Berlin, New Hampshire

City of Berlin
—  City  —
Seal
Nickname(s): The City That Trees Built, Paper City, Hockey Town USA
Location within New Hampshire
Coordinates: 44°28′07″N 71°11′02″W / 44.46861°N 71.18389°W / 44.46861; -71.18389Coordinates: 44°28′07″N 71°11′02″W / 44.46861°N 71.18389°W / 44.46861; -71.18389
Country	United States
State	New Hampshire
County	Coos
Incorporated
Town	1829
City	1897
Government
– Mayor	Paul Grenier
– City Council	Ryan K Landry Lucie Remillard Robert Danderson Thomas F. McCue Mark Evans Michael Rozek David Poulin Timothy Cayer
Area
– Total	62.5 sq mi (161.9 km2)
– Land	61.6 sq mi (159.5 km2)
– Water	0.9 sq mi (2.3 km2)
Elevation	1,020 ft (311 m)
Population (2010)
– Total	10,051
– Density	160.8/sq mi (62.1/km2)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
– Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	03570
Area code(s)	603
FIPS code	33-05140
GNIS feature ID	0871491
Website	www.berlinnh.gov

Berlin ( /ˈbɜrlɨn/) is a city along the Androscoggin River in Coos County in northern New Hampshire, United States. The population was 10,051 at the 2010 census.^[1] It includes the village of Cascade. Located on the edge of the White Mountains, the city's boundaries extend into the White Mountain National Forest. Berlin is home to the Moffett House, Northern Forest Heritage Park, the Berlin Fish Hatchery, and the White Mountains Community College, a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

Berlin is the principal city of the Berlin Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Coos County, New Hampshire and Essex County, Vermont.

History

International Paper Mill, c. 1912

Green's Pond, 1800s

Around 11,000 years ago, small groups of Native Americans camped around the area of what is now called Berlin. In later years, the Eastern Abenaki tribes came to Berlin to mine rhyolite on Mt. Jasper. When English settlers came here, Berlin was first granted on December 31, 1771 by Colonial Governor John Wentworth, as Maynesborough after Sir William Mayne. But the grantees did not take up their claims, which disappeared with the Revolution. In 1802, Seth Eames and Gideon Tirrell were sent by the descendants of Mayne to explore and mark lots for settlers, and still no one came. Instead, Maynesborough was settled in 1823-1824 by William Sessions and his nephew, Cyrus Wheeler.^[2] Both men were from Gilead, Maine. Farming was the first industry. With 65 inhabitants in 1829, the New England town was reincorporated on July 1 as Berlin with the help of Thomas Wheeler, the father of Cyrus.^[3]

Situated in a heavily forested region, the community developed early into a center for logging and wood industries. Falls on the Androscoggin River provided water power for sawmills. In 1826, a road was built to Gorham by Thomas, Amos, and Daniel Green, and in 1851 the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad entered Berlin. Acquiring water, timber and rail rights in the early 1850s, the H. Winslow & Company built a large sawmill at the head of "Berlin Falls". In 1868, William Wentworth Brown and Lewis T. Brown bought a controlling interest in the business and changed its name to the Berlin Mills Company. By 1885, the mill town was home to several lumber, pulp and paper mills, including the Riverside Mill, Forest Fibre Company and White Mountain Pulp & Paper Company. Because of the need for labor, immigrants arrived from Italy, Norway, Sweden, Russia and Ireland. Many others were French Canadians from nearby Quebec.

In 1882, a group of Scandinavians founded the nation's oldest ski club that still exists today. It was originally called the North American Ski Club (in Norwegian, Skiklubben Nordamerikansk), but later would be renamed the Nansen Ski Club in honor of Fridtjof Nansen, who in 1888 skied across Greenland. In 1897, Berlin was incorporated as a city, the northernmost in the state.

Berlin's main industry in the early 1900s was the pulp and paper industries, which have been in a long decline since that time. In 1917, the Berlin Mills Company was renamed the Brown Company, because of the war against Germany. The Brown Company went into receivership a short time after the Great Depression. It survived with governmental help, and was bought and sold several times after World War II. American Tissue filed for bankruptcy in 2001, before which it had stopped paying city taxes. Its facilities were purchased in 2002 by Fraser Papers of Canada. But in March 2006, Fraser Papers announced the closing of Berlin's pulp mill. On May 6, 2006, 250 employees were displaced, some moving to Cascade's paper finishing mill, but most were left unemployed.^[4] The North American Dismantling Corporation of Michigan announced on October 3, 2006, that it had bought the 121-acre (49 ha) defunct pulp mill site of Fraser Paper, and would spend a year demolishing the property to allow redevelopment.^[5] Laidlaw Energy LLC has since purchased a portion of the former Fraser property, including a large recovery boiler which it intends to convert into a 66 megawatt biomass plant in 2010-2011.^[6]

Recent economic development has focused on the correctional industry, with the 750 bed Northern New Hampshire Correctional Facility built in 1999 and employing approximately 200 people. In fall 2010 the Federal Bureau of Prisons plans on opening a 1200 bed medium security facility which will employ approximately 350 people.

• 

  Main Street c. 1912

• 

  Mount Forest c. 1912

• 

  Main Street in 1914

• 

  Post Office Square c. 1914

• 

  City Hall in 1916

• 

  Gem Theatre in 1917

• 

  General View c. 1920

• 

  General View c. 2007

• 

  Main Street South in 2007

• 

  Fall foliage - Berlin, NH 2006

• 

  Grand Trunk Railroad 2007

• 

  Berlin waterfront, 2007

• 

  A group of Russian immigrants at the Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in 1915

• 

  Berlin, c. 1905

Geography

Berlin is located at 44°28′07″N 71°11′02″W / 44.46861°N 71.18389°W / 44.46861; -71.18389 (44.4686, -71.1839).^[7]

Berlin is located in northern New Hampshire, north of the White Mountains. The city is bordered to the south by Randolph and Gorham, north by Milan, east by Success and west by Kilkenny.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 62.5 square miles (162 km²), of which 61.6 square miles (160 km²) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) is water, comprising 1.35% of the town.^[8] Berlin is situated at the confluence of the Androscoggin and Dead rivers. The Mahoosuc Range is to the southeast. Jericho Mountain State Park, created from a city park and from private land in 2005, is west of the city center and features a reservoir created in the 1970s and a network of ATV trails. The city's highest point is Mount Weeks, at 3,901 feet (1,189 m) above sea level. Approximately half of Berlin lies within the Connecticut River watershed, and half lies in the Androscoggin River watershed.^[9]

Rivers

• Androscoggin River
• Dead River (New Hampshire)
• Upper Ammonoosuc River

Climate

Climate data for Berlin, New Hampshire
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	67 (19)	65 (18)	80 (27)	89 (32)	94 (34)	97 (36)	98 (37)	97 (36)	95 (35)	87 (31)	77 (25)	68 (20)	98 (37)
Average high °F (°C)	26.1 (−3.3)	29.6 (−1.3)	38.9 (3.8)	51.2 (10.7)	65.4 (18.6)	73.7 (23.2)	78.1 (25.6)	76.2 (24.6)	67.5 (19.7)	55.7 (13.2)	42.7 (5.9)	30.9 (−0.6)	53.00 (11.67)
Average low °F (°C)	4.0 (−15.6)	6.4 (−14.2)	17.1 (−8.3)	30.0 (−1.1)	40.8 (4.9)	50.4 (10.2)	54.7 (12.6)	52.7 (11.5)	44.2 (6.8)	34.1 (1.2)	25.8 (−3.4)	11.9 (−11.2)	31.01 (−0.55)
Record low °F (°C)	−35 (−37)	−39 (−39)	−29 (−34)	−1 (−18)	18 (−8)	29 (−2)	34 (1)	32 (0)	20 (−7)	0 (−18)	−13 (−25)	−41 (−41)	−41 (−41)
Precipitation inches (mm)	2.82 (71.6)	2.18 (55.4)	2.86 (72.6)	3.22 (81.8)	3.46 (87.9)	3.96 (100.6)	3.70 (94)	4.01 (101.9)	3.59 (91.2)	4.04 (102.6)	3.64 (92.5)	2.98 (75.7)	40.46 (1,027.7)
Snowfall inches (cm)	18.0 (45.7)	16.7 (42.4)	16.0 (40.6)	5.5 (14)	trace	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	trace	0.2 (0.5)	4.9 (12.4)	18.4 (46.7)	79.7 (202.4)
Source: NOAA [10]

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1830	73		—
1840	116		58.9%
1850	173		49.1%
1860	433		150.3%
1870	529		22.2%
1880	1,144		116.3%
1890	3,729		226.0%
1900	8,886		138.3%
1910	11,780		32.6%
1920	16,104		36.7%
1930	20,018		24.3%
1940	19,084		−4.7%
1950	16,615		−12.9%
1960	17,821		7.3%
1970	15,256		−14.4%
1980	13,084		−14.2%
1990	11,824		−9.6%
2000	10,331		−12.6%
2010	10,051		−2.7%

As of the census^[11] of 2010, there were 10,051 people residing in the city. The population density was 160.8 people per square mile (62.1/km²). There were 4,910 housing units at an average density of 78.6 per square mile (30.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.54% White, 0.81% African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 1.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.51% of the population.

The population of Berlin rose rapidly from 1880 through 1930. The fastest growth more than doubled the population between 1890 and 1900. A slow decline began after 1930, interrupted only by a temporary increase around 1960.

First ancestries of Berlin residents, 2000[12]
Ancestry		Total Respondents 9,079	Percentage of Total Respondents
	French Canadian	3,937	43.4%
	French	1,817	20.0%
	American	673	7.4%
Total		6,427	70.8%

Notable inhabitants

• Michael Durant, US Army Night Stalkers pilot shot down and held prisoner after the Battle of Mogadishu^[13]
• George Hawkins, the victim of a bad skin graft that led to the celebrated "Hairy Hand" case of Hawkins v. McGee^{[citation needed]}
• Earl Silas Tupper (1907–1983), inventor of Tupperware
• Bob Whitcher, Major League baseball pitcher

Education

Public schools

Public education is managed by Berlin Public Schools:

• Berlin High School (Grades 9 through 12)
• Berlin Junior High School (Grades 6 through 8)
• Hillside Elementary School (Grades 3 through 6)
• Brown Elementary School (Grades K through 2)

Higher education

• White Mountains Community College (member of the Community College System of New Hampshire)
• Granite State College

Media

Radio stations

• WMOU 1210 AM- Oldies
• WPKQ 103.7 FM- Country (simulcast of WOKQ)

Documentaries

• At the River's Edge, an award-winning oral history of Berlin

Movies

The following movies have been filmed in Berlin:

• The Masked Menace, filmed in 1927

Newspaper

• The Berlin Daily Sun
• The Berlin Reporter

Inventions

Hiram A. Farrand with the Farrand Rapid Rule

The fowling items were created in Berlin:

• Bermico, a type of pipe that were produced by the Brown Company in the 1950’s and 60’s^[14]
• Cellulose floc, developed by the Brown Company^[15]
• Farrand Rapid Rule, created by Hiram A. Farrand Inc. but later sold to Stanley Works^[16]
• Kream Krisp, a substance like Crisco created by the Brown Company, which led to lawsuit known as “Procter and Gamble vs. the Brown Company”^[17]

Historic sites

Berlin is home to the following sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

• Congregational Church, added in 1980
• Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church, added in 1979
• Mt. Jasper Lithic Source, added in 1992
• St. Anne Church, added in 1979

Sites of interest

• The former Nansen Ski Jump
• Moffett House Museum
• Northern Forest Heritage Park
• Jericho Mountain State Park

References

1. ^ United States Census Bureau, American FactFinder, 2010 Census figures. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
2. ^ "Environmental History of the Androscoggin River, Maine and New Hampshire". Bates College Department of Environmental Studies. http://abacus.bates.edu/acad/depts/environ/projects/AndroscogginTimeline.html. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
3. ^ George Drew Merrill (1888). "HISTORY OF BERLIN, COOS COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE". Syracuse N.Y.: W.A. Fergusson & Co. http://www.nh.searchroots.com/documents/coos-history/History_Berlin_NH.txt. Retrieved August 9, 2011. 
4. ^ State of New Hampshire (2006-03-07). "Governor Lynch Pledges Full State Support For Employees of Berlin Pulp Mill". Archived from the original on 2008-06-12. http://web.archive.org/web/20080612104817/http://www.nh.gov/governor/news/2006/030706berlin.htm. Retrieved 2008-01-20. 
5. ^ "Berlin Daily Sun" (DOC). The Berlin Daily Sun. 2006-10-03. http://crisplaw.com/documents/TheBerlinDailySunarticle.doc. Retrieved 2008-01-20. 
6. ^ Reuters (2009-01-05). "Laidlaw Completes Acquisition of Berlin, New Hampshire Pulp Mill Facility and Closes Related Financing for 66 Megawatt Biomass Energy Project". http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS92179+05-Jan-2009+BW20090105. 
7. ^ "The National Map". U.S. Geological Survey. http://msrmaps.com/map.aspx?t=2&s=12&lon=-71.1839&lat=44.4686&w=600&h=400. Retrieved 2008-06-09. 
8. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001) - Berlin city, New Hampshire". U.S. Census Bureau American Factfinder. http://factfinder2.census.gov. Retrieved November 8, 2011. 
9. ^ Foster, Debra H.; Batorfalvy, Tatianna N.; and Medalie, Laura (1995). Water Use in New Hampshire: An Activities Guide for Teachers. U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey. http://nh.water.usgs.gov/Publications/nh.intro.html. 
10. ^ "Climatography of the United States No. 20". NOAA. http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim20/nh/270690.pdf. Retrieved March 5, 2011. 
11. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
12. ^ US Census Bureau, « Population Group: French Canadian, French, American, etc., in Berlin, New Hampshire, census 2000
13. ^ "ACSC GOE: Michael J. Durant 2005 Biography". Archived from the original on 2007-11-26. http://web.archive.org/web/20071126083736/http://www.au.af.mil/au/goe/eagle_bios/2005/durant_2005.html. Retrieved 2008-01-20. 
14. ^ Jon C. Schladweiler. "Coal Tar Impregnated Wood Fibre Pipe". http://www.sewerhistory.org/articles/compon/orangeburg/orangeburg.htm. Retrieved November 3, 2011. 
15. ^ "Cellulose floc granules and process". http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4269859.html. Retrieved November 5, 2011. 
16. ^ Walter W. Jacob (Sept. 2004). "Stanley Advertising and Imprinted Tape Rules". The Chronicle of the Early American Industries Association. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3983/is_200409/ai_n9450297/. Retrieved August 9, 2011. 
17. ^ Jackson & List (2007). "Giants of the Past: The Battle Over Hydrogenation (1903-1920)", Inform 18.

External links

• City of Berlin official website
• BerlinNH.net, community informational website and blog
• New Hampshire Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau Profile
• Video - NADC Purchases Pulp Mill in Berlin, New Hampshire
• Beyond Brown Paper, the photo archives of the Brown Company covering 1885 through 1965