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Overview
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Initially incorporated in 1727 as a part of the nearby town of Gilmanton, Belmont was separated by an act of the Legislature in 1859 and adopted the name, Belmont, in 1869. It was home to William Badger who served as NH Governor for two consecutive terms beginning in 1834.
The current population is 7,356, although the seasonal influx of temporary residents in both the summer and winter recreational seasons greatly increases that number.
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Additional Information
Street Map
Regional Map
Community Profile
Civic Profile
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Nineteen miles of State highways and sixty-five miles of Town highways provide excellent transportation routes throughout the Town. Three Town highways have also been designated as Scenic Roads and municipal water and sewer serve the population centers of the community.
Like much of New Hampshire, Belmont's history centers on the flowage of the Tioga River and the mills that clustered along its banks. The Town Seal indicates the importance that this industry played in Belmont's past.
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Town Facilities and Services |
Belmont is administered by a three-member Board of Selectmen with a Town Administrator. In 2010, the Town had a $6.7 million budget and an unadjusted valuation of $735 million, 14% of which was based on commercial and industrial properties.
The 20-member Police Department is located at 16 Fuller Street. Fire and medical emergency services are provided from one central station by the 33-member Belmont Department. The Fire Station, at 14 Gilmanton Road, is an impressive facility built primarily through volunteer efforts and staffed 24/7.
Highway and Municipal Utility and Buildings maintenance and services are provided by an 11-member Public Works Department. The 10-year old Public Works facility is located at 149 Hurricane Road and includes a completely enclosed road-salt storage building for the long-term protection of our community aquifer. The Belmont Town Hall, at 143 Main Street, Belmont Corner Meeting House at 16 Sargent and Winnisquam Fire Station at 17 Sunset Drive house the remaining service and administrative offices of the Town.
The Belmont Mill, an 1833 brick structure originally constructed by the Gilmanton Village Manufacturing Company was restored and rededicated through community efforts in 1998 and currently houses several community service facilities. In 2011, the Belmont Village landmark was cited by the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance as one of the state’s 25 Milestone Preservation Projects over the last quarter century, and in June the Mill project received a preservation award from the Victorian Society in America/New England chapter, marking only the fourth New Hampshire endeavor honored by this national and international nonprofit organization.
Citizens also enjoy the use of The Leslie E. Roberts Beach & Recreation Area, Sargent Park, the Town Forest and other Conservation parcels, and the Belmont Park & Ride facilities.
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Current Projects |
Several projects to enhance community services are underway or nearing completion.
In 2010, PlanNH, a non-profit organization working with communities to initiate discussions concerning the “built environment” chose Belmont for a Community Design Charrette program - an exercise in which local citizens and PLAN NH volunteers come together to explore potential solutions to planning or design issues in individual New Hampshire towns. The result of that Charrette was an impressive modular design for the revitalization of the Village. Several projects have been completed and/or are underway towards that goal.
An expansion of municipal parking is underway in the Village area. The expansion will add additional spaces and regulate one-hour parking adjacent to commercial shops to ensure convenient, free customer parking.
Reconstruction of Church Street and Monument Square include the construction of a sidewalk from the Village to the Belmont High School. This will result in all three community schools being connected with sidewalks for pedestrian safety.
Penstock Park, the Belmont Pavilion and adjacent RiverWalk are projects under design and construction.
A recent grant from NH DES has made a contingent of students from the Student Conservation Association available for summer work in the Tioga River Wildlife & Conservation Area under the supervision of the Conservation Commission.
Recent conservation property acquisitions by the Conservation Commission along with several successful open-space design subdivisions have resulted in significantly increasing the number of conserved acres within the community.
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Shopping, Health Care, Transportation
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Tax free shopping opportunities abound with local and area shops and malls. The Belknap Mall in Belmont provides excellent shopping every day. Exit 20 in Tilton has developed into a premiere shopping destination with the Tanger Mall and many other adjacent stores.
Health care needs of residents and visitors are served by Belknap Family Health Center located in the Belmont Mill as well as the Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia and the Franklin Regional Hospital in Franklin.
The Laconia, Concord and Manchester Airports provide quick, direct access to the entire Lakes Region.
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