Modest in size with an area of 6.6 square miles and a population of 1,551 (2000 Census), Newfields was a part of Exeter in colonial times when it was called Newfield Village. As of 1727 it became a parish of Newmarket, known as South Newmarket, before incorporating in 1895 to become the Town of Newfields.

Various industries thrived in Newfields, including lumber, shipbuilding, iron production and casting, tanning, and manufacturing. Exports from Newfields included lumber, ship’s masts, beef, pork, pelts, as well as machinery, steam engines and small locomotives.

The Boston and Maine Railroad, which first extended service through Newfields in 1841, is still an active commercial line with both freight and passenger service running north and south along the waterfront, and includes a switch yard at Rockingham Junction, at the north end of town. In its day, Rockingham was an important rail depot and connected a westbound line to Manchester that no longer operates. An eastbound spur into Portsmouth still receives occasional use.

Today, the industries in the village occupy newer buildings and include manufacturing of automotive parts and sports clothing, printing, and warehousing. The town’s largest business, Hutchinson Sealing Systems, is located south of the village and manufactures rubber and plastic components for the automobile industry. One of the town’s oldest businesses, Conner Bottling Works, still bottles soft drinks under its own label: Squamscott Beverages.

With the increase in population and economic vitality in the seacoast, NH region, Newfields-with its country charm and attractive natural landscape, has become a popular bedroom community. While significant land development and construction of new homes in the last decade has brought many new families to the town, along with a corresponding expansion of services and facilities, Newfields retains its proud historic character in large part because all of its residents, both old and new, appreciate and respect its heritage.