Allenstown, New Hampshire

Allenstown, with a current population around 5,000, is a middle-income community with a rural feel located on Route 3 between Manchester and Concord, New Hampshire. Once known as a prime spot for lumbering and bear hunting, the town now sits at the edge of the nearly 10,000 acre Bear Brook State Park <http://www.nhparks.state.nh.us/ParksPages/BearBrook/BearBrk.html> , New Hampshire’s largest state-developed park.

Allenstown was named in honor of Governor Samuel Allen; his heirs were granted plots of land there in 1751, but the town was not officially incorporated until 90 years later. Attracting settlers with dense forest and excellent hunting, Allenstown had established a small industrial center with four sawmills and two gristmills, as well as a bark mill and a tannery, by the mid-1800s. However, all the lumber in the Bear Brook area was exhausted by 1874. When the railroad was built and the mill industry grew in nearby Suncook, the population of Allenstown shifted to the western part of town and many farms disappeared. By the late 1930s, Allenstown experienced an economic boost as Bear Brook and surrounding woodlands were selected by the state for park development.

Now Bear Brook State Park and Campground draws thousands of outdoor enthusiasts and tourists from New England and beyond. Forty miles of trails lead through a variety of landscapes from wetlands to summits and are available for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and horseback riding. Canoe and rowboat rentals are provided on several of the larger ponds. Fly-fishing is allowed on Archery Pond, and there is even a special pond designated for children under twelve to fish. Camping amenities include a camp store, ball field, playground, bathhouse, and shelters. Bear Brook’s Museum Complex hosts a Camping Museum, 4-H Nature Center, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Museum, and the New Hampshire Snowmobile Museum, with a unique collection over 80 antique snow-traveling machines and related memorabilia.

Allenstown retains a few historic buildings and mill sites, mixed with newer houses and businesses. The largest employer in town is Thomas Hodgson & Sons, Inc., a company manufacturing novelty yarns since 1880. In the past 10 years, several retail sites and a business park have opened in Allenstown, adding to local employment opportunities. On average, commuters travel less than 30 miles, mostly to Manchester and Concord.

The Allenstown School District serves just over 600 students at 1 elementary (K-4) and 1 junior high (5-8). High school students attend Pembroke Academy (9-12), a regional high school that has a student population of just over 1,000 students over 1,000 students. From Pembroke, Allenstown, Chichester, and Epsom. Students from several other towns are accepted on an application and tuition basis.

Sources:

http://www.allenstown.org <http://www.allenstown.org/

http://www.geocities.com/daniel_m38/allenstownhistory.html

http://www.nhes.state.nh.us/elmi/htmlprofiles/allenstown.html