Peterborough

 

Peterborough, with it's downtown of red brick buildings, on the banks of of the Contoocook River and Nubanusit Brook, immediately charms visitors. The Major Shopping district for surrounding towns and villages, Peterborough boasts two shopping centers and a renovated textile mill mall, as well as a downtown area. Most of the large area employers are located in Peterborough which include previous mail order companies, magazine publishers, and a manufacturer of precision ball bearings.

As the regional center, the town also provides a well-staffed modern, 62-bed hospital and wellness center. The highly regarded Contoocook Valley Regional High School, serving nine towns, is located in Peterborough. Civic and fraternal organizations are active in town, including Lions, Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs. Twelve churches, representing a wide diversity of faiths, hold services in the community.

An Active Cultural Calendar includes performances of the Peterborough Apple Hill Chamber Music, The Monadnock Chorus and Orchestra, and Monadnock Music (classical, contemporary, and operas in concert form.) The Monadnock Summer Lyceum offers a variety of nationally known speakers. The world's first public library supported by taxation was established in Peterborough in 1833. 

The town is further enriched by the presence of the famed MacDowell Colony which is dedicated to the peace and solitude of composers, authors, and visual artists producing their work. The Pulitzer Prize winning play, "Our Town" was written by Thorton Wilder during his residence at "The Colony". 

Peterborough employs a full-time recreational director. Outdoor activities are enjoyed at the public swimming pool, playground, ballfields and tennis courts. Within the town's borders, there is also a nine-hole golf-course, a state park, the Town Beach, two state forests and a government reservoir offer additional recreational opportunities. 

Population: 6,125