Grafton is a small town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, where many liberty activists have settled. It is one of the few towns with no zoning, is entirely rural, and is mostly populated by people who just want to be left alone by government. In the early days of the Free State Project, a small group of activists decided to encourage people to move specifically to Grafton for these reasons.
- Population (2019): 1,329.
- Households: 846.
- Tax rate (2019): $31.77.
- Town budget (2020): $1,361,046.
- School budget (2020): $2,458,398.
- Total area: 42.6 mi².
A detailed profile about the town can be found at FreeHampshire.Com. The Town’s official website is at townofgraftonnh.com.
Grafton was named for Augustus Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Grafton, Earl of Arlington and Euston, Viscount Thetford, and Baron Sudbury. He was a pro-American member of English government prior to the Revolution, and related to New Hampshire Governor Benning Wentworth. Grantees of the initial 1761 charter voted to surrender their grant in 1762. The land was regranted in 1769 to new colonists, including John Hancock and James Otis, well-known Boston patriots. The town was incorporated in 1778. Source.
The name Grafton itself means a farm or settlement in a grove, from Old English grāf “a grove, a copse” and tūn “an enclosure, a farmstead, a village, an estate.” Source.
If you are interested in moving to Grafton, contact Porcupine Real Estate.
Currently in Grafton
- Upper Valley Liberty Calendar Events happening in the Upper Valley region.
- Lakes Region Liberty Calendar Some nearby events are also listed on the Lakes Region calendar. See also the whole FSP Liberty Calendar.
- Grafton Politics & Activism on YouTube Video recordings of Grafton Selectmen meetings, Deliberative Session, and more.
- Grafton County Republican Committee Many liberty activists are active within the Grafton County GOP. Both of Grafton’s state reps are pro-liberty Republicans. The GCRC website is under construction still. There are also regional committees to get involved in, including the Upper Valley and Plymouth Area committees.
- New Hampshire Jury Information Bringing awareness of jury nullification to New Hampshire jurors.
Older happenings
- Mascoma Valley Taxpayers Union Resisting the ever-growing size of our local, school, and county budgets—and our ever-increasing property tax bills that result. Archive of our 2012–14 efforts.
- Lower Grafton County Prosecutorial Association, Inc. Investigating government fraud, public education, and community outreach.
- Free Grafton Forum Community, reasons to move, news, and events. 2022 archive of the accompanying website.
- Peaceful Assembly Church A church open to all who believe in Peace, Liberty, and Forgiveness. The meetinghouse burned down in 2016—but Peaceful Assembly Church is still alive. 2022 website archive. 2018 archive. 2016 archive.
- Burning Porcupine Festival 2015 website archive of what was Grafton’s own freedom festival.
More to come soon…