The Hew Hampshire State House in Concord, New Hampshire
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.
Donald M Kendall Sculpture Gardens at PepsiCo in Purchase, New York
The Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens at the World Headquarters of PepsiCo are named for the former chairman of the board and chief executive officer of PepsiCo, Donald Kendall. The sculpture collection was started in 1965, five years before the World Headquarter building opened. Today, the 160+ acre Purchase, New York campus, located one hour north of New York City, is free to visit during the spring, summer, and fall seasons and is a great spot to explore with children.
The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia
The Omni Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia has been on our must visit list for years and last week we were able to enjoy a few days at one of the most beautiful and relaxing resorts we have ever had the privilege of visiting. Located three and half hours southwest of Washington D.C. , the Omni Homestead is one of America’s first resorts, opening in 1766. Over the past 250+ years, The Homestead has welcomed 23 of the 46 U.S. Presidents, hundreds of dignitaries from around the world, and generations of families who visit each year to unplug, relax, and enjoy the beauty of the Hot Springs.
Exploring the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, NH
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.
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
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.