Editing Deerfield, New Hampshire (section)

== History ==
Deerfield was originally part of [[Nottingham, New Hampshire|Nottingham]]. In 1756, residents petitioned for organization of a separate parish, but were denied. In 1765, while a second petition was pending, two local hunters presented colonial governor [[Benning Wentworth]] with a [[deer]]. Permission was granted, and "Deerfield" was incorporated in 1766. The incorporation act for Deerfield was signed by three members of the Leavitt family, including [[Samuel Leavitt|Capt. Samuel Leavitt]] who later was one of the town's first selectmen. Leavitts Hill in Deerfield was named for the family, who had first settled in nearby [[Exeter, New Hampshire|Exeter]].<ref>[https://archive.today/20120709074603/http://history.rays-place.com/nh/deerfield-nh.htm "History of Deerfield, History of Rockingham and Strafford Counties", D. Hamilton Hurd, 1882]<br>- [https://archive.org/details/genealogicaland00chicgoog/page/n255 <!-- pg=1681 quote="samuel leavitt". --> Genealogical and Family History of the State of New Hampshire, Ezra Scollay Stearns, 1908]</ref>

"Deerfield Parade", a hilltop district first settled ''circa'' 1740, was located on the early postal route between [[Concord, New Hampshire|Concord]] and [[Portsmouth, New Hampshire|Portsmouth]]. Here, the [[militia]] of the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary]] and [[American Civil War|Civil]] wars trained and "paraded" on the village [[Common land|common]]. The "Parade" was then a professional, cultural and trade center. About 1798, citizens founded Deerfield Academy, a high school. It burned in 1842.

Once a thriving farm community which was disappointed when bypassed by [[railroad]]s, the town in 1876 established the Deerfield Fair. Now billed as "New England's Oldest Family Fair", the four-day event draws huge crowds each autumn to admire animals, produce and crafts, or to enjoy [[amusement park]] rides.