Pittsfield, New Hampshire

Pittsfield, New Hampshire
Town
Town green
Official seal of Pittsfield, New Hampshire Seal
Motto: "The Gem of The Suncook Valley"
Location in Merrimack County and the state of New Hampshire.
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	New Hampshire
County	Merrimack
Incorporated	1782
Government
• Board of Selectmen	Eric Nilsson, Chair Al Douglas Gerard LeDuc Denis Beaudoin Nick Hayes
Area
• Total	24.1 sq mi (62.5 km2)
• Land	23.9 sq mi (61.8 km2)
• Water	0.3 sq mi (0.7 km2)  1.13%
Elevation	525 ft (160 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	4,106
• Density	170/sq mi (66/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code	03263
Area code(s)	603
FIPS code	33-61940
GNIS feature ID	0873699
Website	www.pittsfield-nh.com

Pittsfield is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, USA. The population was 4,106 at the 2010 census.

The central village in town, where 1,576 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Pittsfield census-designated place (CDP), and is located on the Suncook River near the junction of New Hampshire routes 28 and 107.

History

Main Street, looking east, in 1906

For many years prior to its 1782 incorporation, this town was an unnamed parish of Chichester. Like Pittsburg in the north, Pittsfield was named for William Pitt, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and a great friend of the Colonies prior to the American Revolution. The town was settled in 1768 by several families originally from Hampton. Founder John Cram built grist and sawmills here in the late 18th century. Since 1901, Globe Manufacturing has made protective clothing for firefighters here.

The town claimed the Guinness World Record in July, 2001, as the place where the most number of people wore Groucho Marx glasses at the same time (522). Before Pittsfield's attempt, no other town had tried to set the record.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 24.1 square miles (62 km²), of which 23.9 sq mi (62 km²) is land and 0.3 sq mi (0.78 km²) is water, comprising 1.13% of the town. Pittsfield is drained by the Suncook River. The highest point in town is the summit of Catamount Mountain, at 1,331 feet (406 m) above sea level, southeast of the town center.

The town center, or census-designated place, has a total area of 1.6 sq mi (4.1 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

Union Block and Congregational church

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,931 people, 1,498 households, and 1,056 families residing in the town. The population density was 166.8 people per square mile (64.4/km²). There were 1,569 housing units at an average density of 25.7 persons/km² (66.6 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 97.38% White, 0.38% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 1.76% from two or more races. 1.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,498 households out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 13.4% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 29.5% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.05.

Suncook River in 1908

In the town the population was spread out with 28.2% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $38,833, and the median income for a family was $44,233. Males had a median income of $31,726 versus $24,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,082. 8.8% of the population and 6.8% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 11.6% are under the age of 18 and 6.6% are 65 or older.

Town center

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,669 people, 671 households, and 434 families residing in the central village, or census-designated place. The population density was 1,029.3 people per square mile (397.8/km²). There were 699 housing units at an average density of 166.6 persons/km² (431.1 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the district was 97.18% White, 0.24% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 2.16% from two or more races. 1.68% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 671 households out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples living together, 15.4% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 35.3% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the village the population was spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.

The median income for a household in the district was $33,194, and the median income for a family was $43,690. Males had a median income of $28,988 versus $22,250 for females. The per capita income is $17,845. 11.7% of the population and 10.6% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 13.7% are under the age of 18 and 10.8% are 65 or older.

Artistic tributes

In 1934, the American composer Alan Hovhaness (1911–2000), who spent time with his maternal family members (specifically the family of the Reverend Walter Scott, his grandfather) in Pittsfield during his youth, wrote a fantasy for cello and piano entitled Legend of the Sunkook [sic] Valley (Op. 1, no. 4).

Notable people

• John M. Berry, Minnesota Supreme Court justice and legislator born in Pittsfield
• Warren Chase, American pioneer, reformer, and politician, co-founder of Ripon College
• Ebenezer Knowlton, congressman from Maine, Free Will Baptist minister, and co-founder of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine
• John Swett, founder of the California public school system
• Harrison R. Thyng, US Air Force general and World War II flying ace

External links

• Town of Pittsfield official website
• New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile