Home PageMoving to the Plymouth Region
The Plymouth region is a community of strength and integrity, placing 
equal value on history as well as the future. A great place to live and raise a family, the Plymouth area is known for its focus on education through Plymouth State University, top elementary and regional high schools and three private secondary schools in surrounding towns.
The region is fortunate to have its own hospital. Speare Memorial Hospital in Plymouth is a community hospital that offers 24 hour emergency care along with many other quality medical services.
Downtown Plymouth is a classic New Hampshire town center complete with a town common, post office, town hall and library all within walking distance. Main Street is a great place to shop, eat and meet. Other fine shopping and dining establishments are located on Tenney Mountain Highway and all throughout Plymouth region and surrounding towns.
Live where people vacation. The Town of Plymouth is in the geographic center of the state. Located between the lakes and mountains, the region is home to many attractions, national forests and recreation areas.
Towns of the Plymouth region:
Alexandria: Founded in 1753, this small rural village in Grafton County is located within the Pemigewasset River Watershed. Alexandria once boasted at least 3 brick factories on the banks of Smith River.
Ashland: Known as "the geographical center of New Hampshre", Ashland is the smallest township in Grafton County. Originally part of Holderness, Ashland received permission from the state government to incorporate their own town in 1868.
Bridgewater: Chartered in 1788, Bridgewater was initially part of Hill (originally New Chester). Encompassing a considerable part of Newfound Lake, the Pemigewasset River, and Dick Brown Pond, Bridgewarer is one of few NH towns to consistently celebrate Old Home Day since its inception in 1899.
Bristol: A tourist stop on the B&M Railroad in the early 1800's, Bristol prospered with many river based mill businesses throughout the early 1900's. Originally part of New Chester, Bristol was incorporated in 1819 and today hosts a plethera of summer visitors to Newfound Lake.
Campton: Chartered in 1761, many early settlers arrived from Connecticut. A meeting place for the Mad River, Pemigewasset River, Eastman Brook and Beebe River, Campton once flourished with mills including the Draper Corporation which at one time made 85% of all bobbins used in the world.
Hebron: Initially a town of self-sufficient farmers, Hebron incorporated in 1792 and many of its early residents fought in the French and Indian War. Located at the north end of Newfound Lake, Hebron was once home to many summer camps for children and remains a slice of early Americana.
Holderness: Originally granted as a township of New Holderness in 1761, the town voted to drop the "New" in 1816. Known for its beauty of Squam Lakes and the Holderness School, this small town flourishes in the summer with visitors from all over.
Rumney: Once known as "The Crutch Capitol of the World", Rumney was chartered in 1761 and named in honor of the Earl of Romney in England (later spelling changed to Rumney). At one time, Rumney boasted 17 mills of various enterprises powered by Stinson Brook , one of the greastest sources of waterpower in the state.
Thornton: Dr. Matthew Thornton, a physician, was granted land in 1768 in return for surgical services during the 1745 Pepperell Expedition which captured Louisburg, Nova Scotia from the English. Thornton, one of the three original NH signers of the Declaration of Independence, was: the first President of NH following the Revolution, served as delegate to the Continental Congress, was Justice of the Supreme Court, Speaker of the House of Representatives and a member of the State Senate. Early mill Businesses included a tannery, saw mill, carriage manufacturer along with several blacksmiths.
Waterville Valley: Early settlers of the Valley found farming in the summer and logging in the winter too much and soon sold out to Nathaniel Greeley who saw opportunity in housing recreational visitors to the area. Incorporated in 1829, Waterville Valley saw its first ski races in 1939 held by the Black and Blue Trailsmashers.
Wentworth: The only town in the region named after Governor Benning Wentworth, his nephew, John, granted the town to settlers in 1766. In the early 1800's, the town was a busy stagecoach stop for travelers from Boston to Montreal. Later, travel was by railroad until the 1950's. Today, Wentworth is a quiet community-based town.
History of Plymouth, NH
The building that is now the Plymouth Town Hall has been a part of local and county government since its construction in 1891. It was built as one of two new Grafton County Courthouses and is the second building to have been constructed on the same site for the same purpose. The first building in 1823, as a County Courthouse, was deemed unsound in 1889. Grafton County then decided to replace it and appropriate $10,000 for that purpose.
The Courthouse, now known as the Plymouth Town Hall, was owned by Grafton County until 1972 when it was sold to the Town of Plymouth. It has housed various offices throughout its history. In 1994, the citizens of Plymouth voted to renovate this important building for Town Offices. Originally designed to stand for centuries, the Plymouth Town Hall is a monument to the community's strength and permanence, and a symbol of its identity. The building was entered in the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. As a result of its renovation, the building will continue to stand the tests of time in service to the community.
The Courthouse Bell was introduced in 1849 to open court with its summons. The Bell's trademark reads "Henry N. Hooper & Co. Boston, 1849, No. 317". This company purchased the foundry of Joseph Revere, son of Paul Revere.
The Courthouse Lawn Cannon was captured by American troops from the British in 1777 during the Revolutionary War. The barrel bears the markings G R (standing for George III, Rex) below a British crown, and the numbers 11-26 and M No. 613.
In 1932-1933 the Plymouth Village Green underwent a renovation. Community-spirited people, led by a committee appointed by the Pemigewasset Woman's Club, worked together to improve and beautify their Town Common. In this spirit, Mr. George G. Clark decided to do his part by installing two drinking fountains for adults and children. This project was subsidized by an inheritance form his cousin Daniel W. Burrows, who had left the money to Mr. Clark with the specific instructions that it be used for water bubblers on the Common.
Mr. George H. Borst, a well-known sculptor from Philadelphia, a friend of Mr. Clark's, was hired to sculp the Boy Scout. Mr. Borst created the lifelike statue that kneels in our Common today. Although nobody will ever know how much Mr. Clark spent on this statue, locals say that he was well rewarded when the Fracher's black dog came every morning to drink from the basin at the foot of the statue.
Today, the statue of the Boy Scout still humbly kneels in the Town Common, providing water for any animal that cares to stop for a drink. Over time, it has not only exemplified the ideals of scouting, it has come to embody the spirit of our community. The Boy Scout is unique to our town and is part of what makes Plymouth special.
