First named Paulsbourg in 1771, after Paul Wentworth, the governor's cousin. Among the first grantees were relatives of the Harris family, who had established one of the first woolen mills in America at Harrisville. In 1824, Governor Levi Woodbury, who was interested in expanding wool culture in New Hampshire, authorized naming the town in honor of Milan Harris.
Milan is often mis-pronounced. The correct pronunciation is My-Lan, not Milan like the Italian city. Village in Milan include; Copperville and West Milan.
In the middle 1800s, there was a large vein of gold discovered in the hills, which was mined for several years. Milan is the site of the Berlin Ski Jump, Milan Hill State park, and the Milan Fire Tower.
