Island Pond (Rockingham County, New Hampshire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Island Pond |
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Island Pond
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 Island
Pond Location in New Hampshire
Island
Pond Location in the United States
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| Location | Rockingham County, New Hampshire |
| Coordinates | 42°52′3″N 71°12′48″W / 42.86750°N 71.21333°W |
| Primary inflows | Taylor Brook; Drew Brook; Wash Pond Brook |
| Primary outflows | Spicket River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 2.5 mi (4.0 km) |
| Max. width | 0.6 mi (0.97 km) |
| Surface area | 532 acres (2.15 km2) |
| Average depth | 34 feet (10 m) |
| Max. depth | 70 feet (21 m) |
| Surface elevation | 205 feet (62.5 m) |
| Islands | Governors Island; Escumbuit Island; Loon Island; Chase Island; Sheep Island; Pine Island; George's Island; Muskrat Island |
| Settlements | Derry; Hampstead, Atkinson |
Island Pond is a large body of water in southern New Hampshire. It covers about 532 acres. You can find it in Rockingham County, spread across the towns of Derry, Hampstead, and Atkinson. Sometimes, local people call it Big Island Pond.
Island Pond is the starting point for the Spicket River. This river eventually flows into the Merrimack River in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Contents
About Island Pond
How it was Formed
Island Pond wasn't always one big lake. It was created in 1878. Before that, there were two separate ponds: Perch Pond in Hampstead and Lake Wentworth in Derry.
A new dam was built, which raised the water level by about 8.5 feet. This made the two smaller ponds join together. That's how Island Pond became the single, larger body of water we see today.
Islands in the Pond
Island Pond is home to several islands. The biggest one is Governor's Island. It's quite large, covering about 231 acres. Other islands include Escumbuit Island, Loon Island, and Pine Island.
Why "Island Pond"?
The pond gets its name from its largest island, Governor's Island. This island has an interesting history.
Governor's Island
Governor's Island is named after Benning Wentworth. He was a colonial governor of New Hampshire a long time ago. Governor Wentworth built a summer home on the north side of the island. He called his home Birch Farm.
Escumbuit Island
Another smaller island in the pond is named after a Native American chief. His name was Escumbuit.
Fish and Wildlife
Island Pond is a great place for fishing! It's known as a "cold and warmwater fishery." This means it has fish that like both cooler and warmer water.
You can find many different types of fish here, including:
- Largemouth bass
- Smallmouth bass
- Brook trout
- Rainbow trout
- Brown trout
- Chain pickerel
- Horned pout (also called brown bullhead)
- White perch
- Black crappie
- Bluegill
