Originally called Folson's Mills, then Batchelder's Mills, Lakeport was settled in 1766. With its dam at the outlet of Paugus Bay, Lakeport was also a major manufacturing center for hosiery, knitting machines and needles, and the building of steamboats.
During the second half of the 19th century, Lakeport was an important railroad town. Originally part of Gilford, Lakeport became part of Laconia in 1855.
Lakeport is a neighborhood in the city of Laconia in Belknap County, New Hampshire, in the United States. It was once known as "Lake Village" and is centered on a power dam on the short river channel between Paugus Bay (an arm of Lake Winnipesaukee) to the north, and Opechee Bay to the south. Lakeport lies approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of downtown Laconia.
In recent years, Lakeport has seen a revival with the renovation of The Opera House, addition of new dining and retail options that compliment the long-standing community favorites such as Fratello's Italian Grille, O's Steak and Seafood, and Lake Opeechee Inn and Spa.
Laconia contains three main villages. Downtown Laconia, where the Belknap County Courthouse is located, can be found in the southern tip of the city, along the Winnipesaukee River between Opechee Bay to the north and Lake Winnisquam to the southwest. Lakeport, located between Opeechee Bay and Paugus Bay, is near the geographic center of the city. Weirs Beach, around the channel connecting Paugus Bay with Lake Winnipesaukee, lies at the northern edge of the city.
The former Boston and Maine Railroad White Mountain Branch, originally built as the Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad, enters Laconia at the Belmont town line near Lake Winnisquam and runs north through the city, through Lakeport and along Paugus Bay to Weirs Beach and Meredith. Purchased by the State of New Hampshire in 1975, the tracks are actively used for freight purposes by the New England Southern Railroad and for tourist train service by the Plymouth & Lincoln Railroad between Meredith and Lakeport, with occasional service out of Laconia. The line is also a vital active link to the National rail network for the tourist operator to ship and receive equipment for their own use and also to perform contract work at the railroad's Lincoln repair shops.
U.S. Route 3 passes through parts of the city, bypassing downtown but passing through Weirs Beach. New Hampshire Route 11 bypasses the city in a concurrency with US 3. The two highways lead southwest from Laconia to Tilton and Franklin. New Hampshire Route 11A represents the old routes 11 and 3 through downtown as Court Street and Union Avenue, but then turns east on Gilford Avenue to lead to Gilford and West Alton. New Hampshire Route 106 runs north-south through downtown, leading south to Concord and north to Meredith. New Hampshire Route 107 leads southeast from downtown towards Gilmanton and Pittsfield. Route 107 turns north in downtown and follows Union Avenue (former Route 3) to a junction with US 3 near the north end of the Laconia Bypass. US 3 continues north along the east shore of Paugus Bay, through Weirs Beach and into Meredith. Route 11 leads east from the Laconia Bypass past Glendale and into Alton. New Hampshire Route 11B leads east from Weirs Beach into Gilford.
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