Town of Wolfeboro
Wolfeboro Community contact:
Town of Wolfeboro, Paul J. Skowron, Town Manager, P.O. Box 629, Wolfeboro, NH 03894
Telephone: (603) 569-8161
Fax (603) 569-8167
Town website
Town office hours: Mon. - Fri. 8-4
Town Clerk: Patricia Waterman, 569-5328, Mon. - Fri. 8-4
County: Carroll
Population: 2000 Census: From 1990 - 2000 grew to 6,083, adding 1,276 residents. Median age of Wolfeboro residents - 45.3, with 22.1% under 18 and 24.6% 65 & older; the fifth highest percent of residents in that age group among the cities and towns. The total number of households - 2,574, with av. size 2.32 persons. Of those, 1,723 are family households, with av. size 2.83 persons. As of April 1, 2000 there were 3,903 total housing units.
Area: 48.3 square miles of land area and 10.1 square miles of inland water area.
Origin: This town was first granted in 1759 to 4 young men of Portsmouth, and named Wolfeboro in honor of General James Wolfe, who had been victorious at Quebec in 1759. In 1764, 2,300 acres were added to the 60 acres reserved for the governor: Gov. John Wentworth established an estate on the site, known as Kingswood. This was the first summer country estate in northern New England, thus the town’s slogan: “The Oldest Summer Resort in America.” Wolfeboro was incorporated in 1770.
Lake Winnipesaukee Facts:
- Means “beautiful water in a high place”. A second interpretation from Indian folklore is “The smile of the great spirit.”
- 6 mapped shipwrecks.
- 55,685 acres of water, 240 miles of shoreline.
- 625 billion gallons of water
- More than 300 islands, largest is 750 acres
- Elevation 504 feet above sea level.
- Deepest point is 187 feet.
- Average depth is 43 feet.
- Clarity in Wolfeboro Bay is 25 feet (Sechi disc transparency).
- Freezes over between late December and early January.
Ice Out Dates (Winnipesaukee): Official ice out is declared when the M/S Mount Washington can reach all four of its ports without touching ice. This usually occurs during April. The earliest recorded ice out was March 28, 1921; latest was May 12, 1888.
Lake Wentworth Facts:
- Entirely in Wolfeboro
- Has 15 miles of shorefront
- 20 islands, Stamp Act is the largest.
- 3,000 acres of water.
- Deepest point is 85 feet at Fuller’s Deep.
- Elevation is 30 feet higher than Winnipesaukee.
Lake Wentworth Boat Ramp: One public boat launching ramp at Mast Landing on Route 28, actually on Crescent Lake, access to Wentworth is via Smith River (no boat gas facilities on either lake)
Community median income: Per capital income in 2000 was $26,361 and median 4-person family income was $53,269. Median household income was $44,012.
Tax Information: Annual Budget for 2004 is $17,172,002. and 2004 tax rate is $11.94.
Selectmen: Selectmen’s meetings: 1st and 3rd Wed. of each mo. at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. Copies of agenda are posted at Post Offices and Town Hall. Contact Town Manager at 569-8161.
Planning Board: Meetings 7 p.m. at Wolfeboro Public Library. Call Town Planner at 569-5970.
Planning Administrator: Lakes Region Planning Commission
Zoning Ordinance: 1950, revised in 2000; Master Plan 1996; Brian Underwood, chairman of Zoning Board of Adjustment
Police Department: Office 569-1444; Emergency dial 911.
Fire Dept.: Full time; Acting Chief Butch Morrill, 569-1440; Emergency dial 911.
Rescue: Volunteer, Huggins Hospital is in Wolfeboro; Emergency dial 911.
Utilities: PSNH; Wolfeboro Electric; Water - Wolfeboro Water Dept.; Sanitation - Septic and Municipal; Municipal Treatment Plant; mandatory recycling program; no curbside trash pickup; Cable TV access - Metrocast; public access channel 25.
Schools: Carpenter Elem. K-3; Crescent Lake Elem. 4-6; Kingswood Reg. Middle School and Kingswood Regional High School; Brewster Academy (private school). Nearest community/technical college is in Laconia, and nearest colleges or universities are Plymouth State and Univ. of NH at Durham.
Library: Wolfeboro Public Library, S. Main St.; Mon. - Thurs. 10-8; Fri. & Sat. 10 - 5; Cynthia Scott, director; 569-2428.
Recreation: Full-time year-round. Recreation Department, Director Susan Glenn; parks, golf courses, outdoor swimming, indoor & outdoor tennis courts, indoor ice skating rink, cross country ski trails, museums, performing arts facilities, tourist attractions, youth organizations (ie., Scouts, 4-H, Kingswood Youth Center); youth sports - baseball, soccer, football, basketball & hockey; campgrounds, fishing/hunting, boating/marinas, snowmobile trails, bicycle trails, walking trails, cross country skiing.
Nearest ski area: Gunstock; Abenaki Ski Area (town owned, 569-2513)
Other: Hampshire Pewter (tours); Wentworth State Beach, Libby Museum (May - October, 569-1035); Wright Museum; Antique and Classic Boat Museum, Clark House Historical Museum complex.
Special Events: May - Great Smith River Canoe & Kayak race, starting on Lake Wentworth, hitting white water in Smith River, and ending at Dockside downtown on Lake Winnipesaukee; in July & August Great Waters Music Festival - P.O. Box 488 (56 N. Main St.), Wolfeboro, NH 03894; 569-7710; Fax 569-7715, Web site: info@greatwaters.org; Wolfeboro Folk Festival open air concerts in the community Bandstand at Lakeside Wednesdays and Saturdays during July & August; annual Artists in the Park festival in August, Huggins Hospital Street Fair.
Tourism Region: Distance to: Manchester, 50 mi.; Portland, ME 99 mi., Boston 102 mi., NYC 310 mi., Montreal, Quebec 257 mi.
Largest Employers: Governor Wentworth Regional School District, Huggins Hospital, Wolfeboro Municipal Services, SunBridge Nursing Center, Brewster Academy, Wickers Manufacturer, Wolfeboro Inn and PI Plastek.