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Stanley TavernStanley Tavern · Photo: User:Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0
AHistory
History · Hopkinton

Hopkinton dates to 1735, and 34% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 94% of U.S. towns · #24 of 126 in New Hampshire. What drives it

6 places in town are on the National Register. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1927 on, and the census since 1790.

1735founded
6on the National Register
34%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
9famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Hopkinton’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Hopkinton began

When was Hopkinton founded?

1735

Hopkinton dates its founding to 1735 (Wikidata). It appears in the first U.S. census, 1790.

First census: 1,715 in 17902020 census: 5,914291 years

How historic is Hopkinton?

A

More historic than 94% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1810.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Hopkinton’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Hopkinton is more historic than 94% of U.S. towns, #24 of 126 in New Hampshire. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.

A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Hopkinton’s overall grade.
Founding era1735, from Wikidata: founded before 1776, an older era than 96% of U.S. townsA+Homes built before 194034.3% of homes (±7.2) · typical NH town 17.5% · U.S. 8.4%ANational Register6 listings, 9.9 per 10,000 residents · typical NH town 9.5 · U.S. 2.4B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 94%
NewerOlder
New Hampshire towns of 2,500+ (126)Ahead of 82%

New Hampshire towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New Hampshire town has 9.5 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Hopkinton’s 9.9 sits near the middle of its state (48% of New Hampshire towns have fewer) while its 6 listings outnumber those of 72% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1735.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.2 points).

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Hopkinton’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Shrank, then grewLost a third of its people between 1830 and 1920, then grew 4-fold.Lost villages3 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Hopkinton, and 4 old place names are still on the map.Older than the countryEstablished in 1735, 41 years before the Declaration of Independence.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Hopkinton’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Hopkinton’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewOld Cemetery: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
People over time

Hopkinton, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,0005,5006,0006,500180018501900195020002,474 in 1830Low: 1,438

Lost a third of its people between 1830 and 1920, then grew 4-fold.

24 censuses, 1790–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Hopkinton’s Wikipedia page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and burying grounds

Hopkinton had its own post office from 1810 to 1900. Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Hopkinton
1810–1900
Contocook Village
1844–1879
West Hopkinton
1857–1972
Contocook
1879–today
Blackwater
1899–1901
18101920today
Hamlets and corners on the map
ContoocookHatfield CornerTylerWest Hopkinton
5cemeteries and burying grounds inside Hopkinton
BlackwaterContoocook VillageNew Hopkinton VillageOld HopkintonPutney Hill

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

The story

How Hopkinton came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Hopkinton.

Read it all →

The town was granted by colonial Governor Jonathan Belcher in 1735 as "Number 5" to settlers from Hopkinton, Massachusetts, who renamed it "New Hopkinton". First settled in 1736, colonists were required to build homes, fence in their land, plant it with English grass, and provide a home for a minister, all within seven years. The community was incorporated in 1765 by Governor Benning Wentworth, predating the establishment of counties in the colonial province. Built in 1789, the Congregational Church has a Revere bell. The state legislature met in Hopkinton occasionally between 1798 and 1807. In 1808, the town competed for the coveted position of state capital, but was defeated by neighboring Concord. Since 1823, the town has been within Merrimack County.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Hopkinton in 1880

Passages that mention Hopkinton, cut from the printed page as they were published.

Benjamin Cressy, of this town, enlisted, July 27, 1779, for one year, for the town of Hopkinton. Samuel Walden and Adam Nichols, both of this town, enlisted, July 20, 1779, for one year, for the town of Deering.
History of the town of Henniker, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, from the date of the Canada grant by the province of Massachusetts, in 1735, to 18801880 · page 190Read the page →
Read the text

Benjamin Cressy, of this town, enlisted, July 27, 1779, for one year, for the town of Hopkinton. Samuel Walden and Adam Nichols, both of this town, enlisted, July 20, 1779, for one year, for the town of Deering.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
12 GENEALOGY KILBURN. 635 Jonathan Kezer, md., June 6, 1793, Mehitable Clough, of Hopkinton, and resided in the east part of the town, near the " Page place," westerly from the covered bridge, now on the road leading to Hopkinton.
History of the town of Henniker, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, from the date of the Canada grant by the province of Massachusetts, in 1735, to 18801880 · page 635Read the page →
Read the text

12 GENEALOGY KILBURN. 635 Jonathan Kezer, md., June 6, 1793, Mehitable Clough, of Hopkinton, and resided in the east part of the town, near the " Page place," westerly from the covered bridge, now on the road leading to Hopkinton.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Timeline

Hopkinton, 1735 to 2020

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 18th century
  2. 1735
    FoundingHopkinton is established
  3. 1784Born hereStephen Harriman Long is born here
  4. 19th century
  5. 1810Post officeThe Hopkinton post office opens
  6. 1825Born hereAlvan Flanders is born here
  7. 1830Born hereMary Greenleaf Clement Leavitt is born here
  8. 1844Post officeThe Contocook Village post office opens
  9. 1849BuiltHopkinton Railroad Covered Bridge is built
  10. 1857Post officeThe West Hopkinton post office opens
  11. 1879Post officeThe Contocook Village post office closes
  12. 20th century
  13. 1900Post officeThe Hopkinton post office closes
  14. 1901In the archiveOld Cemetery
  15. 1927On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  16. 1972Post officeThe West Hopkinton post office closes
  17. 1974Born hereTina Satter is born here
  18. 21st century
  19. 2020CensusPopulation peaks at 5,914
By decade

Hopkinton, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1900s1 item
Old Cemetery1901Old Cemetery
1910s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today23 recent
View of the Hopkinton-Everett Reservoir from the Hopkinton Dam, near Hopkinton, New Hampshire. Nearly 20 miles of hikin…2017View of the Hopkinton-Everett Reservoir from the Hopk…Handsome horse on a farm near Hopkinton, New Hampshire2017Handsome horse on a farm near Hopkinton, New HampshireScene at the old Hopkinton Cemetery, which began operations in 17652017Scene at the old Hopkinton Cemetery, which began oper…Scene at the old Hopkinton Cemetery, which began operations in 17652017Scene at the old Hopkinton Cemetery, which began oper…Scene at the old Hopkinton Cemetery, which began operations in 17652017Scene at the old Hopkinton Cemetery, which began oper…A 1940 Ford automobile crosses the Hopkinton Dam, near Hopkinton, New Hampshire2017A 1940 Ford automobile crosses the Hopkinton Dam, nea…Historic home2017Historic homeTown hall2017Town hallBarn near Hopkinton, New Hampshire2017Barn near Hopkinton, New HampshireBarn near Hopkinton, New Hampshire2017Barn near Hopkinton, New HampshireHopkinton High School NH front2017Hopkinton High School NH frontHopkinton High School NH front entrance2017Hopkinton High School NH front entranceWildland Firefighter2016Wildland FirefighterKimball Pond2016Kimball PondHopkintonFairNH September 20162016HopkintonFairNH September 2016HopkintonNH WilliamHLongMemorial2012HopkintonNH WilliamHLongMemorialHopkintonNH StevensTavern2012HopkintonNH StevensTavernHopkinton, New Hampshire2011Hopkinton, New HampshireHopkinton, New Hampshire2011Hopkinton, New HampshireHopkinton, New Hampshire2011Hopkinton, New HampshireHopkinton, New Hampshire2011Hopkinton, New HampshireMBC Retreat Center2010MBC Retreat CenterKayakers approaching dock on Lower Kimball Lake2009Kayakers approaching dock on Lower Kimball Lake
On the map

Hopkinton on the map, 1927 to 1995

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Hopkinton. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Hopkinton on the 1927 USGS mapHopkinton on the 1949 USGS mapHopkinton on the 1967 USGS mapHopkinton on the 1995 USGS map1927Concord sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Hopkinton.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Old Cemetery
Retake this viewOld Cemetery, 1901

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Hopkinton’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

6 historic places in Hopkinton

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
6
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
6
each building in a district counts
first listed
1976
Rowell's Covered Bridge
Rowell's Covered BridgeLong, William H., MemorialHopkinton Railroad Covered Bridge, built 1849Howe-Quimby HouseStanley TavernContoocook Railroad Depot
BuildingsStructures

Architectural styles listings

Georgian2
Long Patent Truss1
Federal Revival1
Town-Pratt Lattice Truss1
Colonial1
Greek Revival1
Rowell's Covered BridgeLong Patent Truss
Long, William H., MemorialFederal Revival
Hopkinton Railroad Covered BridgeTown-Pratt Lattice Truss · Built 1849
Howe-Quimby HouseGeorgian
Stanley TavernColonial
Contoocook Railroad DepotGreek Revival

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Famous people

9 famous people were born in Hopkinton

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Stephen Harriman LongAmerican explorer · b. 1784
Alvan FlandersAmerican politician · b. 1825
Mary Greenleaf Clement LeavittAmerican missionary, activist · b. 1830
Tina SatterAmerican dramatist · b. 1974
John S.C. KnowltonAmerican politician · b. 1798
D
David LuneauAmerican politician · b. 1965
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Concord30 historic placesA+BowIts storyB−Henniker2 historic placesAWarner4 historic placesA+Webster2 historic placesB−DunbartonIts storyBWeare4 historic placesA−

Questions about Hopkinton’s history

What year was Hopkinton founded?

In 1735, according to Wikidata. Hopkinton’s post office opened in 1810, and the first U.S. census counted 1,715 people here in 1790.

How does Hopkinton rank for history?

Hopkinton is more historic than 94% of U.S. towns, #24 of 126 in New Hampshire. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Hopkinton?

6 listings: 4 buildings and 2 structures.

How old are the homes in Hopkinton?

34% of Hopkinton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.2 points), against a typical 17% for a New Hampshire town; the median home was built in 1968.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (14), the Library of Congress (10), the National Register of Historic Places (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.