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41-706: The Milford Cabinet is the commonly used name for the weekly newspaper The Cabinet , published in Milford, New Hampshire since 1802. The Cabinet was published for many decades by members of the Rotch family. In 2005, The Telegraph of Nashua bought the Cabinet Press, which also publishes three free weekly papers: Merrimack Journal, Hollis-Brookline Journal and Bedford Journal . In April 2013, The Telegraph and its weekly papers were bought by Ogden Newspapers of Wheeling, West Virginia . This article about

82-437: A 2002 statewide water assessment stated that elevated counts of E. coli and fecal coliform contributed to the river's largest cause of water quality violations. By the 2000s, the largest pollution concern was combined sewer overflow . Wildlife has been impacted through the contamination of shellfishing beds as well as habitat contamination, and aquatic life has been affected due to excess lead , zinc , and other metals in

123-655: A New Hampshire newspaper is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Milford, New Hampshire Milford is a town in Hillsborough County , New Hampshire , United States, on the Souhegan River . The population was 16,131 at the 2020 census , up from 15,115 at the 2010 census . It is the retail and manufacturing center of a multi-town area known informally as the Souhegan Valley. The town center, where 9,212 people lived at

164-697: A double flood of rain and melting snow and ice swelled the Merrimack at Lowell to 68.4 feet (20.8 m), 10 feet (3 m) higher than the 2006 flood. Part of the Jack Kerouac book Doctor Sax is set during this event. In addition to the 1936 flood, the 1852 flood, and the Mother's Day Flood of 2006, the New England Hurricane of 1938 and floods in October 1996 and April 2007 round out

205-489: A foot of rain with some areas receiving as much as 17 inches (43 cm). According to The Boston Globe , around 1,500 people evacuated their homes to escape the flood. This flood also prompted the Massachusetts city of Lowell to install a modern (albeit temporary) flood control gate comprising square steel beams at the site of the historic Francis Gate , a 19th and 20th-century wooden flood gate. When lowered,

246-659: A permit allowing landfill water to be dumped into the Merrimack River. Politicians are also seeking increased federal funding to update water infrastructure for the Merrimack River, as the river's current sewer infrastructure has resulted in the dumping of over 100,000 gallons of untreated water into the river. The Merrimack is listed as one of the Navigable Waters of the United States, subject to Section 10, Rivers and Harbors Act Jurisdiction. While

287-443: A result of the pollution from textile mills and other human-related waste. In the 1960s, the Merrimack River was one of the ten most polluted waterways in the United States due to years of unmediated dumping of raw sewage , paper and textile mill discharge, and tannery sludge. Phthalates , a group of chemicals used in the manufacture of plastics and detrimental to human bodily systems, were identified in high concentrations within

328-573: A stone that was used, among other things, to make the pillars for the U.S. Treasury in Washington, D.C.—pillars that can be seen on the back of the American $ 10 bill. Its nickname remains "The Granite Town", although only one small quarry is in operation as of 2017. Like many New England riverside towns, Milford developed several thriving textile mills in the 19th century. That industry left New England by World War II , but Milford remains

369-572: Is an important regional focus in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The central-southern part of New Hampshire and most of northeast Massachusetts is known as the Merrimack Valley . Several U.S. naval ships have been named USS  Merrimack and USS Merrimac in honor of this river. The river is also known for the early American literary classic A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers by Henry David Thoreau . The etymology of

410-704: Is home to the Milford State Fish Hatchery. The town also holds the Souhegan Valley Boys & Girls Club, built on the former home of the now-bankrupt private theater American Stage Festival. Milford was a stop on the Underground Railroad for escaped slaves. It was also the home of Harriet E. Wilson , who published the semi-autobiographical novel Our Nig : Or, Sketches in the Life of a Free Black in 1859, making it

451-507: Is known for its "Pumpkin Festival", which is normally held in early October. It is held over a three-day weekend (Friday-Sunday) and attracts more than 35,000 people. The festival has many attractions including food vendors, music stages, craft fair, carved pumpkin lighting, a haunted trail, a beer and wine tasting and a fireworks display around the Oval. Merrimack River The Merrimack

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492-598: Is located along the river's banks in New Hampshire. On the Merrimack River's banks are a number of cities built to take advantage of water power in the 19th century, when textile mills dominated the New England economy: Concord , Manchester , and Nashua in New Hampshire, and Lowell , Lawrence , and Haverhill in Massachusetts. At the mouth of the river is the small city of Newburyport . Prior to

533-659: The Köppen Climate Classification system, Milford has a hot-summer humid continental climate , abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Milford was 101 °F (38.3 °C) in July 2011, while the coldest temperature recorded was −21 °F (−29.4 °C) in January 1994. As of the census of 2010, there were 15,115 people, 5,929 households, and 4,004 families residing in

574-443: The 2020 census, is defined as the Milford census-designated place (CDP), and is located at the junction of New Hampshire routes 13 and 101A . Milford separated from neighboring Amherst in 1794. Like most towns named Milford in the United States, its name comes from the fact that it grew around a mill built on a ford —in this case on the Souhegan River . Milford was once home to numerous granite quarries , which produced

615-722: The Concord and Merrimack Rivers , Henry David Thoreau implies that "its name signifies the Sturgeon River." Walker goes on to cite spellings of "Merimacke", "Merimack" and "Merrimacke" in "the colonial records of Massachusetts", as well as the "Merrimake" and "Merrymake" of a 1721 land grant at Penacook, New Hampshire . William Wood's New England's Prospect of 1634 calls the river the "Merrimacke" and locates it eight miles beyond Agowamme ( Ipswich, Massachusetts ). It hosts, he says, "Sturgeon, Sammon and Basse, and divers other kinds of fish." Merrimac, Massachusetts , settled in 1638 and originally part of Amesbury, Massachusetts ,

656-510: The Francis gate seals the city's canal system off from its source on the Merrimack. The Great Gate, as it is also called, was built in 1850 under the direction of James B. Francis . Considered unnecessary when it was first constructed, "Francis' Folly" first saved the city in 1852 and subsequently in 1936. The most significant flood in the recorded history of the Merrimack was in March 1936, when

697-468: The Gulf of Maine between the city of Newburyport and the town of Salisbury . In addition to the Merrimack River mainstem, there are dozens of sub-basins in New Hampshire and Massachusetts making up the watershed. The U.S. Geological Survey categorizes them into six fourth-level sub-basins using hydrological codes with the prefix 0107. The following are some of the other significant rivers found within

738-431: The Merrimack River is prone to minor flooding , on May 15, 2006, rainfall raised the river more than 8 feet (2.4 m) above flood stage, forcing evacuations, damaging property, and breaking the main sewage pipeline in the city of Haverhill, Massachusetts , dumping 35 × 10 US gallons (1.3 × 10  L) of raw sewage waste into the river per day. Reports of total rainfall vary, but most areas appear to have received around

779-433: The Merrimack River. Currently, there are six sanitary sewer systems from which untreated sewage flows directly into the Merrimack River due to infrastructure issues within the sewage system. Recent research has identified mercury contamination as a significant threat to fish and aquatic life in the Merrimack River. This research analyzes how biological mercury hotspots and watershed transport of mercury might contribute to

820-656: The Souhegan River as the backdrop. The Oval is formed by a modified traffic rotary in which State Highways 13 and 101A intersect, with northbound 13 and eastbound 101A passing straight through and crossing each other at a right angle with a stop sign for traffic on Route 13. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 25.5 square miles (66.0 km ), of which 25.4 square miles (65.8 km ) are land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km ) are water, comprising 0.22% of

861-553: The Winnepisseogee at the source, Lake Winnipesaukee . According to Joseph B. Walker, relying on Chandler Eastman Potter's The History of Manchester (1856), Merremack contains the elements merruh ("strong") and auke ("place"—a recognizable locative ending), and means "the place of strong current,- a term not inappropriate, when we consider ... the river's rapids ...." Potter was an authority on Native American affairs in colonial New England. By contrast, in A Week on

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902-409: The age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were headed by married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53, and the average family size was 3.04. In the town, 25.0% of the population

943-434: The commercial and retail center for surrounding towns. Major employers included casting company Hitchiner Manufacturing Co., a metal cable manufacturer, Hendrix Wire and Cable Inc., and a contract manufacturing solutions company, Cirtronics Corporation. In 2018, local firm Alene Candles became one of the first companies in the state to implement a "conscious leadership" program in a manufacturing production setting. Milford

984-482: The confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers. From there, the river flows south through Concord, Manchester, and Nashua, entering Massachusetts at the town of Tyngsborough , where it turns northeast and winds past or through Chelmsford , Lowell, Dracut , Tewksbury , Andover , Methuen , Lawrence, North Andover , Haverhill, Groveland , West Newbury , Merrimac , and Amesbury , to its mouth at

1025-549: The construction of the Middlesex Canal , Newburyport was an important shipbuilding city, in a location to receive New Hampshire timber that had been floated downriver. The Merrimack River watershed covers 5,010 square miles (12,980 km ) in southern New Hampshire and northeastern Massachusetts. It is the fourth largest river basin in New England . The river begins in the city of Franklin, New Hampshire , at

1066-516: The exposure of aquatic life to chemical pollution within the Merrimack River. Additionally, the use of road salt in the winter has remained a major pollutant since the 1970s, and chloride contamination in the Merrimack River continues to impact aquatic life. United States politicians from New Hampshire and Massachusetts are calling for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reassess

1107-567: The first novel by an African-American woman published in the country. Officially designated "Union Square", the Milford Oval is neither square nor oval in shape, but rather triangular. The "square" name in American parlance denotes a town common irrespective of geometry, and the "oval" name dates from the 19th century, when it was oval in shape. The Oval is the town center, with the Pillsbury Bandstand as its centerpiece and

1148-472: The most endangered rivers in the United States, as named by the American Rivers nonprofit in 2016. Current concerns include stormwater runoff , urban stormwater, high levels of bacteria, combined sewage runoff, phosphorus creating harmful algal blooms , reduced oxygen levels, illicit sewage discharges, and litter . Combined sewer overflows (CSO) are the largest contributors to waste discharge into

1189-629: The name of the Merrimack River—from which all subsequent uses derive, such as the name of the Civil War ironclad—remains uncertain. There is some evidence that it is Native American. In 1604 the natives of later New England told Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Monts , who was leading a colony of French language speakers to Acadia (later Nova Scotia ), of a beautiful river to the south. The French promptly pronounced its native name as Merremack . In 1605 Samuel de Champlain followed this lead, found

1230-404: The official spelling be "Merrimack". Prior to glaciation, the Merrimack continued its southward course far beyond the present day New Hampshire-Massachusetts border to enter the Gulf of Maine near Boston . Upon the glacier's retreat, debris deposited north of Boston filled the lower Merrimack Valley, redirecting the river into its current northeast bend at Lowell. The Neville archaeological site

1271-625: The river and renamed it Riviere du Gas . The French and their name did not remain on the Merrimack. The natives dwelling along the river at the time of European exploration included the Agawam and Naumkeag on the lower reaches, the Pawtucket at Lowell, Massachusetts , the Nashua , Souhegan and Namoskeag around Manchester, New Hampshire , the Pennacook northward from Bow, New Hampshire , and

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1312-472: The river in 1973. A 1976 study of the chemical dynamics of the Merrimack River found that at that time, the biggest pollution source was road salt . Although the river underwent significant restoration efforts from the 1970s onwards, a 1997 study found that the river continued to suffer from the long-term effects of pollution. The study identified that the river had elevated bacteria counts, low dissolved oxygen , and high nutrient levels . A few years later,

1353-438: The river's infrastructure, there was a noticeable change in wildlife and aquatic life. Birds, fish, and other animals returned to inhabit the river, with citizens noting specifically seeing much more American shad , striped bass , trout , and Atlantic salmon . The involvement of local volunteers in monitoring and maintaining the river has provided effective restoration efforts over the years. The Merrimack River remains one of

1394-442: The river's most serious flood events, measured at Lowell. The Francis Gate had been left in place after being dropped in 1936, so it prevented flooding in 1938 as well. In 2007, the steel beam system was again assembled in place. The song "Merrimack River" and its instrumental reprise are featured on the 2009 album Amanda Leigh by Nashua, New Hampshire, native Mandy Moore . Anya Seton 's historical novel Avalon includes

1435-538: The river. In addition, human recreational activities such as swimming and boating have been restricted in certain areas of the river due to high contamination levels. The Federal Clean Water Act of 1972 led to significant improvement for the Merrimack River. The law required sewage to be treated before being discharged into waterways. Federal funding allowed officials to create the river's infrastructure, specifically funding for wastewater treatment plants (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2006). Following these changes in

1476-511: The six major sub-basins in the watershed, listed moving downstream along the Merrimack: Since 1951, the Merrimack River has seen many alterations and pollutants. It was dammed and canalled , as well as used as a dumping spot for industrial waste . The Merrimack was essential for textile mill complexes, which used the river for discharge from their factories. Citizens recall that the river had unusual colors, smells, and vegetation as

1517-569: The town. Milford is drained by the Souhegan River, an eastward-flowing tributary of the Merrimack River . The southwestern part of town is drained by Mitchell Brook and Spaulding Brook, which flow south into Brookline and are part of the Nashua River watershed, another tributary of the Merrimack. The town's highest point is near its western border, on the summit of Boynton Hill, at 814 feet (248 m) above sea level . According to

1558-406: The town. There were 6,295 housing units, of which 366, or 5.8%, were vacant. The racial makeup of the town was 94.8% white , 1.3% African American , 0.2% Native American , 1.3% Asian , 0.01% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.6% some other race, and 1.7% from two or more races. 2.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 5,929 households, 35.7% had children under

1599-528: Was $ 80,241. Male full-time workers had a median income of $ 55,313 versus $ 38,792 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 32,918. 5.8% of the population and 3.7% of families were below the poverty line. 8.2% of the population under the age of 18 and 2.7% of those 65 or older were living in poverty. The Milford School District operates Jacques Memorial School (K-1), Heron Pond Elementary School (2-5), Milford Middle School (6-8), and Milford High School & Applied Technology Center (9-12). The town

1640-453: Was called West Amesbury until 1876, at which time it adopted its current name and spelling. Merrimack, New Hampshire , was incorporated in 1746, spelling its name "Marrymac" in the record of its first town meeting. It was referred to as "Merrimac" into the early 19th century: in the 1810 decennial census, it was spelled "Merrimac", but in the 1820 census and afterward, "Merrimack". In 1914, US Congressman John Jacob Rogers (MA) petitioned that

1681-399: Was under the age of 18, 7.8% was from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 93.3 males. For the period 2011–2015, the estimated median annual income for a household was $ 64,576, and the median income for a family

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