The Outdoors
People come from all over the world to enjoy New Hampshire's White Mountains, picturesque seashore, and our numerous lakes and rivers.Londonderry has tennis courts, several playgrounds, athletic fields and sports teams for all ages. There are 27 public and private golf courses in the area. The town also has an extensive conservation area with hiking trails.Contact the Londonderry Recreation Department at 603-437-2675.
Culture
When you live in Londonderry, you are less than an hour from all the outdoor adventures that New Hampshire has to offer, plus Londonderry is only a few minutes from the cities of Manchester and Nashua, and forty minutes from Boston. Londonderry is a community of 23,236 people (35% under the age of 19) located in the south-central part of the state. The towns land covers approximately 47 square miles, with an industrial base and the state's major airport terminal (Manchester Airport Authority) located in the northernmost section. A once heavily rural area, the town has been transformed over the past twenty-five years into a closely knit, suburban community committed to its children and its education. The town still retains its rural charm, highlighted by the sprawling apple orchards that dominate the landscape here. The area's cultural opportunities include fine dining, major symphonies, shopping and world-class museums.
Londonderry's Rural Lifestyle
In the midst of all this activity, Londonderry offers a quiet rural lifestyle firmly rooted in our agricultural past. Since the time of the American Revolution, Londonderry has been famous for its apples, and it still supports five active orchards? These farms offer pick your own apples, petting zoos, and other activities that have made Londonderry a stop on many tourist itineraries.
Town Services and Safety
This rural lifestyle is supported with excellent town services, including one of the better school systems in the state, a brand new 45,000 volume library. A highly professional fire and police department that has made Londonderry one of the safest towns in New Hampshire. New Hampshire itself has the second lowest crime rate in the United States.
The School System
Londonderry has approximately 5400 students housed in six schools: Four elementary schools for children in grades P-5, one junior high for students in grades 6-8, and one comprehensive high school for students in grades 9-12. In addition, there are 2 private schools in town. Londonderry boasts a high school graduation rate of 97%, with approximately 75% of the graduates continuing their formal education after school. Students are encouraged to "realize their potential as informed citizens who think critically and creatively to solve problems, make decisions, communicate clearly, respect individual rights, assume responsibilities and appreciate that learning is a life-long process."
Preserving the Quality of Life
Londonderry's citizens recently approved a comprehensive Sustainable Growth Initiative that will insure that Londonderry will have the right kind and amount of growth to maintain its enviable lifestyle well into the future.
History
The history of the town of Londonderry dates from 1718, when a group of Irish immigrants visited the area then called Nutfield and decided it would be a good site for a community. Four years later, in June 1722, the Nutfield area was incorporated as a township and renamed Londonderry after the city in Ireland from which most of the settlers had come. The original Londonderry Township was later divided into the towns of Derry, Londonderry, Windham and parts of Manchester, Salem and Hudson.
Londonderry has had a rich history with many famous sons including: Revolutionary War Hero General John Stark, signer of the Declaration of Independence, Matthew Thornton, poet Robert Frost, and the first American in space, Alan B. Shepard.
One of Londonderry's more recent sons, Edward Carr, created an extensive online Londonderry history project while a student at the University of Virginia. This site is well worth a visit. The Morrison House Museum on Pillsbury Road is the town historical museum. Call Junie Vickers 603-432-1100 ext. 170 for museum information and hours. The State of New Hampshire also has an excellent Museum of New Hampshire History in Concord, a half hour from Londonderry.
Housing
Londonderry offers a variety of housing options from condominiums, to apartments, to single family homes. Single family homes are by far the dominant type of housing in town. Nearly all of Londonderry's houses are less than fifty years old with the majority of the houses being built in the last twenty years.
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