New Hampshire
New Hampshire was one of the original thirteen colonies and became the ninth state to ratify the United States Constitution on June 21, 1788. Known as the Granite State, it has Concord as its capital and Manchester as its largest city. Its landscape extends from a short Atlantic coastline through the Lakes Region to the White Mountains, where Mount Washington rises as the highest peak in the northeastern United States.
In January 1776, New Hampshire became the first colony to establish an independent government and constitution, several months before the Declaration of Independence. Its ratification of the United States Constitution provided the ninth approval required for the new national government to take effect. During the nineteenth century, rivers powered textile mills, paper mills, and other industries that transformed communities such as Manchester into important manufacturing centers.
Recent Articles
The J. Stickney Tavern Sign
While exploring the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, I noticed this colorful wooden tavern sign. Like so many objects I encounter in museums, I photographed it because it caught my attention before I knew its story. The sign came from the Stickney Tavern, opened by William Stickney in 1791 near the corner of North […]
Campaign Banner from the Election of 1860
One of the exhibits that caught my attention was this colorful campaign banner from the presidential election of 1860. While political campaigns often seem like a modern phenomenon, Americans have been using banners, posters, and political imagery to influence voters for generations. This banner was created by members of the Republican Party in New Hampshire […]
“Eisenhower Comes to Concord”
Growing up in the 1950s, I remember a moment in each school day where we would pause, turn to a photograph of Dwight D. Eisenhower, and as I remember it, drink a glass of milk. I do not remember much else about this ritual, but the memory has stayed with me. I was too young to […]
Bust of Governor Gallen
On a drive through the White Mountains, we passed through the dramatic landscape of Franconia Notch State Park. Near one of the scenic stops stands this granite bust honoring Hugh J. Gallen. The memorial commemorates Galles, who served as Governor of New Hampshire from 1979 until his death in 1982. He was respected for his […]
