Editing Laconia, New Hampshire (section)

== History ==

[[Image:Webster Square, Lakeport, NH.jpg|thumb|left|Webster Square, {{circa|1915}}]]
A large [[Abenaki]] [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indian]] settlement called [[Aquadoctan]] once existed at the point now known as The Weirs, named by [[colonist]]s for [[fishing weir]]s<ref>{{cite web| url = https://archive.org/stream/illustratedlacon00vaugh/illustratedlacon00vaugh_djvu.txt|title = The Illustrated Laconian: History and Industries of Laconia, N. H. (Descriptive of the City and Its Manufacturing and Business Interests)|year = 1899|publisher = [Laconia, N.H.] L.B. Martin}}</ref> discovered at the outlet of the [[Winnipesaukee River]]. Early explorers had hoped to follow the [[Piscataqua River]] north to [[Lake Champlain]] in search of the [[Great Lakes|great lakes]] and [[St. Lawrence River|rivers]] of [[Canada]] mentioned in Indian [[folklore]]. About 1652, the Endicott [[surveying]] party visited the area, an event commemorated by Endicott Rock, a local landmark.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.laconianh.gov/500/Laconia-History|title=Laconia History {{!}} Laconia, NH|website=www.laconianh.gov|access-date=2020-04-22}}</ref> A fort would be built at Laconia in 1746.<ref name=":0" /> But ongoing hostilities between the [[English people|English]], [[French people|French]], and their respective [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] allies prevented settlement until 1761, after which it remained for many years a part of [[Meredith, New Hampshire|Meredith]] and [[Gilford, New Hampshire|Gilford]] called '''Meredith Bridge'''.

Beginning in 1765, [[lumber]] and grist mills were established on Mill Street, with [[tavern]]s built soon thereafter on Parade Street.<ref name=":0" /> About 1822, the courthouse was built, which would become county seat at the creation of Belknap County in 1840. In 1823, the [[Belknap-Sulloway Mill|Belknap Mill]] was built to manufacture [[textiles]]; in operation by 1828, the structure is today a museum listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] and is the oldest unaltered brick textile mill in the country.<ref>National Trust for Historic Preservation. [https://savingplaces.org/places/historic-belknap-mill#.V5jbw-srLIU "Historic Belknap Mill"]. Retrieved July 27, 2016</ref> Local industry produced [[lumber]], textiles, shoes, [[hosiery]], knitting machinery and needles. But the city's largest employer would be the [[Laconia Car Company]], builder of [[Railroad car|rail]], [[tram|trolley]] and [[rapid transit|subway]] cars. Started in 1848, it lasted until the 1930s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.midcontinent.org/rollingstock/builders/laconia.htm|title=Laconia Car Company|website=www.midcontinent.org|access-date=2020-04-22}}</ref> The [[railroad]] entered town in 1849, carrying both freight and an increasing number of summer tourists to popular Weirs Beach.

In 1855, Laconia was incorporated as a [[New England town|town]] from land in Meredith Bridge, Lakeport, Weirs and part of [[Gilmanton, New Hampshire|Gilmanton]]. The name was probably derived from the old Laconia Company, formed by Captain [[John Mason (governor)|John Mason]] and the Masonian Proprietors to sell parcels of land during the [[Colonial history of the United States|colonial]] era. The Great Fire of 1860 destroyed most of Main Street from Mill to Water streets, followed by the Great Lakeport Fire of 1903, a blaze so fierce that fire companies were brought by train from as far away as [[Dover, New Hampshire|Dover]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wmur.com/article/laconia-great-lakeport-fire-of-1903/5165472|title=Laconia: Great Lakeport Fire Of 1903|date=2020-01-02|website=WMUR|language=en|access-date=2020-04-22}}</ref> Laconia was incorporated as a city in 1893.<ref name=":0" />