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largest body of water is Lyon’s
Pond, about one mile in length,
and two thirds of a mile in width.
Minerals. Plumbago of a good
quality is found. It occurs in nar-
row veins, which have been
wrought to some extent.
Villages. There are four pleas-
ant villages, the most important
of which is called Hillsborough
Bridge. At this village is the
terminus of the Contoocook Valley
Railroad, which has caused a large
increase of business in almost
every branch of industry com-
mon to a thriving New-England
village. Here are two churches,
two school-houses, a bank, ten or
fifteen stores of various kinds, one
hotel, two hose, drawers and shirt
manufactories, a bedstead and
shovel handle manufactory, be-
sides many other mechanical shops
too numerous to mention. For a
busy, lively village, “ Hillsborough
Bridge” is not excelled by any vil-
lage of its size in New-Hampshire.
No man in this village is consider-
ed a peer with his neighbor unless
he labors.
At the Centre Village there are
two churches, several stores, of-
fices, and several manufactories.
Employments. Agriculture is
the principal employment of the
inhabitants, but there is consider-
able manufacturing carried on.
Over $ 60,000 worth of leather is
annually tanned; $ 60,000 worth of
Gent’s, hose, shirts and drawers
are made; over 5,000 bedsteads,
25 tons of castings, 5,000 barrels of
flour, and 50,000 bushels of meal
are annually produced; besides
lumber, shovel handles, and vari-
ous other manufactures. The
whole manufactured products an-
nually amount to over $ 350,000. |
Resources. Productions of the
soil, $ 133,496; mechanical labor,
$38,100; stocks and bonds, $13,
760; money at interest, $28,235;
deposits in savings banks, $91,659;
stock in trade, $64,200; from sum-
mer tourists, $6,000; professional
business, $ 30,000.
Churches and Schools. At Hills-
borough Bridge: Congregational,
Rev. Jolm Bragdon, pastor; Meth-
odist, Elder L. IV. Prescott, pas-
tor. At Hillsborough Centre:
Methodist, Elder S. S. Dudley,
pastor; Congregational, Rev. John
Adams, pastor. There are eight-
een school districts and seventeen
schools in town; average length
of schools for the year, eighteen
weeks.
Hotels. “ Valley House” at the
Bridge, and “ St. Charles” at the
Lower Village.
Banks, First National Bank.
A Savings Bank has been char-
tered.
Newspaper. Hillsborough Bridge
Messenger, Sargent & Whitte-
more, Editors and Proprietor's.
First Settlers. Hillsborough
was known, originally, as “ Num-
ber Seven.” The first settlement
was made in 1741, by James Me-
Calley, Samuel Gibson, Robert
McClure, James Lyon, and others.
The wife of James McCalley was
the only woman in town during
the first year of the settlement.
By reason of the Indian war, the
settlement was abandoned in 1744,
and was not resumed until near
1755. In the mean time Col. John
Hill of Boston, received a grant of
the town from the Masonian pro-
prietors, and from Col. Hill it de-
rived its present name. The first
children born were John McCal-
ley and Mary Gibson, who inter- |
