Dover is a city located in the Southeastern corner of New Hampshire, in the Seacoast region of the state. The city is situated in Southeast Strafford County and encompasses a total area of 29 square miles, of which 26.7 miles is land. The remaining 2.3 square miles is made of inland water area, accounting for nearly 8 percent of the city. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the local population for the area was 29,987.
Dover was first incorporated as town in 1623 under the name Hilton?s Point, a tribute to the brothers William and Edward Hilton. It was also known to be referred to as Newichwannock, Cocheco, Bristol and Norham over time. In 1641, the name Dover was finally assigned to the city. Dover?s placement on the Piscataqua and Cocheco Rivers made it a prominent center for trading and manufacturing. In 1855, the town was officially incorporated as a city.
Dover is a comprised of about 92 percent land, is drained by the Cochecho and Bellamy rivers and fully rests within the Piscataqua River watershed. The town?s highest point is located at Long Hill, where the elevation reaches over 300 feet. Another prominent hill that reaches about a 290-foot elevation is Garrison Hill, which has a park and lookout tower located on top.
The city is governed by a mayor, city manager and a city council. Children attend schools in the Dover School District, which includes three elementary schools, one middle school, two high schools and five private/parochial schools. Dover has a full-time police department, a full-time fire department and municipal emergency medical services. The biggest employers in the area include Liberty Mutual, the City of Dover, Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, Cambridge Tool North and EAD Motors.
Dover boasts a number of recreational attractions and events such as an outdoor tennis court, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, youth organizations, a plethora of youth sports opportunities, an indoor ice skating rink, museums and bowling facilities. The city is noted to be the hometown of Kenneth Appel, the mathematician who solved the four-color theorem.