Goffstown Main Street Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Goffstown Main Street Historic District
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Selected buildings on Church St., Depot St., High St., Main St., and N. Mast St., Goffstown, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 9 acres (3.6 ha) |
| Architectural style | Second Empire, Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 07000153 |
| Added to NRHP | March 15, 2007 |
The Goffstown Main Street Historic District is a special area in Goffstown, New Hampshire. It's filled with old buildings from the 1800s. Most of these 23 historic buildings are on Main Street. This street runs about half a mile north from the Piscataquog River. You can also find historic spots on Depot Street and Church Street. This whole area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. This means it's officially recognized as important to history!
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Exploring Goffstown's Historic Center
The Goffstown Main Street Historic District is like a time capsule. It shows how the town grew and changed. Many buildings here are from the 19th century. They tell stories of Goffstown's past.
A Look Back in Time
Goffstown started in the 1740s. Its first town center was in Grasmere Village. This is east of where the town center is now. In 1766, a bridge was built near the current center. This bridge helped move large trees. These trees were used by the Royal Navy for ship masts. A mill was also built by the nearby waterfalls.
The railroad came to this area in 1850. After that, what was called "West Village" became the main part of town. A town hall was built on Main Street in 1869. It burned down in 1937. A new one was built in 1947. The Goffstown Public Library was added in 1901. It is also a historic building. The district has many old houses. Some date back to the early 1800s. There are also a few old shops on Main Street.
Important Buildings to See
Besides the town buildings, there are two churches in the district. There are also buildings linked to the old railroad.
Historic Churches
The Goffstown Congregational Church is one of them. It's the fourth church building for a group started in 1768. This wooden church was built in 1840. It was updated in the 1890s with a Queen Anne style. The Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 1889. It's also a wooden building. It faces North Mast and Summer Streets.
Railroad History
You can find two old train depots here. One was just for passengers. It was built in 1880. Now, it's on the property of the local hardware store. The other was an older station. It handled both people and cargo. This building was built in 1850. It was moved to Depot Street to make room for the newer station.
Unique Sights in the District
The district also has some interesting and unusual items.
The Popcorn Stand
One cool thing is a popcorn stand. It has been used during warm months since the 1930s. Today, the local Lion's Club runs it. Imagine getting popcorn from a stand that's been around for almost 100 years!
The Horse Watering Trough
At the corner of High and North Mast Streets, you'll see a 19th-century horse watering trough. Long ago, horses would drink water from it. Now, it's used as a planter for flowers. It's a neat reminder of how things used to be.
