Salem

Salem, New Hampshire
—  Town  —
Seal
Location in Rockingham County, New Hampshire
Coordinates: 42°47′18″N 71°12′03″W / 42.78833°N 71.20083°W / 42.78833; -71.20083
Country	United States
State	New Hampshire
County	Rockingham County
ZIP Code	03079
Incorporated	1750
Government
- Board of Selectmen	Arthur E. Barnes III, Chairman Michael J. Lyons Elizabeth A. Roth Patrick M. Hargreaves Everett P. McBride, Jr.
Area
- Total	25.9 sq mi (67.0 km2)
- Land	24.7 sq mi (64.0 km2)
- Water	1.2 sq mi (3.0 km2)  4.49%
Elevation	131 ft (40 m)
Population (2007)
- Total	29,498
- Density	1,194.3/sq mi (460.9/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code	03079
Area code(s)	603
FIPS code	33-66660
GNIS feature ID	0873713
Website	www.townofsalemnh.org

Salem is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 28,112 at the 2000 census. Salem is a marketing and distributing center, with several colleges, recreation attractions and a large shopping mall, the Mall at Rockingham Park.

History

The area was first settled in 1652. As early as 1736, Salem was the "North Parish" of Methuen, Massachusetts, or "Methuen District". In 1741, when the boundary line between Massachusetts and New Hampshire was re-established, the "North Parish" became part of New Hampshire, and was given the name "Salem", taken from nearby Salem, Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1750 by Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth.

The Square in 1908

In 1902, Canobie Lake Park was established in Salem by the Massachusetts Northeast Street Railway Company, to encourage leisure excursions on its trolleys. The plan was successful, and the enterprise quickly became one of the leading resorts of its type in New England. Crowds arrived from all over, including the nearby mill towns of Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell and Methuen in Massachusetts, and Manchester and Nashua in New Hampshire. Factory workers and others found respite strolling along tree-lined promenades, between flower-beds or beside the lake. Rides, arcades and a dance hall provided lively entertainments. The rise of the automobile, however, brought the decline of the trolley. But Canobie Lake Park, one of the few former street railway amusement resorts still in existence, continues to be popular.^[1]

Other features of Salem's tourism history include Rockingham Park Race Track, the first horse race track in New England, and "America's Stonehenge", a curiosity (formerly "Mystery Hill"). A recent attraction in town is the Icenter, a skating arena.

Starting in the 1950s, Salem developed rapidly as part of Greater Boston, with suburban-style residential neighborhoods and a long strip of commercial development along NH Route 28. Recent (c. 2006) commercial construction has continued to focus on Route 28, as well as on the commercial zone off Exit 2 on Interstate 93.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 25.9 square miles (67 km²), of which 24.7 sq mi (64 km²) is land and 1.2 sq mi (3.1 km²) is water, comprising 4.49% of the town. Salem is drained by the Spicket River and Policy Brook. Canobie Lake is on the western boundary, Arlington Mill Reservoir is in the north, and World End Pond is in the southeast. The highest point in Salem is the summit of Gordons Hill, at 380 feet (120 m) above sea level, along the town's western border.

Demographics

Under the Apple Tree in 1908, Canobie Lake Park

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 28,112 people, 10,402 households, and 7,603 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,138.0 people per square mile (439.4/km²). There were 10,866 housing units at an average density of 439.9/sq mi (169.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.01% White, 0.55% African American, 0.21% Native American, 2.27% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.83% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.96% of the population.

There were 10,402 households out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.16.

Restaurant in 1909, Canobie Lake Park

In the town the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $58,090, and the median income for a family was $67,278. Males had a median income of $46,330 versus $31,031 for females. The per capita income for the town was $26,170. About 3.1% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Colleges:

• Hesser College
• Southern New Hampshire University

High School:

• Salem High School

Administration:

• Salem School District

Salem in popular culture

Rockingham Park Race Track, located in Salem, as mentioned in the film The Sting starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, was central to that film's plot.

Points of interest

• America's Stonehenge
• Canobie Lake Park
• Rockingham Park

References

External links

• Town website
• Kelley Public Library
• New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile
• Salem School District

• Salem, New Hampshire is at coordinates 42°46′55″N 71°13′46″W / 42.7820°N 71.2294°W / 42.7820; -71.2294 (Salem, New Hampshire)Coordinates: 42°46′55″N 71°13′46″W / 42.7820°N 71.2294°W / 42.7820; -71.2294 (Salem, New Hampshire)

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