The Hampton area’s history begins in a cloud of mystery: For centuries a rock stood near Boar’s Head with strange markings. Some claimed the marks were Viking runes, to mark the grave of Leif Eriksson’s brother, Thorwald, who legend says had come exploring around 1,000 AD. (Today the markings are still unexplained, but the rock is now in a protective well on the Tuck Museum grounds.) "Modern day" Hampton’s beginnings can be traced back to the small band of Puritans who came up the Hampton River and settled the area in 1638. Hampton originally included the towns of Rye, Seabrook, North Hampton and Hampton Falls, as well as Kingston, East Kingston and Sandown. During these early days, Eunice "Goody" Cole had the distinction of being the only woman ever convicted of witchcraft in New Hampshire. The Hampton woman was accused in 1656, jailed in Boston, and returned to Hampton in 1671, where she was again accused of trafficking with the devil. She remained in the area until her death in 1680.

Rye’s earliest settlement is marked at Odiorne Point State Park, a 137-acre nature area located at the mouth of Piscataqua River. Both Samuel De Champlain and Captain John Smith explored this area in the early 1600s. By the early 1900s, Odiorne was dotted with large summer cottages. They were taken by the military during World War II, when Fort Dearborn was created to protect the entrance to Portsmouth Harbor. The bunkers still stands, as does a former summer cottage that now houses the Seacoast Science Center.

The Quakers also helped settle the area around Seabrook, with their first settlement dating back to 1638. Early inhabitants made a living as fishermen and farmers, harvesting the salt marsh hay. Early manufacturing involved shoemaking, with individuals setting up shops in their homes. Timber also fueled careers, particularly near the Hampton Falls area where, during the early 18^th century, five mills on the three dams of the Hampton Falls River stood. One still remains today.

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