Editing Pembroke, New Hampshire

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Pembroke, New Hampshire
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = "Prosper in Pembroke"
|image_skyline            = Pembroke NH Town Hall July 2020.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Town Hall in 2020
|image_seal               = Pembroke Town Seal.png
|image_flag               = 
|image_map                = Merrimack County New Hampshire incorporated and unincorporated areas Pembroke highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 300px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Merrimack County, New Hampshire|Merrimack County]] and the state of [[New Hampshire]].
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = 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|Pembroke|North Pembroke|Pembroke Hill|[[Suncook, New Hampshire|Suncook]] (part)}}
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Board of selectmen]]
|leader_name              = {{ubl|Karen Yeaton, Chair|Sandy Goulet|Rick Frederickson|Matt Miller}}
|leader_title1            = [[City manager|Town Administrator]]
|leader_name1             = David Jodoin
|established_title        = [[Incorporation (municipal government)|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = 1759
|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           = 59.1
|area_total_sq_mi         = 
|area_land_km2            = 58.6
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_km2           = 0.5
|area_water_sq_mi         = 
|area_water_percent       = 0.76
|population_as_of         = 2020
|population_footnotes     =<ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=0600000US3301360020&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=Pembroke 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         = 7207
|population_density_km2   = 122.9
|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|08|48|N|71|27|27|W|region:US-NH|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_m              = 
|elevation_ft             = 413
|website                  = {{URL|www.pembroke-nh.com}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]
|postal_code              = 03275
|area_code                = [[Area code 603|603]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 33-60020
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0873696
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Pembroke''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Merrimack County, New Hampshire|Merrimack County]], New Hampshire, United States. The population was 7,207 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020"/> Pembroke includes part of the village of [[Suncook, New Hampshire|Suncook]]. The [[center of population]] of [[New Hampshire]] is close to the Pembroke town center.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/centers-population.html |title=Centers of Population: 2020 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 3, 2022}}</ref>

== History ==

[[Image:Main Street, Suncook, NH.jpg|thumb|left|Main Street in Suncook, {{circa|1910}}]]
First granted in 1728, the town was known as "Lovewell's Town", in honor of Captain [[John Lovewell]], who built the [[stockade]] at [[Ossipee, New Hampshire|Ossipee]]. Shortly afterward, the town took the name of "Suncook", the [[Pennacook]] [[Abenaki]] name for the river flowing through the area. When the town was incorporated in 1759 by [[British North America|colonial]] Governor [[Benning Wentworth]], it was given the name "Pembroke" in honor of Henry Herbert, ninth [[Earl of Pembroke]] in southern [[Wales]].

Pembroke's early history is reflected in the various [[watermill|mills]] of the downtown area, located to use [[water power]] from the [[Suncook River]]. The better-known mills were the Pembroke Mills, Webster Manufacturing, and China Manufacturing, all producing print cloth. Pembroke industries included [[brickmaking]], with bricks manufactured from [[clay]] along the [[Merrimack River]]. In 1852, the [[Portsmouth and Concord Railroad|Concord and Portsmouth Railroad]] established a station in Pembroke.

== Geography ==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|59.1|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|58.6|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|0.5|sqkm|order=flip|1}} are water, comprising 0.76% of the town.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021"/> Pembroke is drained by the Merrimack River and its tributaries, the Suncook and the [[Soucook River|Soucook]]. The Merrimack River forms the southwest border of the town, the Soucook forms the northwest border, and the Suncook forms the southeast border. The highest point in town, [[Plausawa|Plausawa Hill]], elevation {{convert|1000|ft|m|sigfig=3}} above sea level, is in the north.

=== Adjacent municipalities ===
* [[Loudon, New Hampshire|Loudon]] (north)
* [[Chichester, New Hampshire|Chichester]] (north)
* [[Epsom, New Hampshire|Epsom]] (northeast)
* [[Allenstown, New Hampshire|Allenstown]] (southeast)
* [[Bow, New Hampshire|Bow]] (southwest)
* [[Concord, New Hampshire|Concord]] (northwest)

== Demographics ==
{{US Census population
|1790= 956
|1800= 982
|1810= 1153
|1820= 1256
|1830= 1312
|1840= 1336
|1850= 1733
|1860= 1313
|1870= 2518
|1880= 2797
|1890= 3172
|1900= 3183
|1910= 3062
|1920= 2563
|1930= 2792
|1940= 2769
|1950= 3094
|1960= 3514
|1970= 4261
|1980= 4861
|1990= 6561
|2000= 6897
|2010= 7115
|2020= 7207
|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 6,897 people, 2,661 households, and 1,876 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|302.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 2,734 housing units at an average density of {{convert|119.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 97.84% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.38% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.26% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.38% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.03% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.12% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.43% of the population.

There were 2,661 households, out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $49,494, and the median income for a family was $57,106. Males had a median income of $37,786 versus $26,781 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,800.  About 3.0% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.[[Image:Suncook House, Suncook, NH.jpg|thumb|right|Suncook House {{circa|1907}}|162x162px]]
==Transportation==
Three [[List of state routes in New Hampshire|New Hampshire state route]]s, one [[Interstate Highway]], and three [[United States Numbered Highway System|U.S. route]]s cross Pembroke.

*[[New Hampshire Route 9|NH 9]] crosses the narrow salient at the northern edge of town between Concord in the west and Chichester in the east. It merges with US 4/US 202 at the end of the I-393 freeway just before entering Chichester. It is known locally as Loudon Road.

* [[New Hampshire Route 28|NH 28]] crosses a small portion of northeastern Pembroke. It enters from Allenstown in the south, follows the Suncook River along its western bank, then crosses into Epsom in the north. It is locally known as Pinewood Road.
*[[New Hampshire Route 106|NH 106]] begins at an interchange with US 3 between the village of Suncook and the Concord line. It heads north and crosses the Soucook River into Concord.
*[[U.S. Route 3|US 3]] enters from the south in the village of Suncook from Allenstown after crossing the Suncook River. It follows Pembroke Street to the northwest before crossing the Soucook River into Concord.
*[[U.S. Route 4 in New Hampshire|US 4]] and [[U.S. Route 202 in New Hampshire|US 202]] enter the narrow salient at the northern edge of town from Concord along the I-393 freeway, then merge with NH 9 before the three concurrent routes enter Chichester.
*[[Interstate 393|I-393]] terminates shortly after entering the narrow salient at the northern edge of town from Concord. The roadway continues on as NH 9/US 4/US 202.

==Education==
There are currently three public schools in Pembroke. The Hill School is attended by children in kindergarten through fourth grades. Three Rivers School, named after the three rivers that form most of the borders of the town, was built in the early 1990s and contains fifth through eighth grade. The town's high school is [[Pembroke Academy]], founded in 1818 as a private school. The school today is public and takes students from Pembroke and from the neighboring towns of [[Allenstown, New Hampshire|Allenstown]], [[Epsom, New Hampshire|Epsom]], [[Chichester, New Hampshire|Chichester]], and historically, [[Deerfield, New Hampshire|Deerfield]]. With approximately 1,000 students, the school is Class I in athletics, the second-highest class, and the mascot of the school is the Spartan.

== Pembroke Town Library ==
The first lending library in Pembroke was not a tax-supported public library in the modern sense. It was a [[Subscription library|proprietary library]] of the type seen throughout New England in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Incorporated on December 7, 1798, as the Proprietors of the Pembroke Library, this organization purchased its books through "assessments" or taxes levied each year on its shareholders, who were the only people permitted to borrow its books.

The Pembroke Town Library, the town's first tax-supported public library, was born when the New Hampshire legislature passed some of the nation's most progressive library laws in the 1890s. An innovative law of 1891 required the state to assist towns that voted to establish a tax-supported, free public library. To get the local library established, the state gave such towns $100 worth of books and professional guidance in librarianship. In 1895, the legislature passed a law, the first of its kind in the nation, ''requiring'' each town to appropriate funds to establish a public library and to appoint a board of library trustees unless the electorate voted each year specifically not to do so.

The law of 1895 spurred the founding of the Pembroke Town Library in 1896. New town libraries of the period were often housed in any available room, and Pembroke's library was no exception. After a series of locations, the library planning for a proper library building resumed in June 1997. The building was dedicated on June 14, 2003.

''Summary of library locations:''
{| class="wikitable"
|1896–1923
|(27 years)
|Knox Tailor Shop, Baker's Block, 11 Glass Street
|-
|1923–1937
|(14 years)
|Another storefront in Baker's Block, 15 Glass Street
|-
|1837–1981
|(44 years)
|136 Main Street
|-
|1981–2003
|(22 years)
|Marston House, 261 Pembroke Street
|-
|2003
|
|New Pembroke Town Library Building
|}[[Image:China Mills, Suncook, NH.jpg|thumb|left|China Mills in 1909]]
== Notable people ==
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· Only people who already have a Wikipedia article may appear here. This establishes notability.
· The article must mention how they are associated with Pembroke, whether born, raised, or residing.
· The fact of their association should have a reliable source cited.
· Alphabetical by last name please.
· All others will be deleted.
-->

* [[Robert E. Cochran]] (1810–1836), Alamo defender, born in Pembroke; [[Cochran County, Texas]], is named after him<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/livingtravel/912325-224/2011-marks-175th-anniversary-of-famed-alamo.html?e=4|title= 2011 marks 175th anniversary of famed Alamo siege|publisher = The Telegraph|access-date= March 21, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fco06|title=   COCHRAN, ROBERT E.|publisher = Texas State Historical Association|access-date= March 21, 2014}}</ref>
* [[Byron M. Cutcheon]] (1836–1908), [[American Civil War]] officer, [[Medal of Honor]] recipient, U.S. congressman<ref>{{cite web|url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C001022|title=  CUTCHEON, Byron M., (1836–1908)|publisher = Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|access-date= March 21, 2014}}</ref>
* [[Brian Foster (ice hockey)|Brian Foster]] (born 1987), [[ice hockey]] [[goaltender]]<ref name="Pembroke, New Hampshire">{{cite web|url= http://www.city-data.com/city/Pembroke-New-Hampshire.html|title=   Pembroke, New Hampshire|publisher = City-Data.com|access-date=February 23, 2021}}</ref>
* [[Joseph LaPage]], serial killer, hanged in 1878 for the murder of a 17-year-old girl in Pembroke<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.concordmonitor.com/murder-pembroke-schoolgirl-stuns-12935441|title=Granite State Stories: Murder of Pembroke schoolgirl stuns community|publisher=N.H. Historical Society|access-date=September 20, 2022}}</ref>
* [[Thomas W. Knox]] (1835–1896), journalist, author, ''[[New York Herald]]'' correspondent during the [[American Civil War]]<ref name="Pembroke, New Hampshire"/>
* [[Megan McTavish]] (born 1949), soap opera writer; [[Daytime Emmy Award|Daytime Emmy]] winner (''[[All My Children]]'', ''[[Guiding Light]]'', ''[[One Life to Live]]'', ''[[General Hospital]]'')<ref name="Pembroke, New Hampshire"/>
* [[Caleb Scofield]] (1978–2018), bassist, singer, played for [[alternative metal]] band [[Cave In]]<ref name="Pembroke, New Hampshire"/>
* [[Caleb Stark]] (1759–1838), [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]]-era officer; son of Gen. [[John Stark]]<ref>{{cite book|last=Carter|first=Nathan Franklin and Fowler, Trueworthy Ladd|title=History of Pembroke, N. H.: 1730–1895, Volume 1|date=1895|publisher=Republican Press Association|page=352|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_xbzP4LPKhAC&q=Caleb+Stark+pembroke+nh&pg=PA352}}</ref>

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

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Pembroke, New Hampshire}} <!-- for current and future use if material is uploaded -->	
* {{Official website|www.pembroke-nh.com}}
* [https://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/profiles-htm/pembroke.htm New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]
* [http://www.sau53.org/ School Administrative Unit #53]

{{Geographic location
 | Centre = Pembroke
 | North = [[Loudon, New Hampshire|Loudon]]
 | Northeast = [[Chichester, New Hampshire|Chichester]]
 | East = [[Epsom, New Hampshire|Epsom]]
 | Southeast = [[Allenstown, New Hampshire|Allenstown]]
 | South = [[Allenstown, New Hampshire|Allenstown]]
 | Southwest = [[Bow, New Hampshire|Bow]]
 | West = [[Concord, New Hampshire|Concord]]
 | Northwest = [[Concord, New Hampshire|Concord]]
}}	
{{Merrimack County, New Hampshire}}
{{Merrimack River}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Pembroke, New Hampshire| ]]
[[Category:New Hampshire populated places on the Merrimack River]]
[[Category:Towns in Merrimack County, New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Towns in New Hampshire]]