OSSIPEE, NEW HAMPSHIRE

'Ossipee' is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, USA. The population was 4,211 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carroll County⁶. Ossipee is a venerable resort area and home to part of ''Pine River State Forest''.

Contents

History

Notable Inhabitants

Geography

Demographics

Sites of Interest

External links

History

Originally known as "Wigwam Village," and then "New Garden," the town was named for the Ossipee Indians, one of the twelve Algonquian tribes. It was once the site of an Indian stockade fort, designed to protect the tribe from the Mohawks in the west. In 1725, the Indian stockade was destroyed, and then rebuilt by Captain John Lovewell. The new fort was one of the largest in New England. Ossipee would become incorporated in 1785.
The town shares its name with the ''Ossipee Mountains'', once a range of ancient volcanoes, which border it on the west. Ossipee is a major source of sand and gravel, transported by railroad, to Boston, Massachusetts.

Notable Inhabitants

★ Captain John Lovewell, soldier

★ John Greenleaf Whittier, poet (summer resident)

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 195.7 km² (75.6 mi²). 184.3 km² (71.2 mi²) of it is land and 11.4 km² (4.4 mi²) of it is water, comprising 5.85% of the town. Ossipee is drained by the Ossipee, Pine, Beech, Bearcamp, and Lovell rivers. Ossipee Lake is in the northeastern part of the town. The highest point in Ossipee is 2,080 feet (634 meters) above sea level on an unnamed ridge in the Ossipee Mountains in the western part of town.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 4,211 people, 1,672 households, and 1,153 families residing in the town. The population density was 22.9/km² (59.2/mi²). There were 2,742 housing units at an average density of 14.9/km² (38.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.96% White, 0.14% African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.07% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.33% of the population.
There were 1,672 households out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the town the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $34,709, and the median income for a family was $38,790. Males had a median income of $27,388 versus $21,579 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,092. About 7.7% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

Sites of Interest

★ Ossipee Historical Society Museum

★ Ossipee Lake

External links

★ Ossipee, NH ''Official Website''

★ Stimson State Forest

★ New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile