Hampton, New Hampshire is one of the Seacoast towns that’s actually on the ocean and boasts of 17 miles of shoreline which it shares with Hampton Beach.
Hampton was first called the Plantation of Winnacunnet. Originally it was chartered by the General Court of Massachusetts, which held the authority over the colony, as of four New Hampshire townships. English Puritans found this area very suitable for raising cattle. As the town became more settled, the Reverend Stephen Bachiler, a colorful character known for scandalous behavior, led a group of his parishioners to settle the town in 1638 and it was named for Hampton England, where Bachiler had previously preached. The town was incorporated the following year.
Pretty much isolated from other areas of New Hampshire, the residents of Hampton more closely aligned with the Puritans of Massachusetts and experienced much of the same pressures and ordeals of life. In fact, Hampton was the only New Hampshire town to bring women to trial on charges of witchcraft. After the last allegation was dropped, the stories of witches were relegated to being only part of the Hampton legend.
In the 1850s, construction of the railroad as well as the Exeter and Hampton Trolley lines made the area’s oceanfront a popular tourist resort Hampton Beach remains a popular tourist destination today and offers many hotels, beaches, shopping, restaurants, and summer seasonal housing.
As of the 2000 census, there were almost 15,000 residents in Hampton and 26% of the households had children under the age of 18. The educational oversight of Hampton and surrounding towns is supplied by the SAU 21 School system. Their commitment is to develop life-long learners who are creative and have critical thinking skills, and who will contribute to a global society. The school system is dedicated to working collaboratively with the community at large to achieve their mission.
Hampton, NH real estate includes new and existing construction in single family houses, condominiums, adult living facilities, vacation homes and farms, as well as multi-family investment properties. There are plenty of offerings available in this popular area of New Hampshire.
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