Editing Litchfield, New Hampshire

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Litchfield, New Hampshire
| nickname           = 
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = Aaron Cutler Memorial Library, Litchfield NH.jpg
| image_seal         = Town_Seal_of_Litchfield,_New_Hampshire.png
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Aaron Cutler Memorial Library
| image_flag         = File:Litchfield,_NH_Town_Flag.png
| image_map          = Hillsborough-Litchfield-NH.png
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location in [[Hillsborough County, New Hampshire|Hillsborough County]], [[New Hampshire]]
| settlement_type    = Town
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| 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  = [[Hillsborough County, New Hampshire|Hillsborough]]
| government_type    = [[Town meeting#Official ballot referenda (SB&nbsp;2)|Town Meeting (SB2)]]
| leader_title       = [[Board of Selectmen]]
| leader_name        = {{ubl|John Brunelle, Chair| 
G. Stephen Gannon|F. Robert Leary|Kim Queenan|Dianne Plansky}}
| leader_title1      = Town Administrator
| leader_name1       = Kim Kleiner
| established_title  = [[Incorporation (municipal government)|Incorporated]]
| established_date   = 1734 in Massachusetts, 1749 in New Hampshire
| 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 8, 2021}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 39.64
| area_total_sq_mi   = 
| area_land_km2      = 38.65
| area_land_sq_mi    = 
| area_water_km2     = 0.99
| area_water_sq_mi   = 
| area_water_percent = 2.50
| population_as_of   = 2020
| population_demonym = 
| population_footnotes = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=0600000US3301142260&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=Litchfield town, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=December 8, 2021}}</ref>
| population_total   = 8478
| population_density_km2 = 219.3
| 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|42|50|39|N|71|28|47|W|region:US-NH|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_m        = 
| elevation_ft       = 127
| website            = {{URL|litchfieldnh.gov}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 03052
| area_code          = [[Area code 603|603]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 33-42260
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 0873648
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Litchfield''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Hillsborough County, New Hampshire|Hillsborough County]], [[New Hampshire]], United States. The population was 8,478 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020"/>

== History ==
Prior to European settlement, the area was populated by the [[Abenaki]] people.<ref name=Fox>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofoldtown00fox |title=History of the Old Township of Dunstable: Including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N.H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass. |last=Fox |first=Charles J. (Charles James) |date=1846 |publisher=Nashua, C. T. Gill |others=The Library of Congress}}</ref> They were skilled with fishing and were adept in agriculture as well. The New Hampshire Archaeological Society has located over 30 Native American sites along the shore of the [[Merrimack River]] in Litchfield, with artifacts several thousands of years old being uncovered.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/50e99f7be4b08880418b9d42/t/5a02dbee71c10ba51be220a9/1510136814857/2002+Chapter+VII+-+Historic+Resources.pdf| title=Chapter VII: Historic Resources| work=Town of Litchfield Master Plan| date=2002| access-date=May 14, 2018}}</ref>
[[File:Map of old Dunstable 1846.png|left|thumb|Extent of Old Dunstable (dashed line), which included much of modern-day Litchfield]]
Most of Litchfield was part of the large town known as [[Dunstable, Massachusetts#History|Dunstable]], which was organized in the 1600s and included land along both sides of the disputed [[Northern boundary of Massachusetts|New Hampshire-Massachusetts boundary]], and out of which were carved several towns and cities in both states. The area which became Litchfield was originally known as "Naticook". In 1656, [[William Brenton]], colonial governor of [[Rhode Island]], was granted land which included much of present-day Litchfield.<ref name=Fox/> The name was changed to "Brenton's Farm" in 1729. The town was first incorporated into Massachusetts on July 4, 1734.<ref name="Hurd">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofhillsbo00hurdd |quote=Aquila Underwood |title=History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire |year=1885 |last=Hurd |first=D. Hamilton |publisher=J.W. Lewis & Co. |others=University of Chicago Libraries |pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofhillsbo00hurdd/page/490 490]–491}}</ref> The first town meeting was held on Monday, July 29, 1734, at 1 pm at the house of Aquila Underwood to choose town officers.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofhillsbo00hurdd |page=[https://archive.org/details/historyofhillsbo00hurdd/page/540 540] |quote=Aquila Underwood |title=History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire |last=Hurd |first=Duane Hamilton |date=1885 |publisher=J. W. Lewis & Company |language=en}}</ref> In 1749, the land was granted to another group of settlers and named "Litchfield" after George Henry Lee, [[Earl of Lichfield]]. Litchfield was incorporated into the [[Province of New Hampshire]] on June 5, 1749.<ref name=Hurd/>
<!-- No article for Claget; any reason this paragraph should be kept?
[[Wiseman Claget]] moved to his substantial estates here shortly before the [[American Revolution|Revolution]]. He was involved in the temporary government serving as the only Solicitor General, the post being abolished shortly before his death in 1784. ... end comment-->

Litchfield lacks any major population center or central village. Historically farmland, the town experienced steep population growth starting in the 1970s, along with the rest of southern New Hampshire, as a [[bedroom community]] and [[exurb]] for [[Greater Boston]]. The original town hall was located along [[New Hampshire Route 3A]] in the east-central portion of the town; the current town hall lies at the town's geographic center at the intersection of Hillcrest Road and Albuquerque Avenue. There are no large commercial districts in the town, though a few small industrial parks, convenience stores, and small restaurants dot the landscape.<ref name="1995 Annual Report">{{Cite web |title=Annual report of the Town of Litchfield, New Hampshire |date=1995 |access-date=January 3, 2023 |url=https://scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1026&context=litchfield_nh_reports }}</ref>

On December 12, 1991, a cross burning took place in Litchfield, but no one was hurt. In 1995, Russell Trim was arrested and charged with the crime.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |title=Suspect Charged with Burning Cross on Lawn |url=https://buffalonews.com/news/suspect-charged-with-burning-cross-on-lawn/article_3c3100ac-397b-5e34-97c1-6381ec632952.html |access-date=January 3, 2023 |website=Buffalo News |language=en}}</ref><ref name="1995 Annual Report"/>

== Geography ==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|39.6|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|38.7|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|1.0|sqkm|order=flip|1}} is water, comprising 2.50% of the town.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021"/> The highest point in Litchfield is the summit of Rocky Hill, near the center of town in Litchfield State Forest, at {{convert|357|ft|m}} above [[sea level]]. The town is bordered to the north by [[Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester]], to the east by [[Londonderry, New Hampshire|Londonderry]] in [[Rockingham County, New Hampshire|Rockingham County]], to the south by [[Hudson, New Hampshire|Hudson]], to the west by [[Merrimack, New Hampshire|Merrimack]], and to the extreme southwest by Nashua, with the [[Merrimack River]] separating Litchfield from both Merrimack and Nashua. There is no bridge connecting Litchfield and Merrimack; the closest river crossings are to the south between [[Nashua, New Hampshire|Nashua]] and Hudson, and to the north between Manchester and [[Bedford, New Hampshire|Bedford]].

There are two islands in the Merrimack River within the borders of Litchfield. The islands have been called "Minnewawa" and "Nunnehaha", the Naticook Islands, and Reed's Islands.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.merrimackhistory.org/history.html |title=A Brief History of Merrimack, New Hampshire |website=Merrimack Historical Society |access-date=November 5, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/rl/documents/rl-8.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090413210020/http://des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/rl/documents/rl-8.pdf |archive-date=April 13, 2009 |url-status=live |title=The Lower Merrimack River |date=2016 |website=NH Department of Environmental Services |access-date=November 5, 2018}}</ref> The northern island is located within Litchfield, while the southern island is essentially split down the middle by the boundary between Litchfield and Merrimack, forming the only land border between the two towns.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://nrpcnh.mapgeo.io/properties/20-94%7C00002000009400000001%7C263?latlng=42.873234%2C-71.472425&zoom=16 |title=NRPC GIS Map |website=Nashua Regional Planning Commission |access-date=November 5, 2018}}</ref> [[Merrimack, New Hampshire|Merrimack]] owns both islands.<ref name=":0" />

=== Adjacent municipalities ===
* [[Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester]] (north)
* [[Londonderry, New Hampshire|Londonderry]] (east)
* [[Hudson, New Hampshire|Hudson]] (south & southeast)
* [[Nashua, New Hampshire|Nashua]] (southwest)
* [[Merrimack, New Hampshire|Merrimack]] (west)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1790= 357
|1800= 372
|1810= 382
|1820= 465
|1830= 505
|1840= 481
|1850= 447
|1860= 352
|1870= 345
|1880= 291
|1890= 252
|1900= 243
|1910= 255
|1920= 213
|1930= 286
|1940= 341
|1950= 427
|1960= 721
|1970= 1420
|1980= 4150
|1990= 5516
|2000= 7360
|2010= 8271
|2020= 8478
|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>
}}
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 2000, there were 7,360 people, 2,357 households, and 2,031 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|487.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 2,389 housing units at an average density of {{convert|160.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}} accounting for actual land area available. The racial makeup of the town was 97.72% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.53% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.29% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.57% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.15% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.75% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.83% of the population.

There were 2,357 households, out of which 53.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.8% were non-families. 9.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 3.12 and the average family size was 3.35.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 33.4% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 37.8% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 3.5% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.1 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $73,302, and the median income for a family was $76,931. Males had a median income of $46,809 versus $33,488 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $25,203.  About 2.2% of families and 2.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

== Education ==

There are three [http://www.litchfieldsd.org/ public schools in Litchfield]:
*Griffin Memorial School (K–4)
*Litchfield Middle School (5–8)
*[[Campbell High School (New Hampshire)|Campbell High School]] (9–12)

== Transportation ==
Two New Hampshire state highways cross Litchfield:

*[[New Hampshire Route 3A]] closely parallels the [[Merrimack River]], entering the town from Hudson in the south, and leaving the town into Manchester in the north. It is known as the Charles Bancroft Highway through the town.
*[[New Hampshire Route 102]] (Derry Road) crosses the extreme southeast corner of town. It enters Hudson at both borders.

Though the town borders Merrimack on the west, it cannot be directly accessed as there are no bridges across the river. Access to Londonderry, to the east of Litchfield, is primarily via Hillcrest Road, which is the main east-west thoroughfare across central Litchfield.

Litchfield has no air or rail transport within the town limits. The nearest commercial airport is [[Manchester–Boston Regional Airport]] along the border of Londonderry and Manchester, which is close to the northern border of Litchfield. The nearest rail service is the [[Lowell Line]] of the [[MBTA Commuter Rail]] system, which can be accessed at the [[Charles A. Gallagher Transit Terminal]] in Lowell, Massachusetts. The nearest [[Amtrak]] stations are Boston's [[North Station]] or [[South Station]]. There was a trolley that ran through Litchfield in the early 20th century, but it was long since discontinued and fallen into disrepair. There are few remnants left, including a portion of rail trail and a dilapidated trolley bridge within Parker Park.

== Government and municipal services ==

The town of Litchfield operates a waste management and transfer station on Hillcrest Road, located near the geographical center of Litchfield and the "new" town hall, police and fire station. The historical center of Litchfield is on the Charles Bancroft Highway ([[New Hampshire Route 3A]]). Today the first church in Litchfield, the Litchfield Community Television studio, and the Litchfield Historical Society are located there in and around the old town hall and fire station. The town's new fire station opened on Liberty Way in May 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.unionleader.com/news/safety/opening-the-doors-to-litchfield-s-new-fire-station/article_6d74bdaf-6a73-56f5-a77d-b44cf4f1a084.html |title=Opening the doors to Litchfield's new fire station |last=Houghton |first=Kimberly |work=New Hampshire Union Leader |language=en |date=May 6, 2019 |access-date=August 2, 2019}}</ref>
[[File:Birch Street.jpg|thumb|157x157px|A trail in a conservation area in Litchfield]]
Several public parks, including Roy Memorial Park and the Litchfield State Forest, are open year-round to the public. Municipal parks are managed by the Litchfield Recreation Commission. The state forest is managed by the New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, among other agencies.

The Litchfield Mosquito Control District was featured on ''[[Last Week Tonight with John Oliver]]''. The episode featured segments from a televised town meeting from September 17, 2015, which had no members of the public in attendance.<ref>{{cite AV media |people=John Oliver |date=March 6, 2016 |title=Special Districts: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) |medium=YouTube |language=en |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3saU5racsGE | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/3saU5racsGE| archive-date=December 11, 2021 | url-status=live|access-date=June 4, 2017 |format=Video |time=4:06 |location=New York |publisher=[[HBO]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |date=September 17, 2015 |title=Mosquito Control District Meeting - Sept 17, 2015 |medium=YouTube |language=en |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kcuT_Xm16U | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/9kcuT_Xm16U| archive-date=December 11, 2021 | url-status=live|access-date=June 4, 2017 |format=Video |location=Litchfield, New Hampshire |publisher=LitchfieldTV}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The town has several conservation areas, including Moore's Falls, Parker Park, the Community Garden, and the John Bryant River Access. The Litchfield Conservation Commission holds the responsibility of managing these lands for the preservation and proper utilization of natural resources in town.

==Notable people==<!--consensus reached to standardize this heading per WP:WikiProject Cities/US Guideline -->
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* [[Clifton Clagett]] (1762–1829), US congressman<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000399|title= CLAGETT, Clifton, (1762 - 1829)|publisher= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |access-date= January 19, 2014}}</ref>
*[[Jack McQuesten]] (1836–1909), Alaskan and Yukon pioneer and explorer<ref>Leroy N. McQuesten, ''[https://openlibrary.org/books/OL16490628M/Recollections_of_Leroy_N._McQuesten_of_life_in_the_Yukon_1871-1885 Recollections of Leroy N. McQuesten of life in the Yukon, 1871-1885]'' (1952).</ref>
*[[Jennifer Simard]] (born 1970), Tony Award nominated actress<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theaterinthenow.com/2014/07/spotlight-onjennifer-simard.html|title=Spotlight On...Jennifer Simard|website=www.theaterinthenow.com|access-date=October 21, 2018}}</ref>
*

== References ==
{{portal|New Hampshire}}
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Litchfield, New Hampshire}} <!-- for current and future use if material is uploaded -->
* {{Official website|www.litchfield-nh.gov}}
* [https://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/profiles-htm/litchfield.htm New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]
* [http://www.city-data.com/city/Litchfield-New-Hampshire.html City-Data.com]

{{Geographic location
 | Centre = Litchfield
 | North = [[Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester]]
 | Northeast = [[Londonderry, New Hampshire|Londonderry]]
 | East = [[Londonderry, New Hampshire|Londonderry]]
 | Southeast = [[Hudson, New Hampshire|Hudson]]
 | South = [[Hudson, New Hampshire|Hudson]]
 | Southwest = [[Nashua, New Hampshire|Nashua]]
 | West = [[Merrimack, New Hampshire|Merrimack]]
 | Northwest = [[Merrimack, New Hampshire|Merrimack]]
}}

{{Hillsborough County, New Hampshire}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Litchfield, New Hampshire| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1734]]
[[Category:Towns in New Hampshire]]
[[Category:New Hampshire populated places on the Merrimack River]]
[[Category:Abenaki in the United States]]
[[Category:Native American history of New Hampshire]]