The settlement period continued into the 1700s as sawmills and gristmills were established to
harness the many streams and brooks throughout the town. The late-1700s were a significant
period for the region due to construction of the 27.75-mile-long Middlesex Canal System linking
the Merrimack River to Charlestown-Boston. Direct water access to Boston markets immensely
increased trade opportunities.
During the 1800s, two massive cotton textile mills were established by harnessing waterpower
with canal systems. Metal manufacturing, iron industries and other heavy industries were
established as ancillary and support businesses to the mills. Railroads built throughout the region
in the mid-1800s dramatically reduced the general expense of travel and transportation of goods,
allowing Nashua's manufacturing and retail sectors, along with its population, to grow and
diversify.
The City Charter was issued by the State of New Hampshire and signed by Governor Noah Martin
on June 28, 1853. It was not until a new charter was written in 1913 that the current form of
government was adopted (The Nashua History Committee 1978: The Nashua Experience. Canaan,
New Hampshire: Phoenix Publishing). The Mayor and fifteen-member Board of Aldermen, as the
chief executive and legislative officers of the City, are responsible for the prudent administration
of the City’s affairs in accordance with laws set forth in the City Charter.
Municipal Services
The City provides services such as police and fire protection; refuse disposal; sewer services and
highway, street, and sidewalk maintenance. It maintains fifty-six athletic fields, four ice skating
rinks, three outdoor swimming pool complexes, and seventeen hard courts. The City also preserves
1,200 acres of park sites including Holman Stadium, a 4,500-seat open-air stadium. The stadium
is used for sports, concerts, recreational activities and other City sponsored events.
Nashua is fortunate to have a municipal airport, Boire Field. It is located in the northwest corner
of the city on 396 acres of land that the Nashua Airport Authority leases from the City. The
Authority was created by State Statute in 1961 and is “tasked with setting policy and procedures
to operate the airport for the City of Nashua in conjunction with the rules and regulations of the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and New Hampshire Department of Transportation,
Division of Aeronautics” (www.nashuaairport.com).
The City is responsible for providing education to its citizens in compliance with requirements
established by the State of New Hampshire. Public education is offered for grades kindergarten
through twelve, providing a comprehensive program of general education, business, and college
preparatory courses. An elected nine-member School Board manages the school district’s affairs
with fiscal autonomy on certain matters; however, the School Board does not represent an
autonomous governmental unit independent from the City of Nashua. Financial management and
reporting, as well as the issuance of debt obligations, are the City’s responsibility.
