Historic Marker telling about President Pierce
Monday, October 13, 2008 (Columbus Day)
I had wanted to be touring Concord by 8 AM, but we underestimated how long it would take us to get ready. Both Margo and I are seasoned travelers, but our last few trips had stay in just one or two places. So we would unpack and get settled. This trip we would never completely unpack and the first morning took some mental adjusting. Still we were only about half an hour late.
The first thing I wanted to do was visit President Franklin Piece’s grave.
President Pierce's (& family) grave
He was one our worst Presidents (the 14th), but he was still President, so since we were in the area and had time, we took a stroll over to the Old North Cemetery and found his grave. It only took about 20 minutes for the whole thing. It was a bit strange in one way. Back right up to the cemetery, like it was their own back yard was a couple of houses. I wondered out loud what it must be like to tell friends and family that a former President is buried in your backyard. Surprisingly, the graveyard itself was actually pleasant. You could file the history in the air, and the changing of the season seemed not to intrude but accentuate the feeling. It had feeling that was part fall, part Halloween, and part grade school field trip.
We were only there for about twenty minutes. We paid our respects, got a few pictures and went back to the school where we had parked the car.
Old North Cemetery. The President is buried in the Minot enclosure behind a couple of houses
Margo noticed a four-square game grid painted on the asphalt and as that and the rules in the window brought back such memories she could resist preserving their memory either. As we had no ball, she was able to resist the urge for a quick game.
Our next and final stop was to take a look at the capital building. If Margo and I are passing through a state capital we try to stop and at least take a picture. As today was Columbus Day, we had no idea if the building would be open, but we could at least snap a few pics. As it turned out, it was open. There weren’t many people around and the city did nothing to celebrate Columbus Day, so with the exception of a few state employees, we were pretty much alone.
I was very impressed by the amount of history in the building.
Me in the House gallery
Even Margo was taking pictures left and right. We saw both the House and the Senate Chambers. We saw the offices of all the various leaders of the state of New Hampshire, including the Speaker of the House. Then there were the portraits of state officials going back two hundred years, and portraits and artifacts from the Civil War. I never gave much thought to what contributions New Hampshire made to the winning of the War Between the States. Obviously, they had to of, as all states in the Union made major contributions to the fight, but based on their displays, you would think they won it all by themselves. This is not to insinuate a degree of arrogance. Nothing of that sort was apparent. But the sense of duty and pride permeated everything. I was particularly awed by the battle flags on display. The 117 on display go back to the Civil War, and are full of holes and burns attesting to the carnage they witnessed.
We made a quick pass through the gift shop, signed the guest book, and expected to be on our way, after getting a picture of the full building.
Daniel Webster statue
But a very impressive statue of Daniel Webster greeted us. I had always though Daniel Webster was from Massachusetts. But, he got his start in New Hampshire, where he was born. After getting a few pics there we discovered a full size replica of the Liberty Bell. Evidently a number of them were made in 1950 for a bond drive.
Our final picture was of the Legislative Office Building across the street. It is an impressive stone building, that judging from the inscription above the arched entrances got its start as a Post Office and Court House. But, by now we were out of time. We even overstayed for awhile, but it worth it. We got in our car and headed north. Our next stop was going to be just across the border at the Quechee Gorge in Vermont.
New Hampshire History
The New Hampshire State House, located in Concord, NH is the oldest continually used state legislative building in the nation. It has been in use perpetually since 1819. The building houses both the state Senate and state House of Representatives.
Margo and I were in Concord over Columbus Day, so there was not very many people in the State House at all. We were actually surprised it was open. This gave us a very different perspective than what a normal tourist would see. While we did not have ability to see either chamber in session, we did get better visual access to those rooms.
There is history everywhere you look in this building. From the many displays or pictures of prominent New Hampshire denizen (not just politicians) to the battle flag display, to the sculpture and Liberty Bell replica on the grounds.
They have a small gift shop and free tours are offered, during normal hours. It is all free, which makes it that much more attractive.
New Hampshire State House
Nice Hotel, but too expensive
The Courtyard by Marriot Concord is a very nice hotel. The bed was comfortable. The staff was friendly and it has nice amenities. The location is near downtown, which given the size of Concord means it’s close to wherever you need to be. The grounds are beautiful and it has an indoor pool and fitness center. They have free broadband and a small business center.
If it sounds like I’m setting you up for a “but”, you are right. Even with all of that at $155 (including tax) I thought it was overpriced. For a state capital there are not a lot of choices. But, given it to do over again, I would look for a cheaper hotel and sacrifice some of the goodies that we wouldn’t use.
Courtyard by Marriot (photo cour
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Lobby (photo courtesy of Courtyard)
Pool and Fitness Center(photo co
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Dead President Here
You have to have an interest in cemeteries to even consider this as an attraction. I do, and to add a little credence to it, there is a US President buried here. Franklin Pierce and his immediate family are buried just yards from someone’s backyard. This cemetery is almost 280 years old, established in 1730. There are several other graves of note. They are mostly local politician or soldiers.
I find two things most striking about this cemetery. First, it seems more like a park. Lots of old trees and grass. If you could forget about the tombstones for a second, it would be relaxing. Second, is it’s location. It is right in a residential area. You can easily drive by and miss it, because it seems like it is just part of a backyard or park.
This is not for everyone, but if you have an interest in American history, or genealogy this place will appeal to you. Just looking at the type and inscriptions of the headstones, is worth parking the car and getting out.
Old North Cemetery
