Tilton, New Hampshire

Tilton is a town on the Winnipesaukee River in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,962 at the 2020 census, It includes the village of Tilton (which makes up part of the census-designated place of Tilton Northfield) and part of the villages of Winnisquam and Lochmere. Tilton is home to the Tilton School, a private preparatory school.

History

Originally the southern part of Sanbornton, the present area of Tilton was known as "Sanbornton Bridge" and "Bridge Village". These two names refer to the bridge, built in 1763, that crossed the Winnipesaukee River from Canterbury to Sanbornton and onto what is now Main Street in Tilton. In 1869, Sanbornton Bridge was set off and incorporated as Tilton, named in honor of Nathaniel Tilton (1726–1814), whose great-grandson Charles E. Tilton (1827–1901) was the owner of textile mills and the community's wealthiest citizen. Nathaniel Tilton established an iron foundry and the area's first hotel, the Dexter House. Charles E. Tilton donated many statues to the town, a unique feature, and his estate is now part of the Tilton School. Tilton Hall, his former mansion built in 1861, houses the Lucian Hunt Library. The attached carriage house was renovated in 1980 to become the Helene Grant Daly Art Center.

Charles E. Tilton also donated what is perhaps the most notable landmark in the area, the hilltop Memorial Arch, located in the neighboring town of Northfield, across the Winnipesaukee River from the center of Tilton. The Roman arch replica was built in the late 1800s as a memorial to his ancestors. It is built of Concord granite, high and wide.

Image:View of Main Street, Tilton, NH.jpg|Main Street in 1909

Image:Winnipesaukee River, Tilton, NH.jpg|Tilton Island Park

Image:View on the Winnipesaukee, Tilton, NH.jpg|View of the mills in 1908

Image:View of Tilton, NH from Arch Hill.jpg|View from Arch Hill in 1906

Image:Tilton Memorial Arch.jpg|Memorial Arch (Northfield) in 1909

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Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which are land and are water, comprising 6.67% of the town.

| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census

thumb|upright|Marble statue of Indian queen, representing the Americas, donated by Charles E. Tilton

As of the 2010 census, there were 3,567 people, 1,462 households, and 888 families residing in the town. There were 1,845 housing units, of which 383, or 20.8%, were vacant. 212 of the vacant units were for seasonal or recreational use. The racial makeup of the town was 96.2% White, 0.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.2% some other race, and 1.7% from two or more races. 1.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 1,462 households, 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were headed by married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28, and the average family size was 2.83.

Government

thumb|left|Tilton Town Hall

In the New Hampshire Senate, Tilton is in the 2nd district, represented by Republican Bob Giuda. On the New Hampshire Executive Council, Tilton is in the 1st district, represented by Republican Joseph Kenney. In the United States House of Representatives, Tilton is in New Hampshire's 1st congressional district, represented by Democrat Chris Pappas.

Notable people

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John Charles Daly (1914–1991), television personality, network executive
Mary Baker Eddy (1821–1910), founder of Christian Science
John W. Gowdy (1869–1963), bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Methodist Church
William W. Joscelyn (1926–2015), member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
Paul I. LaMott (1917–2011), member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
Winston H. McCarty (1928–2025), member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
Jonathan Page (born 1976), American champion cyclocross racer
Harry Taylor (1862–1930), US Army major general and USACE Chief of Engineer

Tilton, New Hampshire

History

Geography

Government

Notable people

Sites of interest

Notes

References

External links