Peterborough, New Hampshire
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| Peterborough, New Hampshire | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | New Hampshire | ||
| County | Hillsborough County | ||
| Incorporated | 1760 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Board of Selectmen | Joe Byk, Chairman Gene Kellogg Elizabeth Thomas |
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| Area | |||
| - Town | 38.1 sq mi (98.7 km²) | ||
| - Land | 37.7 sq mi (97.7 km²) | ||
| - Water | 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 718 ft (219 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - Town | 5,883 | ||
| - Density | 156.0/sq mi (60.2/km²) | ||
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) | ||
| Website: www.townofpeterborough.com | |||
Peterborough is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, USA. The population was 5,883 at the 2000 census. (The estimated population in 2005 was 6,134.[1])
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 98.7 km² (38.1 mi²). 97.7 km² (37.7 mi²) of it is land and 1.1 km² (0.4 mi²) of it is water, comprising 1.08% of the town. The highest point in Peterborough is South Pack Monadnock Mountain (2,290 feet / 698 meters above sea level), in Miller State Park.
[edit] Demographics
This article describes the town of Peterborough as a whole. Additional demographic detail is available which describes only the central settlement or village within the town, although that detail is included in the aggregate values reported here. See: Peterborough (CDP), New Hampshire.
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 5,883 people, 2,346 households, and 1,531 families residing in the town. The population density was 60.2/km² (156.0/mi²). There were 2,509 housing units at an average density of 25.7/km² (66.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.97% White, 0.63% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.29% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.[2]
There were 2,346 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 84.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $47,381, and the median income for a family was $54,375. Males had a median income of $42,178 versus $27,422 for females. The per capita income for the town was $26,154. About 6.4% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.0% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.
See also: Peterborough (CDP), New Hampshire
[edit] Education
The public schools are part of Contoocook Valley school district which has a total of 11 schools and 1 applied technology center. Contoocook Valley Regional High School services approximately 1200 students. Over the years ConVal has had many very successful sports and academic teams. The Boys Baseball team won the first state championship in 31 years this year, defeating Kennett 5-3. The Girls Lacrosse Team also won its second consecutive state championship this year. The boys cross country team won the class I championship meet this year. The Boys Ice Hockey Team won the Division III state championship in 2003 and 2004. Football was introduced just a few years ago and achieved its first winning season in 2004. The Ocean Bowl Team regularly advances to the National Championships and the Math Team was the runner-up in the state this year.
[edit] Culture
A rural area of Peterborough has been the location, since its creation in 1907, of the MacDowell art colony.
The town features an institution it calls "First Friday", a group of free events described as a "festive community celebration" on the first Friday of each month. As of 2003, these are:
- MacDowell Downtown, in association with the MacDowell Colony
- Contra dancing
- A program presented by the Peterboro Folk Music Society
In May of every year, Peterborough holds its annual Children and the Arts Day festival. The festival is a chance for local students, ranging in age from preschool to high school and beyond, to exhibit their artistic and creative talents. The celebration lasts all day and consists of the traditional Giant Puppet Parade, as well as the rubber duck race, which goes to benefit local charities. There are also many other activities, including concerts, dancing, and an international food court. On 19 May 2007, Peterborough will host its fourteenth annual festival.
The Peterborough Town Library is the oldest free library in the United States. It was founded in 1833.
The Moses Cheney house in Peterborough served as a stop on the Underground Railroad in the mid 1800s, and Frederick Douglass stayed at the home. Moses' son Oren B. Cheney founded Bates College in 1855, and his son Person C. Cheney was a U.S. Senator.
The Peterborough Players puts on 6 plays every summer, employing such renowned actors as James Whitmore. In the 2005 season, they performed many outstanding plays such as Grace and Glorie and Little Women.
The town was the model for the play Our Town, written by Thornton Wilder while in residence at the MacDowell Colony.
[edit] Trivia
During Enron's initial ramping-up, Peterborough was used as its poster child for proof-of-concept; a full-page New York Times ad, as well as a 30-second Super Bowl spot, were both devoted to Enron's ideas, by way of Peterborough.
Peterborough, for some time, was a powerhouse of computer magazine publishing. It was home to such well-known magazines as Byte, AmigaWorld, and A+. Carl Helmers, co-founder of Byte, also launched several vertical-market magazines under the aegis of Helmers Publishing: Supply Chain Manufacturing & Logistics (formerly ID Systems Magazine), Sensors Magazine, Desktop Engineering Magazine, SetiQuest Magazine. The substantial majority of these magazines are now out of print, but Peterborough still retains a heritage of literacy and publishing know-how.
Peterborough is home to one of the oldest basket manufacturers in the country, Peterboro Basket Company, which has been in business since 1854.
[edit] References
- ^ "2005 Population Estimates of New Hampshire Cities and Towns", NH Office of Energy and Planning, July 2006
- ^ NH Office of State Planning, "Race and Hispanic Data", compiled from U.S. Census 2000
[edit] External links
- Peterborough, NH Official Website
- New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile
- Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
