Mason is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,448 at the 2020 census.
Near the center of Mason is the boyhood home of Samuel Wilson, the meat supplier who is believed to have inspired the Uncle Sam character. The private house is today identified by a state historical marker. Another prominent local figure was Elizabeth Orton Jones, an author, illustrator and teacher better known as "Twig". Jones is noted for her recording of town history and her dedication to Andy's Summer Playhouse, a renowned youth theater founded in Mason. Pickity Place, a local cottage built in 1759 by Ebenezer Blood, was the model for the grandmother's house in Jones' 1948 illustrated version of "Little Red Riding Hood". Pickity Place was created by David and Judith Walter.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which are water, comprising 0.23% of the town.
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census
thumb|left|Wolf Rock in 1909
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,147 people, 433 households, and 328 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 455 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.08% White, 0.17% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.44% Pacific Islander, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.
There were 433 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.02.
thumb|left|[[Watering trough in 1909]]
In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $60,433, and the median income for a family was $61,908. Males had a median income of $43,558 versus $26,042 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,503. About 3.6% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.
Town facilities
thumb|right|Mason Town Hall
Mason is immediately north of the Massachusetts border, with the center of town about from the state line. At the center of town are five public buildings: the library, elementary school, meetinghouse, church, and police station, all situated where Darling Hill, Old Ashby, Merriam Hill, Meetinghouse Hill and Valley roads meet. The students at the public middle and high school are tuitioned to Milford, which is northeast of Mason. To the west is Greenville, location of the shared post office. On Depot Road, less than a mile down the hill from town center, is the Volunteer Fire and EMS Department and Town Highway Department.
Notable people
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- C. W. Anderson (1891–1971), author, illustrator
- John Boynton (1791–1868), founder of Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- F. Ross Holland, Jr. (1927–2005), historian; best known for his books about American lighthouses
- Elizabeth Orton Jones (1910–2005), children's book author and illustrator
- Elizabeth Augusta Russell (1832–1911), philanthropist, reformer, and restaurateur
- Samuel Wilson (1766–1854), meat-packer, legendary potential origin of "Uncle Sam"
- Walter A. Wood (1815–1892), US congressman
References
External links
- New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile