Editing Atkinson, New Hampshire (section)

== History ==

Atkinson's history dates back to the [[American Revolution]]. The community was incorporated September 3,<ref name="Atk1875">Article in [http://gedcomindex.com/Reference/New_Hampshire_1875/057.html ''Statistics and Gazetteer of New-Hampshire'' (1875)]</ref><ref name="HaywardsAtkinson">Article in [http://gedcomindex.com/Reference/Haywards/frame034.html Hayward's New England Gazetteer (1839)]</ref> 1767,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.town-atkinsonnh.com/ |title= Town of Atkinson New Hampshire |publisher= Town of Atkinson New Hampshire |access-date= November 10, 2012}}</ref> and was named after Colonel Theodore Atkinson,<ref name="Atk1875" /> a local landowner.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=18807|title= Profile for Atkinson, New Hampshire, NH|publisher= ePodunk |access-date= November 10, 2012}}</ref>

[[Atkinson Academy]], the second-oldest co-educational school in the country,<ref name=Montalto>{{cite news |author=Montalto, Jim |title=School to many of Atkinson's own |work=[[The Eagle-Tribune]] |url=http://plus.eagletribune.com/cgi-bin/etwwl06.pl?free++++atkinson.ss-wwl |date=July 28, 2006 |access-date=December 21, 2009}}</ref> was founded as a boys' school in 1787 by Reverend Stephen Peabody, General [[Nathaniel Peabody]] and Doctor William Cogswell; it began admitting girls in 1791. The school building burned to the ground in 1802, and was rebuilt in 1803 at a cost of $2,500. That building remains a part of the academy, which has since been expanded, with only four classrooms.

The Kimball House Museum occupies a structure that was built in 1772 by the Reverend Stephen Peabody. In April 1907, Rev. Joseph A. Kimball, a summer resident, purchased the building from the Maddocks family in order to create a library for the town.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atkinsonhistoricalsociety.org/atkinson_nh_historical_society_museum.html |title=Kimball House Museum/Library History |publisher=Atkinson NH Historical Society |access-date=November 10, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130812182428/http://atkinsonhistoricalsociety.org/atkinson_nh_historical_society_museum.html |archive-date=August 12, 2013 }}</ref>

Atkinson's history can be read about in the book ''Atkinson Then and Now'', which can be purchased at the Atkinson Public Library on Academy Avenue.

Atkinson celebrated its 250th anniversary on Labor Day weekend 2017.<ref>{{Cite web| url=http://www.atkinsonnh250th.com/| title=Celebrate Atkinson| publisher=atkinsonnh250th.com| access-date=August 30, 2017}}</ref>