Welcome to Concord, New Hampshire—the state's historic capital! It evolved from a highly contested riverfront plantation into a vital center for American industry, transportation, and politics. Known globally for its unique craftsmanship and distinctive local granite, Concord boasts a rich legacy that deeply influenced the infrastructure of the entire nineteenth-century American frontier.
Old painting of Concrd, New Hampshire, c1850
Originally Chartered as Penacook: Long before it took its current name, the land was home to the Pennacook people. In 1725, the Massachusetts Bay Colony granted the area to settlers as the plantation of Penacook. The community layout was heavily planned around the fertile intervales along the Merrimack River, and the settlement officially incorporated as the town of Rumford in 1733.
A New Name Born out of Bitter Compromise: The town's early history was marred by a fierce, multi-decade jurisdictional boundary dispute between Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Both provinces claimed legal ownership of the territory. When the Privy Council in London finally settled the border, Governor Benning Wentworth re-incorporated the town on June 7, 1765, renaming it Concord to purposefully signify the "concord"—or peaceful agreement—restored between the warring factions.
The Baseline 1790 Census: Following its stabilization as a unified New Hampshire municipality, Concord recorded its very first official population footprint. In the inaugural 1790 United States Federal Census, the growing riverfront agrarian and trade community registered a baseline population of exactly 1,747 permanent residents.
The Selection as New Hampshire's Permanent Capital: For its first several decades, New Hampshire’s state government had no fixed home, migrating fluidly between Portsmouth, Exeter, and Concord. In 1808, the state legislature voted to make Concord the permanent seat of government, recognizing its centralized geographic location as ideal for representatives traveling from all corners of the state.
The Oldest State House with an Active Legislature: To solidify its capital status, construction began on a permanent capitol building. Completed in 1819, the New Hampshire State House was constructed using locally quarried granite and labor from inmates at the nearby state prison. Today, it stands as the oldest state capitol in the nation in which the legislature still meets in its original chambers.
The Legendary Abbott-Downing "Concord Coach": In 1827, Lewis Downing and J. Stephens Abbot formed the Abbott-Downing Company in Concord, creating a vehicle that would revolutionize global transportation. They engineered the famous Concord Coach, a heavily reinforced stagecoach that utilized unique leather thoroughbraces instead of steel springs to cushion passengers. This brilliant design allowed the coaches to survive the brutal, unpaved roads of the American West, making them the primary vehicles used by Wells Fargo and the Pony Express.
The Famous "Concord Granite" Landmark Era: Concord sat atop an incredibly dense, premium geological deposit of fine-grained, exceptionally durable gray granite. Quarried heavily throughout the 19th and 20th centuries on Rattlesnake Hill, Concord Granite became a highly sought-after national building material. Local stonecutters supplied the raw structural granite used to build monumental landmarks across the country, including the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and the New York State Capitol.
Old photo of the State Capitol building at Concord NH, taken about 1910
The Tragic Passing of President Franklin Pierce's Son: Concord was the adoptive home of Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States. Just weeks before his 1853 inauguration, Pierce, his wife Jane, and their eleven-year-old son Benjamin boarded a train in Andover, Massachusetts, to return home to Concord. Tragically, the train car derailed and rolled down an embankment, killing Benjamin instantly in front of his parents. The tragedy plunged the incoming President into a profound depression that heavily impacted his subsequent administration, and Benjamin was laid to rest back in Concord.
The Dual-Timeline City Charter Transition: As the community expanded into a major regional railway hub and industrial powerhouse, the traditional town meeting framework became insufficient to manage its sprawling civic infrastructure. The New Hampshire state legislature officially passed an act incorporating the City of Concord on July 6, 1852, which local town voters proudly and formally ratified at the ballot box on March 10, 1853, completing the official transition.
The Pioneer Legacy of Christa McAuliffe: Concord played a deeply poignant role in the history of the American space program. Christa McAuliffe, a dedicated social studies teacher at Concord High School, was chosen out of more than 11,000 applicants to become the first civilian participant in NASA’s "Teacher in Space" project. Tragically, she perished along with her crewmates on January 28, 1986, when the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart shortly after launch. Her legacy is permanently honored at Concord’s McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center.
Old photo of a road in new Concord NH in September 1937
Footage of 1940s Concord
Concord, NH - Phonsey Ceriello's 1940 Movie - Jake Blues on YouTube
Concord in 1960
Produced by Dan Stiles Associates and owned by Concord City Library, this 1960 short film was presented by Mary Lou Quigley.
The film visits a wide range of workplaces, with both interior and exterior shots, and lots of employees seen close to the camera.
There's also a lot of information about what the firms are, what they do, and an overview of their processes, skills or custom base.
In the second half, attention turns to schools and hospitals, as well as leisure activities. Twice a week the Police Chief gives ice skating lessons to teenage girls, and boys can enjoy the Basketball Club or Boys Club.
Adults enjoy music and outdoor activities.
The 7th & 8th generation descendants of Hannah Dustin stand and gaze at her statue.
Concord's Christmas Parade of 1964
In 1964, Dick Brodeur in Concord, New Hampshire, made a home movie of the queue for the Santa's Workshop, and the Christmas Parade.
The materials for construction of Santa's workshop were provided by Concord Lumber.
There are a lot of people in this short film, many of them small children or teenagers.
We also see the Mayor of Concord in an open top car.
Concord NH Christmas Parade, 1964 - dickbrodeur on YouTube
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