Stoddard, New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Stoddard is a town
in Cheshire County
, New Hampshire
, United States
. The population was 1,232 at the 2010 census.
Between 1842 and 1873, the town was home to four glass manufacturers. The glass produced by these works, now known as Stoddard glass, is noted for its deep amber colors and design. Stoddard glass products are highly prized by collectors.
, Massachusetts
, and others as Monadnock
Number 7. It was known locally as Limerick before being incorporated as Stoddard in 1774, in honor of Colonel Stoddard.
Colonel Stoddard was appointed to survey southwestern New Hampshire by the colonial government, receiving several land grants for the service. One of his surveying assistants was Benjamin Pierce
, father of U.S. President Franklin Pierce
. Colonel Stoddard never lived in the town of Stoddard.
The town was first settled in 1768 by John and Martha Taggart, immigrants from Derry
, Ireland
. Three years later, the Richardson family joined the Taggarts in Stoddard. By 1774, the town had 24 residents.
The first census taken in Stoddard, in 1790, reported 701 residents. The town's first schoolhouses were built in 1792. The first post office was established in 1822; Isaac Duncan was the first Postmaster.
In 1800, Stoddard's 1,148 residents outnumbered those of the nearby county seat of Keene
. During Stoddard's glass-manufacturing years, 800 people were employed by the industry. After the Stoddard glass industry ended in the early 1870s, the town's population declined; by 1960, the census recorded 146 residents. , the town had 1,232 residents.
manufacturing, home to four glass factories whose products are prized by collectors today. The town's abundant forests fed the industry's need for the 1200 °F (648.9 °C) temperatures necessary to melt sand into glass. Stoddard also had plenty of clear, fine sand. The sand's trace minerals gave Stoddard glass its unique hues: manganese
produced the olive green and amber colors most closely associated with Stoddard glass, and oxide
of gold
created a red-amber glass.
The glass houses were located in two settlements within Stoddard: Joseph Foster's and the South Stoddard Glass Company were located in South Stoddard, which was located near the present-day intersection of state Routes 9 and 123. The Granite Glass Company and the New Granite Glass Works were located in Mill Village, near the present town center.
Among the wide variety of glass pieces turned out by the glass houses were Masonic
flasks, containers for liquor and patent medicines, and bottles for mineral water
bottled in Saratoga Springs, New York
. However, the fame of Stoddard glass does not come primarily from these commercial items, but from the "off-blown" pieces made by glassblowers
at the end of the workday using leftover glass. These items, sometimes called "whimseys", could be anything desired by the glassblower, and were the property of the glassblower.
Several factors led to the demise of Stoddard's glass industry in the early 1870s. Other manufacturers had mastered the chemistry needed to create clear glass in quantity; gas and coal were now viable fuels for glassworks, eliminating the need for nearby forests; and improvements in mechanical manufacturing techniques made hand-blown glass economically unviable. The silica in Stoddard's sand prevented its use in making clear glass, which was in high demand after it became viable for bottles and glassware following the Civil War
.
, the town has a total area of 53 square miles (137.3 km²), of which 50.9 sq mi (131.8 km²) is land and 2.1 sq mi (5.4 km²) is water, comprising 4.02% of the town. The western portion of the town is drained by tributaries of the Ashuelot River
, which flows to the Connecticut River
. The central and eastern portions of town drain to the North Branch
of the Contoocook River
and eventually to the Merrimack River
. Major water bodies in the town include Highland Lake
and Island Pond
.
The Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway
passes through the western side of the town (near Center Pond) and continues onward toward the highest point in Stoddard, the summit of Pitcher Mountain
(at 2162 feet (659 m) above sea level
).
The town is crossed by New Hampshire Route 9 from northeast to southwest, and by New Hampshire Route 123
, which passes through the town center, from southeast to northwest.
of 2000, there were 928 people, 400 households, and 268 families residing in the town. The population density
was 18.2 people per square mile (7.0/km²). There were 939 housing units at an average density of 18.5 per square mile (7.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.88% White, 0.32% African American, 1.29% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races
, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.54% of the population.
There were 400 households out of which 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples
living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.76.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.2% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 104.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $37,639, and the median income for a family was $48,125. Males had a median income of $31,343 versus $25,227 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $19,617. About 5.3% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
and Keene Middle School, respectively, in Keene. Public elementary school students attend James M. Faulkner Elementary School in Stoddard.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Cheshire County
Cheshire County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 73,825 people, 28,299 households, and 18,790 families residing in the county. The population density was 104 people per square mile . There were 31,876 housing units at an average density of 45 per square mile...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 1,232 at the 2010 census.
Between 1842 and 1873, the town was home to four glass manufacturers. The glass produced by these works, now known as Stoddard glass, is noted for its deep amber colors and design. Stoddard glass products are highly prized by collectors.
History
This territory was first granted in 1752 to Colonel Sampson Stoddard of ChelmsfordChelmsford, Massachusetts
Chelmsford is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts in the Greater Boston area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 33,802. The Census Bureau's 2008 population estimate for the town was 34,409, ranking it 14th in population among the 54 municipalities in...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, and others as Monadnock
Mount Monadnock
Mount Monadnock, or Grand Monadnock, is the most prominent New England mountain peak south of the White Mountains and east of the Massachusetts Berkshires, and is the highest point in Cheshire County, New Hampshire...
Number 7. It was known locally as Limerick before being incorporated as Stoddard in 1774, in honor of Colonel Stoddard.
Colonel Stoddard was appointed to survey southwestern New Hampshire by the colonial government, receiving several land grants for the service. One of his surveying assistants was Benjamin Pierce
Benjamin Pierce (governor)
Benjamin Pierce was an American Democratic-Republican politician. He served as Governor of New Hampshire from 1827 to 1828 and from 1829 to 1830.-Biography:...
, father of U.S. President Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
. Colonel Stoddard never lived in the town of Stoddard.
The town was first settled in 1768 by John and Martha Taggart, immigrants from Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Three years later, the Richardson family joined the Taggarts in Stoddard. By 1774, the town had 24 residents.
The first census taken in Stoddard, in 1790, reported 701 residents. The town's first schoolhouses were built in 1792. The first post office was established in 1822; Isaac Duncan was the first Postmaster.
In 1800, Stoddard's 1,148 residents outnumbered those of the nearby county seat of Keene
Keene
- Places :In Canada* Keene, Ontario, a small community in Ontario, CanadaIn the United States:* Keene, California, a census-designated place in Kern County* Keene, New Hampshire, county seat of Cheshire County* Keene, New York, a town in Essex County...
. During Stoddard's glass-manufacturing years, 800 people were employed by the industry. After the Stoddard glass industry ended in the early 1870s, the town's population declined; by 1960, the census recorded 146 residents. , the town had 1,232 residents.
Stoddard glass
Between 1840 and 1873, Stoddard was a center of glassGlass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
manufacturing, home to four glass factories whose products are prized by collectors today. The town's abundant forests fed the industry's need for the 1200 °F (648.9 °C) temperatures necessary to melt sand into glass. Stoddard also had plenty of clear, fine sand. The sand's trace minerals gave Stoddard glass its unique hues: manganese
Manganese
Manganese is a chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. It has the atomic number 25. It is found as a free element in nature , and in many minerals...
produced the olive green and amber colors most closely associated with Stoddard glass, and oxide
Oxide
An oxide is a chemical compound that contains at least one oxygen atom in its chemical formula. Metal oxides typically contain an anion of oxygen in the oxidation state of −2....
of gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
created a red-amber glass.
The glass houses were located in two settlements within Stoddard: Joseph Foster's and the South Stoddard Glass Company were located in South Stoddard, which was located near the present-day intersection of state Routes 9 and 123. The Granite Glass Company and the New Granite Glass Works were located in Mill Village, near the present town center.
Among the wide variety of glass pieces turned out by the glass houses were Masonic
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
flasks, containers for liquor and patent medicines, and bottles for mineral water
Mineral water
Mineral water is water containing minerals or other dissolved substances that alter its taste or give it therapeutic value, generally obtained from a naturally occurring mineral spring or source. Dissolved substances in the water may include various salts and sulfur compounds...
bottled in Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
. However, the fame of Stoddard glass does not come primarily from these commercial items, but from the "off-blown" pieces made by glassblowers
Glassblowing
Glassblowing is a glassforming technique that involves inflating molten glass into a bubble, or parison, with the aid of a blowpipe, or blow tube...
at the end of the workday using leftover glass. These items, sometimes called "whimseys", could be anything desired by the glassblower, and were the property of the glassblower.
Several factors led to the demise of Stoddard's glass industry in the early 1870s. Other manufacturers had mastered the chemistry needed to create clear glass in quantity; gas and coal were now viable fuels for glassworks, eliminating the need for nearby forests; and improvements in mechanical manufacturing techniques made hand-blown glass economically unviable. The silica in Stoddard's sand prevented its use in making clear glass, which was in high demand after it became viable for bottles and glassware following the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 53 square miles (137.3 km²), of which 50.9 sq mi (131.8 km²) is land and 2.1 sq mi (5.4 km²) is water, comprising 4.02% of the town. The western portion of the town is drained by tributaries of the Ashuelot River
Ashuelot River
The Ashuelot River is a tributary of the Connecticut River, approximately long, in southwestern New Hampshire in the United States. It drains a mountainous area of , including much of the area known as the Monadnock Region...
, which flows to the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
. The central and eastern portions of town drain to the North Branch
North Branch Contoocook River
The North Branch of the Contoocook River is a river located in southwestern New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Contoocook River, part of the Merrimack River watershed....
of the Contoocook River
Contoocook River
The Contoocook River is a river in New Hampshire. It flows from Pool Pond and Contoocook Lake on the Jaffrey/Rindge border to Penacook , where it empties into the Merrimack River. It is one of only a few rivers in New Hampshire that flow in a predominantly northward direction...
and eventually to the Merrimack River
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
. Major water bodies in the town include Highland Lake
Highland Lake (Stoddard, New Hampshire)
Highland Lake is a water body located in Sullivan and Cheshire counties in southwestern New Hampshire, United States, in the towns of Washington and Stoddard. The lake has two outlets. The north outlet feeds Shedd Brook, while the south outlet flows through Island Pond to the North Branch of the...
and Island Pond
Island Pond (Stoddard, New Hampshire)
Island Pond is a water body located in Cheshire County in southwestern New Hampshire, United States, in the town of Stoddard....
.
The Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway
Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway
The Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway is a hiking trail that traverses the highlands of southern New Hampshire from Mount Monadnock in Jaffrey to Mount Sunapee in Newbury...
passes through the western side of the town (near Center Pond) and continues onward toward the highest point in Stoddard, the summit of Pitcher Mountain
Pitcher Mountain
Pitcher Mountain is a 2,153 feet monadnock located in southwest New Hampshire. The mountain is traversed by the 50 mile Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway and offers 360 degree views from its open summit. Lower elevations are wooded with species of the northern hardwood forest type; small stands of...
(at 2162 feet (659 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
).
The town is crossed by New Hampshire Route 9 from northeast to southwest, and by New Hampshire Route 123
New Hampshire Route 123
New Hampshire Route 123 is a long secondary north–south state highway in southwestern New Hampshire. The southern terminus of the route is at the Massachusetts state line in Mason where, as Valley Road, the road continues as an unnumbered local road in the town of Townsend...
, which passes through the town center, from southeast to northwest.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 928 people, 400 households, and 268 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 18.2 people per square mile (7.0/km²). There were 939 housing units at an average density of 18.5 per square mile (7.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.88% White, 0.32% African American, 1.29% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.54% of the population.
There were 400 households out of which 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.76.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.2% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 104.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $37,639, and the median income for a family was $48,125. Males had a median income of $31,343 versus $25,227 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $19,617. About 5.3% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Residents of Stoddard attending public high and middle schools go to Keene High SchoolKeene High School
Keene High School is a public high school located in Keene, New Hampshire. It serves the city of Keene and the surrounding towns of Chesterfield, Harrisville, Marlborough, Marlow, Nelson, Westmoreland and Winchester....
and Keene Middle School, respectively, in Keene. Public elementary school students attend James M. Faulkner Elementary School in Stoddard.