Merrimack Valley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Merrimack Valley |
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| Long-axis direction | Northwest–southeast |
| Geology | |
| Type | River |
| Geography | |
| Location |  Massachusetts New Hampshire |
| Population centers |
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| Borders on | White Mountains Plum Island, Massachusetts Atlantic Ocean |
| Traversed by | Interstate 93, Interstate 495, Haverhill Line (MBTA) |
| Rivers | Merrimack River |
The Merrimack Valley is a special area in the U.S. states of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. It stretches along the Merrimack River, which is one of the biggest rivers in New England. For thousands of years, this river has been super important to the people living near it. It has shaped their lives and culture.
Big cities in the Merrimack Valley include Concord, Manchester, and Nashua in New Hampshire. In Massachusetts, you'll find Lowell, Lawrence, and Haverhill. In the 1800s, this valley was a huge center for making cloth and fabric.
Contents
Exploring the Merrimack Valley
Massachusetts
The Massachusetts part of the Merrimack Valley has many towns and cities right next to the Merrimack River. This area is close to the New Hampshire border. Some of the cities (shown in italics) and towns here are:
In 2010, about 631,477 people lived in this part of the valley. That's a bit more than the population of Boston!
The Massachusetts Merrimack Valley has a mix of old industrial cities from the 1800s. These cities used the river's power to run their factories. Today, you'll also find modern suburbs and some quiet, rural areas. The western part, including Lowell and Lawrence, is more urban. The whole Massachusetts Merrimack Valley is part of the larger Greater Boston area.
You can drive through this area using major highways like Interstate 495. From Lowell and Lawrence, U.S. Route 3 and Interstate 93 go north into New Hampshire.
New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, the Merrimack Valley is in the south-central part of the state. It's about 35 miles (56 km) wide and centers around the Merrimack River. It stretches from Canterbury down to the Massachusetts border.
The state capital, Concord, is in this valley. Also, New Hampshire's two biggest cities, Manchester and Nashua, are here. Manchester has a large airport with many flights.
Some of the towns and cities (in italics) in this part of the valley include:
- Allenstown
- Amherst
- Atkinson
- Auburn
- Bedford
- Boscawen
- Bow
- Brookline
- Candia
- Canterbury
- Chester
- Chichester
- Concord
- Deerfield
- Derry
- Dunbarton
- Epsom
- Goffstown
- Hampstead
- Henniker
- Hollis
- Hooksett
- Hopkinton
- Hudson
- Litchfield
- Londonderry
- Loudon
- Manchester
- Merrimack
- Milford
- Mont Vernon
- Nashua
- New Boston
- Northwood
- Nottingham
- Pelham
- Pembroke
- Raymond
- Salem
- Sandown
- Weare
- Webster
- Windham
Interstate 93 cuts through this region. Other important roads include Interstate 293 and U.S. Route 3.
History of the Merrimack Valley
Early People and Explorers
The first people to live in the Merrimack Valley were different groups of Pennacook Indians. The river was like a highway for them, making travel easy. It also provided lots of fish, especially salmon. The land along the river was good for hunting and sometimes for farming.
Europeans first recorded seeing the river in 1605. This was during a French trip led by Pierre du Guast. By 1629, British settlers began moving into the area.
The city of Newburyport, settled in 1635, is at the mouth of the river. It became a key place for building ships during the colonial times. They used wood that was floated down the river from the White Mountains. Later, the Middlesex Canal was built. This canal made it easier to ship wood directly to Charlestown, Massachusetts. It also improved connections between Boston and the Merrimack Valley.
The Industrial Revolution
For many years, the Merrimack River was used for small factories. But in the early 1820s, a group of investors from Boston started the city of Lowell. They wanted to use the river's power from the 32-foot (9.8 m) drop at Pawtucket Falls. Lowell became the first big planned textile center in America. It was the largest in the country until the 1850s.
Making textiles spread throughout the Merrimack Valley for the next 100 years. But after World War II, the textile industry started to decline.
The Amoskeag Mills in Manchester was once the largest cotton textile factory in the world. Other big textile companies were in Lowell, Lawrence, and Nashua. Lawrence was also the site of the famous Bread and Roses strike. This was an important event in the history of workers' rights in the United States.
Modern Times
After World War II, the textile industry quickly faded away. For a while, the valley faced tough times. Then, the "Massachusetts Miracle" brought new technology companies. For example, Wang Laboratories moved to Tewksbury and Lowell. Other companies like Apollo Computer and Nashua Corporation started making computer products.
The defense industry also became a big employer. Companies like Raytheon and Sanders Associates hired many people. More and more people moved to the valley from the Greater Boston area. This was because of new highways like Interstate 495 and Interstate 93. This caused the populations of these towns to grow a lot after the war.
On September 13, 2018, there were some gas leaks in the area. This caused several fires and explosions. Homes had to be evacuated for safety.
Culture and Fun in the Valley
Some local artists call the Merrimack River Valley the "Valley of the Poets." Many famous writers and artists have lived here.
Anne Bradstreet was one of the first poets published in the New World. She lived and wrote in what is now North Andover. She passed away there in 1672.
The family of John Greenleaf Whittier lived in Haverhill and Amesbury. Mr. Whittier was so popular that his birthday was celebrated as a national holiday!
Lawrence is the birthplace of actress Thelma Todd and composer Leonard Bernstein. Actor Robert Frost spent his teenage years there. Actress Bette Davis and writer Jack Kerouac were born in Lowell.
West Newbury is where John Cena, the famous WWE wrestler and actor, was born.
The Merrimack Valley is one of the few places in the United States where the card game Forty-fives is very popular.
The valley used to have many apple and fruit orchards. Several of them are still around today, like Apple Hill and Smolak Farms. Picking apples is a popular activity in the Merrimack Valley during late summer and fall.
The valley also has some leading boarding schools. These schools, like Phillips Academy and St. Paul's School, offer cultural places for the public to visit. Examples include the Addison Gallery of American Art and the Robert S. Peabody Museum of Archaeology.
Economy and Jobs
Massachusetts Economy
The Merrimack Valley in Massachusetts has many jobs in health care and higher education. Colleges like UMass Lowell and Merrimack College are big employers. The region was once a major place for technology companies. Wang Laboratories was one of the biggest, but it no longer exists.
Today, software company Kronos Incorporated is a large employer. Philips, which makes medical equipment, has its medical division in Andover. The defense industry is also important. Raytheon and BAE Systems Inc. have many plants and offices here.
Because it's close to Boston, many people who live in the Merrimack Valley work in Boston. Major highways like I-93 and I-495 make it easy to get to Boston. The MBTA Commuter Rail also has several train lines that connect the valley to the city.
Some fun places to visit in Massachusetts Merrimack Valley include:
- Chain Bridge (Massachusetts), an old bridge between Amesbury and Newburyport
- Lawrence Heritage State Park
- Lowell National Historic Park
- Maudslay State Park, a big park in Newburyport
- Museum of Printing, in Haverhill
- Pawtucket Falls (Massachusetts), a famous waterfall in Lowell
- Plum Island (Massachusetts), an island at the river's mouth
Colleges and universities in this area are:
- Massachusetts School of Law, Andover
- Merrimack College, North Andover
- Northern Essex Community College, Haverhill
- University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell
New Hampshire Economy
Even though the textile factories are gone, the New Hampshire Merrimack Valley has found new ways to create jobs. Sanders Associates, a defense company, is now part of BAE Systems Inc. and is one of the biggest employers. Technology companies are also important, like Verizon in Manchester.
The financial industry also provides many jobs. Lincoln Financial in Concord and Fidelity Investments in Merrimack are large employers.
The area between Manchester, Nashua, and Salem is sometimes called the "Golden Triangle." This is because of all the job growth and new shopping centers. About 30% of New Hampshire's population lives in this area.
Some fun places to visit in New Hampshire Merrimack Valley include:
- Bear Brook State Park
- Canobie Lake Park, an amusement park
- McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, a space museum
- New Hampshire State House
- Robert Frost Farm, a historic park
Colleges and universities in this area are:
- New England College, Henniker
- New Hampshire Institute of Art, Manchester
- Rivier University, Nashua
- Saint Anselm College, Goffstown
- Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester/Hooksett
- University of New Hampshire at Manchester
- University of New Hampshire School of Law, Concord
Images for kids
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The second largest city on the Merrimack River, Lowell, owes its existence to the waterpower the river provided to run its mills.
