Francestown, New Hampshire
Tucked away in the quiet, rolling hills of southern NH sits the tiny village of Francestown. With a population of only 1600 people, Francestown has one of the smallest populations of any town in the state. Francestown residents are very proud of their town’s small size and strive to maintain the old New England style and character that so many New Hampshire towns are famous for.
Originating from a parcel of land granted to early settlers in the area, Francestown was officially incorporated in 1772 and given its name in honor of then-colonial governor John Wentworth’s wife, Frances Deering Wentworth. Mining soapstone was one of the few industries supported in Francestown due to lack of waterpower. Francestown’s location was directly on an old northwest/southeast route called The Second New Hampshire Turnpike and the town used this happy circumstance to collect tolls of one cent per mile from the wagons and coaches passing through. Farming was another way the Francestown residents supported themselves until, as it often does, the soiled played out and the farms could no longer produce. The town’s population dropped in the early 1900’s and remained exceptionally low until the automobile began to make its way into everyone’s garage. Once city dwellers could commute to work, they started leaving the larger cities in the state to find small, quiet towns in which they could raise their families. Bedroom communities sprang up all over the southern part of New Hampshire and continue to provide young families safe places to live and strong family values. Francestown is such a place.
Keeping busy in Francestown is easy if you enjoy the outdoors. Swimming, hiking, tennis, skiing, boating, hunting, fishing – Francestown has it all. If you’re looking for malls with sprawling parking lots or buildings over three stories tall, you’re in the wrong place. Francestown is convenient to Manchester and Nashua, both offering all the trappings of the big city. The White Mountains, Lake Winnipesaukee, the NH seacoast – all inside about an hour when you live in Francestown.
Francestown, NH is part of the Contoocook Valley Cooperative SAU#1, along with Antrim, Dublin, Greenfield, Hancock, Peterborough, Sharon and Temple. Francestown operates its own elementary school, the Francestown Elementary School, serving grades kindergarten through four. Student in grades five through eight attend the Great Brook Middle School in Antrim and grades nine through twelve attend the Contoocook Valley Regional Regional High School in Peterborough. There are currently no plans to develop a middle or high school in Francestown.
Want to live in a town that’s removed from the daily grind? A town that’s perfect for raising children in? Francestown is only one of many towns in southern NH that fits the bill; many more are available. For more information on living in and buying property in New Hampshire, pick up the phone and call Jim Miller Bean Group at (603) 801-3987 right now. We’re ready to answer your questions and find you the perfect home in the perfect town – it’s what we do. Call today and start living the dream tomorrow.
Francestown Elementary School (k-4)
(603) 547-2976
Great Brook Middle School (5-8)
(603) 588-6630
Contoocook Valley Regional Regional High School (9-12)
(603) 924-3869
