Hudson is a town located in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 22,928.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 75.3 km2 (29.1 mi2). 73.2 km2 (28.3 mi2) of it is land and 2.1 km2 (0.8 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 2.82% water.
The Town of Hudson had two historic town centers, though modern development and suburban sprawl has obscured the difference. Hudson Village was located on the Merrimack River near the junctions of routes 3A, 111, and 102, and was home to most of the original schools, libraries, and town government. Today Town Hall, the Hills Memorial Library, and the Kimball Webster School (which today houses the superintendant's office) are all located in Hudson Village. The Town Common at the intersection of Derry, Ferry, and Library streets is a lovely little park that displays large Toy Soldiers and other decorations at Christmas time. Hudson Center was located at the 5-way intersection of Central Street (route 111), Greeley Street, Kimball Hill Road, and Windham Road. The two most important landmarks of Hudson Center have since been entirely lost to history. Benson's Wild Animal Farm, a zoo & amusement park, was closed in the late 1980's due to mounting financial losses. The other landmark, Thompson's Market, closed in 2002 when Mr. Thompson decided to sell his store and retire to Florida. The structure still remains, but it was remodeled and reopened as a 7-11 convenience store.
Two small recreational lakes exist in within the town borders. Robinson (or Robinson's) Pond in the northern part of the town feature a public access beach and boat ramp that can be accessed via Robinson Road. Otternic Pond (locally called "Tonic Pond"), located between Hudson Center and Hudson Village has a public boat landing (Claveau Landing) that can be accessed off of Highland street. Both ponds are often used for fishing during the summer, and skating and ice hockey during the winter. Musquash Pond (or Swamp) located in the southern part of the town is a wild bird sanctuary and is utilized as a breeding ground by several threatened and endangered species of birds.
Two golf courses exist in Hudson, the private Whip-Poor-Will country club off Derry Street and the public Green Meadows golf course off Forest Road.
A 1/4 mile paved racetrack, The Hudson Speedway, lies near the northern edge of town by the intersection of Old Derry Road and Robinson Road. It can be accessesed off of NH-102.
The town has 1 high school, Alvirne High School, which is home to the Wilbur H. Palmer Agricultural Vocational Center, a unique business-oriented vocational school.
K-8 schools include Dr. H.O. Smith School and Library Street School, located in Hudson Village, the Hills-Garrison school located near Alvirne High School, Hudson Mermorial School on Central Street, and Nottingham West school, located on Pelham Road.
Presentation of Mary Academy is a K-8 private coeducational Catholic school located on Lowell Road.
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 22,928 people, 8,034 households, and 6,258 families residing in the town. The population density is 313.1/km2 (811.2/mi2). There are 8,165 housing units at an average density of 111.5/km2 (288.9/mi2). The racial makeup of the town is 96.35% White, 0.84% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.11% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. 1.55% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 8,034 households out of which 41.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.8% are married couples living together, 9.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% are non-families. 16.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 4.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.83 and the average family size is 3.17.
In the town the population is spread out with 28.2% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 35.3% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $64,169, and the median income for a family is $71,313. Males have a median income of $46,198 versus $31,315 for females. The per capita income for the town is $25,696. 2.3% of the population and 1.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 1.9% of those under the age of 18 and 4.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Hudson began as part of the Dunstable Land Grant that encompassed the current city of Nashua, New Hampshire, as well as Dunstable and Peperell Massachusetts. When New Hampshire became its own colony, the New Hampshire portion became Dunstable, New Hampshire. This section was eventually subdivided into 3 towns: Nashville (west of the Merrimack River and north of the Nashua river), Nashua (west of the Merrimack River and south of the Nashua river) and Nottingham (east of the Merrimack River). Nashville and Nashua would later merge to form the city of Nashua.
Several years after adopting the name Nottingham, it was discovered that there was already a town named Nottingham further east. As a compromise, the town renamed itself "Nottingham West", a name it would keep for the better part of a century. The name was eventually changed to "Hudson" to avoid confusion with the older town of Nottingham. The name apparently comes from an early belief that the Merrimack River had once been thought to be a tributary of the Hudson River, or that the area had once been explored by Henry Hudson; both proved to be entirely apocryphal stories, but the name of the town remains today.
A prominent family in Hudson history was the Alfred and Virginia Hill family who owned a large tract of land north of Hudson Village. Their influence and name remains in several important structures in town. The Hill House on Derry Street is their original family home and location of the Town Historical Society. The grounds host the annual "Old Home's Days" fair every year. Hills Memorial Library is one of the oldest public lending libraries in the state, and occupies an architecturally unique stone and mortar building on Library Street. Alvirne High School and the Alvirne Chapel, located on family land across Derry Street from the Hill House, were donated to the town. (Alvirne is a contraction of Alfred and Virginia). The Hill's only son had died during a football game, out of respect for the son, Alvirne went many decades without a football team, despite being one of the larger high schools in the state. It was assumed that such a stipulation had been put as a condition of the High Schools charter. When it was found that no such condition had ever been written down or existed, fincancial pressures encouraged the formation of a football team. In fall of 1994, Alvirne High School fielded its first JV football team, with Varsity play beginning in 1996. Alvirne High is home to one of the largest and best agricultural-vocational programs in the area, the Wilbur H. Palmer Agricultural and Vocational School. This school features several student-run businesses including a fully functioning bank, restaurant, store, day care, dairy farm, and forestry program. The unique educational program at this school has been used as a model for many similar schools across the nation.
Source:
HudsonNewHampshire.com
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