Chester, NH

Located in Rockingham County in Southern New Hampshire, Chester offers a gentle country lifestyle without being removed from modern amenities.

Established in 1722, Chester has retained its rural charm yet is conveniently close to Manchester and Derry (10 minutes), Portsmouth and the seacoast (45 minutes), the White Mountains (1.5 hours) and only an hour from Boston. The advantageous location provides easy access to both Logan and Manchester airports, convenient high-way accessibility and is close by to shopping centers and industry.

A drive through town reveals Chester's unspoiled, old-world character. Modern buildings and pre-revolutionary structures complement one another, while woods and farmland give way to the town center where the spire atop the Church and the Stevens Memorial Hall tower overlook the grassy common.

Believed to be one of the original Massachusetts settlement grants, Chester was discovered over the years by some talented and patriotic New Englanders. Isaac Blasdell (1738-91) settled in Chester in 1762 and established himself as a volunteer soldier and clockmaker. Daniel Chester French (1850-1931), sculptor of the Minuteman statue in Concord, MA and the Lincoln statue at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., made Chester his summer home. Eventually, his love for the town led him to take "Chester" as his middle name.

Nowadays, Chester still offers much for its approximately 4,600 residents to love. Chester's students attend Chester Academy in town. High school students attend nearby Pinkerton Academy. Located in Derry, Pinkerton (est. 1815) is a private school contracting with the towns of Derry, Hampstead and Chester for their public high school students. For the high school graduate, Chester College offers 2-year and 4-year degrees.

Manchester, Derry and Nashua provide extensive shopping opportunities for Chester Residents, and medical care is just a few minutes away at Parkland Hospital in Derry, NH or at the Elliott Hospital and CMC in Manchester.