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Community Profiles - Gilford
Gilford was granted in 1727, originally as part of Gilmanton. Settlement was delayed due to Indian conflicts. The first settlers reached Upper Parish (Gilford / Laconia / Belmont) in 1743.
In 1812 Gilford was incorporated and renamed. As roads through the area improved, mills, stores and other commercial enterprises sprang up.
In 1848 the Boston, Concord and Montreal RR connected Meredith Bridge (now Laconia), Lake Village (Lakeport) and the Weirs, giving Gilford residents rail access to Concord. President of the railroad, Benjamin Kimball, built a summer home in Gilford in 1894. Known as Kimball's Castle, the building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
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