One of Newmarket's most valuable attributes is its historic character.  The Town is filled with landmarks representing past rural and industrial eras.  These landmarks include historic residences, stores, mills and schools, and old roadways, farmscapes, graveyards and stonewall.  The remaining tangible evidence of Newmarket's past character and early appearance contributes greatly to the Town's current character and composition

The identification and preservation of Newmarket's historic landmarks is an important goal.  It is also an important consideration when evaluating and shaping community development, especially in terms of development proposals. The preservation of noteworthy architectural and significant historical resources from Newmarket's rich past keeps the town's heritage in clear view when new development proposals are brought before the Town that may negatively impact the historic resources. To encourage the continued preservation and viability of Newmarket's significant historic structures, the Town should provide information about the business values that can be realized from restoration and tasteful adaptive re-use.

This chapter is not intended to be a complete inventory of all historic resources in the Town of Newmarket.  It is likely that several important buildings and sites have been overlooked.  What this chapter hopes to accomplish is an accurate overview of Newmarket's heritage, exemplified by the numerous sites and structures that remain today. For those interested in a more specific historic account of Newmarket, the following references are identified:

Lamprey River Village, the Early Years, Sylvia Fitts Getchell. 

            The history of the early settlement along the Lamprey River

Old Newmarket, Nellie Palmer George, c 1932. 

The history of early Newmarket.

"Newmarket Revisited: Looking at the Era of Industrial Growth (1820‑1920)", Richard Candiee.

            The article traces the period of rapid expansion in Newmarket when the Town was dominated by the Newmarket­ Manufacturing Company.  The article was published as part of the NHCH‑funded "Newmarket Revisited" project.

Mills and Mansion, John Coolidge

Mill Towns, Stephen Dunwell. 1978

 Both books broaden the historical perspective on mill town development.

The Tide Turns on the Lamprey...a History of Newmarket, S.F. Getchell, 1984.

History of Newfields, NH, 1638‑1911, James Hill Fitts, 1912.

9-1.  HISTORIC OVERVIEW

There had been an Indian Village below the Lamprey First Falls (east bank)inhabited by members of the Squamscott Tribe, and graves existed on the west side of the River.  The Piscassic Falls (Water Works) was the site of the Taylor/Rollins Indian massacres of 1704 and 1723. Other Indian sites include where David Davis was killed (1696 in Lubberland); where Ephraim Folsom was killed (1709 near Crow & Eagle Falls); where Arthur Bennett was killed (1722 on his homestead); as well as other sites now falling in Newfields.

The settlement of Newmarket (Lamprey River Village) by Europeans began in the early 17th century with settlers from Dover moving south, and those from Exeter moving north.  By 1657 the boundary between the two older towns was settled on the Lamprey River and Goddard's Creek.  The oldest section of Lubberland (Doe's Neck) was always within our bounds.  Martin's Lane meandered down the Neck to the John Martin home (later the Doe Garrison) built before 1664.  But even before that, in the 1640's, John Goddard had a Garrison on the Neck.  And, by the 1640's, John Smart had moved from Exeter Village onto Bayside lands south of the Lamprey (present site of Town Farm).  Mill grants were made at the First Falls of the Lamprey and the First Falls of the Piscassic ‑ saw mills and later gristmills.

Other Garrisons included the Joseph Chesley Garrison and the David Davis/John Smith Garrison further up the Lubberland shore, which became part of Newmarket when the "Durhamside" was annexed in 1870. Also, the Ames Garrison out on the Piscassic; the Col Joseph Smith Garrison (later the Kittredge House); The  Jeremiah Folsom Garrison (on Mathes/Beaudet Hill); and the old Garrison out on the Grant Road (The latter named for an early Indian grant to the Hilton family.)

Farms gradually spread up the rivers and settlers made use of falls further upstream ‑ Ardill's Falls (Bennetts); Crow & Eagle Falls.  There have been fish weirs below the Lamprey First Falls for several centuries.  Ships were built beside the Lamprey below the Great First Falls and remnants of our shipbuilding past include the Town Landing, the great iron ring at the site of the old Rope Walk, and old rings at the Lower Narrows and beneath Picked Rock Bridge.  The town boasts the remains of an old silver mine on the east side of Great Hill and a large number of old farm cemeteries have been well indexed by Roy Kent.

In 1727 the northern portion of Exeter separated and became the new township of Newmarket.  At that time our bounds included what is now Newfields.  The first geographical center was approximately at the site of the present Rockingham Junction.  The sites of the First and Second Meeting Houses were there as was the home (still standing) of the first long‑time minister Rev. John Moody.

The site of the Town Pound is known and some of our early district schools are still standing.  Several old farms in scattered parts of the town survive and many of the buildings in the center of town date back to the 19th century, including homes on Pork Hill, Zion's Hill, and on the roads branching out from Lamprey River Village.

Newmarket entered into the industrial era when the Newmarket Manufacturing Company, a Salem‑based company, was established in 1822.  This began the simultaneous development of factories, homes, shops and institutions that were stimulated by the growth of the company.  The new mills used waterpower for cotton textile production based on practices developed in the early 1800's by the Boston Manufacturing Company of Waltham, Massachusetts.  The development of waterpower sites for cotton factories was not unique to Newmarket but an established practice in Nashua, Dover and Somersworth, as well.

In the 1920's Newmarket's development began to level off and in the next decade with the Great Depression, local building and manufacturing dropped significantly.  Economic vitality all but vanished from Newmarket.  After the Great Depression the Sam Smith Shoe Co. came to Newmarket.  In more recent years, industries making use of the old mills have included other shoe companies; the Macallen Co. (mica insulation products); a distillery; the Newmarket Press; and Kingston‑Warren (tooled metal products).  Today, the old mill buildings and shops in downtown Newmarket are taking on new uses, while the town still retains a large concentration of its 19th century industrial, commercial, public and domestic architecture

The research of the local Newmarket Historical Society, which maintains the Old Stone School Museum, is an ongoing project.  Maps and lists of their historical inventories of the town are on file for incorporation by reference within this Master Plan.  There are presently over 350 buildings and sites listed on the historical inventory.

9-2. HISTORIC SITES & STRUCTURES

Types and Styles of Architecture

Textile mills of Newmarket Manufacturing Company 

Mill Nos. 1‑3 were built of great granite blocks and dominate the handsome setting at the Lamprey First Falls.  Mill No. 1 originally had a clerestory ‑ lost in rebuilding after a mill fire.  Mill No. 2 retains its impressive bell tower.  Mill No. 4 was built of trap rock and Mills 5, 6, and 7 of brick.  Mill No. 8 (the great weave shed ‑ brick) is no longer standing.  Mills 1‑7 are supplemented by stone sheds north of the river, a brick machine shop at the falls, and other smaller buildings

Other stone buildings in Town include the two on either side of Tenney's Corner (lower Main St.) and the Stone Church (1834) and Stone School (1841) on Zion's Hill.  One small late Federal brick building stands just north of the old wooden "Willey Hotel".  A tall wooden "tailoring shop" built with balloon construction is a relic of early factory days in the clothing industry.

Brick business blocks of the mid to late 19th century are standing beside older wooden buildings on Main Street, some of which perhaps date back into the 18th century.  Other brick buildings include the John Webster Library with its slate roof and unique tower room and the Agent's House on the opposite corner of Elm St.  "Steamboat Block" on Spring St. is an unusual relic of early wooden mill housing.  Duplex mill housing occurs in "Little Canada", the "New Village" and north of the Picked Rock Bridge.  Many of the duplexes in New Village are of brick and of stucco.  One or two fine Victorian homes still remain (i.e. Caswell Mansion and Griswold home).  Many fine old 18th and early 19th century wooden town homes and farms survive.

Inventory of Historic Structures

The Newmarket Historic Society has compiled the following inventory of historic structures in town.  This inventory is by no means a final analysis of historic structures in Newmarket and is constantly being revised and updated.  It does serve as a general guide of the most historically significant and noteworthy structures in Newmarket including the approximate age and location.  This list is updated to May 2000.  In addition there is an attached list of historical sites compiled by Dr. and Mrs. Getchell, which may be considered for future historical markers.  It should be noted that there are currently twelve sites in Newmarket that have signs made available by the Main Street Corporation. There is a brochure available on the history of the Village and these specific buildings, which is available through the Main Street Corporation, and found in the Town Administrator’s office. These sites, all of which are located in the central part of Newmarket, are as follows:

Library                                           6. Edward Smith Building

Firehouse                                        7. Brick Agents House

Mill Bldg. 4                         8. Masonic Block

Riverworks                                     9. 1732 Beech Street

Durgin Block                                   10. Community Church

The additional sites compiled are for locations north and south of the town.   

Zebulon D. Creighton                            Built after 1866 fire

High School (Fire Station)                      Built c. 1849-50

Jacob W. Barnard Block                        Built 1891

St. Mary’s Church                                 1897 Site of Col. Joseph Smith Garrison

Newmarket Bank                                  1855

Storehouse No.2                                    Built 1860-70

Newmarket Mfg. Co.                            Before 1857

Store House No.1        

Charles V. Doe Shop                             Built After 1866 Fire

The Ledges                                           1835

Benjamin Brooks Block                         1826    

Arthur Bransomb Tavern                       Before 1832     

Wiggin Doe House                                1758-1831        

Walter Bryant Smith                              Built c. 1790-1810        

John S. & Edwin Benne                         1847

Hardware Store

Dearborn Drug Store

Turcotte’s Drug Store                            Built c. 1835  

Smith Express Co.                                 1850    

Universalist Meeting House                   Built 1832

First Catholic Church                             1878