Canterbury, New Hampshire

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

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imagesize =
image_caption =

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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Merrimack 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 = Merrimack
government_type =
leader_title = Board of Selectmen
leader_name = Robert Steenson, Chair
Briggs Lockwood
Ken Folsom
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1741
area_magnitude = 1 E8
area_total_km2 = 115.6
area_total_sq_mi = 44.6
area_land_km2 = 113.5
area_land_sq_mi = 43.8
area_water_km2 = 2.0
area_water_sq_mi = 0.8
area_water_percent = 1.77
population_as_of = 2000
population_note =
population_total = 1979
population_density_km2 = 17.4
population_density_sq_mi = 45.1
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 43 |latm = 20 |lats = 11 |latNS = N
longd = 71 |longm = 33 |longs = 53 |longEW = W
elevation_m = 183
elevation_ft = 599
website = [http://www.canterbury-nh.org/ www.canterbury-nh.org]
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 03224
area_code = 603
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 33-09860
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0873559
footnotes =

Canterbury is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,979 at the 2000 census. Canterbury is home to Ayers State Forest and Shaker State Forest. On the last Saturday in July, the town hosts the annual [http://www.canterburyfair.com/index.html Canterbury Fair] .

History

First granted by Lieutenant Governor John Wentworth in 1727, the town was named for William Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury. It was originally a militia timber fort and trading post of Capt. Jeremiah Clough located on a hill near Canterbury Center, where the Pennacook Indians came to trade. The town would be incorporated in 1741. There were several garrison houses or stockades in the area as late as 1758.

The biggest attraction in Canterbury is the Shaker Village, established in 1792. At its peak in the 1850s, over 300 people lived, worked and worshipped in 100 buildings on 4,000 acres (16 km²). They made their living by farming, selling seeds, herbs and herbal medicines; and by manufacturing textiles, pails, brooms and other products. The last resident, Sister Ethel Hudson, died in 1992, and the site is now a museum, founded in 1969, to preserve the heritage of the utopian sect. Canterbury Shaker Village is an internationally known, non-profit historic site with 25 original Shaker buildings, 4 reconstructed Shaker buildings and 694 acres (1.1 sq mi/2.8 km²) of forest, fields, gardens and mill ponds under permanent conservation easement. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark for its architectural integrity and significance.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of convert|44.6|sqmi|km2, of which convert|43.8|sqmi|km2|abbr=on is land and convert|0.8|sqmi|km2|abbr=on is water, comprising 1.77% of the town. The town's highest point is an unnamed summit near Forest Pond and the town's northern border, where the elevation reaches approximately convert|1390|ft|m above sea level. Bounded by the Merrimack River on the west, Canterbury is drained on the east by the Soucook River. Canterbury lies fully within the Merrimack River watershed.cite book |title=Water Use in New Hampshire: An Activities Guide for Teachers |url=http://nh.water.usgs.gov/Publications/nh.intro.html |last=Foster |first=Debra H. |coauthors=Batorfalvy, Tatianna N.; and Medalie, Laura |publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey |year=1995]

Demographics

of any race were 0.51% of the population.

There were 749 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.0% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were non-families. 15.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the town the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 34.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $58,026, and the median income for a family was $62,583. Males had a median income of $41,302 versus $32,313 for females. The per capita income for the town was $27,374. About 2.0% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

ites of interest

* [http://www.shakers.org/ Canterbury Shaker Village]

References

External links

* [http://www.canterbury-nh.org Town website]
* [http://www.nh.gov/nhes/elmi/htmlprofiles/canterbury.html New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]
* [http://www.canterburyfair.com/index.html Canterbury Fair]