Exeter, New Hampshire is a charming little town in Rockingham County. According to the 2010 and 2020 census, the population of Exeter was 16,049, up from 14,306 in the 2010 census. It was the county seat until 1997 when the county offices were relocated to neighboring Brentwood. The town’s historic downtown has been a popular attraction for visitors. Today, the town is home to a variety of small businesses, a variety of restaurants, and a few unique attractions.
In 1637, the English governor of New Hampshire, John Wheelwright, invited 35 members of his family to settle in the area. The settlers in Exeter grew into a thriving community and later, the town became Exeter. The Europeans who supported Wheelwright were friends, neighbors, and relatives of the founders. In 1637, they voted in favor of the Alien Act, which was designed to exclude the newly arrived friends of Wheelwright.
The town meeting/selectmen form of government in Exeter has remained consistent throughout its history. In 1781, the town was the provincial capital. In the 1830s, the town hired a town manager to assist the selectmen. Since then, the elected selectmen continue to serve as a body of government. However, the town’s structure has changed. In addition to the town clerk and selectmen, a town constable has been added to the government.
Before 1773, Exeter had no banks. It was rare to see more than two banks in the town at the same time, but in the late 1830s, the Exeter Savings Bank was dissolved when its cashier embezzled the bank’s funds. From there, the town had a booming mutual insurance industry, but only two companies remained by 1887. This era of the city’s history was also marked by political divisions.
The town’s history is full of fascinating history. The town’s early years were characterized by a thriving publishing industry. It was home to the first American church to establish in the state. And in the mid-eighteenth century, it was the center of an expanding publishing industry. The city is still home to many of the country’s top-notch manufacturers of handguns, leather goods, and other electronic equipment.
The town was a booming colonial city, and it served as the Revolutionary War Capital of New Hampshire. The American Independence Museum is located on Water Street. It cares for the original Declaration of Independence, which was found during a renovation in 1983. In 1812, Abraham Lincoln gave a speech at Exeter Town Hall. It was part of a tour of the Cooper Union, where he had studied at Phillips Exeter Academy. In 1838, he stayed in the Folsom Tavern, which still remains the same.
The town’s early history is a fascinating story of its founding. In 1790, the town had a population of fewer than one hundred. The town’s settlers had to fight the animus of the Massachusetts government. They were able to accomplish a lot within the first five years. The first councilors were based in the village of Exeter. A large majority of settlers lived in the town. In the middle of this historical period, the settlers struggled to meet the needs of their daily lives.