THE EARLY HISTORY OF ATKINSON
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THE EARLY HISTORY OF ATKINSON
Before 1642 - Pentucket Territory
Until 1642, the Haverhill, Massachusetts, area, called “Pentuckett,” was Native American territory. The Pentucket were part of the Pawtucket tribal area under the umbrella of the Pennacook confederacy. In a land purchase, transacted on November 15, 1642, the Pentucket sold the Haverhill tract, including what would become Atkinson, to an English company of settlers.
1727 - Settlement
Three men are credited with settling the North Parish of Haverhill in 1727: James Dow and Jonathan Page of Haverhill and Benjamin Richards of Rochester, New Hampshire. Abel Merrill gets a nod in Atkinson Then and Now as the fourth settler. This area would become Atkinson when the township was granted.
1767 - Incorporated
The town of Atkinson was incorporated in 1767 and was named for Colonel Theodore Atkinson, a lawyer and Secretary of the Province of New Hampshire Colony prior to the Revolution. He and Benning Wentworth, the first Royal Governor of New Hampshire, were brothers-in-law. Although the Colonel never lived in Atkinson, he owned a large tract of land in the western part of the town known as “Providence Hill.”
NOTABLE HISTORIC LANDMARKS
NOTABLE HISTORIC LANDMARKS
The following is a sampling of Atkinson’s notable historic landmarks:
Atkinson Academy
17 Academy Ave.
Founded in 1787, Atkinson Academy gained the distinction of being the second co-educational school in the United States. The first Academy burned in 1802. In 1803, it was rebuilt on Academy Avenue, where it stands today and is now the first standing co-educational school in the U.S. Atkinson Academy serves as Atkinson’s elementary school, part of the Timberlane Regional School District.
Atkinson Cemetery
Main Street
Atkinson Cemetery was laid out in 1773 and today is referred to as “Old Atkinson Cemetery.” Many of Atkinson’s earliest residents are laid to rest there. Additional cemetery land was donated to the town in 1907 by Reverend Joseph Kimball of Haverhill. This section is referred to as “New Atkinson Cemetery.”
Center School
13 Academy Ave.
The Center School (1879-1949) is the town’s last remaining one-room schoolhouse and is currently being restored to its original design by the Atkinson Historical Society. The Center School building later served as Atkinson’s first town-owned police station (1978-1994). In 1994, the police department moved to the Rockwell School building, with the Center School then housing Family Mediation & Juvenile Services until 2019.
Kimball House Museum
3 Academy Ave.
The Kimball House Museum today is home of the Atkinson Historical Society. Built during the 1770s/1780s, the structure was a private residence for 130+ years, known as the “Parson Peabody House” during that time period. In 1907, Reverend Joseph Kimball purchased the home and donated it to Atkinson for use as a library. In 1958, AHS was granted the use of one room in the house, expanding in time as the library outgrew the space. The house served as the town’s library until 1975, when an annex was built. The children’s room remained in the house until the new Kimball Library was built next door in 2008.
Rockwell School
27 Academy Ave.
Currently the Atkinson Police Department, the structure was originally the Universalist Church (1842 – 1942). The building then became the Rockwell School (1949 - 1962), serving Atkinson’s elementary schoolchildren. The school was named after the Rockwell brothers, Leslie and Richard, who gave their lives for their country during World War II. In 1994, the Atkinson Police Department moved from the Center School building to the Rockwell School building.
Town Pound
Main St. and Stone Pound Rd.
The Town Pound was built circa 1787. This walled stone enclosure is an example of how early New England towns confined trespassing or stray animals. Wandering animals could wreak havoc on the townspeople’s property and livestock.
AHS’s in-depth history, Atkinson Then & Now, chronicles the town’s rich history, beginning with the year 1642
and moving forward through the centuries.
Atkinson Then & Now, Second Edition, published in 1999, is available for purchase.
ATKINSON GRANGE, PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY NO. 143
ATKINSON GRANGE, PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY NO. 143
1889 - 1986
Atkinson Grange, Patrons of Husbandry No. 143
Atkinson Grange, Patrons of Husbandry No. 143
Atkinson Grange, Patrons of Husbandry No. 143, was organized November 29, 1889, with 21 charter members. Herman Noyes server as the first Master. "Atkinson" was selected by ballot as the name of the Grange. The Grange continued to meet in the Academy Hall, which was in need of renovation. In September of 1912, Herbert Poor offered a building lot on Bassett land east of the Academy and diagonally across from the Center School as the site for a Grange Hall.
When the Grange Hall was torn down in 1986, many items were recovered including the main curtain for the stage. There are also a number of current Atkinson residents who were former members who have donated items for the display.
Grange Hall
Grange Hall
The hall was officially opened on February 12, 1913. At the time of its construction the hall was considered one of the finest Grange halls in New Hampshire and was valued at $6,000 with a debt of only $3,000. A home talent drama, "Silar the Choir Boy," was presented and raised about $150. Some of this money was spent for stage scenery, including the front drop with its painting of Menagerie Rocks at Island Pond. This front drop painting will soon be displayed at the Kimball House.
Grange Dramatic Moments
Grange Dramatic Moments
The Grange is more than a building and a slate of officers. It has had its dramatic moments. One such event occurred in the mid-thirties, when George White, Sr. was Pomona Master. The meeting began at 3:00 in the afternoon, there was a break for supper downstairs, and the meeting resumed afterward. It had been snowing all day, and while there was no accumulation at suppertime, it became a nor'easter. When the meeting closed at 10:30 p.m., people were dismayed to find their cars frozen under drifts. No one could get out. Three children were put to bed on the pool table, but everyone else settled down for a friendly night of talking and singing.
Atkinson Grange, Patrons of Husbandry No. 143 Booklet (A Pictural History)
by Eleanor Zaremba
©2017
Atkinson Grange, Patrons of Husbandry No. 143 Booklet (A Pictural History)
by Eleanor Zaremba
©2017
Many thanks to Eleanor Zaremba for her extensive research and effort in putting this booklet together on the Atkinson Grange (1889-1986).
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