Newington Center Historic District facts for kids
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Newington Center Historic District
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Old Town Hall
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 272-336, 305-353 Nimble Hill Rd., Newington, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 161 acres (65 ha) |
| Built by | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 87002106 (original) 91000665 (increase) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 30, 1987 |
| Boundary increase | December 9, 1991 |
The Newington Center Historic District is a special area in Newington, New Hampshire. It's like the historic heart of the town! This district includes a part of Nimble Hill Road, stretching from Little Bay Road to a gate that once marked the start of Pease Air Force Base. Today, that base is known as Portsmouth International Airport at Pease.
This important area has the town's common land, which was first set aside way back in 1640. You'll also find old town buildings and some private homes here. Plus, there are still parts of New Hampshire's oldest town forest within the district. The Newington Center Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. Later, in 1991, an extra 69 acres of the old town forest were added, even though that land is now part of the airport.
What is the Newington Center Historic District?
The town of Newington started as part of Dover in the 1600s. It became its own separate area in 1712 and then its own town in 1713. The idea for its historic town center began in 1640. That's when common land was put aside for everyone to use. Some of this land became the town center, and a much bigger part became the town forest, which was once over 100 acres!
Exploring the Historic Center
The town center is mainly found along Nimble Hill Road. This road was once a major route connecting Dover and Portsmouth. Another old road, the Boston Post Road, also passed nearby. This road connected Boston, Massachusetts to places in what is now Maine.
The construction of Pease Air Force Base in the 1950s changed things. It cut off the southern end of Nimble Hill Road and made the town forest much smaller.
Important Buildings in the District
One of the main buildings in the center is the Congregational Church. It was built in 1712, but it was changed a lot in 1835. That's when it got its current look, which is called Greek Revival style.
Two other very old and important buildings are Newington's Old Parsonage, built in 1710, and the Newington Meeting House, built in 1717. These are some of the oldest buildings in New Hampshire! They help us understand what life was like long ago.
