Editing Rollinsford, New Hampshire

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Rollinsford, New Hampshire
| nickname           = 
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = Town Hall, Rollinsford, New Hampshire.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Town hall
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = RollinsfordNHseal.png
| image_map          = Strafford-Rollinsford-NH.png
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location within Strafford County, New Hampshire
| settlement_type    = Town
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in New Hampshire|County]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_name1  = [[New Hampshire]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Strafford County, New Hampshire|Strafford]]
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = [[Select Board]]
| leader_name        = {{ubl|Kim St. Hilaire, Chair|Jack Boyle|Denise Knowles}}
| leader_title1      = Town Administrator
| leader_name1       = Cary Boyle
| established_title  = [[New Hampshire#Early settlement|Settled]]
| established_title2 = [[Incorporation (municipal government)|Incorporated]]
| established_date   = 1630s
| established_date2  = 1849<ref>On April 22, 1754, Dover's parish of Somersworth was incorporated as a town, its population center located in what would later become Rollinsford on July 3, 1849</ref>
| 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=January 5, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_sq_mi   = 
| area_total_km2     = 19.6
| area_land_sq_mi    = 
| area_land_km2      = 18.9
| area_water_sq_mi   = 
| area_water_km2     = 0.7
| area_urban_sq_mi   = 
| area_urban_km2     = 
| area_metro_sq_mi   = 
| area_metro_km2     = 
| population_as_of   = 2020
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 2597
| population_metro   = 
| population_urban   = 
| population_density_km2 = 137.6
| population_density_sq_mi = 
| timezone           = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| coordinates        = {{coord|43|14|10|N|70|49|08|W|region:US-NH|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_m        = 
| elevation_ft       = 70
| website            = {{URL|www.rollinsford.nh.us}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 03869
| area_code          = [[Area code 603|603]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 33-65540
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 0873709
| footnotes          = 
}}
<!-- Infobox ends !-->
'''Rollinsford''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Strafford County, New Hampshire|Strafford County]], [[New Hampshire]], United States. The population was 2,597 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US3301765540|title=Census - Geography Profile: Rollinsford town, Strafford County, New Hampshire|access-date=December 24, 2021}}</ref> The main village in town was once known as "Salmon Falls Village".

==History==
The area was once within the domain of the Newichawannock [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|people]], an [[Abenaki]] sub-tribe which took its name from the Newichawannock River, meaning "river with many falls", now the [[Salmon Falls River]]. Their village was located at what later was known as Salmon Falls Village and is now Rollinsford. They fished at the falls, stretching nets across the river to catch [[Fish migration|migrating]] [[salmon]] and other species swimming upriver to [[Spawn (biology)|spawn]]. But war and disease, probably [[smallpox]] brought from abroad, decimated the native population.<ref>[http://swim.wellsreserve.org/town.php?town_id=14 Seacoast Watershed Information Manager website]</ref>

Subsequently, settled by about 1630, the land was part of [[Dover, New Hampshire|Dover]], one of the original townships of New Hampshire. The area was first called "Sligo", likely after [[County Sligo]] in [[Ireland]],<ref>Thompson, Mary Pickering (1892). ''Landmarks in Ancient Dover, New Hampshire''[https://books.google.com/books?id=QarkVaNCBvEC&dq=sligo+nh&pg=PA234 , pg 233]</ref> and the name survives on a town road. An historical marker on Sligo Road reads, "Near this place lived David Hamilton of [[Westburn, South Lanarkshire|Westburn]] born in the parish of [[Cambuslang]], Scotland in October 1620; captured by [[Oliver Cromwell]] at the [[Battle of Worcester]], England, September 3, 1651; Brought to America as a prisoner in chains on the "John and Sarah" in the same year; settled near here and married Annah Jaxson of [[Lanark]], Scotland. Killed by Indians on September 28, 1691."

In 1729 the area was established as a [[parish]] called "Summersworth", meaning summer town, because the ministers preached here during the summer. In 1754, it was set off and incorporated as a town by colonial governor [[Benning Wentworth]], although thereafter spelled "Somersworth" due to a clerical error. Since the first settlers' arrival, small communities had developed near various [[sawmill]]s and [[gristmill]]s along the Salmon Falls River, but the center of "Summersworth" was located at Rollinsford Junction.

Beginning in the early 1820s, [[water power]]ed [[textile mills]] were established at the larger falls, and the town was divided between them—Great Falls became [[Somersworth, New Hampshire|Somersworth]], and Salmon Falls became Rollinsford, incorporated in 1849. It was named in honor of the Rollins family, whose ancestor Judge Ichabod Rollins had settled there many generations before and had become the first probate judge for the state.<ref>Lyford, James Otis (1906). ''Life of Edward H. Rollins: A Political Biography''. Boston: D. Estes & Co.[https://books.google.com/books?id=G4_zK4wKOTUC Pg 27]</ref>

==Salmon Falls Village==

[[Image:Salmon Falls Manufacturing Company.jpg|thumb|left|Salmon Falls Mfg. Co. in 1906]]
The village of Salmon Falls was founded in 1823 by a group of local investors led by James Rundlet of [[Portsmouth, New Hampshire|Portsmouth]], who on June 17, 1822, incorporated the Salmon Falls Manufacturing Company to manufacture woolen cloth using the power of the Salmon Falls River, a [[Piscataqua River]] tributary.<ref name=Garner>Garner, John S. (1992). ''The Company Town: Architecture and Society in the Early Industrial Age''. Oxford University Press. Pg 119</ref> After an 1834 fire destroyed the first factory built there, the company's Portsmouth-based investors built a new factory for cotton manufacturing, eventually selling the corporation to their [[Boston]]-based cotton broker Mason and Lawrence in the 1840s. As part of their expansion, the town was laid out in an easy-to-navigate grid plan, with the three-story boarding houses and an adjoining mill building made of brick to withstand fires. Two-story brick double houses were also built to accommodate the families of the overseers.<ref name=Garner/> The town thrived into the first decades of the 20th century and eventually became home to many immigrant families whose forebears came to work in the mills. Although the town planners originally forbade the mill workers to drink alcohol and required that they attend church on Sunday, during [[Prohibition]], its proximity to temperate [[Maine]] and the [[Boston & Maine Railroad]] line led to the establishment of numerous bars and a relatively short-lived but racy reputation for free-flowing liquor.

The [[New England]] [[cotton]] industry would fade in the early to mid-20th century, but would leave the brick town intact. Today, the mills have been reborn as low-cost studio space for more than 100 artists and artisans who use the converted studios for everything from painting, sculpting and crafting handmade furniture to teaching and practicing yoga and dance.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Rollinsford has a total area of {{convert|19.6|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|18.9|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|0.7|sqkm|order=flip|1}} are water, comprising 3.71% of the town.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021"/> The town is bounded on the east by the [[Salmon Falls River]], which serves as the New Hampshire–[[Maine]] border. The western half of the town is drained by Rollins and Twombly brooks, which flow south to the [[Cochecho River]] in neighboring [[Dover, New Hampshire|Dover]]. The entire town is part of the [[Piscataqua River]] watershed. The highest point in town is an unnamed {{convert|300|ft|m|adj=on}} summit near the border with Somersworth. [[Garrison Hill Park and Tower|Garrison Hill]], {{convert|290|ft|m}} above [[sea level]], occupies the town's border with Dover to the west.

[[New Hampshire Route 4]] crosses the town, leading southwest to Dover and northeast to [[South Berwick (CDP), Maine|South Berwick, Maine]], where it becomes [[Maine State Route 4]].

===Adjacent municipalities===
* [[Berwick, Maine]] (north)
* [[South Berwick, Maine]] (east)
* [[Dover, New Hampshire|Dover]] (southwest)
* [[Somersworth, New Hampshire|Somersworth]] (northwest)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 1862
|1860= 2069
|1870= 1500
|1880= 1712
|1890= 2003
|1900= 1701
|1910= 1836
|1920= 1701
|1930= 1409
|1940= 1463
|1950= 1652
|1960= 1935
|1970= 2273
|1980= 2319
|1990= 2645
|2000= 2648
|2010= 2527
|2020= 2597
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<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:RollinsfordFD.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Rollinsford [[Fire Department]]]]
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 2,648 people, 1,033 households, and 721 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|363.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,060 housing units at an average density of {{convert|145.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 97.77% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.68% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.08% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.53% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.08% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.87% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.60% of the population.

There were 1,033 households, out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $48,588, and the median income for a family was $60,625. Males had a median income of $37,750 versus $26,068 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $24,444. About 2.6% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

== 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 Rollinsford, 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.
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* [[George G. Adams (architect)|George G. Adams]] (1850–1932), architect
* [[Dave Guard]] (1934–1991), folk singer with [[The Kingston Trio]]
* [[Dan Marsh]] (born 1956) a.k.a. "Dangerous" Danny Davis, referee-turned-wrestler with the [[WWE]]
* [[Virginia Huntington Robie]] (1868–1957), author and academic
* [[Edward H. Rollins]] (1824–1889), state senator, US congressman
* [[Bill Staines]] (1947–2021), folk singer-songwriter

==See also==
{{portal|New Hampshire}}
*[[Salmon Falls Mill Historic District]]
*[[Rollinsford Town Hall]]
*[[Rollinsford Grade School]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|www.rollinsford.nh.us}}
* [https://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/profiles-htm/rollinsford.htm New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]
* [http://www.thefallschamber.com The Falls Chamber of Commerce] (formerly Greater Somersworth Chamber of Commerce)

{{Geographic location
 | Centre    = Rollinsford
 | North     = [[Somersworth, New Hampshire|Somersworth]]
 | Northeast = [[Berwick, Maine]]
 | East      = [[South Berwick, Maine]] 
 | Southeast = [[South Berwick, Maine]] 
 | South     = [[Dover, New Hampshire|Dover]]
 | Southwest = [[Dover, New Hampshire|Dover]]
 | West      = [[Dover, New Hampshire|Dover]]
 | Northwest = [[Somersworth, New Hampshire|Somersworth]]
}}

{{Strafford County, New Hampshire}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Rollinsford, New Hampshire| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Strafford County, New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Towns in New Hampshire]]
[[Category:1849 establishments in New Hampshire]]