Benton, New Hampshire
Town
Mount Moosilauke in 1912
Mount Moosilauke in 1912
Location in Grafton County, New Hampshire
Location in Grafton County, New Hampshire
Coordinates: 44°06′11″N 71°54′06″W / 44.10306°N 71.90167°W / 44.10306; -71.90167
CountryUnited States
StateNew Hampshire
CountyGrafton
Incorporated1764
Government
 • Board of SelectmenWilliam Darcy, Chair
Regina Elliott
Kimberli Carpenter
Area
[1]
 • Total48.4 sq mi (125.4 km2)
 • Land48.2 sq mi (124.8 km2)
 • Water0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2)  0.47%
Elevation
1,272 ft (388 m)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total374
 • Density8/sq mi (3.0/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP codes
03785 (Woodsville)
03780 (Pike)
Area code603
FIPS code33-05060
GNIS feature ID0873544
Websitewww.tobentonnh.org

Benton is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 374 at the 2020 census.[2] Located in the White Mountains, Benton is largely surrounded by the White Mountain National Forest. The town is crossed by the Appalachian Trail.

History

The town was granted by Governor Benning Wentworth on January 31, 1764, to Theophilus Fitch and others.[3] It was named "Coventry" after Coventry, Connecticut, hometown to many of the settlers, who arrived shortly after the beginning of the Revolution.[4] At the suggestion of Governor Isaac Hill, the name was changed on December 4, 1840, to Benton,[5] in honor of Thomas Hart Benton, the Missouri senator who championed American westward expansion.

With a rough and mountainous terrain, the town was not suited for agriculture. But Benton had water power sites and abundant forests. By 1859, when the population was 478, there were five sawmills producing a large quantity of lumber. The Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad ran through the town, which once included the village of Glencliff.[4]

Atop Mount Moosilauke in 1860 was built the Prospect House, later renamed the Tip Top House, a stone hotel with accommodations for 35 hikers. A carriage road was built to the summit in 1870, so the hotel was enlarged in 1872 to accommodate 50 guests. In 1920, the hotel and land were given to Dartmouth College, but in 1942, the Tip Top House burned.[6]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 48.4 square miles (125.4 km2), of which 48.2 square miles (124.8 km2) are land and 0.23 square miles (0.6 km2) are water, comprising 0.47% of the town.[1] It is drained primarily by Oliverian Brook and the Wild Ammonoosuc River; the Baker River drains the southeast corner. The Oliverian Brook and Wild Ammonoosuc portion of the town is within the Connecticut River watershed, while the small part in the southeast corner is in the Merrimack River watershed.[7] The highest point in town is the summit of Mount Moosilauke, at 4,802 feet (1,464 m) above sea level.

The northern corner of Benton is crossed by New Hampshire Route 116.

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Benton has a warm-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Benton was 95 °F (35.0 °C) on July 15, 1995, while the coldest temperature recorded was −29 °F (−33.9 °C) on January 27, 1994.[8]

Climate data for Benton, New Hampshire, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1965–2012
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 64
(18)		 63
(17)		 78
(26)		 88
(31)		 89
(32)		 93
(34)		 95
(35)		 94
(34)		 93
(34)		 81
(27)		 71
(22)		 65
(18)		 95
(35)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 48.6
(9.2)		 50.2
(10.1)		 60.7
(15.9)		 76.
(24)		 81.9
(27.7)		 86.8
(30.4)		 87.6
(30.9)		 86.0
(30.0)		 81.7
(27.6)		 73.5
(23.1)		 63.8
(17.7)		 52.8
(11.6)		 89.3
(31.8)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 26.4
(−3.1)		 29.2
(−1.6)		 37.8
(3.2)		 51.5
(10.8)		 64.3
(17.9)		 72.5
(22.5)		 77.3
(25.2)		 75.9
(24.4)		 68.5
(20.3)		 55.7
(13.2)		 42.9
(6.1)		 32.4
(0.2)		 52.9
(11.6)
Daily mean °F (°C) 16.9
(−8.4)		 19.0
(−7.2)		 27.8
(−2.3)		 40.8
(4.9)		 53.0
(11.7)		 61.5
(16.4)		 66.5
(19.2)		 64.8
(18.2)		 57.2
(14.0)		 45.3
(7.4)		 34.4
(1.3)		 23.7
(−4.6)		 42.6
(5.9)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 7.4
(−13.7)		 8.9
(−12.8)		 17.8
(−7.9)		 30.1
(−1.1)		 41.8
(5.4)		 50.5
(10.3)		 55.7
(13.2)		 53.6
(12.0)		 45.8
(7.7)		 34.9
(1.6)		 25.9
(−3.4)		 15.0
(−9.4)		 32.3
(0.2)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −15.6
(−26.4)		 −10.9
(−23.8)		 −3.7
(−19.8)		 18.0
(−7.8)		 28.0
(−2.2)		 36.2
(2.3)		 43.1
(6.2)		 40.0
(4.4)		 30.8
(−0.7)		 22.2
(−5.4)		 9.4
(−12.6)		 −7.7
(−22.1)		 −17.9
(−27.7)
Record low °F (°C) −29
(−34)		 −26
(−32)		 −18
(−28)		 3
(−16)		 18
(−8)		 27
(−3)		 32
(0)		 29
(−2)		 22
(−6)		 12
(−11)		 −2
(−19)		 −28
(−33)		 −29
(−34)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.40
(61)		 2.11
(54)		 2.75
(70)		 3.25
(83)		 3.45
(88)		 3.84
(98)		 4.42
(112)		 4.36
(111)		 3.52
(89)		 4.54
(115)		 3.46
(88)		 3.15
(80)		 41.25
(1,049)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 17.4
(44)		 14.4
(37)		 14.2
(36)		 2.9
(7.4)		 0.1
(0.25)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 1.2
(3.0)		 3.6
(9.1)		 17.6
(45)		 71.4
(181.75)
Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) 11.0
(28)		 12.0
(30)		 11.5
(29)		 3.4
(8.6)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.4
(1.0)		 2.1
(5.3)		 9.0
(23)		 16.6
(42)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 12.4 9.4 11.0 11.2 13.4 14.0 12.9 11.1 10.8 12.6 11.3 12.2 142.3
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 13.0 10.2 8.9 3.2 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.4 4.7 10.8 52.4
Source 1: NOAA[9]
Source 2: XMACIS2 (mean maxima/minima, snow depth 1981–2010)[8]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1840413—
185047815.7%
1860459−4.0%
1870375−18.3%
18803780.8%
1890244−35.4%
1900209−14.3%
19102194.8%
1920177−19.2%
193025544.1%
19402622.7%
1950247−5.7%
1960172−30.4%
197019412.8%
198033371.6%
1990330−0.9%
2000314−4.8%
201036415.9%
20203742.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[2][10]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 314 people, 91 households, and 59 families residing in the town. The population density was 6.5 inhabitants per square mile (2.5/km2). There were 155 housing units at an average density of 3.2 per square mile (1.2/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.45% White, 0.32% Asian, and 2.23% from two or more races.

There were 91 households, out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.8% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 32.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 78.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,167, and the median income for a family was $40,417. Males had a median income of $28,125 versus $22,188 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,220. About 3.8% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "2021 U.S. Gazetteer Files – New Hampshire". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Benton town, Grafton County, New Hampshire: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  3. ↑ Article in Statistics and Gazetteer of New-Hampshire (1875)
  4. 1 2 Austin J. Coolidge & John B. Mansfield, A History and Description of New England; Boston, Massachusetts 1859
  5. ↑ Child, Hamilton. Gazetteer of Grafton County, N.H., 1709-1886. p. 148. OCLC 1045603861.
  6. ↑ Frederick Wilkinson Kilbourne, Chronicles of the White Mountains; Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston and New York 1916
  7. ↑ Foster, Debra H.; Batorfalvy, Tatianna N.; Medalie, Laura (1995). Water Use in New Hampshire: An Activities Guide for Teachers. U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey.
  8. 1 2 "xmACIS2". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  9. ↑ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Benton 5 SW, NH". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  11. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
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