Newfields

History

Incorporated in 1849, Newfields was part of Exeter until 1727, when it became part of Newmarket. Settled in 1638, it was called "Newfield Village" as early as 1681, and later "South Newmarket", a parish of that town. The name "Newfields" was not used by census takers until 1900. Previously, it was listed as "South New Market" (1850), "South Newmarket" (1860 and 1880), or simply as "Newmarket" (1870). Garrison houses, built as protection against Indian attack, were not uncommon. Among the earliest tithingmen in the village were Jonathan Robinson (1678), Abraham and Jeremiah Folsom (1720), Andrew Glidden (1721), Trueworthy Leavitt (1725), Samuel Edgerly (1728), Nathaniel Gilman (1729) and Nathaniel Webster (1729). In 1775, a bridge was built across the Squamscott River connecting the community with Stratham. This shortened the journey to Exeter, established that year as the Revolutionary capital. But the new route bypassed the center of town, built on either side of an ancient Squamscot Indian trail. This preserved old Newfields. Wesleyan Academy was established here in 1817, a Methodist school of five boys and five girls under the tutelage of Reverend John Brodhead and others. Coeducation was then rather an advanced concept. Unfortunately, the academy struggled financially from the start because of, as administrators would conclude, "...its location in a setting of relatively few Methodists, of limited means..." And so, in 1825, it moved to Wilbraham, Massachusetts. The academy's site is now occupied by the Newfields Elementary School, with about 170 children as of 2011, from grades K–5. In 1841, the Boston and Maine Railroad extended service to the community. In 1880, Dr. John M. Brodhead presented his own library and $10,000 to the town on condition that it be…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which are land and are water, comprising 2.31% of the town. It is drained in the west by the Piscassic River, a tributary of the Lamprey River, and bounded to the east by the Squamscott River. The entire town is part of the Great Bay/Piscataqua River watershed. The highest point in Newfields is the summit of Oakland Hill at above sea level, on the town's southern border. The town is crossed by New Hampshire Route 85, New Hampshire Route 87 and New Hampshire Route 108. * Newmarket (north) * Stratham (east) * Exeter (south) * Epping (west)

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  25,446
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  24,203
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  24,178
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  24,163
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  23,605
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  23,428
• American herring gull, Smithsonian Gull

  Larus smithsonianus Coues, 1862 · Aves
  23,232
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  21,148

Largest nearby schools

• Exeter High School
  High · Exeter · 1,447 students · 13.9:1 ratio
• Winnacunnet High School
  High · Hampton · 1,063 students · 10.7:1 ratio
• Portsmouth High School
  High · Portsmouth · 1,032 students · 11.7:1 ratio
• Cooperative Middle School
  Middle · Stratham · 951 students · 10.5:1 ratio
• Stratham Memorial School
  Elementary · Stratham · 521 students · 11.8:1 ratio
• Portsmouth Middle School
  Middle · Portsmouth · 499 students · 10.6:1 ratio
• Newmarket Elementary School
  Elementary · Newmarket · 472 students · 12.1:1 ratio
• Epping Elementary School
  Elementary · Epping · 456 students · 10.6:1 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 2.6 — 2021-12-07
  38 km SE of Old Orchard Beach, Maine
• M 2.7 — 2020-03-09
  50 km ESE of Old Orchard Beach, Maine
• M 2.7 — 2018-02-15
  0 km SE of East Kingston, New Hampshire