Editing Hopkinton, New Hampshire

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Hopkinton, New Hampshire
|nickname                 =
|motto                    =
|image_skyline            = Hopkinton NH Town Hall.jpg
|image_seal               = Hopkinton Town Seal.png
|image_caption            = Town hall
|image_flag               =
|image_map                = Merrimack County New Hampshire incorporated and unincorporated areas Hopkinton highlighted.svg
|map_caption              = Location in [[Merrimack County, New Hampshire|Merrimack County]] and the state of [[New Hampshire]].
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|image_map1               =
|map_caption1             =
|subdivision_type         = 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        = [[Merrimack County, New Hampshire|Merrimack]]
| parts_type              = Villages
| parts                   = {{ubl|Hopkinton|[[Contoocook, New Hampshire|Contoocook]]|[[West Hopkinton, New Hampshire|West Hopkinton]]}}
|government_type          =
|leader_title             = [[Board of Selectmen|Select Board]]
|leader_name              = {{ubl|Sabrina Dunlap, Chair|Ken Traum|Jeffrey Donohoe|Steven Whitley|Thomas Lipoma}}
|leader_title2            = [[Town Administrator]]
|leader_name2             = Neal Cass
|established_title        = [[Conveyancing|Granted]]
|established_date         = 1735
|established_title2       = [[Settled]]
|established_date2        = 1736
|established_title3       = [[Incorporation (municipal government)|Incorporated]]
|established_date3        = January 10, 1765
|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=December 15, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 116.77
|area_total_sq_mi         = 
|area_land_km2            = 112.14
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_km2           = 4.63
|area_water_sq_mi         = 
|area_water_percent       = 3.97
|population_as_of         = 2020
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=0600000US3301337540&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=Hopkinton town, Merrimack County, New Hampshire: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=December 15, 2021}}</ref>
|population_total         = 5914
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_density_km2   = 52.7
|population_density_sq_mi = 
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset               = &minus;5
|timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Daylight Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset_DST           = &minus;4
|coordinates              = {{coord|43|11|29|N|71|40|31|W|region:US-NH_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_m              = 
|elevation_ft             = 505
|website                  = {{URL|www.hopkinton-nh.gov}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 03229
|area_code                = [[Area code 603|603]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 33-37540
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0873630
}}

'''Hopkinton''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Merrimack County, New Hampshire|Merrimack County]], [[New Hampshire]], United States. The population was 5,914 at the 2020 census.<ref name="Census 2020"/> The town has three distinct communities: Hopkinton village, mainly a residential area in the center of the town; [[Contoocook, New Hampshire|Contoocook]], the town's business hub, located in the north; and [[West Hopkinton, New Hampshire|West Hopkinton]], within the more agricultural portion of the town. The town is home to the [[Hopkinton State Fair]], adjacent to Contoocook village, and to the historic [[Contoocook Railroad Depot]] and the [[Contoocook Railroad Bridge]], the oldest [[covered bridge|covered]] railroad bridge in the United States.<ref name="NHDHR"/>

==History==
[[Image:James Story House, Hopkinton, NH.jpg|thumb|left|The town's first framed house built in 1745, as seen in 1901]]
The town was granted by [[British North America|colonial]] Governor [[Jonathan Belcher]] in 1735 as "Number 5" to settlers from [[Hopkinton, Massachusetts]], who renamed it "New Hopkinton". First settled in 1736, colonists were required to build homes, fence in their land, plant it with English grass, and provide a home for a minister, all within seven years. The community was incorporated in 1765 by Governor [[Benning Wentworth]],<ref name="History of Merrimack and Belknap Counties, New Hampshire">{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/historyofmerrima00inhurd#page/390/mode/2up |title=History of Hopkinton |year=1885 |publisher=J. W. Lewis and Co.}}</ref> predating the establishment of counties in the colonial province. Built in 1789, the [[Congregational church|Congregational Church]] has a [[Paul Revere|Revere]] bell.<ref name="Life and Times in Hopkinton NH">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HuopAAAAYAAJ&q=congregational+church+hopkinton+nh+revere+bell&pg=PA107 |title=Chapter XXVII |year=1890 |publisher=Charles Chase Lord}}</ref> The [[New Hampshire General Court|state legislature]] met in Hopkinton occasionally between 1798 and 1807. In 1808, the town competed for the coveted position of state capital, but was defeated by neighboring [[Concord, New Hampshire|Concord]]. Since 1823, the town has been within Merrimack County.

[[File:Life and times in Hopkinton, N.H (1890) (14590292740).jpg|thumb|left|W. S. Davis Building 1889]]
A substantial portion of the town in the north was named "Contoocook Village", for a tribe of the [[Pennacook]] [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|people]] who once lived there. Due to its position along the [[Contoocook River]], it became a center for [[hydropower|water-powered]] industry, particularly [[lumber]] and [[textiles]]. The [[Contoocook Railroad Bridge|Contoocook covered railroad bridge]] in the village is a remnant of the [[Boston and Maine Railroad|Boston & Maine Railroad]] and is the oldest [[covered bridge]] of its kind still standing in the United States.<ref name=NHDHR>{{cite web |url=http://www.nh.gov/nhdhr/bridges/p21.html |title=RAILROAD BRIDGE, Hopkinton, New Hampshire |publisher=New Hampshire Division of Historic Resources |access-date=January 10, 2008}}</ref> Next to the bridge is the [[Contoocook Railroad Depot]], one of the original [[railroad depot]]s for the [[Concord and Claremont Railroad]].

Since 1915, Hopkinton has been home to the [[Hopkinton State Fair]], an event which attracts thousands of visitors each year during the [[Labor Day]] weekend.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://hsfair.org/history.htm |title=Hopkinton State Fair - History |access-date=May 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726061438/http://hsfair.org/history.htm |archive-date=July 26, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|116.8|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|112.1|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|4.6|sqkm|order=flip}} are water, comprising 3.97% of the town.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021"/> Hopkinton is drained by the [[Contoocook River]] and its tributary, the [[Warner River]], except for the southeast part of town, which drains to the [[Turkey River (New Hampshire)|Turkey River]]. The highest point in town is Shaker Hill, on the border with [[Henniker, New Hampshire|Henniker]], with an elevation of {{convert|923|ft|m}} above [[sea level]]. Hopkinton lies fully within the [[Merrimack River]] [[Drainage basin|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>

=== Adjacent municipalities ===
* [[Webster, New Hampshire|Webster]] (north)
* [[Concord, New Hampshire|Concord]] (east)
* [[Bow, New Hampshire|Bow]] (southeast)
* [[Dunbarton, New Hampshire|Dunbarton]] (southeast)
* [[Weare, New Hampshire|Weare]] (south)
* [[Henniker, New Hampshire|Henniker]] (west)
* [[Warner, New Hampshire|Warner]] (northwest)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1790= 1715
|1800= 2015
|1810= 2216
|1820= 2437
|1830= 2474
|1840= 2454
|1850= 2169
|1860= 2178
|1870= 1814
|1880= 1836
|1890= 1817
|1900= 1652
|1910= 1578
|1920= 1438
|1930= 1485
|1940= 1587
|1950= 1831
|1960= 2225
|1970= 3007
|1980= 3861
|1990= 4806
|2000= 5399
|2010= 5589
|2020= 5914
|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>
}}
[[Image:Old Cemetery, Hopkinton, NH.jpg|thumb|left|Oldest part of Hopkinton village cemetery, as seen in 1901]]
As of the [[census]]<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 2010, there were 5,589 people, 2,204 households, and 1,631 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|124.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 97.7% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.6% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.07% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.1% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.2% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1% of the population.

There were 2,204 households, out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals living alone, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.92.

[[Image:Old Parsonage, Hopkinton, NH.jpg|thumb|left|Old Parsonage in 1901]]
In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 20, 3.3% from 20 to 24, 20.1% from 25 to 44, 35.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 45.8 years.

The median income for a household in the town was $84,911, and the median income for a family was $88,796. Males had a median income of $53,806 versus $45,656 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $40,580.  About 4.2% of the population was below the [[poverty line]].

==Government==
In the [[New Hampshire Senate]], Hopkinton is in the 15th District, represented by [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Becky Whitley]]. On the [[New Hampshire Executive Council]], Hopkinton is in the 2nd District, represented by [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Cinde Warmington]]. In the [[United States House of Representatives]], Hopkinton is in [[New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district]], represented by [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Ann McLane Kuster]].

==Education==
Public education is managed by the [[Hopkinton School District (New Hampshire)|Hopkinton School District]].  Kindergarten through third-grade students attend Harold Martin School in Hopkinton village, and fourth through sixth graders attend Maple Street School in Contoocook village. The middle school is combined with [[Hopkinton High School (New Hampshire)|Hopkinton High School]] in Contoocook village, which serves seventh through twelfth graders, and its sports teams are nicknamed the Hawks.

The town of Hopkinton also includes The Beech Hill School, an independent middle school serving grades 6th through 8th.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebeechhillschool.org/|title=The Beech Hill School|website=Thebeechhillschool.org|access-date=January 31, 2022}}</ref>

== Notable people ==
* [[Rose Flanders Bascom]] (1880–1915), first American female [[lion tamer]]
* [[Carlton Chase]] (1794–1870), bishop of the [[Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire]]
* [[Alvan Flanders]] (1825–1894), delegate from the [[Territory of Washington]]
* [[John Williams Gunnison]] (1812–1853), captain and surveyor with [[United States Army Corps of Engineers#History|Corps of Topographical Engineers]]; attended Hopkinton Academy
* [[Matthew Harvey]] (1781–1866), lawyer, politician; 13th [[Governor of New Hampshire]]
* [[Otto and Vivika Heino|Otto Heino]] (1915–2009), husband of Vivika, [[Ceramic art|ceramics]] artist
* [[Otto and Vivika Heino|Vivika Heino]] (1910–1995), wife of Otto, ceramics artist
* [[John S.C. Knowlton]] (1798–1871), newspaper editor, publisher, politician
* [[Ann McLane Kuster|Annie Kuster]] (born 1956), current U.S. congresswoman representing New Hampshire's Second District
* [[Mary Greenleaf Clement Leavitt]] (1830–1912), first round-the-world missionary for the [[Woman's Christian Temperance Union]]
* [[Stephen Harriman Long]] (1784–1864), engineer, explorer, inventor
* [[David Luneau]] (born 1965), [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] member of the [[New Hampshire House of Representatives]], [[Inventor (patent)|inventor]]
* [[John Lynch (New Hampshire governor)|John Lynch]] (born 1952), 80th [[List of Governors of New Hampshire|Governor of New Hampshire]]
* [[Susan Lynch (pediatrician)|Susan Lynch]], First Lady of New Hampshire to [[John Lynch (New Hampshire governor)|John Lynch]]
* [[George H. Perkins]] (1836–1899), [[Commodore (United States)|Commodore]] for the [[United States Navy]]
* [[Isabel Weld Perkins]] (1876–1948), [[Boston]] area heiress, author and daughter of [[George H. Perkins]]
* [[Elizabeth Wentworth Roberts]] (1871–1927), painter; founder of the [[Concord Art Association]]
* [[Tina Satter]], [[New York City]]-based playwright and director
* [[Irene Shepard]] (1922–2014), educator, politician
* [[David Souter]] (1939-2025), former associate justice of the [[Supreme Court of the United States|US Supreme Court]]
* [[Richard Sylla]], writer, professor
* [[Susan Ware]] (born 1950), writer and editor at the [[American National Biography]]

==National Register of Historic Places==
{{NRHP header|NRISref=2008b|state_iso=us-nh}}
{{NRHP row
|pos=1
|refnum=06000131
|type=NRHP
|article=Contoocook Railroad Depot
|name=Contoocook Railroad Depot
|address=896 Main St.
|city=Contoocook Village
|county=[[Merrimack County, New Hampshire]] 
|date=March 16, 2006
|image=Contoocook Railroad Depot, Contoocook NH.jpg
|lat=43.2225
|lon=-71.7131
|description=Owned by the Contoocook Riverway Association
}}
{{NRHP row
|pos=2
|refnum=80000294
|type=NRHP
|article=Hopkinton Railroad Covered Bridge
|name=Hopkinton Railroad Covered Bridge
|address=Off [[New Hampshire Route 103|NH 103]] and [[New Hampshire Route 127|NH 127]]
|city=Contoocook Village
|county=[[Merrimack County, New Hampshire]] 
|date=January 11, 1980
|image=Bridges over the Contoocook River in Contoocook, New Hampshire.jpg
|lat=43.2231
|lon=-71.7142
|description=Over [[Contoocook River]] in village of [[Contoocook, New Hampshire|Contoocook]]
}}
{{NRHP row
|pos=3
|refnum=80000295
|type=NRHP
|article=Howe-Quimby House
|name=Howe-Quimby House
|address=862 Sugar Hill Rd.
|city=Hopkinton
|county=[[Merrimack County, New Hampshire]] 
|date=June 27, 1980
|image=HopkintonNH HoweQuimbyHouse.jpg
|lat=43.1581
|lon=-71.7008
|description=<!-- Description goes here -->
}}
{{NRHP row
|pos=4
|refnum=77000092
|type=NRHP
|article=William H. Long Memorial
|name=William H. Long Memorial
|address=300 Main St.
|city=Hopkinton Village
|county=[[Merrimack County, New Hampshire]] 
|date=July 15, 1977
|image=HopkintonNH WilliamHLongMemorial.jpg
|lat=43.1908
|lon=-71.6719
|description=Now houses the Hopkinton Historical Society.
}}
{{NRHP row
|pos=5
|refnum=76000129
|type=NRHP
|article=Rowell's Covered Bridge
|name=Rowell's Covered Bridge
|address=Clement Hill Rd.
|city=[[West Hopkinton, New Hampshire|West Hopkinton]]
|county=[[Merrimack County, New Hampshire]] 
|date=November 21, 1976
|image=HopkintonNH RowellsBridge.jpg
|lat=43.1925
|lon=-71.7483
|description=Over [[Contoocook River]]
}}
{{NRHP row
|pos=6
|refnum=05000970
|type=NRHP
|article=Stanley Tavern
|name=Stanley Tavern
|address=371 Main St.
|city=Hopkinton Village
|county=[[Merrimack County, New Hampshire]] 
|date=September 7, 2005
|image=HopkintonNH StevensTavern.jpg
|lat=43.1914
|lon=-71.6742
|description=<!-- Description goes here -->
}}
|}

==Sites of interest==
* [http://www.hopkintonhistory.org/ Hopkinton Historical Society]
* [http://firstchurchhopkinton.org/ First Congregational Church of Hopkinton]
* [http://www.contoocookdepot.org/ Contoocook Depot and Restored Pullman Passenger Coach]
* [[Contoocook Railroad Bridge]]
* [[Rowell's Covered Bridge]]
* [[Perkins Manor]]
* [[Howe-Quimby House]]
* [[Stanley Tavern]]
* [[St. Methodios Faith and Heritage Center]]
* [[Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail]]

==References==

{{portal|New Hampshire}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|www.hopkinton-nh.gov}}
* [https://www.visithopkinton.com Hopkinton & Contoocook Visitor Center]
* [https://www.hopkintontownlibrary.org/ Hopkinton Town Library]
* [https://www.hsfair.org/ Hopkinton State Fair]
* [https://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/profiles-htm/hopkinton.htm New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]

{{Geographic location
 | width=auto
 | Centre = Hopkinton
 | Northwest = [[Warner, New Hampshire|Warner]]
 | North = [[Webster, New Hampshire|Webster]]
 | Northeast = [[Concord, New Hampshire|Concord]]
 | East = [[Concord, New Hampshire|Concord]]
 | Southeast = [[Bow, New Hampshire|Bow]]
 | South = [[Dunbarton, New Hampshire|Dunbarton]]
 | Southwest = [[Weare, New Hampshire|Weare]]
 | West = [[Henniker, New Hampshire|Henniker]]
}}

{{Merrimack County, New Hampshire}}
{{Merrimack River}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Hopkinton, New Hampshire| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Merrimack County, New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1765]]
[[Category:1765 establishments in New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Towns in New Hampshire]]