Derry

Derry, New Hampshire
—  Town  —
Broadway c. 1905
Seal
Nickname(s): "Spacetown"
Location in Rockingham County, New Hampshire
Coordinates: 42°52′50″N 71°19′38″W / 42.88056°N 71.32722°W / 42.88056; -71.32722
Country	United States
State	New Hampshire
County	Rockingham
Incorporated	1827
Government
- Town Council	Rick Metts, Chair Brent Carney Kevin Coyle Brad Benson Janet Fairbanks Neil Wetherbee Brian Chirichiello
Area
- Total	36.7 sq mi (94.9 km2)
- Land	35.8 sq mi (92.7 km2)
- Water	0.9 sq mi (2.3 km2)  2.40%
Elevation	282 ft (86 m)
Population (2007)
- Total	33,995
- Density	949.6/sq mi (366.7/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code	03038
Area code(s)	603
FIPS code	33-17940
GNIS feature ID	0873578
Website	www.derry-nh.org

Derry is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 34,021 at the 2000 census. Although it is a town and not a city, Derry is the fourth most-populous community in New Hampshire.

The primary settlement in town, where over 66% of the population resides, is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as the Derry census-designated place (CDP) and includes the densely-populated portions of the town centered on the intersection of New Hampshire Route 28 and New Hampshire Route 102.

History

Although it was first settled by Scottish-Irish (also known as Ulster-Scots) families in 1719, Derry was not incorporated until 1827. It was for a long time part of Londonderry, which included Windham and portions of Manchester, Salem and Hudson. The town was named for the city of Derry, Northern Ireland, the Irish word "Doire" meaning "oak woods." The first potato planted in the United States was planted here in 1719. The town is the location of two of America's oldest private schools, Pinkerton Academy, founded in 1814 and still in operation, and the closed Adams Female Seminary.

Derry was once a linen and leather-making center until New England textile industries moved south in the 20th century. As recently as World War II, Derry was also a sleepy farming community. The post-war suburban boom, the town's proximity to Boston in the south and Manchester to the northwest, and the construction of Interstate 93 through town led to a huge population boom. Although this growth has slowed somewhat, the population of Derry still increased by 15 percent during the 1990s.

Antique postcards

Thornton Square c. 1915

Birch Street c. 1905

HEH Shoe Factory in 1909

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.7 square miles (95 km²), of which 35.8 sq mi (93 km²) is land and 0.9 sq mi (2.3 km²) is water, comprising 2.40% of the town. Derry is drained by Beaver Brook. The highest point in the town is Warner Hill, at 605 feet (184 m) above sea level, where from the top one can see the Boston skyline on a clear day. Derry lies almost fully within the Merrimack River watershed, with a small section along the northern border of town lying in the Piscataqua River watershed.^[1]

The urban part of the town, defined as a census-designated place (CDP), covers an area of 15.7 square miles (41 km²), about 42.8% of the area of the town. 15.4 sq mi (40 km²) of the CDP is land, and 0.2 sq mi (0.52 km²) of it is water, about 1.60% of the total area of the CDP.

Derry is crossed by Interstate 93, New Hampshire Route 28, and New Hampshire Route 102.

Neighboring cities and towns

	Auburn	Chester	Sandown
	Londonderry		Hampstead
		Derry
	Windham	Salem	Atkinson

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 34,021 people, 12,327 households, and 8,789 families residing in the town. The population density was 950.7 people per square mile (367.0/km²). There were 12,735 housing units at an average density of 137.4 persons/km² (355.9 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 96.05% White, 0.90% African American, 0.21% Native American, 1.06% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.60% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. 1.89% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 12,327 households out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 10.6% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 28.7% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the town the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $54,634, and the median income for a family was $61,625. Males had a median income of $41,271 versus $30,108 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,315. 4.6% of the population and 3.3% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 5.0% are under the age of 18 and 7.1% are 65 or older.

Town center

As of the census of 2000, there were 22,661 people, 8,670 households, and 5,739 families residing in the CDP (census-designated place), the urban center of Derry. The population density was 1,469.3 people per square mile (567.4/km²). There were 8,942 housing units at an average density of 223.9 persons/km² (579.8 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 95.58% White, 1.05% African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.12% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. 2.21% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,670 households out of which 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 12.0% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 33.8% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 29.0% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 35.9% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.

The median income for a household is $49,792, and the median income for a family was $56,332. Males had a median income of $40,185 versus $28,580 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,938. 6.0% of the population and 4.3% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 6.9% are under the age of 18 and 7.6% are 65 or older.

Education

Pinkerton Academy

Public schools

• Administration:
  • Derry Cooperative School District

• Elementary:
  • Ernest P. Barka Elementary School
  • Derry Village School
  • East Derry Memorial Elementary School
  • Grinnell Elementary School
  • South Range Elementary School

• Middle:
  • Gilbert H. Hood Middle School
  • West Running Brook Middle School

Private schools

• Pinkerton Academy, serving as the high school for Derry, Chester, Hampstead and Auburn
• Nutfield Cooperative School (pre-school and kindergarten)
• Saint Thomas Aquinas School (pre-kindergarten through grade 8)
• Derry Montessori School (age 3 through grade 3)
• Calvary Christian School operated from 1970 to 2009 and educated around 200 students in grades K-12.

Media

Derry has three media sources, the weekly Derry News, which is owned by The Eagle-Tribune, the weekly Nutfield News, which is locally owned by Nutfield Publishing, and WZMY-TV. Derry is located within the Boston broadcast media market.

Notable inhabitants

Tshieneto Boat Club c. 1910

• Samantha Brown, host of Travel Channel
• Caleb Chapman, musician
• Tricia Dunn-Luoma, hockey player
• Charles Miller Floyd, governor of New Hampshire
• Robert Frost, poet
• Brendan James, singer-songwriter and pianist
• David Nelson, world-record-holding video game competitor
• William Patterson, congressman
• Alan B. Shepard Jr., astronaut
• Pamela Smart, convicted conspirator to murder
• General John Stark, Revolutionary War hero
• Aaron Fletcher Stevens, brigadier general and congressman
• Matthew Thornton, signer of the Declaration of Independence
• Nikki Tilroe, performer and puppeteer

Sites of interest

• Adams Memorial Opera House
• Children's Metamorphosis Museum
• Derry Historical Society & Museum
• Robert Frost Homestead, a National Historic Landmark
• Taylor Mill State Historic Site, a reconstructed water-powered sawmill
• Rockingham Recreational Trail, a rail trail to Fremont

References

Further reading

• Rev. Edward L. Parker, History of Londonderry, Comprising the Towns of Londonderry and Derry; Perkins & Whipple; Boston 1851
• A. J. Coolidge & J. B. Mansfield, A History & Description of New England; Boston, Massachusetts 1859

External links

• Town website
• Derry Public Library
• Community TV
• Nutfield News - Community Newspaper
• New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile

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