|publisher=The Rumford Press|location=Concord, New Hampshire]

A disease known as the Throat Distemper (now thought to have been a malignant form of diphtheria) infected the town with its symptoms in 1735 and 1736. Two-hundred and fourteen people of Hampton Falls perished, 96 of them being under the age of ten. Only two homes in town were throat distemper free. It passed through the town again in 1754, with far fewer casualties, but still many.

Seventy-two people wanted Hampton Falls (which then included Seabrook and Kensington) to become a part of Massachusetts in 1739, including Meshech Weare, but the proposal failed in the end. In 1765, the Presbyterians of the town wanted to form a new parish in the southern portion of the town, where a church of their religion existed. A town meeting was held on December 30 when the rest of the villagers learned of the Presbyterians' plans, and it was decided that the town would be separated into two. The new parish was formed in 1768, and became incorporated under the name Seabrook shortly after. Hampton Falls was considered one of the leading manufacturing towns in the entire state of New Hampshire around the time of 1770.

A plan to unite Seabrook and portions of Hampton Falls together was thought up in 1782. The town would've been called New Hampton Falls, but Hampton Falls was successful in making the proposal fail. In 1835, the town of Hampton Falls had a new meeting-house erected. Where in town it existed is unknown.

On the night between October 29 and October 30 in 1827, an earthquake struck the small town. A flash of light from a fault in the southern region of the town occurred, with violent trembeling shortly following. It caused at least three chimneys to collapse partially or completely, with several others cracked. Another, more severe earthquake also struck Hampton Falls on November 18, 1755, causing more, but not a lot of damage.

On May 21, 2006, an F2 [http://www.wunderground.com/US/NH/North_Hampton.html North Hampton, New Hampshire (03862) Conditions & Forecast : Weather Underground ] ] tornado formed in the town at around 6:30 p.m. EST. [http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/060521_rpts.html Storm Prediction Center 20060521's Storm Reports ] ] It was near Interstate 95 where it overturned a truck, leaving two injured men and a kayak in a tree. [http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~623895 NCDC: Event Details] ]

Numerous falls on the Taylor River provided water power for mills. Once a farming and lumbering community, the town is today largely residential, with numerous antique shops along U.S. 1.cite web| url=http://www.nhes.state.nh.us/elmi/htmlprofiles/hamptonfalls.html| title=Hampton Falls, New Hampshire| publisher=NH Dept. of Employment Security| accessdate=2008-07-22]

Hampton Falls resident Meshech Weare, a descendant of mill owners, was New Hampshire's first "president", later called "governor", in 1776. Other notable residents include governor Wesley Powell, politician Warren Brown, architect Ralph Adams Cram, and poet John Greenleaf Whittier, a summer resident.

In addition to Applecrest Orchards (see "Economy" below), Elton Orchards once operated in Hampton Falls. It was located in the western portion of the town, closing around 1975. A small cul-de-sac, Elton Lane, was named after it.

Geography

Hampton Falls borders Kensington to the west, Exeter and Hampton to the north, and Seabrook to the south. Some other nearby places include Boston, Massachusetts, only convert|45|mi|km away, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a mere convert|15|mi|km to the north. [http://www.hamptonfalls.org/ Town of Hampton Falls, New Hampshire ] ]

The highest point in town is the summit of Great Hill, at convert|230|ft|m above sea level), just north of the Weare mills on the Hampton Falls River, at an altitude of convert|61|ft|m above sea level. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of convert|12.5|sqmi|km2|1, of which convert|12.2|sqmi|km2|abbr=on|1 is land and convert|0.3|sqmi|km2|abbr=on is water, comprising 2.4% of the town. Hampton Falls lies fully within the Piscataqua River (Coastal) 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]

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 1,890 people, 704 households, and 546 families residing in the town. The population density was 153.9 people per square mile (59.4/km²). There were 729 housing units at an average density of 59.7/sq mi (23.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.46% White, 0.05% African American, 0.74% Asian, 0.05% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of the population.

There were 704 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.5% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. 16.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 30.4% 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 102.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $76,348, and the median income for a family was $86,229. Males had a median income of $60,250 versus $36,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $35,060. About 2.2% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.

According to State figures, "Population in Hampton Falls tripled over the last fifty years, growing above the statewide average rate in three of the five decades. Decennial growth rates ranged from a nine percent increase between 1970-1980 to a 42 percent increase between 1960-1970. Population in Hampton Falls grew by a total of 1,251 residents, going from 629 in 1950 to 1,880 residents in 2000."

Government

Like most New England towns, Hampton Falls has a government run by a Board of Selectmen. The current selectmen are Theodore Tocci, Shawn Hanson, and Micheal Farinola. The town also holds town meetings, often held in the town hall, another thing common to New England.Fact|date=January 2007

Economy

Hampton Falls is primarily a residential community. Applecrest Farm Orchards, [http://www.applecrest.com/ Applecrest Orchards] official site] established in 1913, is the town's largest employer, with 18 employees; The remaining top five employers include Jensen and Zumbado attorneys, Dodges Agway, and the Hampton Falls Inn. [http://www.hamptonfallsinn.com/ Hampton Falls Inn] official site]

Culture

Education

Currently, the Lincoln Akerman School is the only public school in town. But at one point, five public schools existed, the North, South, West, and two East schools. One of the East Schools burned down in 1947, and the Lincoln Akerman School replaced it in 1949. The other East School was moved to an area near the new library. Another school was turned into a home, and another was crushed by a boulder one winter when students pushed it off a hill.Fact|date=January 2007 Dan Brown, author of "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels & Demons" (among other novels), taught Spanish at Lincoln Akerman for a brief period during the 1990s.

A private Episcopal middle school is being proposed on the former Liberty Farms on the border of Hampton Falls and Exeter. The school is expected to educate approximately 90 students once it opens in fall 2007. [http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/hampton/10102006/nhnews-hf-charterschool1010.html Hampton Union Local News: Middle school to open in '07 ] ]

High school students attend Winnacunnet High School in the neighboring town of Hampton.

References

External links

* [http://www.hamptonfalls.org Town website]
* [http://www.hamptonfallslibrary.org/ Hampton Fall Free Library "Official Website"]
* [http://www.nh.gov/nhes/elmi/htmlprofiles/hamptonfalls.html New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]
* [http://www.wbztv.com/slideshows/local_slideshow_143095003 Pictures of the 2006 tornado]