Search Results for: concord

The Hew Hampshire State House in Concord, New Hampshire
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The Hew Hampshire State House in Concord, New Hampshire

ByJennRecord

The New Hampshire State House, located in the capital city of Concord, is the home base of New Hampshire’s 24 State Senators, each Senator representing 55,000 residents, and 400 House Representatives, one for every 3,500 residents. State House members have other full time jobs and several college student members are current House members (the minimum age to be a House Representative is 18 years old). The House Chamber, 204 years old (in 2023) is the oldest, continuously used House Chamber in the United States- the only additions over the years have been carpet, electricity, and female representatives.   The original State House was built between 1816-1819, with additions in the 1860s and the addition of elevators and restrooms in 1910.

Exploring the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, NH
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Exploring the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, NH

ByJennRecord

While visiting the New Hampshire state capitol of Concord recently, we enjoyed a tour of the New Hampshire Historical Society, which celebrates the rich history of the Granite State.

Celebrating its 200th birthday in 2023, the New Hampshire Historical Society was a gift of Edward Tuck, son of a wealthy businessman who founded the Dartmouth Business School, to the state of New Hampshire. Tuck gave most of his lifetime of fortune back to various charities in New Hampshire and ultimately wanted to build (what he called) a “temple” to the Granite State near the State House. Finished in 1911, the building takes up an entire city block and is diagonal to the State House in downtown Concord. Over the past century, several renovations have been made to the building to make it more energy efficient and accessible for all visitors. 

The building was built in a Greek revival style, including the ceiling and walls of the rotunda, which are made of Siena marble from a quarry in Italy that was owned by the monks of the Old Convent and shipped to America. The floors and staircase are made of Hauteville marble from France. Make sure to stand in the middle of the atrium and look up at the Oculus and have children complete our “I Spy” game while touring the exhibits.

10 Ways to Explore the McAuliffe Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, N.H.
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10 Ways to Explore the McAuliffe Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, N.H.

ByJennRecord

The McAuliffe Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, New Hampshire is a science museum and planetarium that honors the life’s work and legacy of the first American in space and Derry, New Hampshire native, Alan Shepard, and Concord High School social studies teacher and the first teacher in space, Christa McAuliffe. Opened as a stand alone planetarium and memorial to Christa McAuliffe in 1990, the center added Alan Shepard to its honorees, and then expanded to include a full science museum in 2009. The  45,000 square foot center one of the most popular attractions in the capital city of Concord, New Hampshire, just hour north of Boston. There are dozens of interactive STEM exhibits that will engage the whole family. 

Playing “I Spy” At the Pierce Manse in Concord, NH
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Playing “I Spy” At the Pierce Manse in Concord, NH

ByJennRecord

On a recent visit to New Hampshire’s state Capital of Concord, we wanted to learn more about the only US President to come from New Hampshire: Franklin Pierce and his estate, the Pierce Manse.  America’s 14th president, serving one term from 1853 to 1857, Franklin Pierce was born in Hillsboro, New Hampshire and later served as a lawyer in Hillsboro. The seventh of nine children, Pierce’s father was a two time New Hampshire Governor in the 1820s. Pierce graduated from Maine’s Bowdoin College, where he met lifelong good friend, author Nathaniel Hawthorne. 

Minute Man National Historic Park Lexington & Concord, MA
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Minute Man National Historic Park Lexington & Concord, MA

ByJennRecord

Concord and Lexington Massachusetts are two towns located northwest of Boston steeped in the history of the “birth” of America. The National Park Service has done a wonderful job of preserving many important sites in these towns associated with the battle of April 19, 1775, when colonial milita fought British troops (called “regulars”) in a battle that began the American Revolution. Collectively, these sites are known as the Minute Man National Historic Park. It’s well worth your family’s time to spend a day (or two or three!) visiting the area. Here are my top picks:

kids in front of American flag at Fraunces Tavern in NY

10 Places to Learn About George Washington in the Northeast

ByJennRecord

America’s first president, George Washington, has hundreds of schools, buildings, institutions, and memorials dedicated in his honor. There are also dozens of historical sites associated with Washington  preserved all  throughout America. We recently realized that we’ve explored many historical spots connected to Washington and thought it would make a good “trail” of sorts to share with our readers. So this week, we’re sharing 11 locations throughout the Northeast dedicated to George Washington- all of which are kid friendly and offer lots of hands-on learning about our nation’s first president and the creation of America.