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.
Playing “I Spy” at the Vermont State Capitol
Vermont, the 14th state in the union, chose Montpelier as the state capital because of its central location and accessibility to the nearby Winooski River. The first State House, a traditional wooden meetinghouse, was open from 1808-1835, and then moved and expanded to a nearby, larger space from 1836-1856, until a fire destroyed most of the State House in January of 1857. The third, and current, State House was completed in 1859, built in an Italian Renaissance revival style, with all features made from masonry and cast iron; only the dome (57 feet high and covered in gold leaf) is made of wood. (Even the doors and staircase railing were painted to look like mahogany!) The Vermont Senate Chamber, which has 30 members, is the oldest senate chamber in America that is still actively used and still has all of the original furniture and lighting from 1859 (except for two filing cabinets and a computer). The 150 member House Chamber is the largest room in the State House. Vermont legislators have no private offices at the State House; they conduct business at their chamber desks or in groups in large committee rooms on the first floor. And unlike most state Capitols, there is no rotunda inside the Vermont State House, the dome is an exterior ornament. Hubbard Park, located behind the State House, is home to walking trails, a fitness trail, an interpretive trail, a 54 foot stone tower, and picnic shelters. The State House complex welcomes visitors all year and encourages exploration of its grounds.
10 Kid Friendly, Springtime Activities in Burlington, Vermont
One of the most popular parts of the “Green Mountain state”, Burlington is located in the north western part of Vermont, on the shore of Lake Champlain, the largest freshwater lake in the United States (after the five Great Lakes). Burlington is home to Champlain College and the University of Vermont (with St Michael’s College and CCV Winooski nearby) and has over 500 acres of open, recreational space and almost three dozen parks. There are tons of biking and walking paths (see #10 on this list) and three sandy beaches (Oakledge Park, North Beach, and Leddy Beach) open to the public. The Sand Bar State Park and Mount Philo State Park are great options for swimming, boating, picnicking, and hiking. There are tons of family friendly attractions for each season (tons of winter recreation options and plenty of ways to explore in the summer sunshine), but this week on the blog, we’re highlighting 10 spots families can enjoy all year.
Playing “I Spy” at the Connecticut State Capitol
Visiting state capitol buildings is one of the first things we do when visiting the capital city. It’s a little ironic that it took our family, who has lived in Connecticut for almost 20 years, this long, but we recently, finally made it to the CT Capitol for a tour. Connecticut was founded in 1662 and is known as the Constitution State, as it was the first state to adopt a constitution. Built in 1878, the Connecticut Capitol building, located in downtown Hartford, was designed by Richard M. Upjohn to replicate a Victorian Gothic style. The building overlooks Bushnell Memorial Park’s 41 acres in the heart of Hartford and was restored in the 1980s to the original colors and design. The addition of the Legislative Office Building (LOB), which opened in 1988, allowed for office space for Connecticut’s 151 Representatives (each representing approximately 25,000 constituents) and 36 State Senators (each representing approximately 90,000-100,000 constituents). The “LOB” also allows for more public meeting spaces and opportunities for state officials to meet as committees and with public interest groups. The first and second floors of the LOB and the first floor of the Capitol are both open to the public; upper level floors house private offices and chambers and guests must be accompanied by officials.
7 Stops on the Tour of the Massachusetts State House
Located in downtown Boston, on the south side of Beacon Hill and overlooking the Boston Common and Back Bay, the Massachusetts State House was constructed in 1798 and served as the state house until the mid 1880s. The land where the capitol was built was donated by John Hancock, the first elected governor of Massachusetts and the building remains the oldest on Beacon Hill.
The Old State House; the Boston National Historical Park
The Old State House, built in 1713, is the oldest building in Boston. It has been restored several times since it was saved by demolition in 1881. In addition to being the State House, the building also served as City Hall in the mid 1800s. It’s famous for overlooking the Boston Massacre and being the site of the first reading of the Declaration of Independence in Boston. In 1903 a branch of the subway was installed.
With your admission ticket, each guest receives a lanyard and card and assigned historical figure from the Revolution Era. Each card includes biographical information, social rank, and age. Use this information at several exhibits throughout the museum.