Acworth is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 census, the town had a total population of 853.

History

thumb|[[Acworth Congregational Church on the town common]]

Originally chartered by colonial governor Benning Wentworth in 1752, it was called "Burnet" after William Burnet, a former governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. In 1754, however, the French and Indian War broke out, and no settlements were made under the charter. Wentworth regranted the township on September 19, 1766, naming it after Sir Jacob Acworth, a former Surveyor of the Royal Navy. The town was first permanently settled in 1768 by several families from Londonderry, New Hampshire.

Acworth was incorporated in 1772 by Governor John Wentworth, but war again slowed its development. With the close of the Revolution, however, Acworth grew quickly. By 1859, it had 1,251 inhabitants, most of whom were occupied in agriculture. The Cold River provided water power for industry, including five sawmills, a gristmill, a woolen factory, a bobbin factory and a peg factory. There was also a boot and shoe manufacturer. The highest point in Acworth is Gove Hill in the northeast part of town, at above sea level.

The town is crossed by one numbered state highway, New Hampshire Route 123A, which follows the Cold River and passes through the village of South Acworth. Although not numbered routes, the state also maintains a handful of other roads in the town, including Cold River Road, Hill Road, and a portion of Charlestown Road.

Adjacent municipalities

  • Unity (north)
  • Lempster (east)
  • Marlow (southeast)
  • Alstead (south)
  • Langdon (southwest)
  • Charlestown (northwest)

Demographics

As of the census of 2020, there were 853 people and 264 households residing in the town. The population density was 21.8 people per square mile (8.3/km). There were approximately 521 housing units at an average density of 13.3 per square mile (5.1/km). The racial makeup of the town was 90.06% White, 1.29% African American, 0.82% Native American, 0.94% Asian, and 4.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.23% of the population.

There were 264 households, out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 8.68% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.22% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.23 and the average family size was 4.13.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 2.3% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 5.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.4 years. The sex ration (males per 100 females) was 73.6.

The median income for a household in the town was $80,000, and the median income for a family was $81,477. The per capita income for the town was $24,760. About 8.1% of the population was below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

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  • George W. Anderson (1861–1938), federal judge
  • Nedom L. Angier (1814–1882), mayor of Atlanta; Georgia state treasurer
  • John Graham Brooks (1846–1938), sociologist, political reformer
  • Thomas J. Cram (1804–1883), engineer with the U.S. Corps of Topographical Engineers
  • Adrian Dubois (born 1987), professional soccer player
  • Alice B. Fogel, New Hampshire Poet Laureate, 2014–2019
  • Perley Keyes (1774–1834), member of the New York Senate
  • Talcott Parsons (1902–1979), Harvard sociologist
  • Judith Rossner (1935–2005), novelist
  • Fritz Wetherbee (born 1936), television host and journalist
  • Hiram Wilson (1803–1864), abolitionist
  • Joseph Gardner Wilson (1826–1873), Oregon supreme court justice and US congressman
  • Urban A. Woodbury (1838–1915), Civil War veteran and the 45th governor of Vermont

See also

  • Bascom Maple Farms

References

Further reading

  • John Leverett Merrill, History of Acworth, Acworth, New Hampshire 1869
  • Helen H. Frink, These Acworth Hills – A History of Acworth, New Hampshire 1767–1988, Town of Acworth, New Hampshire 1989
  • Acworth Historical Society
  • Acworth Silsby Library
  • The Acworthian, online newsletter
  • New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau profile
  • Hayward's New England Gazetteer (1839)