Travel Oracles 50 States: New Hampshire
As part of my summer series - Travel Oracles 50 States - I am revisiting each os the fifty American states as an overview on travel culture and history. Today: New Hampshire
Joined: The state was the ninth and last necessary state to ratify the Constitution of the United States on June 21, 1788, thereby making the document the law of the land. During the Civil War, New Hampshire sent 35,000 to fight to preserve the Union. This represented about 11% of the entire population of the state. During the revolutionary war, New Hampshire provided the Union Army with three regiments who were called in to fight at the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Battle of Bennington, the Saratoga Campaign and the Battle of Rhode Island.
Original Indigenous Peoples: Native Americans living in New Hampshire and Maine are known as Abenaki (alt. spelling Abnaki), Penobscot and several smaller bands: Kennebec, Norridgewock, Androscoggin, Pequawket, Wawencok, Sokokis, Cowas, Missisquois, and the Pennacook1.
First Settlers: New Hampshire's first permanent European settlement began in 1623. In the wake of native populations, largely decimated by European diseases, English traders and fishermen settled at Odiorne Point in present-day Rye, and on Dover Point.
History moment: New Hampshire, one of the original 13 colonies, was the first state to have its own state constitution. Its spirit of independence is epitomized in the state motto–“Live Free or Die.” New Hampshire was the 9th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution–the final state needed to put the document into effect. It plays an important role in national elections, as it is the first state to holdnational primaries, and its primary results are thought to influence those in the rest of the nation, giving rise to the saying “As New Hampshire goes, so goes the nation.” It is the site of the White Mountains and the famed Mount Washington, one of the windiest places in the nation.
Known for: It's commonly known as the Granite State for its extensive granite formations and quarries, but also has three other nicknames: Mother of River, the White Mountain State and Switzerland of America, home state of former President Franklin Pierce
Places: Manchester, Nashua, Concord, White Mountains
Movie setting: On golden PongWhat about Bob, Jumanji(original)
Musicians from: Mandy Moore, Ray LaMontagne
Surprising facts: New Hampshire was the first state to have its own state constitution
New Hampshire’s precipitous terrain, clear air, and sparkling lakes attract trailblazers, artists, and countless tourists. A varied geography and myriad outdoor activities are part of the draw, but visitors also appreciate this place of beauty, history, and hospitality. Whether you’re seeking adventure or just want to laze on the porch swing of a century-old inn, you’ll find ample ways to engage with this rugged, diverse state that stretches from the sea to the Northeast's highest mountain peaks. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Louisa May Alcott all visited and wrote about the state, sparking a fervent literary tradition. It also has a strong political history: this was the first colony to declare independence from Great Britain, the first to adopt a state constitution, and the first to require its constitution be referred to the people for approval. Let’s travel to New Hampshire
My Experience: I went once, far too briefly, and am looking forward to some New England time this fall. It’s more about outdoor enjoyment and small towns for than anything else, here are things to do
Nature: Saint-Gaudens National Historic Park, The Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire begins in Hanover, right on the Connecticut River at the Vermont border, and ends in Gorham on the Maine border
Ranking in US: Per the annual US News report, New Hampshire is currently ranked #4 out of 50 in 2021 and was #2 2019.