Interesting facts about New Hampshire

new hampshire

New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States.

It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north.

As of August 2018, the population of New Hampshire was estimated to be about 1,350,000 people. It is the 41st most populous state in the United States.

New Hampshire is the 46th largest state in the United States in terms of total area with 24,214 square kilometers (9,349 square miles).

Concord is the state capital, while Manchester [photo below] is the largest city in the state.

manchester

Known for its natural beauty, New Hamsphire features rugged mountains, clear blue lakes, and sandy lake and ocean beaches. All of these features are packed into one of the smallest states.

Contained within the Appalachian Highlands, the three primary geological features and landforms of New Hampshire are: the Coastal Lowlands, the Eastern New England Upland and the White Mountain Region.

Mount Washington, called Agiocochook by some Native American tribes, is the highest peak in New Hampshire and in the Northeastern United States at 1,916.6 meters (6,288.2 feet) and the most topographically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River.

mount washington

New Hampshire has 2 national parks and 19 state parks.

Franconia Notch State Park is located in the White Mountains in northern New Hampshire. Attractions in the state park include the Flume Gorge and visitor center, the Old Man of the Mountain historical site, fishing in Echo Lake and Profile Lake, and miles of hiking, biking and ski trails. The northern part of the park, including Cannon Mountain and Echo and Profile lakes, is in the town of Franconia, and the southern part, including Lonesome Lake and the Flume, is in Lincoln.

franconia notch state park

New Hampshire only has 29 kilometers (18 miles) of shoreline, but wow does it make the most of this diminutive length of the Atlantic Coast. Hampton Beach is the state’s largest sandbox, and it’s open to the public free.

new hampshire beach

The Flume Gorge is a natural gorge extending 240 meters (800 feet) horizontally at the base of Mount Liberty in Franconia Notch State Park, New Hampshire. Cut by the Flume Brook, the gorge features walls of Conway granite that rise to a height of 21 to 27 meters (70 to 90 feet) and are 3.7 to 6.1 meters (12 to 20 feet) apart. Discovered in 1808 by 93-year-old “Aunt” Jess Guernsey, the Flume is now a paid attraction that allows visitors to walk through the gorge.

flume gorge

The Mount Washington Cog Railway, also known as the Cog, is the world’s first mountain-climbing cog railway (rack-and-pinion railway). The railway is still in operation, climbing Mount Washington in New Hampshire, USA. It uses a Marsh rack system and one or two steam locomotives and six biodiesel powered locomotives to carry tourists to the top of the mountain. Its track is built to 4 ft 8 in (1,422 mm) gauge, which is technically a narrow gauge, as it is a ​1⁄2-inch (12.7 mm) less than 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge.

mount washington cog railway

In a region with a reputation for superb scenic driving, New Hampshire’s Kancamagus Highway (pronounced kanc’-ah-MAU’-gus, but save yourself the trouble and just call it “The Kanc”) eclipses other contenders for the title of New England’s best byway. This 34-mile route through the White Mountain National Forest is picturesque year-round, and if you’re visiting New Hampshire in the fall, it’s a must.

kancamagus highway

New Hampshire is home to the region’s best theme parks for little tykes: Story Land and ​​Santa’s Village. Most parents will tell you that age 3 1/2 is the perfect time to enjoy the simple magic of gliding in a swan boat, climbing aboard Cinderella’s pumpkin coach, and feeding Santa’s reindeer.

new hampshire theme park

Like all of New England, there were several Native American Algonquin tribes living in New Hampshire long before any white settlers arrived.

Between 1600 and 1605 French and British expeditions visited the coast, forming the first permanent settlement in 1623 at today’s town of Rye and Dover.

New Hampshire, one of the original 13 colonies, was the first state to have its own state constitution.

new hampshire map

In June 1788 New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, bringing that document into effect.

The state motto of New Hampshire, “live free or die,” exemplifies the determined individualism of these hardy people.

The state’s nickname, “The Granite State”, refers to its extensive granite formations and quarries.

The Scotch-Irish immigrants who settled in Nutfield in April 1719 planted the first potato crops in North America.

New Hampshire is the only state to have hosted the formal conclusion of a foreign war. In 1905, the treaty ending the Russo-Japanese War was signed in Portsmouth.

On May 17, 1996, New Hampshire became the first state in the country to install a green LED traffic light. New Hampshire was selected because it was the first state to install the red and yellow variety statewide.

New Hampshire is one of only nine states that does not require its residents to pay state income tax.