Berlin

History

Around 11,000 years ago, small groups of Native Americans camped around the area of what is now called Berlin. In later years, the Eastern Abenaki tribes came to Berlin to mine rhyolite in Mt. Jasper. When English colonists came to America, Berlin was first granted on December 31, 1771, by Colonial Governor John Wentworth, as "Maynesborough" after Sir William Mayne. But the grantees did not take up their claims, which disappeared with the Revolution. In 1802, Seth Eames and Gideon Tirrell were sent by the descendants of Mayne to explore and mark lots for settlers, and still no one came. Maynesborough was settled in 1823–1824 by William Sessions and his nephew, Cyrus Wheeler. Both men were from Gilead, Maine. Farming was the first industry. With 65 inhabitants in 1829, the New England town was reincorporated on July 1 as Berlin with the help of Cyrus' father, Thomas Wheeler. Situated in a heavily forested region, the community developed early into a center for logging and wood industries. Falls on the Androscoggin River provided water power for sawmills. In 1826, a road was built to Gorham by Thomas, Amos, and Daniel Green. In 1851, the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad entered Berlin, connecting it to other markets. Acquiring water, timber, and rail rights in the early 1850s, the H. Winslow & Company built a large sawmill at the head of "Berlin Falls". In 1868, William Wentworth Brown and Lewis T. Brown bought a controlling interest in the business and changed its name to the Berlin Mills Company. By 1885, the mill town was home to several pulp and paper mills, including the Riverside Mill, Forest Fibre Company and White Mountain Pulp & Paper Company. Because of the need for labor in the mills, immigrants arrived from Russia, Norway, Finland, Italy, Sweden,…

Geography

Berlin is located in northern New Hampshire, north of the White Mountains, in the state's North Country region. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which are land and are water, comprising 1.37% of the city. Berlin is situated at the confluence of the Androscoggin and Dead rivers. The Mahoosuc Range is to the southeast. Jericho Mountain State Park, created from a city park and from private land in 2005, is west of the city center and features a reservoir created in the 1970s and a network of ATV trails. The city's highest point is Mount Weeks, at above sea level. A prominent feature in the landscape of Berlin is Mount Forist, rising over the west side of the city. Approximately half of Berlin lies within the Connecticut River watershed, and half lies in the Androscoggin River watershed. * Androscoggin River * Dead River * Upper Ammonoosuc River Like all of northern New England, except the highest mountains, Berlin has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) characterized by cold, snowy winters and warm summers.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Berlin Elementary School
  Elementary · Berlin · 422 students · 10.8:1 ratio
• Berlin Senior High School
  High · Berlin · 368 students · 11.2:1 ratio
• Berlin Middle School
  Middle · Berlin · 220 students · 10.5:1 ratio
• Edward Fenn School
  Elementary · Gorham · 151 students · 10.1:1 ratio
• Gorham High School
  High · Gorham · 135 students · 9:1 ratio
• Milan Village Elementary School
  Elementary · Milan · 120 students · 15:1 ratio
• Gorham Middle School
  Middle · Gorham · 94 students · 11.8:1 ratio