Hopkinton, New Hampshire

The town's first framed house built in 1745, as seen in 1901

The town was granted by 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 would be incorporated in 1765 by Governor Benning Wentworth.[3] Built in 1789, the Congregational Church has a Revere bell.[4] The legislature met in Hopkinton occasionally between 1798 and 1807. In 1808, the town competed for the coveted position of state capitol, but was defeated by nearby Concord.

W. S. Davis Building 1889

A substantial portion of the town in the north was named "Contoocook Village" for a tribe of the Pennacook Indians who once lived there. Due to its position along the Contoocook River, it became a center for water-powered industry, particularly lumber and textiles. The Contoocook covered railroad bridge in the village is a remnant of the Boston & Maine Railroad and is the oldest covered bridge of its kind still standing in the United States.[2] Next to the bridge is the Contoocook Railroad Depot, one of the original railroad depots 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.[5]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 45.2 square miles (117.0 km²), of which 43.4 square miles (112.3 km²) is land and 1.8 square miles (4.6 km²) is water, comprising 3.95% of the town.[1] Hopkinton is drained by the Contoocook and Warner rivers. The highest point in town is Shaker Hill, on the border with Henniker, with an elevation of 923 feet (281 m) above sea level. Hopkinton lies fully within the Merrimack River watershed.[6]

Oldest part of Hopkinton village cemetery, as seen in 1901

As of the census[9] of 2010, there were 5,589 people, 2,204 households, and 1,631 families residing in the town. The population density was 124.7 people per square mile (48.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.7% White, 0.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or 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 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.

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.

In the New Hampshire Senate, Hopkinton is in the 15th District, represented by Democrat Dan Feltes. On the New Hampshire Executive Council, Hopkinton is in the 2nd District, represented by Democrat Andru Volinsky. In the United States House of Representatives, Hopkinton is in New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district, represented by Democrat Ann McLane Kuster.

Public education is managed by the 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 in Contoocook village, which serves seventh through twelfth graders, and its sports teams are nicknamed the Hawks.

According to a study conducted in early 2014 by U.S. News & World Report, Hopkinton High School was ranked 1st among New Hampshire's public schools. Hopkinton High School has also been awarded a national silver medal and is ranked nationally #711 of the 19,400 public schools in the US. The school has ranked 1st consistently by U.S. News in 2015 and 2016.[10][11]

The town of Hopkinton also includes The Beech Hill School, an independent middle school serving grades 6th through 8th.[12]

• Rose Flanders Bascom (1880–1915), first American female lion tamer
• Carlton Chase (1794–1870), bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire
• Thomas Corbett (1780–1857), a Shaker doctor that was well known nationally for his botanical medicines
• Alvan Flanders (1825–1884), delegate from the Territory of Washington
• John Williams Gunnison (1812-1853), captain and surveyor with Corps of Topographical Engineers. Attended Hopkinton Academy.
• Matthew Harvey (1781–1866), lawyer, politician and 13th Governor of New Hampshire
• Otto and Vivika Heino (1910–2009), husband and wife ceramics artists
• John S.C. Knowlton (1798–1871), newspaper editor, publisher and politician
• Ann McLane Kuster (b. 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 (b. 1965), Independent member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, inventor
• John Lynch (b. 1952), 80th Governor of New Hampshire
• Susan Lynch, First Lady of New Hampshire to John Lynch
• George H. Perkins (1836–1899), 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), American painter and founder of the Concord Art Association
• Tina Satter, New York City-based playwright and director
• Irene Shepard (1922–2014), educator and politician
• David Souter (b. 1939), former associate justice of the US Supreme Court
• Richard Sylla, writer and professor.
• Susan Ware (b. 1950), independent scholar, writer and the general editor at the American National Biography

Register of Historic Places

[13]	Name on the Register[14]	Image	Date listed[15]	Location	City or town	Description
1	Contoocook Railroad Depot	Contoocook Railroad Depot	March 16, 2006 (#06000131)	896 Main St. 43°13′21″N 71°42′47″W	Contoocook Village	Owned by the Contoocook Riverway Association
2	Hopkinton Railroad Covered Bridge	Hopkinton Railroad Covered Bridge	January 11, 1980 (#80000294)	Off NH 103 and NH 127 43°13′23″N 71°42′51″W	Contoocook Village	Over Contoocook River in village of Contoocook
3	Howe-Quimby House	Howe-Quimby House	June 27, 1980 (#80000295)	862 Sugar Hill Rd. 43°09′29″N 71°42′03″W	Hopkinton
4	William H. Long Memorial	William H. Long Memorial	July 15, 1977 (#77000092)	300 Main St. 43°11′27″N 71°40′19″W	Hopkinton Village	Now houses the Hopkinton Historical Society.
5	Rowell's Covered Bridge	Rowell's Covered Bridge	November 21, 1976 (#76000129)	Clement Hill Rd. 43°11′33″N 71°44′54″W	West Hopkinton	Over Contoocook River
6	Stanley Tavern	Stanley Tavern	September 7, 2005 (#05000970)	371 Main St. 43°11′29″N 71°40′27″W	Hopkinton Village

• Hopkinton Historical Society
• First Congregational Church of Hopkinton
• 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

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hopkinton, New Hampshire.

• Town of Hopkinton official website
• Hopkinton & Contoocook Visitor Center
• Hopkinton Town Library
• Hopkinton State Fair
• New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile