Federated state of the USA (24,032 km 2 with 1,315,809 inhabitants in 2008); capital Concord. Consisting of a hilly region, except to the north, in the area of the White Mountains (Mount Washington, 1917 m), rich in lake basins (approx. 600) of glacial origin. Agricultural activity is limited to the river valleys (cereal products, vegetables and fruit). Approximately 60% of the surface is covered by woods, the wood and paper industries are active. The major center is Manchester.
The territory of the present New Hampshire, visited by the British in 1603, was included in a series of concessions made by the British crown to the explorer J. Mason around 1620; it was then administered by the colonial government of Massachusetts from 1641 to 1679, when it was established as a royal province. Proclaimed independent in 1776, New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify the Federal Constitution in 1788.
NEW HAMPSHIRE – THE STATE IN THE APALACHIANS
New Hampshire is one of the most sparsely populated New England states in the Apalachian Mountains. The beautiful landscape stretches from Mount Washington in the northern White Mountains over the lakes to the Atlantic beaches at Hampton. The hill country, rich in lakes and forests, is what makes the area so attractive for tourists and invites you to go hiking , skiing and canoeing.
The state’s mountains include more than 200 types of rock and mineral; hence the nickname Granite State. It is most beautiful in the autumn at the time of the Indian Summer, when the foliage begins to color with red, orange and yellow colored leaves.
The state is considered the most European region in the USA.
The architecture almost always shows a European element and the residents are also characterized by a European temperament. The motto “Live free or die” applies. A historical figure with roots in the state is ” Uncle Sam “, whose real name is Samuel Wilson and whose parents’ house can still be found in Mason. In 1812 he supplied the army with beef under the brand name “US”.
The largest cities are Manchester (approx. 110,000 residents) and Nashua (approx. 85,000 residents). The capital Concord has about 42,000 residents.
Climate and Weather
Summers are generally cool but can also be hot and humid; the winters are very cold and snowy (snow cover in the north up to 2.5 m). The main season is the Indian Summer (mid-September to early October); autumn is considered the best time to travel. In addition to the four seasons, New Hampshire has a “fifth”: the month of April (after the snow and before the spring flowers bloom), known as the “Mud Season”.
Portsmouth
Portsmouth was the capital of the colony of New Hampshire from 1679 to 1774. The original colonial settlement of the place at the harbor was Strawberry Banks, now a living one museum. On the four hectare site, visitors can take a guided tour or visit on their own. With one exception, all the houses in the complex are still in the same place where they were built. The city is on Interstate 95 from Boston to Portland, Maine. Especially the idyll of the beautiful port city is breathtaking.
White Mountains
The low mountain range with numerous hiking trails is known for brightly colored autumn forests, which show their most beautiful side, especially in September (Indian Summer).
The highest peak in the American northeast is Mount Washington at 1,917 m (panoramic view and summit house). Optionally, Mt. Washington can be reached from the east side from the Notch Camp of the Apalachian Mountain Club via hiking trails (6.5 km long Tuckerman’s Ravine Trail) or by car from SR 16 via the Mt. Washington Toll Road. The Mt. Washington Toll Road is open daily from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm from mid-June to early September, otherwise depending on the weather (1999 prices: driver $ 16, passengers $ 6). The tourist center of the region is North Conway.
Franconia Notch (I-93)
The Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway leads to the top of Cannon Mountain (distant views and hiking trails). On the rock face the rock formation “Old Man of the Mountains”, also called “The Profile”, resembling a human profile. From here, a short walk takes you to Profile Lake. One of the attractions on the Cascade Brook Trail is ” The Flume “, a narrow, dark gorge that has low temperatures even in the summer days and fills with a thick layer of ice in winter when the wooden walkways are removed. At the far end a waterfall plunges into the depths.
New Hampshire has the following main cities:
Concord
City of the USA (42,345 residents In 2004), capital of New Hampshire, on the Merrimack River. Industrial activity developed in the textile, publishing, mechanical and granite and wood processing sectors. It is an important station on the Boston-Montreal railway line and has an airport.
On the site of an ancient village of the Penacook Indians, where the British established a first trading base in 1660, the town was built under the name of Penacook (or Penny Cook) by the colonists of Massachusetts in 1725; it was elevated to town in 1753 with the name of Rumford, which changed in 1765 to that of C.; seat of the constitutional assembly of New Hampshire during the War of Independence, it became the capital of that state in 1808; it was elevated to a city in 1853.
