:Canterbury, New Hampshire

First granted by Lieutenant Governor John Wentworth in 1727, the town was named for William Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury.{{cite web |url=http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=18830 |title= Profile for Canterbury, New Hampshire, NH |publisher= ePodunk |access-date= December 13, 2013}} It was originally a militia timber fort and trading post of Capt. Jeremiah Clough located on a hill near Canterbury Center, where the Pennacook people came to trade. The town would be incorporated in 1741.{{cite web| url=http://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/profiles-pdf/canterbury.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214024844/http://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/profiles-pdf/canterbury.pdf |archive-date=December 14, 2013 |url-status=live| title= Canterbury, NH| publisher= Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau |access-date= December 13, 2013}} There were several garrison houses or stockades in the area as late as 1758.{{cite book |title=History of the Town of Canterbury, New Hampshire, 1727-1912: Genealogy and Appendix | author = James Otis Lyford |url=https://archive.org/details/historytowncant00lyfogoog | publisher = Rumford| year = 1912| access-date=April 10, 2008}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of {{convert|115.8|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|113.6|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|2.1|sqkm|order=flip}} are water, comprising 1.86% of the town. The town's highest point is an unnamed summit near Forest Pond and the town's northern border, where the elevation reaches approximately {{convert|1390|ft|m}} above sea level. Bounded by the Merrimack River on the west, Canterbury is drained on the east by the Soucook River. Canterbury lies fully within the Merrimack River watershed.{{cite book |title=Water Use in New Hampshire: An Activities Guide for Teachers |url=http://nh.water.usgs.gov/Publications/nh.intro.html |last=Foster |first=Debra H. |author2=Batorfalvy, Tatianna N. |author3= Medalie, Laura |publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey |year=1995}}

• Northfield (north)
• Gilmanton (northeast)
• Loudon (east)
• Concord (south)
• Boscawen (west)

{{US Census population

|1790= 1038

|1800= 1114

|1810= 1526

|1820= 1696

|1830= 1663

|1840= 1643

|1850= 1614

|1860= 1522

|1870= 1169

|1880= 1033

|1890= 964

|1900= 821

|1910= 680

|1920= 655

|1930= 505

|1940= 659

|1950= 627

|1960= 674

|1970= 895

|1980= 1410

|1990= 1687

|2000= 1979

|2010= 2352

|2020= 2389

|estyear=

|estimate=

|estref=

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |title=Census of Population and Housing |publisher=Census.gov |access-date=June 4, 2016 }}

}}

Image:Main Dwelling, Canterbury Shaker Village.jpg

As of the census{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }} of 2000, there were 1,979 people, 749 households, and 590 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|45.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 838 housing units at an average density of {{convert|19.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 98.59% White, 0.25% African American, 0.25% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.51% of the population.

There were 749 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.0% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were non-families. 15.1% 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 2.64 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 34.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $58,026, and the median income for a family was $62,583. Males had a median income of $41,302 versus $32,313 for females. The per capita income for the town was $27,374. About 2.0% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

On the last Saturday in July, the town hosts the annual Canterbury Fair, which includes artisan performances, music performances and a 5K run.{{cite web| url=http://www.canterburyfair.com/| title= Canterbury Fair 2013| publisher= Canterbury Country Fair| access-date= December 13, 2013}}{{cite web| url=http://www.canterburyfair.com/woodchuckclassic/| title= Official Site of the Canterbury Woodchuck Classic 5K Road Race| publisher= Canterbury Fair| access-date= December 13, 2013}}{{cite web| url=http://www.nhmagazine.com/nhfairs/| title= NH State Fairs| publisher= McLean Communications| access-date= December 13, 2013}}

The town hosts a regular Fourth of July parade as well a fireworks show by the town fire department.

The biggest attraction in Canterbury is the Shaker Village, established in 1792. At its peak in the 1850s, over 300 people lived, worked and worshiped in 100 buildings on {{convert|4000|acre|km2}}. They made their living by farming, selling seeds, herbs and herbal medicines; and by manufacturing textiles, pails, brooms and other products. The last resident, Sister Ethel Hudson, died in 1992, and the site is now a museum, founded in 1969, to preserve the heritage of the utopian sect. Canterbury Shaker Village is an internationally known, non-profit historic site with 25 original Shaker buildings, four reconstructed Shaker buildings and {{convert|694|acre|km2}} of forest, fields, gardens and mill ponds under permanent conservation easement. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark for its architectural integrity and significance.{{cite web| url=http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/shaker/| title= Shaker Historic Trail |publisher= National Park Service |access-date= December 13, 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1526&ResourceType=District |title=Canterbury Shaker Village |publisher=National Historic Landmark Program |access-date=December 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009093438/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1526&ResourceType=District |archive-date=October 9, 2012 }}

Canterbury has an active historical society hosting events throughout the year and maintaining the Elizabeth Houser Museum in the old Center Schoolhouse (original one-room school house) as well as an archive of Canterbury-related materials dating to the early 18th century.{{cite web| url=https://archive.org/stream/historyoftownofc02lyfo/historyoftownofc02lyfo_djvu.txt| title= History of the town of Canterbury, New Hampshire, 1727-1912| publisher= Internet Archive |access-date= December 13, 2013}} Among notable works in the archive are the Lunther Cody Collection of Glass Negatives, documenting classic life in New England.{{cite web| url=http://www.canterbury-nh.org/Pages/CanterburyNH_HistoricalSociety/programs| title=Historical Society| publisher=Town of Canterbury, New Hampshire| access-date=January 19, 2010| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615131547/http://www.canterbury-nh.org/Pages/CanterburyNH_HistoricalSociety/programs| archive-date=June 15, 2009| url-status=dead}}{{cite web| url=http://findnhhistory.org/browse/collection.php?rid=300056| title= The Luther Cody Glass Negative| publisher= Find NH History |access-date= December 13, 2013}}

Canterbury is home to Ayers State Forest and Shaker State Forest. Ayers State Forest covers {{convert|50|acre}}, and Shaker State Forest is {{convert|226.5|acre}}.{{cite web| url=http://www.nhdfl.org/library/pdf/FEEDREDLANDSFORWEBSITE.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529000210/http://www.nhdfl.org/library/pdf/FEEDREDLANDSFORWEBSITE.pdf |archive-date=May 29, 2015 |url-status=live |title= List of New Hampshire Forests| publisher=NH Division of Forests and Lands |access-date= March 25, 2014}}

• Abiel Foster (1735–1806), US congressman, representative in the Continental Congress{{cite web|url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=F000297|title=FOSTER, Abiel, (1735 - 1806)

|publisher= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |access-date= December 13, 2013}}

• Stephen Symonds Foster (1809–1881), radical abolitionist{{cite web|url= http://americanabolitionist.liberalarts.iupui.edu/fosterss.htm|title= Stephen S. Foster|publisher= American Abolitionist|access-date= December 13, 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121228102712/http://americanabolitionist.liberalarts.iupui.edu/fosterss.htm|archive-date= December 28, 2012|url-status= dead}}
• Joseph M. Harper (1787–1865), US congressman, Acting Governor of New Hampshire{{cite web|url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000224|title=HARPER, Joseph Morrill, (1787 - 1865)|publisher=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|access-date= December 13, 2013}}
• Kenneth MacKenna (1899–1962), actor, film director
• Colby James West (born 1985), freestyle skier

Images of Canterbury:

Image:View of Canterbury Shaker Village.jpg|Canterbury Shaker Village {{circa|1906}}

Image:The Worsted Church, Canterbury, NH.jpg|Worsted Church {{circa|1906}}

Image:Trustees' Office, Canterbury Shaker Village.jpg|Shakers' office {{circa|1905}}

Image:Pleasant View, Canterbury, NH.jpg|Pleasant View Inn {{circa|1910}}

Image:General View of Canterbury Shaker Village.jpg|Shaker Village {{circa|1920}}

{{portal|New Hampshire}}

• New Hampshire Historical Marker No. 283: The 'Worsted' Church

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category|Canterbury, New Hampshire}}

• {{Official website|www.canterbury-nh.org}}
• [https://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/profiles-htm/canterbury.htm New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]
• [http://www.canterburyfair.com/ Canterbury Fair]

{{Geographic location

| Centre = Canterbury

| North = Northfield

| Northeast = Gilmanton

| East = Loudon

| Southeast = Loudon

| South = Concord

| Southwest = Boscawen

| West = Boscawen

| Northwest = Northfield

}}

{{Merrimack County, New Hampshire}}

{{Merrimack River}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Towns in Merrimack County, New Hampshire

Category:Towns in New Hampshire

Category:New Hampshire populated places on the Merrimack River