Alton, New Hampshire

Originally called "New Durham Gore"[http://gedcomindex.com/Reference/Haywards/frame027.html Hayward's New England Gazetteer (1839)] because of rocky upland areas, or "gores", the town was settled in 1770, mainly by farmers because the highland areas provided less frost. Merchants then filled the lowlands. Early Alton history recounts stories of the merchants trying to convince the farmers to incorporate. They would succeed on January 15, 1796,[http://gedcomindex.com/Reference/New_Hampshire_1875/052.html Statistics and Gazetteer of New-Hampshire (1875)] when the community was named after Alton, a small market town in Hampshire, England.{{Cite book| last = Coolidge| first = Austin J.|author2=John B. Mansfield| title = A History and Description of New England| publisher = A.J. Coolidge| year = 1859| location = Boston, Massachusetts| page = [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ/page/n447 409]| url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ| quote = coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859.}}

Alton was part of Strafford County until Belknap County was erected on December 22, 1840.[http://gedcomindex.com/Reference/New_Hampshire_1875/385.html Statistics and Gazetteer of New-Hampshire (1875)] By 1840, the village of Alton existed at the town's center. In 1847, the Cochecho Railroad began bringing passengers and freight to Alton Village and Alton Bay. By 1859, the town had two gristmills, seven sawmills, and five shoe factories. But the most famous business was the Rockwell Clough Company, established by William Rockwell Clough, inventor of the corkscrew. By 1903, his company was producing 30 million corkscrews worldwide.[https://books.google.com/books?id=NcRYAAAAMAAJ&dq=Rockwell%20Clough%20Company&pg=PA211-IA2 A. Chester Clark, "The Rockwell Clough Company;" The Granite State Monthly, Volume 41, 1909]

Since the mid-19th century, however, tourism has been the principal business. In 1863, an Adventist group held a camp meeting at Alton Bay, which was the terminus of the Dover and Winnipiseogee Railroad. That was incorporated as the Alton Bay Camp Meeting Association (now known as Alton Bay Christian Conference Center) in 1876.{{Cite web|url=https://altonbay.org/our-ministries/history|title=History of Alton Bay Christian Conference Center in NH|website=altonbay.org|access-date=March 29, 2018}} In 1872, the Boston & Maine Railroad launched at Alton Bay the steamer Mount Washington, the first side-wheeler and largest vessel on Lake Winnipesaukee. When destroyed by fire in 1939, a replacement ship was found, also christened Mount Washington. Today, it continues to carry summer tourists between stops on the lake. The railway survived until 1935, and the old station at Alton Bay is now a community center.[http://www.lwhs.us/steam-mtwashhistory.htm The MS Mount Washington, a History -- Lake Winnipesaukee Historical Society]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of {{convert|215.4|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|165.0|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|50.5|sqkm|order=flip}} are water, comprising 23.4% of the town. Alton is located at the southern end of Lake Winnipesaukee, around the {{convert|4|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} inlet known as Alton Bay. The village of Alton Bay is located at the southern tip of the bay, while the main village of Alton is located {{convert|1|mi}} farther south. The town is drained by the Merrymeeting River, the main inlet to Alton Bay. Mount Major, in Mount Major State Forest, has an elevation of {{convert|1780|ft|m}} above sea level. Popular with hikers, the summit offers unsurpassed views of Lake Winnipesaukee. The highest point in Alton is the north peak of Straightback Mountain, at {{convert|1910|ft|m|abbr=on}}, just west of Mount Major. Both mountains are part of the Belknap Mountains range. Alton lies almost fully within the Merrimack River watershed, though a tiny corner is in the Piscataqua River (coastal) 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}}

The town is served by five state highways. New Hampshire Route 11 passes through the center of town, leading northwest along the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee to Gilford and thence to Laconia, and southeast to Rochester. New Hampshire Route 28 also passes through the center of town, leading north to Wolfeboro and south to Pittsfield and Manchester. New Hampshire Route 140 leads from Alton west to Gilmanton and Tilton. New Hampshire Route 11A leaves NH 11 in West Alton and goes west into Gilford, and New Hampshire Route 28A forms an alternate route north from Alton Bay to NH 28.

• Wolfeboro (north)
• New Durham (east)
• Barnstead (south)
• Gilmanton (southeast)
• Gilford (west)
• Tuftonboro (northwest)

{{US Census population

|1790= 445

|1800= 721

|1810= 1279

|1820= 2058

|1830= 1993

|1840= 2002

|1850= 1795

|1860= 2018

|1870= 1768

|1880= 1476

|1890= 1372

|1900= 1500

|1910= 1348

|1920= 1221

|1930= 1261

|1940= 1209

|1950= 1189

|1960= 1241

|1970= 1647

|1980= 2440

|1990= 3286

|2000= 4502

|2010= 5250

|2020= 5894

|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 }}

}}

As of the census of 2010, there were 5,250 people, 2,145 households, and 1,511 families residing in the town. There were 4,281 housing units, of which 2,136, or 49.9%, were vacant. 1,928 of the vacant units were for seasonal use. The racial makeup of the town was 98.4% white, 0.1% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.04% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.2% some other race, and 0.9% from two or more races. 1.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.{{Cite web| url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/SF1DP1/0600000US3300101060| title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (DP-1): Alton town, Belknap County, New Hampshire| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=October 24, 2017| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200214000211/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/SF1DP1/0600000US3300101060| archive-date=February 14, 2020| url-status=dead}}

Of the 2,145 households, 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.0% were headed by married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45, and the average family size was 2.87.

In the town, 21.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.2% were from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 34.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males.

For the period 2011–2015, the estimated median annual income for a household was $66,823, and the median income for a family was $85,556. Male full-time workers had a median income of $46,223 versus $42,448 for females. The per capita income for the town was $29,693. 6.9% of the population and 4.6% of families were below the poverty line. 1.6% of the population under the age of 18 and 9.2% of those 65 or older were living in poverty.{{Cite web| url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_5YR/DP03/0600000US3300101060| title=Selected Economic Characteristics: 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (DP03): Alton town, Belknap County, New Hampshire| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=October 24, 2017| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213154755/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_5YR/DP03/0600000US3300101060| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}

File:Town Hall, Alton NH.jpg

In the New Hampshire Senate, Alton is in the 6th District, represented by Republican James Gray. In the New Hampshire House of Representatives, Alton is in the Belknap 5th district, represented by Republicans Paul Terry and Peter Varney. On the Executive Council of New Hampshire, Alton is in the 1st District, represented by Republican Joseph Kenney. In the United States House of Representatives, Alton is in New Hampshire's 1st congressional district, represented by Democrat Chris Pappas.

Alton is served by a full-time police department and a combination full-time and on-call fire/rescue department which also provides ambulance services for the town.

• Alton Historical Society & Museum[http://www.altonhistoricalsociety.org/ Alton Historical Society]
• Harold S. Gilman Museum[http://www.alton.nh.gov/museum.asp Welcome to Alton, New Hampshire - Museum] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112181840/http://www.alton.nh.gov/museum.asp |date=January 12, 2015 }}
• Alton Bay, with an arcade, mini-golf, ice cream shop, multiple areas to eat, a marina, and other attractions
• New Hampshire Historical Marker No. 164: Alton Bay Transportation Center
• New Hampshire Historical Marker No. 288: The Alton Bay Water Bandstand

Image:Steamboat Landing, Alton Bay, NH.jpg|Steamer landing in 1905

Image:View of Advent Grove, Alton Bay, NH.jpg|Advent Grove in 1910

Image:Boarding & Dining Buildings, Alton Bay Camp Grounds.jpg|Boarding house in 1907

Image:Alton Bay and Lake Winnipesaukee, Alton Bay, NH.jpg|Alton Bay and Lake Winnipesaukee in 1905

• Joel Bean (1825–1914), founder of Beanite Quakerism
• George Franklin Drew (1827–1900), 12th governor of Florida
• James B. French (1857–1932), member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
• Florence Holway (1915–2012), rape victim, subject of a 2003 HBO documentary
• Steve Leach (born 1966), right wing with seven NHL teams{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/player/stephen-leach-8448764|title=Stephen Leach Stats and News|website=NHL.com|language=en-US|access-date=October 5, 2017}}
• Don Sweeney (born 1966), defenseman with the Boston Bruins and Dallas Stars{{Cite web|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=5276|title=Don Sweeney hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com|website=www.hockeydb.com|language=en|access-date=October 5, 2017}} and general manager of Boston since 2015

{{portal|New Hampshire}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|www.alton.nh.gov}}
• [http://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/profiles-htm/alton.htm New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]
• [https://gilmanlibrary.org/ Gilman Library], the town library

{{Geographic location

| Centre = Alton

| North = Tuftonboro

| Northeast = Wolfeboro

| East = New Durham

| Southeast = Farmington
Strafford

| South = Barnstead

| Southwest = Gilmanton

| West = Gilford

| Northwest = Moultonborough

}}

{{Belknap County, New Hampshire}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Towns in Belknap County, New Hampshire

Category:Populated places established in 1796

Category:Populated places on Lake Winnipesaukee

Category:Towns in New Hampshire

Category:1796 establishments in New Hampshire