The town of Hollis lies immediately to the west of Nashua, but seems a generation away from Nashua's busy city streets, shopping malls and restaurants. In 1746, the district of West Dunstable was divided into four townships: Dunstable, Holles, Merrimack and Monson by order of the Royal Governor, Benning Wentworth. The Secretary of State for the Colonies at that time was the Duke of Newcastle, and his family name was Holles. It was usual for the Governor to name towns chartered by him in honor of his friends and patrons.

Eventually the spelling was changed to Hollis, possibly because Harvard University graduates were aware of "Hollis Hall" there, named after a generous benefactor, Thomas Hollis, a wealthy London merchant. This was sometime after the town was named. There are no families named "Hollis" living in the town or in the past.

Today, Hollis has a population of nearly 7,500 and is well-known for its many beautiful homes. Hollis is one of the more affluent communities in New Hampshire. With many open fields, farmstands and orchards, Hollis reflects the classic beauty of a small New England town. More than one hundred buildings in town are historically important, including numerous Georgian and Federal style residences. Well known for its agricultural past, Hollis keeps this tradition alive with more than 2,000 acres still used for agricultural purposes today.

Incorporated: 1746

Origin: Incorporated in 1746 by Governor Benning Wentworth, the town takes its name from a very old English family. Governor Wentworth's ancestor, Thomas Wentworth, first Earl of Strafford, was married to Arabella Holles, daughter of John Holles, Earl of Clare. Hollis was first called West Dunstable, or Nittisset, which at one time was part of Groton, Massachusetts, and is now Nashua.

Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1,441 residents in 1790

Population Trends: Hollis has experienced well above average population growth over each of the last five decades, growing nearly six times larger. Decennial growth rates ranged from a 22 percent increase between 1980-1990 to a 79 percent increase between 1970-1980. Over fifty years, population in Hollis increased by a total of 5,819 residents, going from 1,196 in 1950 to 7,015 residents in 2000. The 2003 Census estimate for Hollis was 7,489 residents, which ranked 40th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.

Population Density, 2003: 227.0 persons per square mile of land area. Hollis contains 31.8 square miles of land area and 0.5 square miles of inland water area.

Villages and Place Names: Hollis Depot, West Hollis