Wakefield, New Hampshire

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Wakefield, New Hampshire
nickname =
motto =


image_

imagesize =
image_caption = Main Street (Union)

---

mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Carroll County, New Hampshire
settlement_type = Town


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New Hampshire
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Carroll
government_type =
leader_title = Board of Selectmen
leader_name = John Blackwood
Mark Duffy
Paul Morrill
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1774
area_magnitude = 1 E8
area_total_km2 = 115.6
area_total_sq_mi = 44.7
area_land_km2 = 101.8
area_land_sq_mi = 39.3
area_water_km2 = 13.8
area_water_sq_mi = 5.3
area_water_percent = 11.91
population_as_of = 2000
population_note =
population_total = 4252
population_density_km2 = 41.8
population_density_sq_mi = 108.1
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 43 |latm = 34 |lats = 06 |latNS = N
longd = 71 |longm = 01 |longs = 47 |longEW = W
elevation_m = 207
elevation_ft = 680
website = [http://www.wakefieldnh.com/ www.wakefieldnh.com]
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 03872
area_code = 603
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 33-78180
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0873743
footnotes =

Wakefield is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,252 at the 2000 census. Wakefield includes the villages of Union and Sanbornville.

History

Settled by colonists from Dover and Somersworth, Wakefield was granted in 1749 by Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth. The town went through the names Ham's-town, East-town and Watertown before it was incorporated as Wakefield in 1774 by Colonial Governor John Wentworth. Wakefield, in Yorkshire, England, is near Wentworth Castle, the home of the Wentworth ancestors. Once a sledge and stage stop on the road to the White Mountains, Wakefield is a picturesque town of antique buildings and was home until 2007 to the Museum of Childhood.

Part of Milton was annexed in 1858. When the railroad arrived in 1871, the center of Wakefield shifted from Wakefield Corner to Sanbornville, which today remains the retail district of town.

Notable inhabitants

* Joshua G. Hall, congressman
* Harry Libbey, congressman
* Freddy Meyer, hockey player
* William Nathaniel Rogers, congressman

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of convert|44.7|sqmi|km2|lk=on, of which convert|39.3|sqmi|km2|abbr=on is land and convert|5.3|sqmi|km2|abbr=on is water, comprising 11.91% of the town. Wakefield is drained by the Pine and Branch rivers. Province Lake is in the northeast corner of the town, Pine River Pond, Belleau Lake, Stump Pond (Balch Pond) and Sandy Pond in the center, and Lovell Lake, Union Meadows, Lake Ivanhoe, Great East Lake and Horn Pond in the south. Four of these lakes, Province, Balch, Great East, and Horn Pond span the Maine border. The highest point in Wakefield is the summit of Long Mountain, at convert|1110|ft|m|lk=on above sea level, along the town's western border.

Five named villages are within the town limits: Sanbornville, Wakefield village proper, East Wakefield, North Wakefield and Union. Sanbornville, the primary settlement in the town, lies at the west end of Lovell Lake, next to the lake's outlet. The village is at the intersection of New Hampshire Routes 109 and 153. Route 16 bypasses the village to the west. Wakefield village occupies a hill just north of Sanbornville on Route 153. The village of Union occupies the southernmost corner of the town, at the intersection of Route 153 and Route 16 (at the northern end of the Spaulding Turnpike). East Wakefield is on Route 153, containing the land east of Pine River Pond and north to the Effingham town line. North Wakefield lies along Route 16 on the west side of Pine River Pond near the town line with Ossipee.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 4,252 people, 1,685 households, and 1,213 families residing in the town. The population density was 108.1 people per square mile (41.8/km²). There were 3,331 housing units at an average density of 84.7/sq mi (32.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.21% White, 0.09% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.56% of the population.

There were 1,685 households out of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $42,500, and the median income for a family was $45,774. Males had a median income of $35,804 versus $24,898 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,507. About 5.1% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.9% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

Emergency Services

Wakefield Police Department (24 hour Full Time)
2017 Wakefield Rd
Sanbornville, NH 03872
[phone] - Dispatched by Carroll County Sheriff's Office

Wakefield Fire & Ambulance (24 hour Part Time/Volunteer)
2017 Wakefield Rd
Sanbornville, NH 03872
[phone] - Dispatched by Carroll County Sheriff's Office
3 Stations - Union, Sanbornville(Central), East Wakefield

Sites of interest

* [http://www.newhampshire.com/nh-attractions/museum-of-childhood.aspx/ Museum of Childhood] (closed autumn 2007)

References

External links

* [http://www.wakefieldnh.com Town website]
* [http://www.nh.gov/nhes/elmi/htmlprofiles/wakefield.html New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]
* [http://www.uisgebeatha.org/unionhistorychapter1.html History of Union, New Hampshire (1775-1992)]