Pittsfield, New Hampshire Facts for Kids

The main part of town, called the Pittsfield census-designated place (CDP), is home to about 1,570 people. It is located along the Suncook River. This area includes the busy village center where several roads meet. Every year in early August, Pittsfield hosts the "Balloon Rally," a fun hot air balloon festival.

History of Pittsfield
Geography and Nature
- Nearby Towns
Population Changes Over Time
Artistic Connections
Education in Pittsfield
Famous People from Pittsfield
Images for kids
See also

History of Pittsfield

Main Street in 1906

Before Pittsfield became an official town in 1782, it was part of Chichester. The town was named after William Pitt. He was a Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and a good friend to the colonies before the American Revolution.

The first families settled here in 1768. John Cram, one of the founders, built mills for grinding grain and cutting wood in the late 1700s. Since 1901, a company called Globe Manufacturing has made special protective clothing for firefighters in Pittsfield.

In July 2001, Pittsfield set a Guinness World Record. A total of 522 people wore Groucho Marx glasses at the same time! No other town had tried to set this record before.

Geography and Nature

Pittsfield covers about 63 square kilometers (24 square miles). Most of this area is land, with a small part, about 0.7 square kilometers (0.3 square miles), being water. The town is located along the Suncook River. This river is part of the larger Merrimack River system.

The highest point in Pittsfield is the top of Catamount Mountain. It stands about 406 meters (1,331 feet) above sea level.

Nearby Towns

Pittsfield shares its borders with several other towns:

Barnstead (north)
Strafford (east)
Northwood (southeast)
Epsom (south)
Chichester (southwest)
Loudon (west)

Population Changes Over Time

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	888	—
1800	987	11.1%
1810	1,050	6.4%
1820	1,178	12.2%
1830	1,271	7.9%
1840	1,719	35.2%
1850	1,828	6.3%
1860	1,838	0.5%
1870	1,600	−12.9%
1880	1,974	23.4%
1890	2,605	32.0%
1900	2,129	−18.3%
1910	2,222	4.4%
1920	1,914	−13.9%
1930	2,018	5.4%
1940	2,183	8.2%
1950	2,321	6.3%
1960	2,419	4.2%
1970	2,517	4.1%
1980	2,889	14.8%
1990	3,701	28.1%
2000	3,931	6.2%
2010	4,106	4.5%
2020	4,075	−0.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

Union Block and Congregational church

The Suncook River in 1908

In 2010, there were 4,106 people living in Pittsfield. Most residents (96.9%) were white. About 33% of homes had children under 18 living there. The average age of people in Pittsfield was about 39 years old.

Artistic Connections

In 1934, a famous American composer named Alan Hovhaness wrote a piece of music. It was called Legend of the Sunkook Valley. He spent time with his family in Pittsfield when he was young.

Education in Pittsfield

Pittsfield has two public schools for students.

Pittsfield Elementary School teaches students from pre-school up to 5th grade.
Pittsfield Middle High School serves students from 6th to 12th grade.

In the 2016-2017 school year, about 71% of students at Pittsfield Middle High School graduated in four years. This was a bit lower than the average for New Hampshire, which was 89%.

The Pittsfield School Board manages the school district. Its members include Sandra Adams (Chairperson), Molly Goggin (Vice Chairperson), Adam Gauthier, Timothy Robinson, and Eric Nillson.

Famous People from Pittsfield

Many notable people have connections to Pittsfield:

John M. Berry (1827–1887) was a judge and politician in Minnesota.
Frank Ellsworth Blaisdell (1862–1946) was a professor and an expert on insects.
Warren Chase (1813–1891) was a pioneer and helped start Ripon College.
Ebenezer Knowlton (1815–1874) was a congressman from Maine and helped found Bates College.
Ed Siudut (c. 1947–2012) was a professional basketball player.
John Swett (1830–1913) helped create California's public school system.
Harrison R. Thyng (1918–1983) was a US Air Force general and a flying ace in World War II.