Farmington Historical Society

Farmington Historical Society Keeping history alive for our town. The Society meets on the first Thursday of the Month. Our monthly programs are free and open to the public! H.

Annual dues are only $10 per year! The indigenous population called the area "Chemung," meaning "canoe place." When European settlers arrived in the 1770's, it was known as the Northwest Parish of Rochester. Distance and rough roads made it difficult for these first families to travel to the established church in Rochester, although they were taxed heavily for it. This age old problem of taxation

was the catalyst which caused the citizens to petition for a charter to incorporate a separate township of Farmington, and this was granted on December 1, 1798. The first town meeting was held on March 11, 1799, at the home of Simon Dame. The 141 voters present elected three selectmen: Idhabod Hayes, Lieutenant Ephraim Kimball and David Roberts. This form of government has been maintained, with the addition of a town administrator, to this day. Originally an agricultural settlement, the early homes were farms in the Merrill's Corner section, hence the town name. In the 1800s, the establishment of water-powered industries along the Cocheco, Ela and Mad Rivers caused a population shift with the present downtown area evolving near these rivers. The subsequent construction, in 1849, of a railroad through the mill area brought further prosperity and cemented the location of the town commercial center. In the early days this business area was referred to as "The Dock" or "Puddledock," a name which endures today on the masthead of the local newspaper, The Puddledock Press. Although Farmington began as an agricultural community, the principal industry to develop was shoe manufacturing. From its beginnings in 1836 when E. Badger built the first shoe shop on Spring Street, to its ending in 1991 when the last factory (the Alton Shoe Company) closed its doors, the shoe industry made the town's reputation and employed upwards of 2,000 people. It was as a cobbler that the most renowned native, Vice President Henry Wilson, got his start, journeying to the shoe capital of Natick, Massachusetts, in 1833 to learn his trade. Though difficult to envision today, the downtown area once contained several hotels, grocery stores and even a movie theater and bowling alley. Farmington has had its ups and downs like any other community, with prosperity checked by disasters and economic depressions. Through good and bad times, its generations of loyal residents remained strong and supportive of one another, with deep pride in the past accomplishments and optimism for the future.

08/13/2025

The 2025 Brigade Lecture Series presents “Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire” with Barbara Ward, staff member at The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire. The event will be held on Wednesday, August 20 at 2 p.m. The Brigade Lecture Series is produced by the Pierce Brigade and held May throug...

08/13/2025
Of Curator Update https://www.farmingtonnhhistory.org/2024/10/museum-of-farmingtonnh-history-curator.html History ...
10/04/2024

Of Curator Update https://www.farmingtonnhhistory.org/2024/10/museum-of-farmingtonnh-history-curator.html History is a cycle, like most things in the natural and man-made world. I've been the curator for the Farmington Historical Society and the Museum of Farmington History for almost a decade now and I have had a great time working in this position and advocating for the protection of the diverse collection of thousands of documents, photos, and artifacts that span many eras and disciplines...

History is a cycle, like most things in the natural and man-made world. I've been the curator for the Farmington Historical Society and...

Opera House Old Town Hall Goodwin Public We've had quite a few requests about the old opera house and the library. M...
06/18/2024

Opera House Old Town Hall Goodwin Public We've had quite a few requests about the old opera house and the library. Make sure to look at...

We've had quite a few requests about the old opera house and the library. Make sure to look at the new items we have in the online museum re...

The New Hampshire Historical Society is offering a lecture series: Planes, Trains, and AutomobilesThis five-lecture seri...
03/27/2024

The New Hampshire Historical Society is offering a lecture series: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

This five-lecture series covers three modes of transportation that shaped New Hampshire in the 19th and 20th centuries.

This five-lecture series covers three modes of transportation that shaped New Hampshire in the 19th and 20th centuries.

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Goodwin Library
Farmington, NH
03835

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The native Abenaki people called the area Chemung, meaning "canoe place" and used the three rivers—the Cocheco, the Ela, and the Mad—for transportation. When Europeans arrived in the 1770's, it was known as the Northwest Parish of Rochester. Distance and rough roads made it difficult for these first families to travel to the established church in Rochester, although they were taxed heavily for it. This age old problem of taxation was the catalyst which caused the citizens to petition for a charter to incorporate a separate township of Farmington, and this was granted on December 1, 1798. The first town meeting was held on March 11, 1799, at the home of Simon Dame. The 141 voters present elected three selectmen: Idhabod Hayes, Lieutenant Ephraim Kimball and David Roberts. This form of government has been maintained, with the addition of a town administrator, to this day. Originally an agricultural settlement, the early homes were farms in the Merrill's Corner section, hence the town name. In the 1800s, the establishment of water-powered industries along the Cocheco, Ela and Mad Rivers caused a population shift with the present downtown area evolving near these rivers. The subsequent construction, in 1849, of a railroad through the mill area brought further prosperity and cemented the location of the town commercial center. In the early days this business area was referred to as "The Dock" or "Puddledock," a name which endures today on the masthead of the local newspaper, The Puddledock Press. Although Farmington began as an agricultural community, the principal industry to develop was shoe manufacturing. From its beginnings in 1836 when E. H. Badger built the first shoe shop on Spring Street, to its ending in 1991 when the last factory (the Alton Shoe Company) closed its doors, the shoe industry made the town's reputation and employed upwards of 2,000 people. It was as a cobbler that the most renowned native, Vice President Henry Wilson, got his start, journeying to the shoe capital of Natick, Massachusetts, in 1833 to learn his trade. Though difficult to envision today, the downtown area once contained several hotels, grocery stores and even a movie theater and bowling alley. Farmington has had its ups and downs like any other community, with prosperity checked by disasters and economic depressions. Through good and bad times, its generations of loyal residents remained strong and supportive of one another, with deep pride in the past accomplishments and optimism for the future.