Chesterfield New Hampshire Historical Society
1736 On November 30, four townships on the east bank of the Connecticut River were accepted by the General Court
of Massachusetts: No. 1(Chesterfield), No. 2 (Westmoreland), No. 3 (Walpole), & No. 4 (Charlestown).
1752 On February 10, Benning Wentworth, New Hampshire Colonial Governor, re-chartered the town and named it Chesterfield as the southern boundary of NH had finally been established.
1761 In November Moses Smith and his son-in-law William Thomas and their families became the first settlers in Chesterfield. Smith built across and just north of the current Connecticut River boat landing; Thomas built on the
river on what is now the Ferry Road.
1762 On April 25, Mary Thomas, the first white child, was born.
First saw-mill built by John Snow & Moses Smith on Catsbane Brook.
First boards sawed were laid for a dance floor...and a dance was held.
1767 Census shows 365 inhabitants
First recorded town meeting. Raised funds to run town, hire a teacher.
1770 Meetinghouse erected.
1772 Philip Embury, Methodist Pastor, came from Albany to preach at
Robertson’s Farm on Christian Street (now Poocham Rd.)
1775-1782 Revolutionary War 141 Chesterfield men served. (Plaque in Town Hall)
1776 139 men signed and 13 refused to sign the Declaration to “oppose the hostile proceedings of the British fleets and armies against the United American Colonies”.
1777 Battle of Bennington; many C. men responded; cannon fire heard.
1781 With other towns in western NH, Chesterfield voted to join Vermont. In 1781 Chesterfield 'moved' to Washington County, Vermont. Town refused to furnish its quota of men for the Continental Army, for which it was later fined.
1782 Vermont told by Gen. Washington to release NH towns or jeopardize statehood. Vermont Council agreed to Congress’ decision. Chesterfield was again part of NH.
1786 Lower Ferry on the Connecticut chartered to William Thomas.
1790 Chesterfield Academy incorporated. Was well-respected, compared to Philips Exeter.
1795 First Methodist Society in NH formed in Chesterfield.
1798 (or earlier) Universal Restoration Society organized. (Later Universalist Church)
1800 Census shows 2,161 inhabitants
1800 Upper Ferry on Connecticut was granted to Samuel Farr & Ezekiel Hildreth.
1802 Post office established in Centre Village (Chesterfield).
1810 Cotton factory built, one of 13 sites developed on Partridge Brook in Factory Village.
1815 Bell purchased for Town Meetinghouse; cracked after the first week; recast & re-hung the following year. It was
rung at noon and 9pm each week day and tolled the age of the person when a death occurred.
1830 Census shows 2046 inhabitants
Universalist Church built in West Chesterfield.
1834 Chesterfield Congregational Church built; stood across from the old town offices (Marsh House).
1837 Poor Farm established on River Road. Closed in1865.
1844 Methodist Church built (now Asbury United Methodist Church)
1851 Old Meetinghouse burned by arsonist. New “Town House” built of local stone.
Old Meetinghouse bell recast and hung in the new building.
1853 Spofford Union Meetinghouse built.
1859 Chesterfield Academy building burned and Schoolhouse #5 built.
1860 Census shows 1434 inhabitants
1861-1865 Civil War - 74 names listed in Randall’s History of Chesterfield.
Some Chesterfield men joined Vermont Reg’ts. Monument lists 76.
Eight died from wounds or disease.
1866 Post office established in the West Village. (West Chesterfield)
1869 Chesterfield Factory Village Hall built.
1870s People began coming to the lake “for health and pleasure”.
1876 Steamboat “Enterprise” launched on Spofford Lake
1882 Oran Randall’s History of Chesterfield published.
1884 14 school districts and fourteen schools, one of which was graded. Total 218 pupils.
1886 Citizens’ Hall built in West Chesterfield. (Now Actor’s Playhouse)
1888 Blizzard with “high wind all night, highest drifts ever seen here. Roads blocked. No mail for a week
from Keene”, according to Jay Jackson. Drifts to 2nd stories.
1889 Suspension bridge built; first across the Connecticut River in Chesterfield. Our town paid $8,000;
Brattleboro $4,000.
1896 Pine Grove Springs Hotel opened, later called Lake Spofford Hotel; burned 1961.
Name of post office and village changed to Spofford.
1900 Census shows 981 inhabitants.
Camp Namashaug for boys built on Spofford Lake.
1901 Spofford Fire Department “Busy Bees” formed. Fire station was on Spring St.
1915-1918 World War I. 20 Chesterfield Servicemen, 1 fatality
1918ish Camp Nitawa for girls built. In the late 1930’s became Old New England Village
1920 ca Camp Marquette purchased Lakeside Property.
1927 Three school districts: #1 West Chesterfield, #5 Chesterfield, #13 Spofford. Total 82 pupils.
1930 Census shows 704 inhabitants.
1931 Chesterfield and West Chesterfield Fire Departments formed.
Spofford Village Hall remodeled to become Spofford Fire Station.
1936 Chesterfield Gorge Geologic Area given to the State of New Hampshire by Forest Society.
Great flood did much damage in town and destroyed the bridge over the Connecticut River.
1937 Temporary bridge built to replace original bridge also destroyed by flood. New arch bridge built by NH & VT
with greater clearance.
1938 Camp Notre Dame purchased Camp Namashaug.
New England Hurricane—much destruction in town; many pines downed at the lake.
1939 Chesterfield Library built. Used the same stone as Town Hall, quarried off Old Chesterfield Rd. Children’s
wing added in 1940.
1941-1945 World War II - 101 men & women served. 5 Chesterfield servicemen died.
1947 ca Chesterfield Gorge developed as a State Park.
1948 Big Old Home Day to celebrate the issuing of a stamp honoring Harlan Fiske Stone, Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, born in Chesterfield in 1872. First Day Covers cancelled at Chesterfield Post Office.
1950 Census shows 970 inhabitants.
1951 Chesterfield School built in center to consolidate 3 two-room schools. 169 pupils.
American Legion purchased and moved old School House #5 across the street.
Big Old Home Day celebration commemorating 100th anniversary of Town Hall held.
1951-1953 Korean War - 40 Chesterfield Servicemen involved.
1955 Catholic Congregation organized; used town hall annex for services, then moved to renovated Benjamin Pierce House on Rte. 63.
Two additional classrooms added to Chesterfield School.
1960 Census shows 1408 inhabitants.
Tiny Tots Kindergarten opened.
1962 4 Classrooms (Jr. High Section) added to the school.
New post office built in Spofford.
1962 Camp Spofford established with the purchase of Camp Marquette.
1965-1975 Vietnam War. 57 Chesterfield Servicemen served, 3 Servicemen died
1968 Pisgah Park established by the State of New Hampshire.
1973 Town purchased Ware’s Grove for a town beach.
1974 Town adopts first zoning regulations.
Chesterfield Historical Society established.
1976 Chesterfield joined in the celebration of the nation’s Bicentennial.
1980 Census shows 2561 inhabitants.
Grace Community Evangelical Free Church organized; met at Grange Hall.
1980 ca. New Life Chapel began meeting at the Spofford Union Church.
1985 Catholics build new Our Lady of the Lake Chapel on Rte 63.
1986 Grace Community Evangelical Church built on Old Swanzey Road.
1988 Six Classrooms- music room, gym/lunchroom, offices, Resource Room added to school
1989 Town establishes public kindergarten. Tiny Tots Kindergarten closes.
1992 Town Highway Garage built on Old Brattleboro Road.
1994 New Fire Station built on Rte. 63 for consolidated Chesterfield and West Chesterfield Depts.
1995 Four room addition to the school built with volunteer help.
1997 New Library constructed.
1998 Chesterfield Historical Society moved into old library.
2000 Census shows 3542 inhabitants.
2003 New Seabees Arch Bridge constructed across Connecticut River.
2006 Our Lady of the Lake Chapel was closed.
2008 New Town Offices/Police Station built.
New Spofford Fire Station built.
Pioneer Baptist Church purchased Catholic Church building, began meeting there.
December Ice Storm causes up to 14 days of power outages.
2009 Governor Lynch named the 1937 Bridge the Harlan Fiske Stone Memorial Bridge
2010 Census shows 3552 inhabitants.
2011 Chesterfield celebrates 250 years of settlement!
Halloween Nor'eastern & Hurricane Irene (August)
2012 Hurricane Sandy causes extensive flooding in region
2018 Townwide Broadband Installed
Chesterfield Historical Society purchases Stone House Tavern
2019 Old Home Days Reestablished
2020 Census shows 3604 inhabitants
Old Town Hall Renovations completed
March - Statewide Lockdown begins due to Covid Pandemic
Drive Through Town Meeting held on June 13th at the Town Garage
June - Committee Meetings are allowed to be held via Zoom
