Lying as it does on the Connecticut River, this town has a history closely associated with river transportation and fishing. It was opened for settlement as early as 1733; the first permanent settlement wasn’t until 1761. Originally known as Fort No. 1. Chesterfield received its charter in 1752 and was named for Philip Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield.

The town was once home of small manufacturing, notably spinning wheel parts and hand tools.

In 1772, Philip Embury conducted the first Methodist religious services in New Hampshire at the James Robertson farm in Chesterfield, and in 1803 Francis Asbury preached here. Chesterfield Academy, established in 1794, was for decades one of the most celebrated in the state.

Harlan Fiske Stone, a chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1872-1946), was born in Chesterfield and always held the town in special affection. Spofford Lake is one of the region’s largest and oldest resorts; nearby Chesterfield Gorge is a noted geologic site.