History of Antrim, New Hampshire, USA

1741 - Antrim settled

wikipedia.org

1777 - Antrim incorporated as a town

wikipedia.org

May 19, 1780 - "Dark Day" in Antrim
"For several days previous the air was full of smoky vapors, as if fires had been burning in the woods, the sun and moon appearing red and somewhat obscured. The early morning of May 19 was cloudy and showery and cool, with some thunder and lightning. But about ten o'clock, when the artisans were busy in the shop and mill, the women spinning and weaving, and the farmers hurrying with their spring work in the field, it began to grow dark. The wild birds screamed and flew to their nests, — the hens went to their roosts, — the cattle came up, uttering strange cries, to their stalls, — the sheep, bleating woefully, huddled under the fences, — the buds and small leaves on the trees were colored almost to an indigo blue, — robins and blue-birds flew into the houses as if they sought the protection of man, — the rain that soon followed was full of a substance like burnt vegetable matter, forming a scum, with smell of soot, over everything, collecting on the Merrimack river here and there to... Read MORE...

1785 - Meeting house was built in Antrim.
The building was raised June 28, 1785. The first town meeting held in the meeting-house was Sept. 15, 1785, though it was only a frame partly covered.

History of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire... by W. R. Cochrane, 1880

1794 - Terrible frost in Antrim
"1794 May 18th' A Remarkable Hard frost on Saturday the 17' wass a very heavy gale of wind, from the norwest, and extreme Cold. On the morning of the Eighteenth, the water in tubs wass froze, one inch thick, and watter Emptied out of a tar kittle, on the ground, Condeuced into ice, as fasst as it Struck the ground ; and the wheat, Barley, oats, and flax, wass intirely Cut off ; and Rye in general wass very much damaged, and in many plaisse totaly Cut off."
History of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire... by W. R. Cochrane, 1880

Antrim - The year 1800 is memorable for the terrible scourge of dysentery that swept a great number of children into the grave.

History of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire... by W. R. Cochrane, 1880

1804 - Antrim - October snowstorm
"A remarkable snow-storm came Oct. 7, 1804, covering the ground, in this town, more than a foot deep with snow."
History of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire... by W. R. Cochrane, 1880

1812 - Spotted fever came to Antrim
"There were two hundred cases and forty deaths, in two months."
History of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire... by W. R. Cochrane, 1880

1816 - Antrim "Poverty Year" or "Mackerel Year"
"The year 1816 used to be called by old people " Poverty Year," and sometimes " Mackerel Year." It was a cold, frosty season so that corn would not ripen, and farmers had little to fatten stock with, and hence were compelled to live largely on fish, there being then no great storehouse of corn in the West."
History of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire... by W. R. Cochrane, 1880

1826 - "Grasshopper Year" in Antrim
"The year 1826 is spoken of by the old people as "Grasshopper Year." The summer was one of great and long-continued drought, and by August the grasshoppers were in hosts and almost covered the pastures, sweeping them clean of verdure. Hay-crop was at least half cut off. The fields looked brown and dead as November. I have heard some of the older farmers tell how they drove the grasshoppers in between the rows of potatoes or corn, and then scooped them up by the bushel to feed to their hogs!"
History of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire... by W. R. Cochrane, 1880

"Oct. 25, 1827, seventeen persons in the east part of the town (of Antrim) were formed into a Congregational church."

History of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire... by W. R. Cochrane, 1880

1830 - Antrim - Industry first arrived about 1830 in the villages of Clinton and North Branch. More than 20 mills lined Great Brook from Gregg Lake to the Contoocook River taking advantage of the water created by the large drop in elevation.

http://www.antrimnh.org/

1839 - Antrim
Antrim, New Hampshire
Hillsborough county. It is 20 miles N.W. from Amherst, 30 S.W. from Concord, and 67 from Boston. The E. part of Antrim lies on Contoocook river, and though somewhat hilly, is a tract of productive land, a considerable proportion of which is arable. On the river there are valuable tracts of alluvial land. The North Branch river, so called, a small stream originating from several ponds in Stoddard, furnishes several valuable mill seats and in some parts of its course it is bordered by tracts of intervale. The W. part of the town is mountainous, but suitable for grass, and affords an extensive range of good pasturage. There are six natural ponds well stored with perch and pike. A curiosity has been discovered in the middle branch of Contoocook river, a rock, about 10 feet long and 8 feet wide, covered with a shallow coat of moss, affording sustenance to 21 different kinds of plants and shrubs, three of which produce edible fruit. Antrim was incorporated March 22,... Read MORE...

1854 - Antrim
Antrim, a post-township of Hillsborough county, New Hampshire, 25 miles S. W. from Concord, on the E. side of Contoocook river. Land hilly and productive. This township has a number of valuable mill-scats, also several ponds well stored with fish. Population, 1148.
A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

1860 - Antrim - Cattle Disease
"In the year 1860, the famous cattle-disease broke out, called pleuro-pneumonia."
History of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire... by W. R. Cochrane, 1880

JUNE 27, 1877 - Antrim held a huge Centennial Celebration

History of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire... by W. R. Cochrane, 1880

1895 - Antrim
Antrim, a post-township of Hillsborough co., N.H., on the Contoocook River, about 27 miles W.S.W. of Concord. It has 3 churches and manufactures of table-cutlery, seed sowers, sewing-silk, bedsteads, &c. Pop. 904.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott

1895 - Antrim
Antrim , a post - township of Hillsborough co., N.H., on the Contoocook River, about 27 miles W.S.W. of Concord. It has 3 churches and manufactures of table-cutlery, seed-sowers, sewing-silk, bedsteads, & c. Pop. 904.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott

Here are some of the best places to go and things to do in and around Antrim:
Gregg Lake:
Gregg Lake is one of the highlights of Antrim, offering beautiful scenery and recreational opportunities. You can go swimming, fishing, kayaking, or just relax by the water's edge. There's a public beach and a boat launch area, making it a popular spot for both locals and visitors during the summer months.

Antrim Town Beach:
This small but lovely beach on Gregg Lake is a great place to soak up some sun, have a picnic, or take a refreshing swim. It's especially popular with families looking for a safe and enjoyable place for their kids to play in the water.

Hiking and Outdoor Exploration:
Antrim and its surrounding areas offer excellent opportunities for hiking and exploring the great outdoors. One popular hiking destination is the Windblown Cross-Country Ski Area, which offers hiking trails in the summer. The nearby Wapack Trail and North Pack Monadnock Mountain provide more challenging hikes with rewarding views.

Antrim Historical Society:
If you're... Read MORE...