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The original grant of Chichester, dated May 20, 1727, gave the proprietors three years to build sixty dwelling houses and settle that number of families. In the years following the grant, Chichester was surveyed and divided and roads were built. The original Chichester was much larger than today, but in 1782 the General Court allowed the northern part of Chichester to become the Town of Pittsfield, due to a dispute over where to locate the center of Town.
Chichester remained relatively isolated until transportation improvements began affecting its growth. In the late 1700’s the Great Road from Concord to Portsmouth was completed allowing products such as lumber, granite, hay, grain, flax and wool, to move by horse and oxen to the seacoast. In 1803, the Middlesex Canal was completed, allowing products to move between Concord and Boston by water in four to five days.
Although small, Chichester generously contributed to the Civil War effort. Ninety-four men enlisted in response to President Lincoln’s call, of which fifty played active roles in the battles of Fredericksburg, Vicksburg, the Wilderness and Spotsylvania. Chichester also supplied grain, beef cattle and other supplies by ox cart to Hampton for the Continental Army, and gave thirty pounds (approximately $150) and twenty heifers to every soldier returning to Chichester after the War. Chichester’s generosity resulted in a large debt of $36,600; a debt not paid off until 1897.
The Town Library was established by the Legislature in 1798 as “The Social Library in Chichester.” Most likely, after its inception, the main library was located in a private home, as it is known that several branch libraries were located in private residences.
In 1869, the Suncook Valley Railroad was completed, after being delayed by the Civil War. The Railroad followed the Suncook River and served Chichester for about eighty years. Although the railroad sounded the death knell for the canals, it helped Chichester and the surrounding towns prosper, as mills and factories sprung up throughout the Suncook Valley, and wherever water power would turn a waterwheel. Along with the many new mills and factories, Chichester had at least four boarding houses for summer visitors, with an average room and board rate of $5.00 per week.
In the mid to late 1800’s Webster's Mills Road had two saw mills, a grist mill, a blacksmith shop, a brick kiln, a wheelwright's shop and a smelter for the silver ore that was mined nearby. On the River along Depot Road and Pittsfield Road were a grist mill, a saw mill, a blacksmith shop, and a carriage and sleigh builder's business large enough to occupy five buildings. Both Gilmanton Brook and Lynxfield Brook contained shingle mills. In 1872 at least ten people worked manufacturing boots and shoes with shoe stock sent to Chichester from Haverhill and Lynn, Massachusetts to be "bottomed." Twenty thousand pairs of shoes were bottomed in Chichester, valued at $21,000 and providing Chichester with an annual payroll of approximately $4,000.
Around the turn of the century, Chichester’s population decreased dramatically, as transportation improved and many citizens left to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Some followed the railroads into the developing west; some moved to larger cities. Many farms were abandoned and eventually sold for taxes. This was characteristic of so many communities in the State that in 1899, Governor Frank Rollins, instituted Old Home Week in an effort to draw former residents back to visit. Chichester joined the effort in 1901 and still celebrates Old Home Day annually in the third week of August. The focal point is the eagerly anticipated serving of Bean-Hole-Beans, which the Marden family has been preparing for Chichester for three generations.
The Depot Road Bridge, known locally as “Thunder Bridge,” was built in 1887 to replace other lower bridges that continually washed out. This bridge is a rare example of overhead truss construction. In 1912, Chichester recorded its first automobiles, as two automobiles were recorded with a combined value of $1050. In the following year, six were recorded, with a combined value of $2600.
In 1899, the Library was moved to the second floor of the Old Town Hall, which was formerly used by Chichester’s regiment of the New Hampshire Militia. In the last 104 years, the Library has expanded from a small room in the meeting house to now occupying the entire building.
Chichester’s population continued to decrease through the early part of the 1900’s, with only 15 men called to serve in World War I. In 1929, the population reached its lowest point since the Revolution – 509 people.
In 1927, electricity arrived in Chichester. Each family that wanted electricity paid $100 either in money, materials or labor, which included setting poles and installing electric lines. Roads continued to improve and automobiles brought the employment and shopping
opportunities of Concord and the surrounding towns ever closer.
Organized in 1936 with 33 charter members, the Chichester Fire Department remains a volunteer force today. The Department’s original vehicle was a second-hand Chevrolet truck chassis to which was added a fire truck body, tank and pump. The first fire station was a former stone shed used for making monuments. Due to crowded conditions, a new fire station was proposed in 1952, and in 1953 a new fire station was built on Main Street, costing the Town only $2,400 due to a large volunteer effort. In 1970, the station was increased in size to accommodate two additional trucks.
Forty-two men from Chichester served in World War II. After the war, Chichester’s population began to increase, several service stations opened and a number of new houses were built. In 1949, a new four-classroom central school was built on a 14-acre site on Main Street, replacing the old one-room district schools. Over the years, the school has expanded to meet capacity, including additions in 1961, 1965, 1967, 1988, 1997, and 2002.
A dial telephone system was installed in 1954 and a modern state-of-the-art phone switch put into service in 1989. Zoning was enacted in 1964. In the last fifty years, as roads have been improved and enlarged, Chichester’s population has continued to increase .
In 1980, The Grange Hall was deeded to the Town of Chichester. Nine years later, the Town offices were moved from the Chichester Library (which had been the Town Hall for nearly 150 years) to the basement of the Grange Hall. Subsequently, the Grange Hall has become the Town meeting place and voting area for smaller meetings (with larger meetings being held at the Central School's Multi-purpose room).
For a much more comprehensive history, "A History of Chichester" may be purchased from the Historical Society for a $10.00 fee, or may be viewed at the Chichester Library.
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