History Derry New Hampshire was first settled in 1719 and was incorporated in 1827. The town was named for the Isle of Derry, Ireland, and the Gaelic word "Doire" means oak woods. Derry is rich in New England history. Derry is the birthplace of Alan B. Shepherd, America's first astronaut, and Robert Frost taught at Pinkerton Academy. The Robert Frost farm, located on Route 28, is open to the public, and attracts many visitors. Rural Lifestyle The town of Derry has retained the small village characteristics Frost knew, while growing to a town of about 22,000 residents. Pinkerton Academy's clock tower still marks the horizon two miles up the road from the Frost farm, a distance Frost covered on foot when he taught there to supplement the family's income. The farming tradition Frost pursued in Derry had roots in the town's settlement in 1719, when it was known as Nutfield, the site of European settlers' first cultivation of potatoes in America. You can still find many farms in the hills around Derry and bushels of fruit can be picked in the nearby orchards. Location Derry is conveniently located in Southern New Hampshire and offers accessibility to Route 93 North to the White Mountains and South to Massachusetts and Boston. Derry also hosts a commuter terminal with frequent bus service to downtown Boston and is a short distance from Manchester where residents can enjoy minor league hockey and concerts at the Verizon Center as well as shopping at the Mall of New Hampshire and many fine restaurants. The regional airport in Manchester is minutes away and provides convenient air service to cities nationwide.