Concord,
New Hampshire, Number 28 (September 20, 2013)
(State
House)
Address/Phone/Email/website:
107 North Main Street.
603-271-2154
Hours: Monday through Friday from 8 am
to 4:30 pm.
My original plan was to go to
Montpelier. Visit the Capitol. Go to our overnight Evergreen. Drive to Concord and spend that night with another
Evergreener. Do some touring and go back
to Connecticut. Steve had other
ideas. We got to Montpelier somewhat
after four in the afternoon. Capitol
closed. Museum closed. Went to Evergreen in Montpelier. Got to the Capitol early enough to go to the
Library to find the Liberty Bell. See
Montpelier “tour” for details. Any way,
we finished Steve’s version of our visit (no museum, which, of course, we
seldom do when he is part of the tour).
Skedaddled down I-87 to Concord (only a couple hours drive). After touring Concord, we went home. Called the Evergreener to cancel, however.
Senate: 24
House/General Assembly: 400
Architect, Style and Year Built: Completed in 1819, with additions in 1866 and 1910
Building features:
Exterior: Concord granite. Labor provided by “horse thieves and other assorted felons.” Residents of the local jail/prison
Exterior: Concord granite. Labor provided by “horse thieves and other assorted felons.” Residents of the local jail/prison
Interior: Very New England. Very basic.
Local materials used throughout.
Grounds: The smallest acreage that we have seen for a State Capitol. Called the State House Park. Sixteen statues, monuments and memorials (including the liberty bell.)
1.
Memorial Arch (plan approved by Frederick Law Olmstead
of Central Park, NYC fame). To
“commemorate those who served in the nation’s wars” It cost $20,000 and was
dedicated July 4, 1892.
2.
The “granite monument” commemorates New Hampshire
service personnel killed in WWII Korea
and Viet Nam. A separate Civil War
monument.
3.
A time capsule—placed in 1965—to be opened June 7,
2015.
4.
An assortment of trees, granite plagues.
5.
New Hampshire renowns and heroes: Marquis de Lafayette, and larger than life
statues of Daniel Webster, General John Stark (American Rev. Hero), John Parker
Hale (anti-slavery advocate), Commodore George Hamilton Perkins (Civil War),
and New Hampshire’s only President Franklin Pierce.
Getting there: Easy.
I-87 takes one almost into the downtown area. Low traffic volume the day we visited.
Parking: When not
in session, parking is generally easily available and often free. Most of the Capitols I/we have visited have
not been in session (summer is a good time).
Meters and/or parking garages are available, but are usually
expensive. ($9.00 for 2 hours in
Providence)
Metered up and down Main
Street. Two hour maximum. Designated meter stations can take Master
Card (and maybe other charge cards),
$.75 for two hours. (This is the
first ever that I had a $.75 line item charge on MC. It made me chuckle.) When you pay at designated stations, you
receive a small card which you place on your dashboard.
Lots of people singing (playing
music or other entertainment) on the street with the mandatory place to collect
tips. Made me feel a bit uncomfortable.
Entered Union (Number and date): One of the Original Thirteen
Colonies. Ninth to ratify Constitution. June 21, 1788.
Nicknames: The Granite State
Name: English.
Named after Hampshire County, England
Motto: Live Free or Die
Cornerstone: Did not find it
Dome/Rotunda/Dome topper: “The American eagle, may the shadow of
his wings protect every acre of our united continent, and the lightning of his
eye flash terror and defeat through the ranks of our enemies” was the toast
when the eagle was placed atop of the State House. Original eagle was made of butternut (wings
and head hinged with wooden pegs. Head turned toward left (war). Eight coats of
gilding. There for 138 years (now at the
Historical Society) In 1957 it was
replaced with a copper replica (head turned to right for peace).
The dome is unique. From the second floor one can peek through the glass and see the inside of the dome. See picture at top.
The dome is unique. From the second floor one can peek through the glass and see the inside of the dome. See picture at top.
Art: Portraits of New Hampshire governors from
time as colony. There are 200 throughout
the building (only 7 women…we found six).
A large mural in the front hall of Pickett's Charge in the Civil War.
Bronzes. Stained glass.
 |
| 1st of the Portraits of a Woman Civil Nurse and Heroine No name is given in brochure |
Quarter:
Old Man of the Mountain, nine stars
Captions: "Old Man of the Mountain", "Live Free or Die"
Old Man of the Mountain collapsed May 2003.
Liberty Bell: Each state
and most territories have been gifted at least one replica of the liberty
bell. Each bell is numbered. Missouri seems to have two—one of which is
located at the Harry S Truman Library (#54) in Independence, MO, given by the
city of Annecy-le-Vieux to the city of Independence. My guess would be that this choice was made
as Truman was President at the time of the gifting. The second one was given to the State of
Missouri and resides on capitol grounds (#20).
The
fifty five full-sized replicas were cast in 1950 by the Paccard Foundry in
Annecy-le-Vieux, France and shipped as gifts to states and territories to thank
the United States for its part in France’s liberation. The settings were funded in part by a savings
bond drive that was devised to promote the sale of savings bond.
The
replica bells are often located outside on the grounds of the capitol complex; some
states have placed them inside the capitol building; some states have located
them in other prestigious places such as state historical societies; some
states don’t seem to have a clue where it is.
Each
bell is numbered. There does not seem to
be rhyme or reason as to the numbering system.
New Hampshire’s bell is located
in the State House Park (#42). Easy to
find and see
Special/personal note:
My favorite part of New Hampshire
History
American Revolution: Colonel/General John Stark (this battle led
to his promotion to Brigadier General) led his men to a decisive victory to win
at the Battle of Bennington. Part
of the Saratoga campaign, August 16, 1777, in Walloomsac, NY, about 10 miles from
Bennington, VT. When an appeal came from
the residents of the New Hampshire Grants for protection (a disputed area
between New York and the Vermont Republic), Stark raised 1,500 New Hampshire
Militiamen in the space of six days, more than ten percent of New Hampshire's
male population over the age of sixteen.[ A rebel force of 2,000 men, primarily
composed of these New Hampshire men and some Massachusetts militia, reinforced
by Colonel Seth Warner’s Vermont Republic Green Mountain Boys, decisively
defeated a detachment of General John Burgoyne's army led by Lt Co Friedrich
Baum, supported by additional men under Lt Colonel Heinrich von Breymann--a
mixed force of 700 dismounted Bruswick dragoons, Canadians, Loyalists, and Indians.
Baum was sent to raid Bennington area for horses, draft animals, and other
supplies. Believing the town to be only lightly defended, Burgoyne and Baum
were unaware that Stark militia were stationed there. After a rain-caused
standoff, Stark's men enveloped Baum's position, taking many prisoners, and
killing Baum. Reinforcements for both sides arrived as Stark and his men were
mopping up. The battle restarted, with Warner and Stark driving away Breymann's
reinforcements with heavy casualties, reducing Burgoyne’s army by almost 1,000
men, Indian support largely abandoned him, and deprived him of needed supplies
such as cavalry and draft horses and food--all factors that contributed to
Burgoyne's eventual Saratoga surrender.
Steve had an ancestor (a New Hampshire man) that fought under Stark at Bennington.
A
couple of legends that came from the battle which may or may not be true (I
like to believe that they are);
The
Bennington Flag: The flag is believed by some that it flew at this battle. Some other sources believe it is incorrectly
identified as having flown there.
I prefer to think it was flown there, as the other part of this legend is that when Elizabeth,
better known as Molly, Stark heard of the Continental Congress resolve, “that
the flag would have thirteen alternating red and white stripes, a field of blue
with thirteen stars,” she went to work and designed the Bennington Flag. This flag started and ended with white rather
than red (seven white, six red stripes).
The stars also have seven points.
These stars provide a crescent over the number 76. Washington is said to prefer six
stripes. Further legend says the women
in Philadelphia working on what has become known as the Betsy Ross Flag did not
want to do all the extra sewing that a six pointed star would have
created. So, they made it five points. Whatever the truth, standard rules were
eventually presented by Congressional resolve.
Museum/Historical Society/Heritage: Did not visit
What’s unique—claims to fame:
1. Claims to the oldest statehouse
in which the legislature still sits in its original chambers. (See Vermont’s claim)
2. “Live Free or Die” is attributed
to John Stark.
3. New
Hampshire holds the first Presidential primary.
A win here is often results in a precursor of the general election
4.
The
Secretary of State’s office houses a collection of photos of various
Presidential Primaries.
5.
New
Hampshire apparently is a WOMEN’S WORLD.
A. The 2008 elections resulted in women holding a majority,
13 of the 24 seats, in the New Hampshire Senate, a first for any legislative
body in the United States.
B. In the 2010 midterm elections, Kelly Ayotte was elected U.S.
senator.
C. In
the 2012 New Hampshire became the first state in U.S. history to elect an
all-female federal delegation:
Representatives Carol Shea Porter and Ann McLane Kuster joining U.S. Senators Jeanne
Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte. Further, the
state elected its second female governor: Maggie Hassan.
6.
Fourth
largest legislative body in English speaking countries. Most Representatives are retirees or are
actively working in their daily jobs.
They earn $200 per two year term (plus mileage).
7.
And
the fourth smallest state Senate.
Members also receive $200. The
Senate furnishing date from 1942.
8. Legislators do not have offices. All "work" is done at his/her desk.
8. Legislators do not have offices. All "work" is done at his/her desk.
9.
Hall
of Flags
A. A
variety of Flags from various wars in which they participated: Civil War, Spanish American, National Guard
units from duty on the Mexican border, World War I, World War II, and Viet Nam,
small New Hampshire flags carried to the moon in Apollo Eleven and Fourteen.
B. Moon rock and portrait of native son and first astronaut--Alan Shepard.
C. Roll
of Honor of men and women who died in WWI.
D. Medal
of Honor recipients are honored by a plaque in front of the Roll of Hon
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