Newington, New Hampshire
Newington, New Hampshire was settled in 1630, became a separate parish in 1713, and is located in New Hampshire's seacoast area. It is home to the oldest town forest in the nation as well as New Hampshire's oldest meeting house that is still in use.
Registered as a nonprofit in 1948, the Newington Historical Society is the steward of Newington's expansive history. We strive to preserve and educate people on the history of Newington so that it may be remembered and enjoyed for generations to come.
Projects we are currently working on
The Society is actively working on five major projects.
Two involve the preservation and rehabilitation of historic buildings, one is the digitization of the Society's historical records in the Schoolhouse Museum, another is the management of the Old Parsonage museum and tavern, and the last is the maintenance and care of gardens in the historic district and the Peggy Lamson Arboretum. Help and donations are always welcome for any of the projects.
The Bloody Point Railroad Depot
The 1874 Railroad Depot, Toll House, and Stationmaster's residence is in the process of being saved and rehabilitated. The widening of the adjacent Spaulding Turnpike will result in the dismantling of the General Sullivan Bridge between Newington and Dover. The historic Railroad Depot will hopefully be preserved to mitigate the adverse impacts on this Bridge.
Highlighted Histories
Newington is rich in almost 400 years of history. These stories were selected from the town history book, Newington, New Hampshire, a heritage of independence since 1630. Please send us your stories and photos to share.
Pease Air force Base
11/26/2021
In the mid 1950's rumors of a new Air Force Bomber Base located somewhere along the New Hampshire and Maine seacoast areas spread.
The Shattuck Shipyard
11/26/2021
When America declared war on Germany in April of 1917, there was already a shortage of cargo ships.
Early Newington History
11/25/2021
Before the town of Newington was created, the land it now resides on was claimed by both the Swampscot land grant (Dover) and the Piscataqua land grant (Portsmouth).
The Newington Meetinghouse
11/26/2021
Erected in 1713, the Newington meetinghouse solidified Newington as a town and created a place of both worship and town meetings for generations to come.