Nottingham dates to 1722, and 2 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 65% of U.S. towns · #93 of 126 in New Hampshire. What drives it
Most of Nottingham was built recently: 6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1992. Its Register listings are the Square Schoolhouse and the Dame School. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1917 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1796.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Nottingham’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Nottingham is more historic than 65% of U.S. towns, #93 of 126 in New Hampshire. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Nottingham’s overall grade.
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 Nottingham’s 3.7 sits below most of its state (32% of New Hampshire towns have fewer) while its 2 listings outnumber those of 60% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1722.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.1 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 Nottingham’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Incorporated in 1722 by Lieutenant Governor John Wentworth, Nottingham was named for Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham. The earl was a close friend of Samuel Shute and Joseph Dudley, previous colonial governors of New Hampshire. Among the grantees was Peregrine White, descendant of Peregrine White of the Mayflower, the first child of English parentage born in New England. At one time, the town had 17 watermills in operation.
The town was site of a massacre in September 1747, when Elizabeth Simpson, Robert Beard and Nathaniel Folsom were slain by Indians of the Winnipesaukee tribe.
Nottingham once included Deerfield, incorporated in 1766, and Northwood, in 1773.
We the subscribers being a committee chosen by the Town of Nottingham West on the 29 day of March, 17!)0, to agree with the proprietors of the North meeting house in said Town. We have proceeded accordingly and agreed, that said Town of Nottingham West give good security to the said proprietors of seventy pounds lawful money, to be paid in one year from the date hereof.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Nottingham West and Families In answer to the request of a majority of the inhabitants of Nottingham as expressed by vote at the District Meeting, March 10, 1746, the General Court of New Hampshire, July 5, 1746, incorporated the town of Nottingham West, there being already a Nottingham in the east part of the State.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of the town of Candia, Rockingham County, N.H.1893Read the page →
Read the text
sembly that there be and thereby is a new parish erected and incorporated in the town of Chester by the following boundaries, viz. : Beginning at the northeast corner of said parish on the line of the township of Nottingham at a hemlock tree at the head of the old Hundred acre lots, then runs south twenty-nine degrees west joining to said lots as they are entered on the proprietors records about four miles to a stake and stones, then west north west to a maple tree be-
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
Nottingham, 1722 to 2020
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
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.
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.
In 1722, according to Wikidata. Nottingham’s post office opened in 1796, and the first U.S. census counted 1,068 people here in 1790.
How does Nottingham rank for history?
Nottingham is more historic than 65% of U.S. towns, #93 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 Nottingham?
Two places: the Square Schoolhouse (listed 1980) and the Dame School (1980).
How old are the homes in Nottingham?
6% of Nottingham’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.1 points), against a typical 17% for a New Hampshire town; the median home was built in 1992.
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 (3), the Library of Congress (2), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), 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.
1908
2005
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