According to Samuel T. Worcester's history[4] which was commissioned by the town selectmen in 1878, the town was incorporated in the province of New Hampshire on April 3, 1746, "to have continence forever by the name of Holles..."[4] Worcester argues that, at the time of the charter, Governor Benning Wentworth was indebted to Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, for his appointment as governor.

Worcester cites a Mr. Bancroft who, Thomas Hollis (1659–1731) was a major benefactor of Harvard College.

[5]: 230, 249  According to Spaulding's history,[6]: 5  Powers "became a noted backwoodsman and colonial land surveyor," and eventually accrued approximately 1,500 acres (610 ha) in the north part of Hollis.

Powers was also a militia officer in the French and Indian Wars and was commissioned captain by Governor Wentworth.

He served as pastor of churches throughout New England and died at the age of 71 in Deer Island, Maine.

The B&M continued to provide freight service until the Hollis Branch was abandoned in 1982, with a fuel dealer being the last rail customer in town.

[1] The highest point in Hollis is the summit of Birch Hill, at 821 feet (250 m) above sea level, located near the town's western border.

The Nissitissit River, a tributary of the Nashua, flows through the western part of the town.

The nearby table shows applicable temperature and precipitation data by month.

[14] The table to the right and nearby chart, taken primarily from historical data from the U.S. Census Bureau,[16] shows the population of Hollis from 1767 through 2010.

[36] The 2010 event included "amusement rides, parade, barbecue, silent auction, booths, fireworks, live music, balloon rides, pet parade, heritage craft demonstrations" and various other activities.

[37] It is generally held over the second weekend in September at Nichols Field in downtown Hollis.

[40][41] The festival previously included the Applefest Half Marathon, which was first run in 1983.

Seventh grade is the first year that Hollis and Brookline students attend the same school.

During this last year for the Farley Building, it contained classrooms for English, social studies, art, French, and Spanish.