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Merrimack County, New Hampshire

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Article Genealogy
Parent: Interstate 93 Hop 3
Expansion Funnel Raw 80 → Dedup 34 → NER 21 → Enqueued 17
1. Extracted80
2. After dedup34 (None)
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Merrimack County, New Hampshire
CountyMerrimack County
StateNew Hampshire
Founded1823
SeatConcord
Largest cityConcord
Area total sq mi956
Area land sq mi934
Area water sq mi22
Area percentage2.3%
Population as of2020
Population total153808
Population density sq miauto
Time zoneEastern
Webwww.merrimackcountynh.gov
Named forMerrimack River
District2nd

Merrimack County, New Hampshire. Located in the south-central part of the state, it is one of New Hampshire's ten counties and serves as a central hub for government, commerce, and culture. The county seat and largest city is Concord, which is also the state capital. Encompassing a diverse landscape of river valleys, lakes, and forested hills, the county is bisected by the Merrimack River, a vital waterway for transportation and industry throughout its history.

History

The area now comprising the county was originally inhabited by the Pennacook people, with European settlement beginning in the 17th century under the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Key early towns included Concord, originally known as Penacook, and Henniker, granted by colonial governor Benning Wentworth. The county itself was organized by the New Hampshire General Court in 1823, carved from parts of Hillsborough County and Rockingham County. Its development was heavily influenced by the Merrimack River, which powered numerous gristmills and sawmills, and later major industrial complexes like the Concord Manufacturing Company and the Suncook Mills. The county was connected to broader markets by the Concord Railroad and later the Boston and Maine Railroad. Notable historical figures from the area include statesman Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States, who practiced law in Concord, and abolitionist Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist, who was born in Bow.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 956 square miles, of which 934 square miles is land and 22 square miles is water. The dominant geographic feature is the north-south flowing Merrimack River, which is fed by tributaries like the Contoocook River and the Suncook River. The county contains several significant lakes, including Lake Sunapee in the west, part of Mount Sunapee State Park, and Pleasant Lake in New London. The terrain varies from the lowlands of the Merrimack Valley to the uplands of the Sunapee Highlands, with notable peaks like Mount Kearsarge in Wilmot, part of Winslow State Park. The county borders Belknap County to the east, Strafford County to the southeast, Rockingham County to the south, Hillsborough County to the southwest, Sullivan County to the west, and Grafton County to the north.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 153,808, making it the third-most populous county in New Hampshire after Hillsborough County and Rockingham County. The racial makeup was predominantly White, with growing communities of Asian, Black, and Hispanic residents. The largest municipality by far is the city of Concord, with a population of over 44,000 as of the 2020 census. Other significant population centers include the towns of Pembroke, Bow, and Loudon. The county is part of the Concord, NH Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Government and politics

The county government operates under a charter with a three-member Board of County Commissioners and a County Delegation from the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Key elected officials include the County Sheriff, County Attorney, Register of Deeds, and Register of Probate. The county seat is the Merrimack County Superior Court in Concord, which also houses the New Hampshire Supreme Court and the New Hampshire State House. Politically, the county is a competitive swing area in statewide and federal elections, though it has trended toward the Democratic Party in recent presidential elections, voting for Joe Biden in 2020. It is represented in the U.S. House by Ann McLane Kuster of the 2nd district.

Economy

The economy is diverse, anchored by state government operations in Concord, including the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. Healthcare is a major sector, with institutions like the Concord Hospital and the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center network. Significant manufacturing heritage continues with companies such as Titeflex Aerospace in Laconia and PC Connection in Marlborough. The University of New Hampshire's School of Law is located in Concord. Agriculture remains active, with numerous dairy farms, apple orchards, and maple sugar producers. Retail and service industries are concentrated along commercial corridors like Loudon Road and in downtown Concord.

Education

Public education is administered by local school districts, such as the Concord School District and the Merrimack Valley School District. The county is home to several institutions of higher education, including the University of New Hampshire School of Law and NHTI, Concord's Community College. Private secondary schools include the prestigious St. Paul's School in Concord. Other notable schools are the New Hampshire Technical Institute and the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, an aerospace science education center named for Christa McAuliffe and Alan Shepard.

Communities

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