Winchester, New Hampshire Facts for Kids

Winchester is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, in the United States. About 4,150 people lived there in 2020. The main part of town, called the Winchester census-designated place (CDP), had 1,606 residents in 2020. The town also includes the village of Ashuelot and a section of Pisgah State Park.

History of Winchester
- Early Settlers and Challenges
- Important Events and Industries
Geography of Winchester
- Rivers and Mountains
- Travel and Nearby Towns
People of Winchester
Culture and Fun in Winchester
Places to Visit in Winchester
Famous People from Winchester
See also

History of Winchester

Postcard of Winchester town, 1909

Winchester was first called "Arlington" in 1733. It was named after Charles Fitzroy, the Earl of Arlington. This town was one of many created by Governor Jonathan Belcher. Its purpose was to protect the border of the Massachusetts Bay Colony along the Connecticut River.

In 1741, Winchester became part of the Province of New Hampshire. Governor Benning Wentworth officially made it a town in 1753. He renamed it "Winchester" after Charles Paulet, the 8th Marquess of Winchester.

Early Settlers and Challenges

Pioneers started arriving in Winchester as early as 1732. They faced many attacks from Native American tribes. Several settlers were captured, and the town was even burned down in 1745.

The town's church was founded in 1736. It is the oldest religious group in Cheshire County. Winchester is also home to two historic covered bridges.

Important Events and Industries

In 1803, a major statement of Universalism was adopted in Winchester. This statement, called the Winchester Profession, was very important to the Universalist faith.

Winchester has always been an agricultural town. However, many small businesses also grew here. In the 1830s, Graves & Company became one of the first companies in the country to make musical instruments.

When the Ashuelot Railroad arrived in 1850, it helped new industries grow. These included textile mills, factories making wooden items like boxes, and leather tanning businesses.

The Common c. 1905
Conant Library in 1909
Iron bridge c. 1910

Geography of Winchester

Winchester covers a total area of about 143.9 square kilometers (55.6 square miles). Most of this area, about 142.4 square kilometers (55.0 square miles), is land. The remaining 1.5 square kilometers (0.6 square miles) is water, making up about 1% of the town's total area.

Rivers and Mountains

The town is drained by the Ashuelot River and a smaller stream called Mirey Brook. Pisgah Reservoir and Kilburn Pond are two bodies of water located in the northwest part of Winchester. All the water in the town eventually flows into the Connecticut River.

The highest point in Winchester is Franklin Mountain. It is about 434 meters (1,424 feet) tall and is located near the northeastern corner of the town.

Travel and Nearby Towns

Winchester is connected by several state routes. These include Route 10, Route 78, and Route 119.

Winchester shares its borders with several other towns:

To the north: Chesterfield
To the northeast: Swanzey
To the east: Richmond
To the south: Warwick, Massachusetts
To the southwest: Northfield, Massachusetts
To the west: Hinsdale

People of Winchester

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	1,209	—
1800	1,413	16.9%
1810	1,478	4.6%
1820	1,849	25.1%
1830	2,051	10.9%
1840	2,065	0.7%
1850	3,296	59.6%
1860	2,225	−32.5%
1870	2,097	−5.8%
1880	2,444	16.5%
1890	2,584	5.7%
1900	2,274	−12.0%
1910	2,282	0.4%
1920	2,267	−0.7%
1930	2,183	−3.7%
1940	2,275	4.2%
1950	2,388	5.0%
1960	2,411	1.0%
1970	2,869	19.0%
1980	3,465	20.8%
1990	4,038	16.5%
2000	4,144	2.6%
2010	4,341	4.8%
2020	4,150	−4.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2010, there were 4,341 people living in Winchester. These people made up 1,689 households and 1,129 families. About 96.1% of the people were white. Small percentages were African American, Native American, or Asian. About 1.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 31.9% of households had children under 18 living with them. Many households (47.5%) were married couples. The average household had 2.54 people.

The median age in Winchester was 41.1 years. This means half the people were older than 41.1 and half were younger. About 22.9% of the population was under 18 years old.

Culture and Fun in Winchester

Since 1998, Winchester has hosted its yearly Pickle Festival. This fun event takes place every September on Main Street.

Places to Visit in Winchester

Winchester Town Hall

Ashuelot Covered Bridge: A historic covered bridge.
Conant Library Museum: A place to learn about local history.
Monadnock Speedway: A popular place for car racing.
Sheridan House (1870): This building is home to the Winchester Historical Society Museum.

Famous People from Winchester

Many notable people have connections to Winchester:

Jane Grace Alexander (1848–1932): A well-known banker.
Henry Ashley (1778–1829): A US congressman.
Michael Dubruiel (1958–2009): A Roman Catholic author.
Louis B. Goodall (1851–1935): An industrialist, banker, and US congressman.
Marshall Jewell (1825–1883): He served as the 25th US Postmaster General and was governor of Connecticut multiple times.
Francis P. Murphy (1877–1958): The 64th governor of New Hampshire.
Addison Pratt (1802–1872): An early Latter-day Saints missionary. He was the first Latter-day Saint missionary to preach in a language other than English.
Leonard Wood (1860–1927): A US Army chief of staff.

Winchester, New Hampshire facts for kids

Contents