New Hampshire, the Granite State

The history of how each of the 48 continental states was carved out of the coast-to-coast American territory is most interesting.  In northeastern New England, New Hampshire was originally a part of Massachusetts.  The southern boundary with Massachusetts was set by the King of England.  At one point, both New York state and New Hampshire claimed Vermont but it was made a separate state.  Then there was the matter of the 58-mile border New Hampshire shares with Quebec, Canada, resolved after only two or three wars.  New Hampshire was one of the original thirteen colonies in the United States, deep into the Revolutionary War to separate from England. New Hampshire has only a small coastline on the Atlantic Ocean north of Massachusetts.

Franklin Pierce, born in Hillsboro Town, New Hampshire, was the 14th president of the United States.  His father, Benjamin, was a farmer there during the American Revolution.  At the news of the battle at Lexington, he "hitched his oxen to a stump and set off with his uncle's gun.  He became an officer in the Revolutionary Army and later a governor of New Hampshire" (photo caption, p. 276). In 1774, "it was on New Hampshire soil that the first armed blow was struck at British domination, when a band of patriots. . . overpowered the small garrison at Fort William and Mary, in Portsmouth Harbor" (p. 307).

New Hampshire is called "The Granite State" due to the White Mountains.  "With 86 peaks in an area of 1,270 square miles, New Hampshire's White Mountains contain the highest elevation in the northeastern states" ("New Hampshire, the Granite State," George Higgins Moses, National Geographic Magazine, September, 1931, p. 304).  The residents take full advantage of The White Mountain National Forest.  In 1931, there were 160 girls and boys camps.  Campers came from many corners of the country.  Hunters also love this rugged country and come to hunt the Big Game of bears and deer. New Hampshire is a land of 400 lakes.  There were 225 forest industries in 1931.

The people of this state prided themselves on religious tolerance and were extremely productive in 1931.  One-quarter of the farmland was devoted to hay crops.  Other major crops were ferns, apples, flowers and bulbs.  There were many dairy farms.  Mica and fellspar were mined.  In the town of Peterboro was established the country's first tax-supported free public library.  In 1776, New Hampshire drew up the first state constitution.

Some of the names of the New Hampshire towns were taken directly from England: Manchester, Concord, and Canterbury.  Other towns have Native American names: Sunapee, Pemigewasset, Pasquhey, Cocheco, Piscataqu, Winnepesaukee, Waukewan, Asquam, and Opeechee.

"New Hampshire winters are usually long and severe, but, instead of considering the months of cold and deep snows as liabilities, the state has converted them into assets, with communities holding winter carnivals every year and more hotels offering facilities for winter sports" (photo caption, p. 299).

A few years ago, daughter #5, Mary, and I drove from Boston north along the coast to Portland, Maine and stopped at the lighthouse in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. There were many beautiful lighthouses along the rocky coast, as you can imagine.  We hope to make this trek again soon.