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Durham, New Hampshire

Durham, New Hampshire
Town
Old Mill and Dam, Durham c. 1908
Old Mill and Dam, Durham c. 1908
Official seal of Durham, New Hampshire
Seal
Location within Strafford County, New Hampshire
Location within Strafford County, New Hampshire
Coordinates: 43°08′02″N 70°55′35″W / 43.13389°N 70.92639°W / 43.13389; -70.92639Coordinates: 43°08′02″N 70°55′35″W / 43.13389°N 70.92639°W / 43.13389; -70.92639
Country United States
State New Hampshire
County Strafford
Settled 1635
Incorporated 1732
Government
 • Town Council Katherine "Kitty" Marple
Firoze Katrak
Wayne Burton
James Lawson
Katherine Bubar
Allan Howland
Diana Carroll
Alan Bennett
 • Town Administrator Todd I. Selig
Area
 • Total 24.8 sq mi (64.1 km2)
 • Land 22.4 sq mi (58.0 km2)
 • Water 2.4 sq mi (6.1 km2)  9.57%
Elevation 50 ft (15 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 14,638
 • Density 590/sq mi (230/km2)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 03824
Area code(s) 603
FIPS code 33-19700
GNIS feature ID 0873584
Website www.ci.durham.nh.us

Durham is a town in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 14,638 at the 2010 census. Durham is home to the University of New Hampshire.

The primary settlement in the town, where 10,345 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as the Durham census-designated place (CDP) and includes the densely populated portion of the town centered on the intersection of New Hampshire Route 108 and Main Street and including the university which dominates the town.

Situated beside Great Bay at the mouth of the Oyster River, Durham was originally called Oyster River Plantation. It was settled in 1635 by pioneers who traveled up the Piscataqua River and across Little Bay to settle at the falls of the Oyster River.

At the time, the land that is now New Hampshire belonged to Massachusetts; not until 1692 did the New Hampshire colony finally gain full and permanent independence from its southern neighbor. Most of the coastal area was divided among four townships, and for its first century, Durham was part of Dover. The village location was ideal for its fresh water, natural meadows for livestock, and the transportation opportunities afforded by the waterways leading to the Atlantic Ocean. The land along the river was quickly settled, and nearby dense forests provided the timber necessary to construct homes as well as boats. Oyster River Plantation took the form of a small agricultural village, and the first generation of residents worked to clear and shape the land for planting.

The town name "Durham" was suggested by the Rev. Hugh Adams, as claimed by him in an address to the General Assembly in 1738. Two of the earliest settlers of Dover were William and Edward Hilton, the direct descendants of Sir William de Hilton, Lord of Hilton Castle in County Durham, England, but there is nothing to prove that Durham was named in their honor.


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