Londonderry is a town in western Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town is bordered on the north by the city of Manchester and on the east by the town of Derry. Londonderry is known for its apple orchards and is home to the headquarters of Stonyfield Farm and partial home to Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. The more densely settled portion of town is defined as the Londonderry census-designated place (CDP) and roughly occupies the southeastern and southern parts of town, around New Hampshire Route 102.
Londonderry lies in an area that was first known as “Nutfield” because of the dense woods with nut trees. The town was settled in 1718 by Scots-Irish settlers, many of whom had left their homes in Londonderry in the Province of Ulster in the north of Ireland, and arrived in Boston in 1718 to start a new life without religious wars and persecution. In 1722, the town was chartered and given the name “Londonderry”.
Early Ulster Scots settlers spread out into surrounding villages, bringing Irish and Scottish names like Antrim, Derry and Dunbarton. Londonderry was the second largest town in early colonial times, and Derry, Windham and a portion of Manchester were formed from it. In 1719, the first American potato was grown in Derry, then a part of Londonderry.
Londonderry is home to numerous businesses, many of which are located in the northern part of the town near Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT), or in the southeastern part of town near I-93, on NH 102. Major businesses headquartered in town include Stonyfield Farm and Blue Seal Feeds; a bottling facility of the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. is also located in town. The town is also home to numerous chain retailers.
Mack’s Apples, Sunnycrest Farm, Elwood Orchards, and Woodmont Orchards are among the several orchards in town and are emblematic of the town’s important farming heritage. The abundance of apple orchards in town has made apple picking a popular fall activity among all residents, many of which affectionately refer to the town as “Appletown”. However, apple theft is a major issue within the town, and one that the town police are often preoccupied with.
Content courtesy of Wikipedia.org