Editing Dorchester, New Hampshire

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Dorchester, New Hampshire
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 
|image_skyline            = Dorchester Community Church, Dorchester NH.jpg
|image_seal               = Dorchester, NH Town Seal.png
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Dorchester Community Church
|image_flag               = 
|image_map                = Grafton-Dorchester-NH.png
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Grafton County, New Hampshire|Grafton County]], [[New Hampshire]]
|settlement_type          = Town
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[New Hampshire]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in New Hampshire|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Grafton County, New Hampshire|Grafton]]
|parts_type               = Villages
|parts                    = Dorchester<br>Bucks Corner<br>Cheever<br>North Dorchester
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Board of selectmen|Select Board]]
|leader_name              = Sherman Hallock, Chair<br>Craig Veasey, Vice Chair<br>Margaret Currier-Lemey
|established_title        = [[Incorporation (municipal government)|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = 1772
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021">{{cite web |title=2021 U.S. Gazetteer Files – New Hampshire |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2021_Gazetteer/2021_gaz_cousubs_33.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=November 23, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 117.1
|area_total_sq_mi         = 
|area_land_km2            = 115.5
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_km2           = 1.6
|area_water_sq_mi         = 
|area_water_percent       = 1.34
|population_as_of         = 2020
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=0600000US3300918740&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=Dorchester town, Grafton County, New Hampshire: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=November 23, 2021}}</ref>
|population_total         = 339
|population_density_km2   = 2.9
|population_density_sq_mi = 
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset               = −5
|timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Daylight Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset_DST           = −4
|coordinates              = {{Coord|43|45|24|N|71|56|55|W|region:US-NH_city|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_m              =
|elevation_ft             = 1391
|website                  = {{URL|townofdorchester.org}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]
|postal_code              = 03266
|area_code                = [[Area code 603|603]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 33-18740
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0873579
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Dorchester''' is a town in [[Grafton County, New Hampshire|Grafton County]], [[New Hampshire]], United States.  The population was 339 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020"/>

==History==
Originally granted by Governor [[Benning Wentworth]] in 1761, Dorchester was named for [[Dorchester, Dorset|Dorchester]] in [[Dorset]], England. When the recipients failed to take up the grant, it was regranted in 1766, but also without success. Finally, it was regranted by Governor [[Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet|John Wentworth]] to 72 people on May 1, 1772, and settlement began soon thereafter. The first settlers were Benjamin Rice and Stephen Murch from [[Hanover, New Hampshire|Hanover]], but originally from [[Connecticut]].<ref>[http://www.nh.searchroots.com/documents/grafton/History_Dorchester_NH.txt History of Dorchester, Grafton County, New Hampshire]</ref>

When the first census of Dorchester was taken in 1790, there were 175 residents. By 1859, when the population reached 711, there were eleven [[sawmill]]s, in addition to several [[clapboard (architecture)|clapboard]] and [[roof shingle|shingle]] mills. [[Charcoal]] was also manufactured here.<ref name=Coolidge>{{Cite book  | last = Coolidge  | first = Austin J.|author2=John B. Mansfield  | title = A History and Description of New England| year = 1859| location = Boston, Massachusetts| page = 467| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=OcoMAAAAYAAJ&q=coolidge%20mansfield%20history%20description%20new%20england%201859&pg=PA467}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|117.1|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|115.5|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|1.6|km2|order=flip}} are water, comprising 1.34% of the town.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021"/> It is drained by the north-flowing [[South Branch Baker River]] and the south-flowing [[Mascoma River]] and its tributary, the [[Indian River (New Hampshire)|Indian River]]. Cummins Pond and Reservoir Pond are in the west. The northeastern half of town, which drains to the South Branch of the Baker, is part of the [[Merrimack River]] watershed, while the southwestern half is part of the [[Connecticut River]] watershed.<ref name=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. |author2=Batorfalvy, Tatianna N. |author3= Medalie, Laura  |publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey |year=1995}}</ref> The highest point in Dorchester is on its western boundary, where the elevation reaches {{convert|3190|ft|m}} above [[sea level]], just east of the summit of [[Smarts Mountain]].

The town is crossed by [[New Hampshire Route 118]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1790= 175
|1800= 349
|1810= 537
|1820= 584
|1830= 702
|1840= 769
|1850= 711
|1860= 691
|1870= 689
|1880= 585
|1890= 370
|1900= 308
|1910= 241
|1920= 228
|1930= 115
|1940= 144
|1950= 133
|1960= 91
|1970= 141
|1980= 244
|1990= 392
|2000= 353
|2010= 355
|2020= 339
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="Census 2020"/><ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |title=Census of Population and Housing |publisher=Census.gov |access-date=June 4, 2016 }}</ref>
}}
At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 353 people, 132 households, and 99 families in the town.  The population density was 7.9 people per square mile (3.0/km{{sup|2}}).  There were 236 housing units at an average density of 5.3 per square mile (2.0/km{{sup|2}}).  The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makeup]] of the town was 97.17% White, 0.28% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.85% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57%.<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>

Of the 132 households 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 19.7% of households were one person and 6.1% were one person aged 65 or older.  The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.02.

The age distribution was 27.5% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% 65 or older.  The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.

The median household income was $40,833 and the median family income  was $42,292. Males had a median income of $35,000 versus $24,375 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,940.  About 8.6% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.

== Notable people ==
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* [[Rufus Blodgett]] (1834–1910), US senator from [[New Jersey]]
* [[Albert Woodworth]] (1843–1908), businessman, state legislator

==References==

{{portal|New Hampshire}}
<references />

==External links==
* {{Official website|www.townofdorchester.org}}
* [https://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/profiles-htm/dorchester.htm New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]

{{Geographic location
 | Centre    = Dorchester
 | North     = [[Wentworth, New Hampshire|Wentworth]]
 | Northeast = [[Rumney, New Hampshire|Rumney]]
 | East      = [[Groton, New Hampshire|Groton]]
 | Southeast = [[Orange, New Hampshire|Orange]]
 | South     = [[Canaan, New Hampshire|Canaan]]
 | Southwest = [[Canaan, New Hampshire|Canaan]]
 | West      = [[Lyme, New Hampshire|Lyme]]
 | Northwest = [[Orford, New Hampshire|Orford]]
}}

{{Grafton County, New Hampshire}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Dorchester, New Hampshire| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Grafton County, New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Towns in New Hampshire]]