An Overview: Haverhill, NH
Settled by citizens from Haverhill, Massachusetts, the town was first known as Lower Coos. Founded in 1763 by Colonel Johnston, a leader in the French and Indian War; his house still stands on Route 10. In 1773, Haverhill became the county seat of Grafton County. As the terminus of the Old Province Road, it connected the northern and western settlements with the seacoast. The town was the seat of North Country government, and as such, court sessions were held in February and May with most of the local homes serving as taverns for out of town dignitaries and guests, including, not surprisingly, Daniel Webster. Webster is known to have stayed at the Bliss Tavern, just steps from the Courthouse. Haverhill Corner, as it is known today, presents itself as a quiet New England village with large handsome eighteenth and nineteenth century homes, ringing a double common.
Settled by citizens from Haverhill, Massachusetts, the town was first known as Lower Coos. Founded in 1763 by Colonel Johnston, a leader in the French and Indian War; his house still stands on Route 10. In 1773, Haverhill became the county seat of Grafton County. As the terminus of the Old Province Road, it connected the northern and western settlements with the seacoast. The town was the seat of North Country government, and as such, court sessions were held in February and May with most of the local homes serving as taverns for out of town dignitaries and guests, including, not surprisingly, Daniel Webster. Webster is known to have stayed at the Bliss Tavern, just steps from the Courthouse. Haverhill Corner, as it is known today, presents itself as a quiet New England village with large handsome eighteenth and nineteenth century homes, ringing a double common.
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| Bliss Tavern door surround |
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| Former Courthouse, now active Cultural Center |
The Oliverian Brook, at the foot of today’s
Route 10, was a hub of industrial activities: there were numerous factories
including those for constructing carriages, a saw and gristmill, carding, and
so on. Noise and smoke rose up from the valley. However, no sign of those
former activities survives today with the exception of the Pike Whetstone
factory a few miles down the road. Once the railroad went through the
neighboring town of Woodsville, Haverhill’s industrial life slowed and
ultimately concluded, leaving the town much as you see it today.
Recent research by the author has linked
specific late18th-early19th century residents of Haverhill to trade and
mercantile interests in Boston, particularly at Long Wharf. Surviving letters
and account books from the Montgomery family (see earlier post on Myra
Montgomery) indicate that foreign goods such as oranges, Madeira wine, Chinese
silks and crepes, and accessories such as feathers, as well the latest domestic
fashions from Boston and New York were available in Haverhill within a week to
ten days after arrival at Port.
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