Orange is a town located in Western New Hampshire in the Dartmouth/Sunapee region of the state. It is situated in the Southern part of Grafton County and encompasses a total area of 23.2 square miles, .04 of which is water. As of the 2010 United States Census, Orange was home to 331 people.
The land that now comprises Orange was first granted in 1769. At the time, it was known as Cardigan, in honor of the Earl of Caridgan, Sir George Brudenell. Though the name was changed to Orange when the town was incorporated in 1790, the Cardigan name lives on at Mount Cardigan and Cardigan State Park, both located in the area. Other names considered for the town included Bradford, Middletown and Liscomb.
Less than 1 percent of Orange’s total area is made up of water. Its highest point lies at Mount Cardigan, where elevation reaches 3,115 feet above sea level. The town is served by Interstate 19, and the closest public airport is Lebanon Municipal, about 21 miles away. The Mount Cardigan State Park is located in the town, and offers 5,655 acres of land for hiking, biking, walking, picnicking and other outdoor activities.
Orange is governed by an elected Board of Selectmen. It has no police department, a volunteer fire department and utilizes the volunteer emergency medical services of the nearby town of Canaan. Children in the area attend schools in the Mascoma Valley Regional School District, which also serves the neighboring towns of Canaan, Dorchester, Enfield and Grafton.
For recreation and entertainment, residents of Orange can take advantage of the town’s various municipal parks, youth organizations, youth sports leagues, fishing and hunting areas, snowmobile trails and bicycle trails. The town is also in close driving distance to the Dartmouth Skiway and the Ragged Mountain ski area.