Bean's Purchase, New Hampshire Explained

Bean's Purchase, New Hampshire should not be confused with Bean's Grant, New Hampshire.

Official Name:Bean's Purchase, New Hampshire
Settlement Type:Township
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:New Hampshire
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Coös
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:169.12
Area Land Km2:168.85
Area Water Km2:0.27
Area Water Percent:0.16
Population As Of:2020
Population Footnotes:[2]
Population Total:0
Timezone:Eastern
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:Eastern
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Coordinates:44.2908°N -71.1086°W
Elevation Ft:1960
Postal Code Type:ZIP codes
Area Code:603
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:33-007-04260
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID

Bean's Purchase is a township in Coös County, New Hampshire, United States. The purchase lies entirely within the White Mountain National Forest. The population was zero as of the 2020 census.[2]

In New Hampshire, locations, grants, townships (which are different from towns), and purchases are unincorporated portions of a county which are not part of any town and have limited self-government (if any, as many are uninhabited).

History

In 1851 the New Hampshire state legislature authorized the governor and council to appoint a land commissioner to sell the public lands, and James Willey of Conway was appointed to that office. Bean's Purchase was made by Commissioner Willey to Alpheus Bean of Bartlett in 1812 for $1,025 and contained about 59000acres.

In 1927, Beth McKenzie (née Richardson) was born in Bean's Purchase, making her the first white child born under the realm of the White Mountain National Forest, which was established in 1918. Betty Brook in the nearby town of Berlin is named in her honor.[3]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the purchase has a total area of 169.1km2, of which 0.3km2, or 0.16%, are water. The center of the purchase is within the valley of the Wild River, with a large portion of it within the Wild River Wilderness. The western side of the purchase is dominated by the ridgeline of Wildcat Mountain, the Carter mountains, and Mount Moriah. The highest point in Bean's Purchase is the summit of Carter Dome, at 4832feet above sea level. The Appalachian Trail crosses the purchase, following the crest of the Wildcat-Carter-Moriah ridge. The west side of the ridgeline drains to the Peabody River. The Peabody and Wild rivers are both northeast-flowing tributaries of the Androscoggin River. The summits of North Baldface, Mount Meader, and West Royce form a line along the eastern edge of Bean's Purchase, and the eastern slopes of those mountains are part of the Saco River watershed.

Adjacent municipalities

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, the population of the township was zero.[2] Bean's Purchase is part of the Berlin, NH-VT Micropolitan Statistical Area.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2021 U.S. Gazetteer Files – New Hampshire . United States Census Bureau . November 15, 2021.
  2. Web site: Beans purchase, Coos County, New Hampshire: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171). U.S. Census Bureau. November 15, 2021.
  3. https://www.conwaydailysun.com/berlin%20sun/community/obituaries/obituary-beth-mckenzie/article%202a24fe76-dc6b-11e8-9137-538cd9a8eff1.html "Obituary: Beth McKenzie"