Merrimack, New Hampshire

Merrimack, New Hampshire

History
People started to settle in Merrimack after the recession of the glaciers that had spread over much of New England during the last ice age. First came European settlers in the late 17th Century when the area was still in dispute between the Province of New Hampshire and Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Officially incorporated in 1746 which was the year regarded as Merrimack's birthday, but only what was known as Thornton's Ferry in the southern portion of the boundaries of the town was considered to be the original town. The northern part of Merrimack, known as Reed's Ferry was added a few years later.

In the 19th century, the Boston and Maine Railroad laid tracks through the town of Merrimack and there were several stations which operated until the mid-20th Century when the automobile came along. Previously, Merrimack was an agricultural community until the automobile came along which transformed the town into a bedroom community of Boston and nearby Manchester and Nashua, New Hampshire.

Government

The town government consists of a 7-member Town Council. This was recently adopted by a ballot measure on May 25, 2006. More information on Merrimack's government can be found at Charter commission website - http://charter.merrimacknh.org/

In March, the town holds two sessions (school and general) to decide what warrant articles will be on the Town General Election ballot in April. one of them is always election of town officers, and another is the budget. If the budget is not approved by the voters, the town's governing council holds an emergency hearing regarding a new budget or it will continue with the budget from the previous year, amended with any time sensitive information pending upon the current year.

Merrimack's central town government has no control over the town's schools. They are run by the School Board or the town's water works, which are run by the Merrimack Village District. The Merrimack School Board gained national notoriety in 1996 when it passed a "prohibition of alternative lifestyle instruction" act. This resulted in the removal of a work by William Shakespeare from the school curriculum. The board members who consorted on this were voted out in the resulting uproar and Shakespeare is now safe again in Merrimack.

Links of interest:

Town Website - http://www.merrimacknh.gov/
History of Merrimack - http://www.nh.searchroots.com/HillsboroughCo/Merrimack/history.html
Community Profile - http://www.nh.gov/nhes/elmi/htmlprofiles/merrimack.html
Online Forum - http://www.merrimackforum.org/phpBB3/
Helpful Town Information: http://www.merrimackchamber.org/towninformation.htm

Request More Information

First Name Last Name

Your Email Address

Daytime Phone

Evening Phone

Address

City State  Zip

Your Questions & Comments

Please send me more information about this article.

Southern NH Real Estate Allenstown NH Amherst NH Auburn NH Bedford NH Boscawen NH Bow NH Brookline NH Candia NH Canterbury NH Chester NH Chichester NH Concord NH Contoocook NH Deerfield NH Derry NH Dunbarton NH Epsom NH Goffstown NH Henniker NH Hollis NH Hooksett NH Hopkinton NH Hudson NH Litchfield NH Londonderry NH Loudon NH Manchester NH Merrimack NH Mont Vernon NH Nashua NH New Boston NH Northwood NH Nottingham NH Pelham NH Pembroke NH Penacook NH Raymond NH Salem NH Suncook NH Weare NH Windham NH