Dover, New Hampshire

HAMPSHIRE S ince its establishment in 1623, Dover, New Hampshire has amassed a long and storied history in commerce. Beginning as a colonial seaport that fostered a healthy shipbuilding industry in the 1700s, this city, nestled in Strafford County, repositioned itself as the nation’s leading manufacturer of cotton goods with the development of several textile mills peppered along its bustling shoreline. That was followed by the development of a successful brick industry that existed until the mid-20th century. Growth and innovation continue in Dover, today. Ever-evolving, it keeps abreast of the latest trends and technologies for its almost 34,000 residents; many of whom are young professionals. “We want to plan for the next several decades so that we don’t have a geriatric or gentrified community,” says Dover’s Economic Development Director, Dan Barufaldi. “We want to continue to grow jobs and bring people here.” The city knew the key to accomplishing that was to attract people with disposable income. In essence, Dover was ready to face the new age and it did so with gusto. “Over the last decade, the answer seemed to be P R I D E O F P L A C E