Rochester, New Hampshire
| Rochester, New Hampshire | ||
|---|---|---|
| City | ||
View of downtown Rochester from Central Square
|
||
|
||
| Nickname(s): The Lilac City | ||
 Location within Strafford County, New Hampshire |
||
| Coordinates: 43°18′7″N 70°58′23″W / 43.30194°N 70.97306°WCoordinates: 43°18′7″N 70°58′23″W / 43.30194°N 70.97306°W | ||
| Country | United States | |
| State | New Hampshire | |
| County | Strafford | |
| Settled | 1749 | |
| Incorporated | 1778 | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Caroline McCarley | |
| • City Council | Ray Barnett A. Raymond Varney, Jr. Elaine M. Lauterborn Sandra B. Keans Peter A. Lachapelle Tom Abbott Tom Willis Donald Hamann Ralph Torr Robert Gates Donna M. Bogan James P. Gray |
|
| • City Manager | Daniel Fitzpatrick | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 45.8 sq mi (118.5 km2) | |
| • Land | 45.4 sq mi (117.6 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.3 sq mi (0.9 km2) | |
| Elevation | 225 ft (69 m) | |
| Population (2010) | ||
| • Total | 29,752 | |
| • Density | 650/sq mi (251.1/km2) | |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | |
| ZIP codes | 03839, 03866–03868 | |
| Area code(s) | 603 | |
| FIPS code | 33-65140 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0869554 | |
| Website | www |
|
Rochester is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 29,752. The city includes the villages of East Rochester and Gonic. Rochester is home to Skyhaven Airport and the annual Rochester Fair.
Rochester was once inhabited by Abenaki Indians of the Pennacook tribe. They fished, hunted and farmed, moving locations when their agriculture exhausted the soil for growing pumpkins, squash, beans and maize. Gonic was called Squanamagonic, meaning "the water of the clay place hill."
The town was one of four granted by Colonial Governor Samuel Shute of Massachusetts and New Hampshire during his brief term. Incorporated in 1722, it was named for his close friend, Laurence Hyde, Earl of Rochester and brother-in-law to King James II. As was customary, tall white pine trees were reserved for use as masts by the Royal Navy. But hostility with the Abenaki delayed settlement until 1728, although attacks would continue until 1748. Early dwellings clustered together for protection, beginning near Haven Hill. Due to warfare or disease, after 1749 Native American numbers dwindled, although many descendants remain in or around Rochester communities. The community at that time included Farmington, which would be incorporated in 1798, and Milton, in 1802.
...
Wikipedia