Hampton 350
1638 -- 1988
Rockingham County Newspaper -- July 8, 1988
Hampton Union and Seacoast Online.]
Foreword
350th Anniversary Celebration of the Town of Hampton
It was in the middle of nowhere in 1638. Now, in 1988, it is in the middle of a rapidly developing megalopolis between Boston and Portland, and is still attracting new settlers.
Much has changed since Bachiler and his followers built the Congregational Church and founded the town of Hampton. The Puritan witch hysteria, the Revolutionary War, the signing of the U.S. Constitution -- early Hampton had a hand in all of this. The town has seen its borders shrink, as Rye, North Hampton, Hampton Falls, Seabrook, Kensington, East Kingston, Kingston, Danville and Sandown broke away to form their own towns; and also has seen its population swell beyond the dreams of the early settlers. Hampton, with the town's guidance, has become a major resort community, and Hampton center now sits on a major thoroughfare that runs from Canada to Key West.
But through all of these changes and many more, a strong community spirit and a proud local heritage has prevailed. The year-long celebration, now in full swing of the town's 350 years of history if proof of this.
It is to the town of Hampton and its residents -- past, present and future -- that we dedicate this special anniversary section.
Acknowledgments