North Conway, New Hampshire

North Conway is a census-designated place (CDP) and village in eastern Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,116 at the 2020 census. A year-round resort area, North Conway is the second-largest village within the town of Conway, after the village of Conway proper. North Conway maintains its own fire station, post office and public library, sharing its other services with Conway. The White Mountain National Forest is to the west and north. The area is home to Cathedral Ledge (popular with climbers), Echo Lake State Park, and Cranmore Mountain Resort. North Conway is known for its large number of outlet shops.

thumb|Aerial view of North Conway and [[Cranmore Mountain Resort|Mount Cranmore ]]

History

ConwayScenic.jpg|North Conway station

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thumb|[[Mount Washington in 1872]]

thumb|Aerial view of North Conway in 1921

Chartered in 1765 by colonial Governor Benning Wentworth, the town is named for Henry Seymour Conway, ambitious son of a prominent English family, who was elected to the House of Commons at age 20, fought at Culloden, and became Secretary of State. Early settlers called the area Pequawket (known colloquially as "Pigwacket"), adopting the name of the Abenaki Indian village which stretched down the Saco River to its stockaded center at Fryeburg, Maine.

North Conway is in the White Mountains, with Mount Washington to the northwest. The rugged terrain became popular in the 19th century with artists. Their paintings were known collectively as White Mountain art, which in turn attracted tourists to the area, particularly after the Portsmouth, Great Falls & Conway Railroad extended service in 1872 to North Conway. In 1874, the line built a Second Empire depot, designed by Nathaniel J. Bradlee. In 1932, "snow trains" began carrying enthusiasts to "the birthplace of American skiing", as North Conway is known.

Recreation

thumb|left|Cathedral Ledge in 1914

North Conway and its surrounding towns offer hiking in the White Mountain National Forest. The area is a major rock climbing destination in the northeastern United States, particularly Cathedral Ledge in Echo Lake State Park. The cliff overlooks Echo Lake and North Conway from the west. Unlike nearby White Horse Ledge, another rock climbing site, Cathedral Ledge has an automobile road to the summit, which provides fine views of the Saco River Valley.

In late September through early October, tourists arrive to see the autumn foliage on the surrounding mountains and forests. The Conway Scenic Railroad features train rides that leave from the village's Victorian station. In the winter, the village is the nighttime destination for skiers visiting the area resorts, including North Conway's own Cranmore Mountain as well as nearby Attitash Mountain Resort, Black Mountain and Wildcat Mountain.

North Conway is home to the Green Hills Preserve. The preserve encompasses several mountains in the Mt. Washington Valley, and is a low north–south running mountain ridge flanking the east side of Route 16. The preserve includes Rattlesnake Mountain, Middle Mountain, Peaked Mountain, and Black Cap mountain.

Geography

North Conway is located in the northern part of the town of Conway.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the North Conway census-designated place (CDP) includes the village of North Conway plus the Conway portion of the neighboring community of Kearsarge. The CDP has a total area of , of which are land and , or 2.04%, are water. The Saco River forms the western edge of the North Conway CDP.

Climate

Demographics

thumb|left|White Horse Ledge and Echo Lake c. 1908

thumb|right|The [[Kearsarge House c. 1910, an early grand hotel]]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, North Conway had a population of 2,116. The median age was 53.5 years. 13.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 29.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.7 males age 18 and over.

84.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 15.6% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,047 households in North Conway, of which 19.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 33.8% were married-couple households, 24.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 39.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 1,105 households, out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.1% were headed by married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.5% were non-families. 39.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07, and the average family size was 2.73.

Notable people

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Ed Ashnault — college football and basketball coach; grew up in North Conway
Benjamin Champney — artist
Gordon Clapp — actor
E. E. Cummings — 20th century poet; summer resident
Jigger Johnson — logger
Jeff Locke — Major League Baseball player
Helen Bigelow Merriman — 19th century artist born in North Conway
Nathan W. Pease — photographer who lived and worked capturing images of area sites
Carroll Reed — ski instructor; founder of Carroll Reed Sportswear
Johann "Hannes" Schneider — Austrian ski instructor and founder of the Arlberg Technique
John Shea — actor, producer and director
David A. Shirley — chemist
Leanne Smith — two-time Olympian and World Cup alpine ski racer
Martha Pearson Smith (1836-?) — poet, musician, temperance activist
Julia Ruth Stevens — daughter of Babe Ruth

Sites of interest

Echo Lake State Park
Cranmore Mountain

Sites on the National Register of Historic Places:

North Conway 5 and 10 Cent Store
Eastern Slope Inn
Conway Scenic Railroad

References

External links

Town of Conway official website
Conway Historical Society
Conway Public Library
The Conway Daily Sun, local newspaper
Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau