1638 – HAMPTON TERCENTENARY – 1938

by O. Raymond Garland

Hampton Town Seal - 1938
The Hampton Town Seal
Designed by Hazle Leavitt Smith
– 1938 –

In connection with the 300th Anniversary, the Selectmen of the Town of Hampton were authorized to adopt an official seal. One designed by Mrs. Hazle Leavitt Smith, of Wollaston, Massachusetts, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Irvin E. Leavitt, of Hampton, was selected.

The scenes portrayed are typical of the Town. Hampton Academy with its picturesque steeple, Great Boar’s Head and the salt marsh with the haycocks. From the very first, education occupied a prominent place in Town affairs and on March 21, 1649, Hampton voted to hire John Legat to teach “both for mayle and femaile to write and read and cast accountes.” This was only two years after the first public school in the United States was established. It is especially interesting to note that this was a co-educational school.

Great Boar’s Head at Hampton Beach is one of the famous land marks of the Town and appears on the early maps as much larger and higher than at the present time.

Familiar, years ago, were the haycocks; salt hay cut and stacked on groups of posts driven into the ground but high enough to keep the hay above the tidewater. The hay was taken off the marsh in boats or in the winter with horse and sled and was much prized as winter feed for the cattle.

The Indian name “Winnacunnet” has been used, meaning “Beautiful Place of Pines.”

The seal symbolizes Hampton and Mrs. Hazle Leavitt Smith is to be congratulated for her excellent design.


Return to 300th Tercentenary Table Of Contents