Auburn, New Hampshire

History

Auburn was originally settled by Native Americans in 1624. It was a fishing settlement called by Native Americans "Massabesic" (the current name of the town's largest lake). British settlers arrived in the area in 1720 and made peace with the Natives until the French and Indian War. The Massabesic settlement was destroyed, and the nearby town of Chester claimed the land. It was known as "Chester Woods", "Chester West Parish", "Long Meadow", and then Auburn. Auburn became an independent town on June 25, 1845, with a population of 1,200 people. As with Auburn, Maine, Auburn, Massachusetts, and Auburn, New York, the name is from Oliver Goldsmith's popular 18th-century poem, "The Deserted Village", which begins:

:Sweet Auburn! loveliest village of the plain, :Where health and plenty cheered the labouring swain :Where smiling spring its earliest visit paid, :And parting summer's lingering blooms delayed

Auburn was served by the Concord and Portsmouth Railroad, which later became the Portsmouth Branch of the Boston & Maine Railroad. Auburn was home to a small passenger depot at one time, but by the mid 1900s most rail activity was through traffic, as Auburn had few on-line industries. The last freight trains passed through in the early 1980s. The track was abandoned in 1982 and subsequently torn up between 1983 and 1985.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 74.6 km2, of which 65.7 sqkm are land and 9.0 sqkm, or 12.01%, are water. Massabesic Lake, located in the western part of Auburn and the eastern part of Manchester, is the largest body of water in Auburn and serves as the public water supply for Manchester. The lake is fed by numerous tributaries, most notable being Sucker Brook, which enters the northeastern end of the lake near the Auburn town center and itself drains several lakes, including Tower Hill Pond, Clark Pond, and Little Massabesic Lake. Cohas Brook flows through the eastern portion of Auburn and eventually (in Manchester) receives the outflow of Massabesic Lake before flowing west to the Merrimack River. Auburn lies fully within the Merrimack River watershed. Three hills, all overlooking Massabesic Lake, can lay potential claim to being Auburn's highest point: Mount Miner, at 582 ft above sea level, located north of the lake; Mine Hill, greater than 580 ft, above the east shore; and Mount Misery, greater than 580 feet, to the southeast.

Adjacent municipalities

• Candia (north)
• Chester (east)
• Derry (southeast)
• Londonderry (southwest)
• Manchester (west)
• Hooksett (northwest)

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Auburn has a warm-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Auburn was 105 F on August 3, 1988, while the coldest temperature recorded was -43 F on February 16, 1943.

|Jan record high F = 67 |Feb record high F = 74 |Mar record high F = 86 |Apr record high F = 94 |May record high F = 95 |Jun record high F = 98 |Jul record high F = 100 |Aug record high F = 105 |Sep record high F = 96 |Oct record high F = 88 |Nov record high F = 81 |Dec record high F = 78

|Jan avg record high F = 53.6 |Feb avg record high F = 55.4 |Mar avg record high F = 65.3 |Apr avg record high F = 80.0 |May avg record high F = 87.8 |Jun avg record high F = 91.3 |Jul avg record high F = 92.7 |Aug avg record high F = 91.5 |Sep avg record high F = 88.0 |Oct avg record high F = 76.9 |Nov avg record high F = 67.3 |Dec avg record high F = 58.3 |year avg record high F = 94.5

|Jan avg record low F = -9.0 |Feb avg record low F = -6.3 |Mar avg record low F = 2.1 |Apr avg record low F = 20.6 |May avg record low F = 30.0 |Jun avg record low F = 41.3 |Jul avg record low F = 48.7 |Aug avg record low F = 46.9 |Sep avg record low F = 35.1 |Oct avg record low F = 24.9 |Nov avg record low F = 15.0 |Dec avg record low F = 1.4 |year avg record low F = -11.1

|Jan record low F = -35 |Feb record low F = -43 |Mar record low F = -22 |Apr record low F = 4 |May record low F = 16 |Jun record low F = 29 |Jul record low F = 33 |Aug record low F = 32 |Sep record low F = 12 |Oct record low F = 12 |Nov record low F = -4 |Dec record low F = -25

|Jan snow depth inch = |Feb snow depth inch = |Mar snow depth inch = |Apr snow depth inch = |May snow depth inch = |Jun snow depth inch = |Jul snow depth inch = |Aug snow depth inch = |Sep snow depth inch = |Oct snow depth inch = |Nov snow depth inch = |Dec snow depth inch = |year snow depth inch =

|access-date = July 6, 2023 |access-date = July 6, 2023

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,682 people, 1,580 households, and 1,322 families residing in the town. The population density was 185.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,622 housing units at an average density of 64.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.29% White, 0.21% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.23% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.

There were 2,349 households, out of which 44.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.1% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.3% were non-families. 11.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.9% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $70,774, and the median income for a family was $72,578. Males had a median income of $45,000 versus $33,365 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,405. About 1.6% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.7% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.

Since Auburn has an agreement with the city of Manchester that the city and the surrounding towns can use Massabesic Lake as a water source, Manchester, Chester, Candia, Hooksett and Derry pay Auburn an estimated $3 million for Lake Massabesic.

Attractions

Lake Massabesic covers over 2500 acre in Auburn and Manchester and serves as the public water supply for the city of Manchester. Half of the lake (the half farthest from the public water intake) is used for less-intrusive types of boating. No swimming or other contact between users and water is allowed. Devil's Den is a small cave east of Massabesic Lake. The Massabesic Audubon Center is in central Auburn, occupying Battery Point on the lake. The Griffin Mill Dam along Little Massabesic Brook-Sucker Brook is in the northeastern part of the town.

Events and festivals

Lake Massabesic Duck Race

Every year, the Auburn Historical Association hosts an annual Duck Race on Hooksett Road near a river that flows into Lake Massabesic. The main event starts at the Hooksett road bridge over the Little Massabesic Brook-Sucker Brook where a truck dumps thousands of yellow rubber ducks into the brook, lined with straight yellow floating tubes, and the race ends at a finish line on the left side of the Griffin Mill Bridge, past the waterfall. People buy individual ducks, with prizes going to the owners of the "fastest" ducks to reach the finish line. The event attracts thousands of onlookers each year, to partake in the selection of goods offered at rented booths and/or to watch the ducks leisurely float down the river. There are games for younger kids (usually provided by Auburn Village School volunteers). Visitors are able to access the Griffin Free Public Library, or browse the related booths parked in the Griffin Free Public Library's parking lot. An official pie contest happens at a booth in the Duck race, with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner's getting special clay pie trays.

Yacht Sail Boating Club race

Every Sunday, sometimes also during the week, the Yacht Sail Boating Club hosts a sailboat race. Members of the club start on the northern shore of Massabesic Lake, and it ends after going 3 laps around the lake. Many visitors enjoy watching the races from their kayaks, sailboats, and canoes, or at Battery Point, the northernmost point on the Massabesic Peninsula.

Book sale

The last weekend in July, the Griffin Free Public Library holds a huge book sale at the Auburn Village School. Approximately 10,000 books and games are sold, with all proceeds benefiting the library's programs.

Education

Auburn is part of School Administrative Unit 15, along with the neighboring towns of Hooksett and Candia. SAU-15 administers five schools with Auburn Village School, serving all elementary school and middle school students (grades K–8) in the town.

SAU-15 has no high school; students from Auburn attend high school at Pinkerton Academy (in Derry).

Previously Auburn students attended high school in the Manchester School District, with the vast majority going to Manchester Memorial High School. In 2011, the town voted to change its high school to Pinkerton, with 1,119 in favor and 190 opposing. In 2011 some Auburn students already chose to go to Pinkerton.

Transportation

Three state highways pass through the town. New Hampshire Route 101 is a four-lane expressway that passes through the northern part of the town, leading west to neighboring Manchester and east to Exeter. Access to Auburn is from Exit 2 within the town and Exit 1 just west of the town. New Hampshire Route 28 Bypass travels through the west side of Auburn, leading south to Derry and north to Hooksett. NH 28 Bypass intersects NH 101 at that highway's Exit 1. New Hampshire Route 121 passes through the center of Auburn, leading east to Chester.

There is one private airstrip, Cleary Airport (29NH) located at 33 Bunker Hill Road. The airport has one grass/sod runway 18/36 measuring approximately 3200 by.

Notable people

· Only people who already have a Wikipedia article may appear here. This establishes notability. · The article must mention how they are associated with Auburn, whether born, raised, or residing. · The fact of their association should have a reliable source cited. · Alphabetical by last name please. · All others will be deleted.

• Joe Dudek (born 1964), member of the College Football Hall of Fame
• Carl Forsaith (1888–1982), author of Auburn, New Hampshire, the town's official history book
• Albert Plummer (1840–1912), physician, legislator
• C. Donald Stritch (1931–2014), politician

References

References

1. "2021 U.S. Gazetteer Files – New Hampshire". United States Census Bureau.
2. "Auburn town, Rockingham County, New Hampshire: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau.
3. [http://gedcomindex.com/Reference/New_Hampshire_1875/058.html Article in ''Statistics and Gazetteer of New-Hampshire'' (1875)]
4. Foster, Debra H.. (1995). "Water Use in New Hampshire: An Activities Guide for Teachers". U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey.
5. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov.
6. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
7. "Boating on Lake Massabesic". City of Manchester.
8. "Massabesic Audubon Center, Auburn". New Hampshire Audubon.
9. "SAU 15 official website".
10. "Sending towns". [[Pinkerton Academy]].
11. Huss, Julie. (March 17, 2011). "Pinkerton welcomes Auburn". [[Derry News]].
12. "29NH - Cleary Airport {{!}} SkyVector".
13. "Cleary New Hampshire Airport Information".
14. [http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091206/GJNEWS02/712069928 "Where are they now? Plymouth State Football Legend Joe Dudek]