Goffstown

History

Prior to the arrival of English colonists, the area had seasonally been inhabited for thousands of years by succeeding cultures of Native Americans; its waterways had numerous fish, and the area had game. The town was first granted as "Narragansett No. 4" in 1734 by New Hampshire and Massachusetts colonial Governor Jonathan Belcher as a Massachusetts township (the area then being disputed between the two provinces). It was one of seven townships intended for soldiers (or their heirs) who had fought in the "Narragansett War" of 1675, also known as King Philip's War. In 1735, however, some grantees "found it so poor and barren as to be altogether incapable of making settlements," and were instead granted a tract in Greenwich, Massachusetts. The community was called "Piscataquog Village" and "Shovestown" before being regranted by Masonian proprietor Governor Benning Wentworth in 1748 to new settlers. These included Rev. Thomas Parker of Dracut and Colonel John Goffe, for whom the town was named. He was for several years a resident of neighboring Bedford, and he was the first judge of probate in the county of Hillsborough. Goffstown was incorporated June 16, 1761. The Uncanoonuc Mountains in Goffstown once featured the Uncanoonuc Incline Railway, founded in 1903. It first carried tourists in 1907 to the summit of the south peak, on which was built that year the Uncanoonuc Hotel. The -story building provided 37–38 guest rooms, and a dining room that accommodated 120. It also offered outstanding views of the surrounding valley, including Manchester, connected by electric trolley to the railway's base station. The hotel burned in 1923, and the train was later used to transport skiers to the top. The railway peaked during the 1930s and 1940s, but was essentially abandoned…

Geography

Goffstown is located in southern New Hampshire, in the eastern part of Hillsborough County, directly to the west of Manchester, the state's largest city. Concord, the state capital, lies to the north. The town center is on the Piscataquog River near the western boundary of the town, around the intersection of New Hampshire Route 13 and 114. The village of Grasmere is located in the east-central part of town, and the neighborhood of Pinardville is located in the southeastern corner of the town, essentially forming a continuous development with the adjoining city of Manchester. According to the United States Census Bureau, Goffstown has a total area of , of which are land and are water, comprising 1.57% of the town. * Dunbarton (north) * Hooksett (northeast) * Manchester (east) * Bedford (south) * New Boston (west) * Weare (northwest)

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  7,598
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6,937
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6,195
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  6,137
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  5,733
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,548
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,241
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  4,791

Largest nearby schools

• Manchester Memorial High School
  High · Manchester · 1,405 students · 15.4:1 ratio
• Bedford High School
  High · Bedford · 1,391 students · 13.1:1 ratio
• Manchester Central High School
  High · Manchester · 1,168 students · 13.4:1 ratio
• Goffstown High School
  High · Goffstown · 1,033 students · 11.7:1 ratio
• Middle School At Parkside
  Middle · Manchester · 858 students · 10.6:1 ratio
• Mountain View Middle School
  Middle · Goffstown · 829 students · 11.5:1 ratio
• Manchester West High School
  High · Manchester · 772 students · 13.1:1 ratio
• Southside Middle School
  Middle · Manchester · 750 students · 9.1:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.8 — 2025-01-27
  9 km SE of York Harbor, Maine
• M 2.7 — 2023-12-23
  5 km SW of Chichester, New Hampshire
• M 2.9 — 2023-04-25
  4 km SW of Center Sandwich, New Hampshire
• M 2.7 — 2018-02-15
  0 km SE of East Kingston, New Hampshire
• M 2.8 — 2016-03-21
  4 km ESE of Warner, New Hampshire
• M 2.61 — 2013-10-11
  New Hampshire