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Civil township

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A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States that is subordinate to a county , most often in the northern and midwestern parts of the country. The term town is used in New England , New York , as well as Wisconsin to refer to the equivalent of the civil township in these states; Minnesota uses "town" officially but often uses it and "township" interchangeably. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary in each state . Civil townships are distinct from survey townships , but in states that have both, the boundaries often coincide, especially in Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois, and may completely geographically subdivide a county. The U.S. Census Bureau classifies civil townships as minor civil divisions . Currently, there are 20 states with civil townships, including Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia (in certain areas).

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88-471: Township functions are generally overseen by a governing board (the name varies from state to state) and a clerk, trustee, or mayor (in New Jersey and the metro townships of Utah ). Township officers frequently include justice of the peace , road commissioner , assessor , constable , in addition to surveyor . In the 20th century, many townships also added a township administrator or supervisor to

176-503: A nor'easter , such as the Blizzard of '78 and the Blizzard of 1993 , when several feet accumulated across portions of the state over 24 to 48 hours. Lighter snowfalls of several inches occur frequently throughout winter, often associated with an Alberta Clipper . New Hampshire, on occasion, is affected by hurricanes and tropical storms—although, by the time they reach the state, they are often extratropical —with most storms striking

264-407: A key state issue in the early 1900s in response to poor logging practices. In the 1970s, activists defeated a proposal to build an oil refinery along the coast and limited plans for a full-width interstate highway through Franconia Notch to a parkway. Winter season lengths are projected to decline at ski areas across New Hampshire due to the effects of climate change , which is likely to continue

352-427: A nationwide trend, New Hampshire's industrial sector declined after World War II . Since 1950, its economy diversified to include financial and professional services, real estate, education, transportation and high-tech, with manufacturing still higher than the national average. Beginning in the 1950s, its population surged as major highways connected it to Greater Boston and led to more commuter towns . New Hampshire

440-543: A relatively cooler to warmer climate as one travels southward across New Hampshire. The 1990 USDA plant hardiness zones for New Hampshire range from zone 3b in the north to zone 5b in the south. Metropolitan areas in the New England region are defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as New England City and Town Areas (NECTAs). The following is a list of NECTAs fully or partially in New Hampshire: As of

528-459: A single township trustee and a three-member board. Civil townships in these states are generally not incorporated , and nearby cities may annex land in adjoining townships with relative ease. In Michigan, however, general law townships are corporate entities (e.g. they can be the subject of lawsuits), and some can become reformulated as charter townships , a status intended to protect against annexation from nearby municipalities and which grants

616-666: Is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States . It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north. Of the 50 U.S. states , New Hampshire is the eighth-smallest by land area and the tenth-least populous , with a population of 1,377,529 residents as of the 2020 census . Concord

704-514: Is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town , city , borough , or village . They collect property taxes and provide services such as maintaining roads, garbage collection, water, sewer, schools, police and fire protection. The Township form of local government is used by 27% of New Jersey municipalities; however, slightly over 50% of the state's population resides within them. Townships in New Jersey differ from townships elsewhere in

792-501: Is a major component of the economy. New Hampshire experienced a major shift in its economic base during the 20th century. Historically, the base was composed of traditional New England textiles, shoemaking, and small machine shops, drawing upon low-wage labor from nearby small farms and parts of Quebec. Today, of the state's total manufacturing dollar value, these sectors contribute only two percent for textiles, two percent for leather goods, and nine percent for machining. They experienced

880-867: Is among the most climbed mountains in the United States. Other activities include observing the fall foliage , summer cottages along many lakes and the seacoast, motorsports at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon , and Motorcycle Week , a popular motorcycle rally held in Weirs Beach in Laconia . The White Mountain National Forest includes most of the Appalachian Trail between Vermont and Maine, and has

968-434: Is among the wealthiest and most-educated states. It is one of nine states without an income tax and has no taxes on sales, capital gains, or inheritance while relying heavily on local property taxes to fund education; consequently, its state tax burden is among the lowest in the country. It ranks among the top ten states in metrics such as governance, healthcare, socioeconomic opportunity, and fiscal stability. New Hampshire

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1056-504: Is divided into townships as mandated since the North Carolina Constitution of 1868. Some urbanized counties such as Mecklenburg County ( Charlotte ) now number their townships (e.g. "Township 12") rather than using names. Townships all over the state used to have some official organization and duties but now are only considered ceremonial divisions of each county. Township names are still used quite extensively at

1144-847: Is no government per se at the township level in North Carolina, and there are no elected or appointed offices associated with townships. In 2015 Utah created a form of civil township called a metro township . While each metro township has a mayor and township council, and manage a budget, and cannot be annexed without its permission, its powers of taxation are limited, and must contract with other municipalities or municipal shared-service districts for most municipal services (police, for example). The five metro townships—all located in Salt Lake County —are Kearns , Magna , Copperton , Emigration Canyon and White City . As of 2012, there were 16,360 organized town or township governments in

1232-403: Is often abbreviated TWP or Twp . Some official documents abbreviate it as "Twsp." Historically, a variety of legislation has been passed by the state legislature that has defined and refined the township form of municipal government: The Township Act of 1798 was the first state legislation to incorporate municipalities. The government defined was a form of direct democracy , similar to

1320-474: Is one of the least religious states and known for its libertarian -leaning political culture; it was until recently a swing state in presidential elections. With its mountainous and heavily forested terrain, New Hampshire has a growing tourism sector centered on outdoor recreation. It has some of the highest ski mountains on the East Coast and is a major destination for winter sports; Mount Monadnock

1408-471: Is similar, in that it is a form of municipal government equal in status to a village , town , borough , or city , and provides similar services to a Pennsylvania township, and varies in size from one-tenth ( Shrewsbury Twp. ) to one hundred ( Jackson Twp. ) square miles. In the Southern U.S. , outside cities and towns there is generally no local government other than the county. Arkansas townships are

1496-478: Is subdivided into counties, which are subdivided into cities and towns—except for New York City , whose five coextensive counties for state government purposes are municipal boroughs for city government purposes ( Bronx County/The Bronx , Kings County/Brooklyn , New York County/Manhattan , Queens County/Queens , and Richmond County/Staten Island ). As in New England, the term "town" equates to "township" in most other states. Additionally, New Yorkers colloquially use

1584-607: Is the state capital and Manchester is the most populous city . New Hampshire's motto , " Live Free or Die ", reflects its role in the American Revolutionary War ; its nickname , "The Granite State", refers to its extensive granite formations and quarries . It is well known nationwide for holding the first primary (after the Iowa caucus ) in the U.S. presidential election cycle , and for its resulting influence on American electoral politics. New Hampshire

1672-669: Is usually the case, but at the low-water mark on the Vermont side; meaning the entire river along the Vermont border (save for areas where the water level has been raised by a dam) lies within New Hampshire. Only one town— Pittsburg —shares a land border with the state of Vermont. The "northwesternmost headwaters" of the Connecticut also define part of the Canada–U.S. border. The Piscataqua River and its several tributaries form

1760-444: Is within commuting range of Boston and other Massachusetts cities. As indicated in the census, in 2020 88.3% of the population were White ; 1.5% were Black or African American ; 0.2% were Native American or Alaskan Native; 2.6% were Asian ; 0.0% were Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander ; 1.7% were some other race; and 5.6% were two or more races . 4.3% of the total population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.6% of

1848-402: Is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications. North Carolina is no exception to that rule, but it does have townships as minor geographical subdivisions of counties, including both unincorporated territory and also land within the bounds of incorporated cities and towns (as well as the extraterritorial jurisdiction of municipalities). Every county

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1936-469: The 2020 census , the resident population of New Hampshire was 1,377,529, a 4.6% increase since the 2010 United States Census . The center of population of New Hampshire is in Merrimack County , in the town of Pembroke . The center of population has moved south 12 miles (19 km) since 1950, a reflection of the fact that the state's fastest growth has been along its southern border, which

2024-582: The Amoskeag Manufacturing Company in Manchester was at one time the largest cotton textile plant in the world. The Merrimack and Connecticut rivers were lined with industrial mills, most of which employed workers from Canada and Europe; French Canadians formed the most significant influx of immigrants, and today roughly a quarter of all New Hampshire residents have French American ancestry, second only to Maine. Reflecting

2112-870: The Great North Woods , the White Mountains , the Lakes Region , the Seacoast , the Merrimack Valley , the Monadnock Region , and the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee area. New Hampshire has the shortest ocean coastline of any U.S. coastal state, with a length of 18 miles (29 km), sometimes measured as only 13 miles (21 km). The White Mountains range in New Hampshire spans the north-central portion of

2200-659: The Mount Washington Auto Road , where visitors may drive to the top of 6,288-foot (1,917 m) Mount Washington . Various Algonquian -speaking Abenaki tribes, largely divided between the Androscoggin , Cowasuck and Pennacook nations, inhabited the area before European colonization. Despite the similar language, they had a very different culture and religion from other Algonquian peoples. Indigenous people lived near Keene, New Hampshire 12,000 years ago, according to 2009 archaeological digs, and

2288-544: The United Church of Christ with 26,321 members; and the United Methodist Church with 18,029 members. In 2016, a Gallup Poll found that New Hampshire was the least religious state in the United States. Only 20% of respondents in New Hampshire categorized themselves as "very religious", while the nationwide average was 40%. According to the 2020 Public Religion Research Institute study, 64% of

2376-817: The Upper Midwestern states near the Great Lakes , civil townships (known in Michigan as general law townships and in Wisconsin as towns), are often, but not always, overlaid on survey townships. The degree to which these townships are functioning governmental entities varies from state to state and in some cases even within a state. For example, townships in the northern part of Illinois are active in providing public services—such as road maintenance, after-school care, and senior services—whereas townships in southern Illinois frequently delegate these services to

2464-470: The maritime provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island ) in 1749 in the form of townships controlled by a court of quarter sessions , a system that had characterized local government in Britain and Virginia. This court had both administrative and judicial functions, and took over most responsibilities of local government, including the appointment of necessary officers. A form of direct democracy

2552-866: The " Royal Province ". Father Rale's War was fought between the colonists and the Wabanaki Confederacy throughout New Hampshire. New Hampshire was one of the Thirteen Colonies that rebelled against British rule during the American Revolution . During the American Revolution, New Hampshire was economically divided. The Seacoast region revolved around sawmills, shipyards, merchants' warehouses, and established village and town centers, where wealthy merchants built substantial homes, furnished them with luxuries, and invested their capital in trade and land speculation. At

2640-617: The 1760s, New Hampshire saw one of the earliest overt acts of rebellion, with the seizing of Fort William and Mary from the British in 1774. In January 1776, it became the first of the British North American colonies to establish an independent government and state constitution; six months later, it signed the United States Declaration of Independence and contributed troops, ships, and supplies in

2728-521: The Abenaki were present in New Hampshire in pre-colonial times. English and French explorers visited New Hampshire in 1600–1605, and David Thompson settled at Odiorne's Point in present-day Rye in 1623. The first permanent European settlement was at Hilton's Point (present-day Dover ). By 1631, the Upper Plantation comprised modern-day Dover, Durham and Stratham ; in 1679, it became

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2816-486: The New England town meeting , in which the vote was available to all white males, at least 21 years old, who were citizens of New Jersey, and residents of the township for at least six months; and who paid taxes in the township, or who owned land, or rented a home in the township for a rent of at least five dollars a year. A group of five freeholders was elected to one-year terms on the Township Committee, which

2904-522: The United States. In many states, townships can be an intermediate form of government, between county government and municipalities that are subordinate parts of the township, with different government responsibilities allocated at each level. In New Jersey, there are no subordinate municipalities located within a township, as townships are equivalent to all other forms of local municipalities. Municipalities in New Jersey may be classified into one of five types , of which townships are one. Townships may retain

2992-507: The White Mountain passes that channel traffic. It contains less than 5% of the state's population, suffers relatively high poverty, and is steadily losing population as the logging and paper industries decline. However, the tourist industry, in particular visitors who go to northern New Hampshire to ski , snowboard , hike and mountain bike , has helped offset economic losses from mill closures. Environmental protection emerged as

3080-539: The alleged location of one of the buried treasures of the pirate Blackbeard . It is the state with the highest percentage of timberland area in the country. New Hampshire is in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome . Much of the state, in particular the White Mountains, is covered by the conifers and northern hardwoods of the New England-Acadian forests . The southeast corner of

3168-580: The boundaries of a town that provide additional government services not provided by their parent town, such as sewage, fire, law enforcement, garbage collection, public facilities, water and building code enforcement. In Vermont, most current cities were actually former villages that broke off from their parent town. Connecticut has boroughs and non-consolidated cities, although these communities are not as autonomous as villages in New York and Vermont, and today there are only eight non-consolidated boroughs (plus

3256-453: The case in 2002, leaving ownership of the island with Maine. New Hampshire still claims sovereignty of the base, however. The largest of New Hampshire's lakes is Lake Winnipesaukee , which covers 71 square miles (184 km ) in the east-central part of New Hampshire. Umbagog Lake along the Maine border, approximately 12.3 square miles (31.9 km ), is a distant second. Squam Lake is

3344-403: The city of Keene , has a population of over 20,000. The four counties covering these two areas account for 72% of the state population, and one ( Hillsborough ) has nearly 30% of the state population, as well as the two most populous communities, Manchester and Nashua. The northern portion of the state is very sparsely populated: the largest county by area, Coos , covers the northern one-fourth of

3432-473: The coast to overnight lows below 0 °F (−18 °C) in the far north and at high elevations. Average annual precipitation statewide is roughly 40 inches (100 cm) with some variation occurring in the White Mountains due to differences in elevation and annual snowfall. New Hampshire's highest recorded temperature was 106 °F (41 °C) in Nashua on July 4, 1911, while the lowest recorded temperature

3520-408: The committee selects one of its elected members to serve as mayor and preside at meetings. The other members of the township committee serve as commissioners of various township departments, overseeing the work of those areas along with overall legislative issues. Some mayors in this form of government also oversee specific departments. The mayor in this form of government is primarily ceremonial and has

3608-430: The community of Groton Long Point ) and one non-consolidated city. A Pennsylvania township is a unit of local government, responsible for services such as police departments, local road and street maintenance . It acts the same as a city or borough . Townships were established based on convenient geographical boundaries and vary in size from six to fifty-two square miles (10–135 km). A New Jersey township

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3696-838: The county government level in North Carolina as a way of determining and dividing up areas for administrative purposes; primarily for collecting county taxes, determining fire districts (e.g. Lebanon Township in Durham County gives its name to the Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department ), for real estate purposes such as categorizing land deeds, land surveys and other real estate documents, and for voter registration purposes. In most areas of North Carolina that are outside any municipal limit (outside cities or towns), townships are used to determine voter polling places, and in most instances county election boards divide up their voter precincts by township. However, there

3784-745: The county. In New England and New York , states are generally subdivided into towns and cities, which are municipalities that provide most local services. With the exception of a few remote areas of New Hampshire and Vermont and about half of Maine , all of New England lies within the borders of an incorporated municipality. New England has counties, though in southern New England, they are strictly used as dividing lines for judicial systems and statistical purposes, while in northern New England, they often handle other limited functions, such as law enforcement, education and some public facilities in addition to judicial systems. New England also has cities , most of which are towns whose residents have voted to replace

3872-600: The county. Most townships in Illinois also provide services such as snow removal, senior transportation, and emergency services to households residing in unincorporated parts of the county. The townships in Illinois each have a township board, whose board members were formerly called township trustees , and a single township supervisor. In contrast, civil townships in Indiana are operated in a relatively consistent manner statewide and tend to be well organized, with each served by

3960-463: The divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, the U.S. census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city

4048-706: The first shots in the American Revolutionary period, occurring approximately five months before the Battles of Lexington and Concord . On January 5, 1776, New Hampshire became the first colony to declare independence from Great Britain, almost six months before the Declaration of Independence was signed by the Continental Congress. The United States Constitution was ratified by New Hampshire on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became

4136-409: The following 21 states: There were 29 states without organized town or township governments as of 2012: The provinces of Eastern Canada have, or have had, divisions that are analogous to the townships of the United States. Ontario and Quebec continue to have townships that subdivide their respective counties. Local government was introduced into Nova Scotia (which at the time also included

4224-593: The highest percentage (22.9%) of residents with French/ French Canadian /Acadian ancestry of any U.S. state. In 2018, the top countries of origin for New Hampshire's immigrants were India , Canada , China , Nepal and the Dominican Republic . According to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey estimates from 2017, 2.1% of the population aged   5 and older speak Spanish at home, while 1.8% speak French . In Coös County , 9.6% of

4312-506: The historic contraction and consolidation of the ski industry and threaten individual ski businesses and communities that rely on ski tourism. Black bears , white-tailed deer , and moose can be found all over New Hampshire. There are also less-common animals such as the marten and the Canadian lynx . New Hampshire experiences a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfa in some southern areas, Dfb in most of

4400-414: The landmark Mount Monadnock has given its name to a class of earth-forms—a monadnock —signifying, in geomorphology, any isolated resistant peak rising from a less resistant eroded plain. New Hampshire has more than 800 lakes and ponds, and approximately 19,000 miles (31,000 km) of rivers and streams. Major rivers include the 110-mile (177 km) Merrimack River , which bisects the lower half of

4488-425: The much-amended Act of 1899. It retains a three or five member township committee serving staggered terms, whose members are generally elected at-large. The committee elects a mayor from among its members to serve a one-year term. Partisan elections are allowed under this law. Voters may initiate a referendum to change the membership to consist of either 3 or 5 members. While many township committees directly supervise

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4576-525: The nation. New Hampshire and Vermont are also at the lowest levels among states in religious commitment. In 2012, 23% of New Hampshire residents in a Gallup poll considered themselves "very religious", while 52% considered themselves "non-religious". According to the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) in 2010, the largest denominations were the Catholic Church with 311,028 members;

4664-533: The ninth state to do so. New Hampshire was a Jacksonian stronghold; the state sent Franklin Pierce to the White House in the election of 1852. Industrialization took the form of numerous textile mills, which in turn attracted large flows of immigrants from Quebec (the "French Canadians") and Ireland . The northern parts of the state produced lumber, and the mountains provided tourist attractions. After 1960,

4752-446: The officers as an executive for the board. In some cases, townships run local libraries , senior citizen services, youth services, disabled citizen services, cemetery services, besides emergency assistance. In some states, a township and a municipality that is coterminous with that township may wholly or partially consolidate their operations. Depending on the state, the township government has varying degrees of authority. In

4840-529: The operation of their municipality, the revised act allows the committee to delegate all or a portion of its responsibilities to an appointed municipal administrator. A number of municipalities changed to the Township type, or the Township form of government, between 1979 and 1982. A federal law, The State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972 provided funding to the states to be divided between state and municipal governments. In 1981, states were removed from

4928-448: The other end of the social scale, there developed a permanent class of day laborers, mariners, indentured servants and slaves. In December 1774, Paul Revere warned Patriots that Fort William and Mary would be reinforced with British troops. The following day, John Sullivan raided the fort for weapons. During the raid, the British soldiers fired at rebels with cannon and muskets, but there were apparently no casualties. These were among

5016-616: The population in 2010: 0.6% were of Mexican , 0.9% Puerto Rican , 0.1% Cuban , and 1.2% other Hispanic or Latino origin. As of 2020, the Hispanic or Latino population was counted as 4.3%. The Native American/Alaska native population is listed as 0.3% in the 2020 census, but may be higher. According to the 2012–2017 American Community Survey , the largest ancestry groups in the state were Irish (20.6%), English (16.5%), French (14.0%), Italian (10.4%), German (9.1%), French Canadian (8.9%), and American (4.8%). New Hampshire has

5104-566: The population speaks French at home, down from 16% in 2000. In the city of Nashua , Hillsborough County, 8.02% of the population speaks Spanish at home. Note: Percentages in the table do not add up to 100, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number. In 2022, New Hampshire had the lowest teen birth rate of any state, at 4.6 births per 1,000 females ages 15 to 19 years of age. Religion in New Hampshire according to PRRI American Values Atlas (2021) A Pew survey in 2014 showed that

5192-504: The population was Christian, dominated by Roman Catholicism and evangelical Protestantism . In contrast with varying studies of estimated irreligiosity, the Public Religion Research Institute reported that irreligion declined from 36% at the separate 2014 Pew survey to 25% of the population in 2020. In 2021, the unaffiliated increased to 40% of the population, although Christianity altogether made up 54% of

5280-658: The population were under 18 years of age; 19.3% were 65 years and over. The female population was 50.5%. The most densely populated areas generally lie within 50 miles (80 km) of the Massachusetts border, and are concentrated in two areas: along the Merrimack River Valley running from Concord to Nashua , and in the Seacoast Region along an axis stretching from Rochester to Portsmouth . Outside of those two regions, only one community,

5368-478: The primary process, magnifying the state's decision powers and spurring repeated efforts by out-of-state politicians to change the rules. New Hampshire is part of the six-state New England region of the Northeastern United States . It is bounded by Quebec, Canada, to the north and northwest; Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east; Massachusetts to the south; and Vermont to the west. New Hampshire's major regions are

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5456-409: The program and the law was amended to provide direct grants to the most popular form of local government in the United States - townships. In Essex County alone, 11 municipal governments changed their form or name to take advantage of the program. There are a total of 240 townships in the state, including: New Hampshire New Hampshire ( / ˈ h æ m p ʃ ər / HAMP -shər )

5544-400: The prospect after three years. These acts were repealed in 1879, and townships were replaced in the third quarter of the 19th century by self-governing municipalities. Township (New Jersey) A township , in the context of New Jersey local government , refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government . As a political entity, a township in New Jersey

5632-399: The religious affiliations of the people of New Hampshire was as follows: nonreligious 36%, Protestant 30%, Catholic 26%, Jehovah's Witness 2%, LDS ( Mormon ) 1%, and Jewish 1%. A survey suggests people in New Hampshire and Vermont are less likely than other Americans to attend weekly services and only 54% say they are "absolutely certain there is a God" compared to 71% in the rest of

5720-435: The same power as other township committee members. The mayor does hold the powers vested in all mayors under state law One township committee member is elected deputy mayor each year. Some towns with this form of government rotate the mayor's office each year, while others elect the same mayor for 2–3 consecutive years. Out of the 240 townships in the state, the township form of government is used by 140. On road signs, township

5808-551: The second largest lake entirely in New Hampshire. New Hampshire has the shortest ocean coastline of any state in the United States, approximately 18 miles (29 km) long. Hampton Beach is a popular local summer destination. About 7 miles (11 km) offshore are the Isles of Shoals , nine small islands (four of which are in New Hampshire) known as the site of a 19th-century art colony founded by poet Celia Thaxter , and

5896-401: The southern New England coastline and moving inland or passing by offshore in the Gulf of Maine . Most of New Hampshire averages fewer than 20 days of thunderstorms per year and an average of two tornadoes occur annually statewide. The National Arbor Day Foundation plant hardiness zone map depicts zones 3, 4, 5, and   6 occurring throughout the state and indicates the transition from

5984-483: The state and has only around 31,000 people, about a third of whom live in a single community ( Berlin ). The trends over the past several decades have been for the population to shift southward, as many northern communities lack the economic base to maintain their populations, while southern communities have been absorbed by the Greater Boston metropolis. As of the 2010 census , the population of New Hampshire

6072-528: The state and parts of the Connecticut River along the Vermont border are covered by the mixed oaks of the Northeastern coastal forests . The state's numerous forests are popular among autumnal leaf peepers seeking the brilliant foliage of the numerous deciduous trees . The northern third of the state is locally referred to as the "north country" or "north of the notches", in reference to

6160-547: The state north–south before passing into Massachusetts and reaching the sea in Newburyport . Its tributaries include the Contoocook River , Pemigewasset River , and Winnipesaukee River . The 410-mile (660 km) Connecticut River , which starts at New Hampshire's Connecticut Lakes and flows south to Connecticut , defines the western border with Vermont. The state border is not in the center of that river, as

6248-659: The state's only significant ocean port where they flow into the Atlantic at Portsmouth . The Salmon Falls River and the Piscataqua define the southern portion of the border with Maine. The Piscataqua River boundary was the subject of a border dispute between New Hampshire and Maine in 2001, with New Hampshire claiming dominion over several islands (primarily Seavey's Island ) that include the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard . The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed

6336-508: The state, and Dfc subarctic in some northern highland areas), with warm, humid summers, and long, cold, and snowy winters. Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed all year. The climate of the southeastern portion is moderated by the Atlantic Ocean and averages relatively milder winters (for New Hampshire), while the northern and interior portions experience colder temperatures and lower humidity. Winters are cold and snowy throughout

6424-482: The state, and especially severe in the northern and mountainous areas. Average annual snowfall ranges from 60 inches (150 cm) to over 100 inches (250 cm) across the state. Average daytime highs are in the mid 70s°F to low 80s°F (24–28 °C) throughout the state in July, with overnight lows in the mid 50s°F to low 60s°F (13–15 °C). January temperatures range from an average high of 34 °F (1 °C) on

6512-449: The state. The range includes Mount Washington , the tallest in the northeastern U.S.—site of the second-highest wind speed ever recorded— as well as Mount Adams and Mount Jefferson . With hurricane-force winds every third day on average, more than a hundred recorded deaths among visitors, and conspicuous krumholtz (dwarf, matted trees much like a carpet of bonsai trees), the climate on the upper reaches of Mount Washington has inspired

6600-544: The term "township" to mean "town". Townships and hamlets are unincorporated areas within a town or towns. Because towns are administrative divisions of a county, town boundaries cannot cross county lines. In addition to administrative subdivisions, New York State also has cities . Cities in New York are fully autonomous municipal corporations and, thus, are able to cross county lines and whose governments fully independent of county control. Finally, New York and Vermont also have villages, which are smaller communities lying within

6688-576: The textile industry collapsed, but the economy rebounded as a center of high technology and as a service provider. Starting in 1952, New Hampshire gained national and international attention for its presidential primary held early in every presidential election year. It immediately became an important testing ground for candidates for the Republican and Democratic nominations but did not necessarily guarantee victory. The media gave New Hampshire and Iowa significant attention compared to other states in

6776-524: The total population (Catholics, Protestants, and Jehovah's Witnesses). The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that New Hampshire's total state product in 2018 was $ 86   billion, ranking 40th in the United States. Median household income in 2017 was $ 74,801, the fourth highest in the country (including Washington, DC ). Its agricultural outputs are dairy products, nursery stock, cattle, apples and eggs. Its industrial outputs are machinery, electric equipment, rubber and plastic products, and tourism

6864-463: The town meeting form of government with a city form. Maine has a third type of township called a plantation , which previously existed in other New England states, that has more limited self-governance than other New England towns. In portions of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, county subdivisions that are not incorporated are occasionally called townships, or by other terms such as " gore ", "grant", "location", or "purchase". The State of New York

6952-467: The township form of government, or adopt one of the modern forms of government, which are not restricted to a particular type of municipality. In New Jersey, a municipality's name (such as X Township) is not necessarily an indication of its form of government. In New Jersey, the township form of government consists of a three to five-member township committee usually elected at-large in partisan elections. At its organization meeting, held after an election,

7040-580: The township government greater power), but this is not reflected in the township's name. In Ohio , a city or village is overlaid onto a township unless it withdraws by establishing a paper township . Where the paper township does not extend to the city limits, property owners pay taxes for both the township and municipality, though these overlaps are sometimes overlooked by mistake. Ten other states also allow townships and municipalities to overlap. In Kansas , some civil townships provide services such as road maintenance and fire protection services not provided by

7128-474: The township some home rule powers similar to cities. In Wisconsin , civil townships are known as " towns " rather than townships, but they function essentially the same as in neighboring states. In Minnesota , state statute refers to such entities as towns yet requires them to have a name in the form " Name Township". In both documents and conversation, "town" and "township" are used interchangeably. Minnesota townships can be either Non-Urban or Urban (giving

7216-447: The war against Britain . In June 1788, it was the ninth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution , bringing that document into effect. Through the mid-19th century, New Hampshire was an active center of abolitionism , and fielded close to 32,000 Union soldiers during the U.S. Civil War . After the war, the state saw rapid industrialization and population growth, becoming a center of textile manufacturing , shoemaking , and papermaking ;

7304-776: The weather observatory on the peak to claim that the area has the "World's Worst Weather". The White Mountains were home to the rock formation called the Old Man of the Mountain , a face-like profile in Franconia Notch , until the formation disintegrated in May 2003. Even after its loss, the Old Man remains an enduring symbol for the state, seen on state highway signs, automobile license plates, and many government and private entities around New Hampshire. In southwestern New Hampshire,

7392-474: Was 1,316,470. The gender makeup of the state at that time was 49.3% male and 50.7% female. 21.8% of the population were under the age of 18; 64.6% were between the ages of 18 and 64; and 13.5% were 65 years of age or older. Additionally, about 57.3% of the population was born out of state. According to HUD 's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report , there were an estimated 1,605 homeless people in New Hampshire. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.8% of

7480-568: Was inhabited for thousands of years by Algonquian -speaking peoples such as the Abenaki . Europeans arrived in the early 17th century, with the English establishing some of the earliest non-indigenous settlements. The Province of New Hampshire was established in 1629, named after the English county of Hampshire . Following mounting tensions between the British colonies and the crown during

7568-457: Was introduced into the townships by settlers from New England in 1760 with the help of a provincial statute. However, the statute was disallowed by the King in 1761, and direct democracy was replaced in the townships that had adopted it by the quarter sessions. Acts in 1855 and 1856 provided for the incorporation of self-governing townships, but only Yarmouth partook in incorporating, and abandoned

7656-569: Was responsible to oversee the expenditure of revenue in between town meetings. The Township Act of 1899 abolished the town meeting and strengthened the role of the Township Committee, which was initially set at three and amended to allow for expansion to five members. Members were elected for staggered three-year terms. The Home Rule Act of 1917 legally defined the term "municipality" and recognized five types of government: borough , township, city , town , and village and granted each equal legal standing. The Township Act of 1989 simplified

7744-406: Was −47 °F (−44 °C) atop Mount Washington on January 29, 1934. Mount Washington also saw an unofficial −50 °F (−46 °C) reading on January 22, 1885, which, if made official, would tie the record low for New England (also −50 °F (−46 °C) at Big Black River , Maine, on January 16, 2009, and Bloomfield, Vermont on December 30, 1933). Extreme snow is often associated with

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