Sunapee, New Hampshire

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


image_

imagesize =
image_caption =

---

mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Sullivan 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 = Sullivan
government_type =
leader_title = Board of Selectmen
leader_name = Richard Leone, Chairman
Stephen W. White, Vice-Chairman
Frederick C. Gallup
William Roach
Emma M. Smith
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1781
area_magnitude = 1 E8
area_total_km2 = 65.3
area_total_sq_mi = 25.2
area_land_km2 = 54.7
area_land_sq_mi = 21.1
area_water_km2 = 10.6
area_water_sq_mi = 4.1
area_water_percent = 16.19
population_as_of = 2000
population_note =
population_total = 3055
population_density_km2 = 55.8
population_density_sq_mi = 144.7
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 43 |latm = 23 |lats = 15 |latNS = N
longd = 72 |longm = 05 |longs = 16 |longEW = W
elevation_m = 311
elevation_ft = 1020
website = [http://www.town.sunapee.nh.us/ www.town.sunapee.nh.us]
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 03782
area_code = 603
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 33-75060
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0873732
footnotes =

Sunapee is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,055 at the 2000 census. Sunapee is home to part of Lake Sunapee. The town includes the village of Georges Mills.

History

Like many other towns, this one went through name changes before its incorporation in 1781: "Saville", "Corey's Town", and then "Wendell", for one of the Masonian Proprietors, John Wendell. The name "Sunapee" was substituted for "Wendell" by the legislature in 1850. The town, Lake Sunapee and Mount Sunapee share the name which comes from the Algonquian Indian words "suna" meaning "goose", and "apee", meaning "lake". The Indians called the area "Goose Lake" because it was a favorite spot of wild geese.

The town has long been a popular tourist destination. The major attraction was the pristine lake, once surrounded by a number of grand hotels. Lake Sunapee is the only lake in New Hampshire with three working lighthouses, built in the 1890s and maintained by the Lake Sunapee Protective Asscociation. The town was the birthplace of the rock band, Aerosmith.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of convert|25.2|sqmi|km2|lk=on|1, of which convert|21.1|sqmi|km2|abbr=on|1 is land and convert|4.1|sqmi|km2|abbr=on|1 is water, comprising 16.19% of the town. Sunapee is drained by the Sugar River. The highest point in town is about convert|1600|ft|m|lk=on above sea level, along the town's northern border, just north of Ledge Pond.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 3,055 people, 1,294 households, and 878 families residing in the town. The population density was 144.7 people per square mile (55.8/km²). There were 2,143 housing units at an average density of 101.5/sq mi (39.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.97% White, 0.20% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.46% of the population.

There were 1,294 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the town the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 102.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $49,353, and the median income for a family was $55,909. Males had a median income of $40,720 versus $27,237 for females. The per capita income for the town was $29,184. About 3.8% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Fire safety

The small town of Sunapee, NH maintains a highly rated, responsive volunteer Fire Safety Program.Fact|date=June 2008 Despite the amount of waterfront property and the number of boaters coming from Sunapee, the fire department does not have a public safety diver.

Politics

Sunapee is represented in the New Hampshire General Court by Republican Bob Odell in the Senate and by Democrat Sue Gottling in the House of Representatives. Gottling's election in 2006, replacing Republican Harry Gale, was part of a statewide realignment of the New Hampshire legislature from Republican to Democratic control.

Religion

Saint Joachim's Roman Catholic Church and the Sunapee Community Methodist Church are located in the town center, off Route 11. Saint James Episcopal Church is found in Burkehaven.

References

External links

* [http://www.town.sunapee.nh.us/pages/index Town website]
* [http://www.lakesunapee.org/ Lake Sunapee Protective Association]
* [http://www.nh.gov/nhes/elmi/htmlprofiles/sunapee.html New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]
* [http://www.srkg.com/ Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Coalition]