Incorporated: 1796
Population: 1,024
County Name: Coos
(county map)
Town Contact:
Town of Jefferson
PO Box 81
Jefferson, NH 03583

Phone: 603-586-4553
Fax: 603-586-4553
Website: Not Available

Origin:
First granted in 1765, the location was so deep in unexplored territory that few took up their claims. One who did was Colonel Joseph Whipple of Portsmouth, who cut trails through the forests to build a manor house. He named the town Dartmouth after William Legge, Earl of Dartmouth and patron of Dartmouth College. Brother to William Whipple, signer of the Declaration of Independence, Colonel Whipple renamed the town Jefferson in 1796, four years prior to Thomas Jefferson's election as President.

More about Jefferson:
Nestled in the mountains north of the Presidential Range in Jefferson is Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge. The refuge consists of Big and Little Cherry Ponds as well as three significant open bogs. It was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1974. Moose as well as white-tailed deer frequent the area, and beaver activity is considerable. The two ponds are a habitat to over 40 species of water birds.