Henniker, New Hampshire Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Henniker, New Hampshire

Town

Congregational Church (left), Henniker Historical Society Museum (right)

Seal

Motto(s):

The Only Henniker on Earth

Location in Merrimack County and the state of New Hampshire

Country

United States

State

1768

Villages

Henniker
West Henniker

Area

• Total

44.80 sq mi (116.04 km²)

• Land

44.12 sq mi (114.27 km²)

• Water

0.68 sq mi (1.77 km²) 1.52%

Elevation

436 ft (133 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

6,185

• Density

140/sq mi (54.1/km²)

• Summer (DST)

03242

603

33-35540

GNIS feature ID

0873623

Henniker is a town located in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, in the United States. In 2020, about 6,185 people lived there. Henniker is special because it's home to New England College and the Pats Peak Ski Area. It's known as a college town and a fun place for outdoor activities like skiing and white-water kayaking.

The main part of the town, where most people live, is called the Henniker census-designated place (CDP). It's located along the Contoocook River. The town also includes a smaller area called West Henniker.

History of Henniker
Geography of Henniker
- Neighboring Towns
Population Changes in Henniker
Education in Henniker
Culture and Religion
Notable People from Henniker
Places to Visit in Henniker
Images for kids
See also

History of Henniker

The area was first known as "Number Six." This was because it was the sixth settlement in a line between the Merrimack River and Connecticut River. In 1752, a group called the Masonian Proprietors gave the land to Andrew Todd. He named it "Todd's Town."

Later, in 1761, James Peter settled there. Other settlers from Marlboro, Massachusetts called it "New Marlborough." In 1768, Governor John Wentworth officially made it a town. He named it after Sir John Henniker, a rich merchant from London. Sir John Henniker traded in leather and fur and had shipping businesses in Boston and Portsmouth.

In the 1800s, some people in Henniker had hearing difficulties. They even developed their own special sign language. This local sign language might have helped create American Sign Language.

Farmers in Henniker found the land good for growing crops. Many mills used the power of the Contoocook River to operate, including a factory that made woolen cloth. By 1859, the town had 1,688 people. However, the mills in Henniker closed in 1959 due to a flood control project.

The Edna Dean Proctor Bridge, a stone bridge with two arches, was built over the Contoocook River in 1835. A building for Henniker Academy, a school, was built from granite in 1836.

Towards the end of the 1800s, people started visiting Henniker for its beautiful river. They enjoyed the scenery and it became a popular spot for tourists.

An interesting fact is that the game of paintball was invented in Henniker in 1981!

Geography of Henniker

Henniker covers about 116 square kilometers (44.8 square miles) in total. Most of this area, about 114.3 square kilometers (44.1 square miles), is land. The rest, about 1.8 square kilometers (0.7 square miles), is water. The main village of Henniker (the CDP) is smaller, covering about 3.6 square kilometers (1.4 square miles) of land.

The town gets its water from the Contoocook River and a smaller stream called Amey Brook. The water in Henniker eventually flows into the Merrimack River.

Craney Hill is in the southern part of Henniker. It's about 427 meters (1,402 feet) high and is where the Pats Peak ski area is located. The highest point in Henniker is an unnamed hill in the northwest, which is about 473 meters (1,552 feet) high.

Major roads that go through Henniker include U.S. Route 202 and state routes 9 and 114.

Neighboring Towns

Henniker shares borders with these towns:

Warner (to the north)
Hopkinton (to the east)
Weare (to the southeast)
Deering (to the southwest)
Hillsborough (to the west)
Bradford (to the northwest)

Population Changes in Henniker

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	1,127	—
1800	1,476	31.0%
1810	1,608	8.9%
1820	1,900	18.2%
1830	1,725	−9.2%
1840	1,715	−0.6%
1850	1,688	−1.6%
1860	1,500	−11.1%
1870	1,288	−14.1%
1880	1,326	3.0%
1890	1,385	4.4%
1900	1,507	8.8%
1910	1,395	−7.4%
1920	1,344	−3.7%
1930	1,266	−5.8%
1940	1,336	5.5%
1950	1,675	25.4%
1960	1,636	−2.3%
1970	2,348	43.5%
1980	3,246	38.2%
1990	4,151	27.9%
2000	4,433	6.8%
2010	4,836	9.1%
2020	6,185	27.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

The population of Henniker has changed a lot over the years. In 2010, there were 4,836 people living in the town. By 2020, the population had grown to 6,185. This shows that more people are choosing to live in Henniker.

Most people in Henniker live in families or households. In 2010, there were 1,780 households in the town. Many of these households had children under 18 living with them.

Education in Henniker

Henniker is part of a school district called New Hampshire School Administrative Unit #24. This district also includes the towns of Weare and Stoddard, New Hampshire.

Younger students, from Kindergarten to primary school, go to Henniker Community School. Older students, in high school, attend John Stark Regional High School in Weare.

Henniker is also home to New England College. This is a private liberal arts college where students can earn a four-year degree. The town also has a free library for everyone, two community centers, and a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).

Culture and Religion

Henniker has several places of worship. These include a Congregational church, a Roman Catholic church, a Quaker meeting house, and the Community Christian Fellowship.

Notable People from Henniker

Many interesting people have connections to Henniker:

Amy Beach (1867–1944), a famous composer and pianist.
Laurie D. Cox (1883–1968), a landscape architect and college president.
Robert Goodenow (1800–1874), a US congressman.
Rufus K. Goodenow (1790–1863), also a US congressman.
Ocean Born Mary (1720–1814), a person connected to a local ghost story.
James W. Patterson (1823–1893), a US congressman and senator.
Parker Pillsbury (1809–1898), a minister and abolitionist (someone who worked to end slavery).
Edna Dean Proctor (1829–1923), a writer.
Jacob Rice (1787–1879), a state politician and farmer.
Kristen Ulmer (born 1966), an extreme skier and writer.
Ted Williams (1918–2002), a legendary baseball player in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. He played for the Boston Red Sox.

Places to Visit in Henniker

If you visit Henniker, here are some interesting places to see:

Ames State Forest
Craney Hill State Forest
Henniker Historical Society at Henniker Academy (a place to learn about the town's history)
New England College
Pats Peak (a popular ski area)