Bristol is a town located in Central New Hampshire in the Lakes Region of the state. In is situated on the Southeastern corner of Grafton County and encompasses a total area of 22.4 square miles, 17.1 of which is land and 5.3 of which is water. The town includes a number of notable locations, including Sugar Hill State Forest, Wellington State Park and Profile Falls. The area is also home to several bodies of water: Smith River, Newfound Lake, Pemigewassat River, Newfound River and Merrimack River.
The town of Bristol was first incorporated in 1819 and was named for its significant deposits of clay, which resembled sand used in pottery and china in Bristol, England. In its early years, the town was a manufacturing hub, producing paper, leather, wool, flannel and more; for its facilities, water power from the nearby Pemigewassat River was used.
As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Bristol was home to 3,054 residents. The town boasts a full-time police department, a full-time fire department and a municipal emergency medical services department.
Children in Bristol attend schools in the Newfound Area School District, which includes four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. The Newfound Area School District is also Bristol?s top local employer, followed by Freudenberg-NOK, the Town of Bristol and Shop ?n Save. Local attractions and activities include several municipal parks, tennis courts, cycling trails, hiking, snowmobiling, skiing, boating, fishing, camping and youth sports leagues.
Over the years, several notable people have called Bristol home, including former governor of New Hampshire Nathaniel S. Berry, writer John Cheever, inventor Thomas A. Watson and former Louisiana govern and New Orleans mayor Benjamin Flanders.