
region of the northeastern
United States of America. The state was named after the southern English
county
of Hampshire
. 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. New Hampshire ranks 44th in land area, 46th in total area of the 50 states, and 42nd in population.
It became the first post-colonial
sovereign
nation in the Americas
when it broke off from Great Britain
in January 1776, and six months later was one of the original thirteen states
that founded
the United States of America.
1679 New Hampshire becomes a county of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
1788 New Hampshire ratifies the Constitution of the United States and is admitted as the 9th state in the United States.
1804 New Hampshire approves the Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratifying the document.
1905 Russo-Japanese War: In New Hampshire, USA, the Treaty of Portsmouth, mediated by US President Theodore Roosevelt, ends the war.
1934 The strongest surface wind gust in the world at 231 mph, is measured on the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire.
1939 The U.S. Navy submarine USS ''Squalus'' sinks off the coast of New Hampshire during a test dive, causing the death of 24 sailors and two civilian technicians. The remaining 32 sailors and one civilian naval architect are rescued the following day.
1964 New Hampshire Lottery: New Hampshire becomes the first U.S. state to legally sell lottery tickets in the 20th century.
2003 New Hampshire's famous Old Man of the Mountain collapses.
region of the northeastern
United States of America. The state was named after the southern English
county
of Hampshire
. 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. New Hampshire ranks 44th in land area, 46th in total area of the 50 states, and 42nd in population.
It became the first post-colonial
sovereign
nation in the Americas
when it broke off from Great Britain
in January 1776, and six months later was one of the original thirteen states
that founded
the United States of America. In June 1788, it became the ninth state to ratify the United States Constitution
, bringing that document into effect. New Hampshire was the first U.S. state to have its own state constitution.
It is known internationally for the New Hampshire primary
, the first primary in the U.S. presidential election cycle. Concord
is the state capital, while Manchester
is the largest city in the state. It has no general sales tax
, nor is personal income (other than interest and dividends) taxed
at either the state or local level.
Its license plates carry the state motto: "Live Free or Die
". The state's nickname, "The Granite
State", refers to its geology and its tradition of self-sufficiency.
Among prominent individuals from New Hampshire are founding father
Nicholas Gilman
, Senator Daniel Webster
, Revolutionary War
hero John Stark
, editor Horace Greeley
, founder of the Christian Science
religion Mary Baker Eddy
, poet Robert Frost
, astronaut Alan Shepard
, and author Dan Brown
. New Hampshire has produced one president: Franklin Pierce
.
With some of the largest ski mountains on the East Coast, New Hampshire's major recreational attractions include skiing
, snowmobiling and other winter sports, hiking and mountaineering, observing the fall foliage, summer cottages along many lakes and the seacoast, motor sports at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Motorcycle Week
, a popular motorcycle rally held in Weirs Beach
near Laconia
in June. The White Mountain National Forest
links the Vermont and Maine portions of the Appalachian Trail
, and boasts the Mount Washington Auto Road
, where visitors may drive to the top of 6288 feet (1,916.6 m) Mount Washington
.
Geography
- See List of counties in New Hampshire, mountains, lakes, and rivers
New Hampshire is part of the New England
region. It is bounded by Quebec
, Canada, to the north and northwest; Maine
and the Atlantic Ocean to the east; Massachusetts
to the south; and Vermont
to the west. New Hampshire's major regions are the Great North Woods
, the White Mountains
, the Lakes Region
, the Seacoast
, the Merrimack Valley
, the Monadnock Region
, and the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee
area. New Hampshire has the shortest ocean coastline of any U.S. coastal state, with a length of 18 miles (29 km).
New Hampshire was home to the rock formation called the Old Man of the Mountain
, a face-like profile in Franconia Notch
, until the formation fell apart in May 2003.
The White Mountains range
in New Hampshire spans the north-central portion of the state, with Mount Washington
the tallest in the northeastern U.S. – site of the second-highest wind speed ever recorded
– and other mountains like Mount Madison
and Mount Adams
surrounding it. With hurricane-force winds every third day on average, over 100 recorded deaths among visitors, and conspicuous krumholtz (dwarf, matted trees much like a carpet of bonsai
trees), the climate on the upper reaches of Mount Washington has inspired the weather observatory on the peak to claim that the area has the "World's Worst Weather".
In the flatter southwest corner of New Hampshire, the landmark Mount Monadnock
has given its name to a class of earth-forms – a monadnock
– signifying, in geomorphology, any isolated resistant peak rising from a less resistant eroded plain.
Major rivers include the 110 miles (177 km) Merrimack River
, which bisects the lower half of the state north-south and ends up in Newburyport, Massachusetts
. Its tributaries include the Contoocook River
, Pemigewasset River
, and Winnipesaukee River
. The 410 miles (659.8 km) Connecticut River
, which starts at New Hampshire's Connecticut Lakes
and flows south to Connecticut
, defines the western border with Vermont. The state border is not in the center of that river, as usually the case, but at the low-water mark on the Vermont
side; meaning that the entire river along the Vermont border (save for areas where the water level has been raised by a dam) lies within New Hampshire. Only one town – Pittsburg
– shares a land border with the state of Vermont. The "northwesternmost headwaters" of the Connecticut also define the Canadian border with New Hampshire.
The Piscataqua River
and its several tributaries
form the state's only significant ocean port where they flow into the Atlantic at Portsmouth
. The Salmon Falls River
and the Piscataqua define the southern portion of the border with Maine. The Piscataqua River boundary was the subject of a border dispute
between New Hampshire and Maine in 2001, with New Hampshire claiming dominion over several islands (primarily Seavey's Island) that include the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
. The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the case in 2002, leaving ownership of the island with Maine.
The largest of New Hampshire's lakes is Lake Winnipesaukee
, which covers 71 square miles (183.9 km²) in the east-central part of New Hampshire. Lake Umbagog along the Maine border, approximately 12.3 square miles (31.9 km²), is a distant second.
Hampton Beach
is a popular local summer destination. About 7 miles (11.3 km) offshore are the Isles of Shoals
, nine small islands (four of which are in New Hampshire) known as the site of a 19th century art colony founded by poet Celia Thaxter
, as well as the alleged location of one of the buried treasures of the pirate Blackbeard
.
It is the state with the second highest percentage of timberland area in the country, after Maine
.
New Hampshire has the shortest ocean coastline of any state in the United States, approximately 18 miles long.
New Hampshire is in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
biome
. Much of the state, in particular the White Mountains, is covered by the conifers and northern hardwoods
of the New England-Acadian forests. The southeast corner of the state and parts of the Connecticut River along the Vermont border are covered by the mixed oaks of the Northeastern coastal forests
.
The northern third of the state is locally referred to as the "north country" or "north of the notches," in reference to White Mountain passes
that channel traffic. It contains less than 5% of the state's population, suffers relatively high poverty, and is losing population as the logging and paper industries decline. However, the tourist industry, in particular visitors who go to northern New Hampshire to ski
, snowboard
, hike
and mountain bike
has helped offset economic losses from mill closures.
Climate
New Hampshire experiences a humid continental climate(Koppen climate classification
Dfa in southern areas and Dfb in the north), with warm, humid summers, cold, wet winters, and uniform precipitation all year. The climate of the southeastern portion is moderated by the Atlantic Ocean and averages relatively milder and wetter weather, while the northern and interior portions experience cooler temperatures and lower humidity. Winters are cold and snowy throughout the state, and especially severe in the northern and mountainous areas. Average annual snowfall ranges from 60 inches (152.4 cm) to over 100 inches (254 cm) across the state.
Average daytime highs are in the mid 70s°F to low 80s°F (around 24–28 °C) throughout the state in July, with overnight lows in the mid 50s°F to low 60s°F (13–15 °C). January temperatures range from an average high of 34 °F (1.1 °C) on the coast to overnight lows below 0 °F (-17.8 °C) in the far north and at high elevations. Average annual precipitation statewide is roughly 40 inches (101.6 cm) with some variation occurring in the White Mountains
due to differences in elevation and annual snowfall. New Hampshire's highest recorded temperature was 106 °F (41.1 °C) in Nashua
on July 4, 1911, while the lowest recorded temperature was -47 F atop Mount Washington
on January 29, 1934. Mount Washington also saw an unofficial -50 F reading on January 22, 1885 which, if made official, would tie the all-time record low for New England (also -50 F at Big Black River, Maine on January 16, 2009 and Bloomfield, Vermont
on December 30, 1933).
Extreme snow is often associated with a nor'easter
, such as the Blizzard of '78
and the Blizzard of 1993, when several feet accumulated across portions of the state over 24 to 48 hours. Lighter snowfalls of several inches occur frequently throughout winter, often associated with an Alberta Clipper
.
New Hampshire, on occasion, is affected by hurricanes
and tropical storms although by the time they reach the state they are often extratropical, with most storms striking the southern New England
coastline and moving inland or passing by offshore in the Gulf of Maine
. Most of New Hampshire averages fewer than 20 days of thunderstorms per year and an average of two tornadoes occur annually statewide.
The National Arbor Day Foundation
plant hardiness zone
map depicts zones 3, 4, 5, and 6 occurring throughout the state and indicates the transition from a relatively cooler to warmer climate as one travels southward across New Hampshire. The 1990 USDA plant hardiness zone
s for New Hampshire range from zone 3b in the north to zone 5b in the south.
Metropolitan areas
Metropolitan areas in the New England region are defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as New England City and Town Area New England City and Town Area A New England City and Town Area or NECTA is a geographic and statistical entity defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, for use in describing aspects of the New England region of the United States... s (NECTAs). The following is a list of NECTAs in New Hampshire: |
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Lebanon, New Hampshire As of the census of 2000, there were 12,568 people, 5,500 households, and 3,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 311.4 people per square mile . There were 5,707 housing units at an average density of 141.4 per square mile... – Hartford, VT Hartford, Vermont Hartford is a town in Windsor County in the U.S. state of Vermont. It is located on the New Hampshire border, at the intersection of Interstates 89 and 91. It is the site of the confluence of the White River and the Connecticut River; the Ottauquechee River also flows through the town... Manchester, New Hampshire Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which... Nashua, New Hampshire -Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile... Metropolitan Division (part of Boston Boston Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... metropolitan area) Portsmouth, New Hampshire Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census... Rochester, New Hampshire Rochester is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 29,752. The city includes the villages of East Rochester and Gonic. Rochester is home to Skyhaven Airport and the annual Rochester Fair.... – Dover Dover, New Hampshire Dover is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, in the United States of America. The population was 29,987 at the 2010 census, the largest in the New Hampshire Seacoast region... |
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From The New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau |
History

(Pennacook
) tribes inhabited the area prior to European settlement. English and French explorers visited New Hampshire in 1600–1605, and English fishermen settled at Odiorne's Point
in present-day Rye
in 1623. The first permanent settlement was at Hilton's Point (present-day Dover
). By 1631, the Upper Plantation comprised modern-day Dover
, Durham
and Stratham
; in 1679, it became the "Royal Province."
New Hampshire was one of the thirteen colonies
that rebelled against British rule during the American Revolution
. By the time of the American Revolution, New Hampshire was a divided province. The economic and social life of the Seacoast revolved around sawmills, shipyards, merchant's warehouses, and established village and town centers. Wealthy merchants built substantial homes, furnished them with the finest luxuries, and invested their capital in trade and land speculation. At the other end of the social scale, there developed a permanent class of day laborers, mariners, indentured servants and even slaves.
The only battle fought in New Hampshire was the raid on Fort William and Mary
, December 14, 1774, in Portsmouth Harbor, which netted the rebellion sizable quantities of gunpowder, small arms and cannon. (General Sullivan
, leader of the raid, described it as, "remainder of the powder, the small arms, bayonets, and cartouche-boxes, together with the cannon and ordnance stores") over the course of two nights. This raid was preceded by a warning to local patriots the previous day, by Paul Revere
on December 13, 1774, that the fort was to be reinforced by troops sailing from Boston. According to unverified accounts, the gunpowder was later used at the Battle of Bunker Hill, transported there by Major Demerit, who was one of several New Hampshire patriots who stored the powder in their homes until it was transported elsewhere for use in revolutionary activities.
New Hampshire was a Jacksonian stronghold; the state sent Franklin Pierce
to the White House in the election of 1852. Industrialization took the form of numerous textile mills, which in turn attracted large flows of immigrants from Quebec (the "French Canadians") and Ireland. The northern parts of the state produced lumber and the mountains provided tourist attractions. After 1960, the textile industry collapsed, but the economy rebounded as a center of high technology and a service provider.
Since 1952, New Hampshire gained national and international attention for its presidential primary
held early in every presidential election year. It immediately became the most important testing grounds for candidates for the Republican and Democratic nominations. The media gave New Hampshire (and Iowa) about half of all the attention paid to all states in the primary process, magnifying the state's decision powers (and spurring repeated efforts by out-of-state politicians to change the rules.)
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, New Hampshire has a population of 1,316,470 residents, which is an increase of 80,684, or 6.5%, from the prior census in 2000.The center of population
of New Hampshire is located in Merrimack County
, in the town of Pembroke
. The center of population has moved south 12 miles (19.3 km) since 1950, a reflection of the fact that the fastest growth in the state has been along its southern border, which is within commuting range of Boston and other Massachusetts cities.
As of 2004, the population includes 64,000 residents born outside the United States (4.9%).
In 2006, New Hampshire had the lowest birth rate in the nation.
Race and ancestry
According to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau, the racial makeup of New Hampshire was as follows:- 93.9% WhiteWhite AmericanWhite Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
(92.3% Non-Hispanic WhiteNon-Hispanic WhitesNon-Hispanic Whites or White, Not Hispanic or Latino are people in the United States, as defined by the Census Bureau, who are of the White race and are not of Hispanic or Latino origin/ethnicity. Hence the designation is exclusive in the sense that it defines who is not included as opposed to who is...
) - 2.2% AsianAsian AmericanAsian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
- 1.1% Black or African AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
- 0.2% Native American/American IndianNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
- 1.6% Two or more racesMultiracial AmericanMultiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
The largest ancestry groups in New Hampshire are, per 2010 Census Bureau estimates:
- 24.5% FrenchFrench peopleThe French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
and French CanadianFrench CanadianFrench Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries... - 21.5% IrishIrish peopleThe Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
- 17.6% EnglishEnglish peopleThe English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
- 10.3% ItalianItalian peopleThe Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
- 8.4% GermanGermansThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
- 5.4% AmericanAmericansThe people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
- 4.4% ScottishScottish peopleThe Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
- 4.2% PolishPolesthumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
- 2.0% SwedishSwedesSwedes are a Scandinavian nation and ethnic group native to Sweden, mostly inhabiting Sweden and the other Nordic countries, with descendants living in a number of countries.-Etymology:...
- 1.6% GreekGreeksThe Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
- 1.4% PortuguesePortuguese peopleThe Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
- 1.1% Scots-Irish
The large Irish American
and French-Canadian populations are descended largely from mill workers, and many still live in the former mill towns, like Manchester. New Hampshire has the highest percentage (24.5% of the population) of residents of French/French-Canadian/Acadian ancestry of any U.S. state.
According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 3.41% of the population aged 5 and older speak French
at home, while 1.60% speak Spanish
.
In Coös County
, 16% of the population speaks French at home
Religion
Percentage of New Hampshire residents by religion (from USA Today):
- ChristianChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
– 72%- CatholicRoman Catholicism in the United StatesThe Catholic Church in the United States is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, the Christian Church in full communion with the Pope. With more than 68.5 registered million members, it is the largest single religious denomination in the United States, comprising about 22 percent of the population...
– 35% - ProtestantProtestantismProtestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
– 32%- BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
– 6% - CongregationalistCongregational churchCongregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
/United Church of ChristUnited Church of ChristThe United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
– 6% - Episcopalian/Anglican – 4%
- MethodistMethodismMethodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
– 3% - LutheranLutheranismLutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
– 1% - PentecostalPentecostalismPentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...
/CharismaticCharismatic movementThe term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
– 1% - PresbyterianPresbyterianismPresbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
– 1% - Protestant, no supplied denomination – 10%
- Baptist
- Unspecified Christian – 5%
- Catholic
- JewishJudaismJudaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
– 1% - Other – 2%
- No religionIrreligionIrreligion is defined as an absence of religion or an indifference towards religion. Sometimes it may also be defined more narrowly as hostility towards religion. When characterized as hostility to religion, it includes antitheism, anticlericalism and antireligion. When characterized as...
– 17% - Less than 0.5% each –
-
- Mormon/Latter Day Saints, Churches of Christ, non-denominationalNon-denominational ChristianityIn Christianity, nondenominational institutions or churches are those not formally aligned with an established denomination, or that remain otherwise officially autonomous. This, however, does not preclude an identifiable standard among such congregations...
, Jehovah's WitnessesJehovah's WitnessesJehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
, Assemblies of God, MuslimIslamIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, BuddhistBuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, EvangelicalEvangelicalismEvangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
, Church of GodChurch of GodChurch of God is a name used by numerous, mostly unrelated Christian denominational bodies, most of which descend from either Pentecostal/Holiness or Adventist traditions.-Pentecostal Movement:*Church of God...
, and Seventh-Day AdventistSeventh-day Adventist ChurchThe Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
- Mormon/Latter Day Saints, Churches of Christ, non-denominational
A survey suggests that people in New Hampshire and Vermont are less likely than other Americans to attend weekly services and only 54% say that they are "absolutely certain there is a God" compared to 71% in the rest of the nation. New Hampshire and Vermont are also at the lowest levels among states in religious commitment. About 23% of the respondents attend religious service at least once a week (39% nationally). Thirty-six percent said religion is very important to them (56% nationally). According to the ARDA
the largest single Protestant denominations are the United Church of Christ
with 34,299; and the United Methodist Church
with 18,927 members. The Catholic Church had 431,259 members.
Economy

estimates that New Hampshire's total state product
in 2008 was $60 billion, ranking 40th in the United States. Median household income
in 2008 was $49,467, seventh highest in the country. Its agricultural outputs are dairy products, nursery stock, cattle, apples and eggs. Its industrial outputs are machinery, electric equipment, rubber and plastic products and tourism.
New Hampshire experienced a significant shift in its economic base during the last century. Historically, the base was composed of the traditional New England manufactures of textiles, shoe making, and small machining shops drawing upon low-wage labor from nearby small farms and from parts of Quebec
. Today, these sectors contribute only 2% for textiles, 2% for leather goods, and 9% for machining of the state's total manufacturing dollar value (Source: U.S. Economic Census for 1997, Manufacturing, New Hampshire). They experienced a sharp decline due to obsolete plants and the lure of cheaper wages in the South
.
The state's budget
in FY2008 was $5.11 billion, including $1.48 billion in federal funds. The issue of taxation is controversial in New Hampshire, which has a property tax
(subject to municipal control) but no broad sales tax
or income tax. The state does have narrower taxes on meals, lodging, vehicles, business and investment income, and tolls on state roads.
According to the Energy Information Administration
, New Hampshire's energy consumption and per capita energy consumption are among the lowest in the country. The Seabrook Station Nuclear Power Plant
, located near Portsmouth, is the largest nuclear reactor in New England and provides about 30 percent of New Hampshire’s electricity. Two natural gas-fired plants and some fossil-fuel powered plants, including the coal-fired Merrimack Station plant in Bow, provide most of the rest.
New Hampshire’s residential electricity use is low compared with the national average, in part because demand for air conditioning is low during the generally mild summer months and because few households use electricity as their primary energy source for home heating. Over half of New Hampshire households use fuel oil
for winter heating. New Hampshire has potential for renewable energies like wind power
, hydroelectricity
, and wood fuel
.
The state has no general sales tax and no personal state income tax
(the state does tax, at a 5 percent rate, income from dividends and interest) and the legislature has exercised fiscal restraint. Efforts to diversify the state's general economy have been ongoing.
Additionally, New Hampshire's lack of a broad-based tax system (aside from the controversial statewide property tax) has resulted in the state's local communities having some of the nation's highest property taxes. Overall, New Hampshire remains ranked 49th among states in combined average state and local tax burden.
As of February 2010, the state's unemployment rate was 7.1%. By October 2010, the unemployment rate dropped to 5.4%.
Law and government

(Democrat) and Kelly Ayotte
(Republican). New Hampshire's two U.S. representatives are Frank Guinta
(Republican) and Charlie Bass (Republican).
New Hampshire is an alcoholic beverage control state
, and through the State Liquor Commission it takes in $100 million from the sale and distribution of liquor.
The state has offered civil unions since January 1, 2008, and, on January 1, 2010, same-sex marriage became legal.
Governing documents
The New Hampshire State Constitution of 1783 is the supreme law of the state, followed by the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotatedand the New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules
. These are roughly analogous to the federal United States Constitution
, United States Code
and Code of Federal Regulations
respectively.
Branches of government
New Hampshire has a bifurcated executive branch, consisting of the governor and a five-member executive councilwhich votes on state contracts worth more than $5,000 and "advises and consents" to the governor's nominations to major state positions such as department heads and all judgeships and pardon
requests. New Hampshire does not have a lieutenant governor; the Senate president serves as "acting governor" whenever the governor is unable to perform the duties.
The legislature is called the General Court
. It consists of the House of Representatives
and the Senate
. There are 400 representatives, making it one of the largest elected bodies in the English-speaking world, and 24 senators. Most are effectively volunteers, nearly half of which are retirees
. (For details, see the article on Government of New Hampshire.)
The state's sole appellate court is the New Hampshire Supreme Court
. The Superior Court
is the court of general jurisdiction and the only court which provides for jury trials in civil
or criminal
cases. The other state courts are the Probate Court
, District Court
, and the Family Division
.
Local government
New Hampshire is a "Dillon Rule"state, meaning that the state retains all powers not specifically granted to municipalities. Even so, the legislature strongly favors local control, particularly with regard to land use regulations. New Hampshire municipalities are classified as towns
or cities, which differ primarily by the form of government. Most towns generally operate on the town meeting
form of government, where the registered voters in the town act as the town legislature, and a board of selectmen
acts as the executive of the town. Larger towns and the state's thirteen cities operate either on a council-manager or council-mayor form of government. There is no difference, from the point of view of the state government, between towns and cities besides the form of government. All state-level statutes treat all municipalities identically.
New Hampshire has a small number of unincorporated area
s that are titled as gores
, grants, locations, purchases, or townships. These locations have limited to no self-government, and services are generally provided for them by neighboring towns or the county or state where needed. As of the 2000 census, there were 25 of these left in New Hampshire, accounting for a total population of 175 people (as of 2000); several were entirely depopulated. All but two of these unincorporated areas are located in Coos County
.
Politics
The Republican Partyand the Democratic Party
are the only official parties. A plurality of voters are registered as undeclared, and can choose either ballot in the primary and then regain their undeclared status after voting. The Libertarian Party
had official party status from 1990 to 1994.
New Hampshire primary
New Hampshire is internationally famous for the New Hampshire primary, the first primary in the quadrennial American presidential election cycle. State law requires that the Secretary of State schedule this election at least one week before any "similar event." However, the Iowa caucus
has preceded the New Hampshire primary. This primary, as the nation's first contest that uses the same procedure as the general election, draws more attention than those in other states, and has often been decisive in shaping the national contest.
State law permits a town with fewer than 100 residents to open its polls at midnight, and close when all registered citizens have cast their ballots. As such, the communities of Dixville Notch
in Coos County
and Hart's Location
in Carroll County
, among others, have chosen to implement these provisions. Dixville Notch and Hart's Location are traditionally the first places in both New Hampshire and the U.S. to vote in presidential primaries and elections.
Nominations for all other partisan offices are decided in a separate primary election
. In Presidential election cycles, this is the second primary election held in New Hampshire.
Saint Anselm College
in Goffstown
has become a popular campaign spot for politicians as well as several national presidential debates because of its proximity to Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
.
Election results
In the past, New Hampshire has often voted Republican. Between 1856 and 1988, New Hampshire cast its electoral votes for the Democratic presidential ticket six times: Woodrow Wilson(twice), Franklin D. Roosevelt
(three times), and Lyndon B. Johnson
(once).
Beginning in 1992, New Hampshire became a swing state
in both national and local elections. The state supported Democrats Bill Clinton
in 1992 and 1996, John Kerry
in 2004, and Barack Obama
in 2008. It was the only state in the country to support Republican George W. Bush
in the 2000 election
, but not in the 2004 election
, in which Democrat John Kerry
, a senator from neighboring Massachusetts, won the state.
The Democrats dominated elections in New Hampshire as they did nationally in 2006 and 2008. In 2006, Democrats won both Congressional seats (electing Carol Shea-Porter in the 1st district and Paul Hodes
in the 2nd district), re-elected Governor John Lynch, and gained a majority on the Executive Council and in both houses of the legislature for the first time since 1911. Democrats had not held both the legislature and the governorship since 1874. Neither U.S. Senate seat was up for a vote in 2006. In 2008, Democrats retained their majorities, governorship, and Congressional seats; and former governor Jeanne Shaheen
defeated incumbent Republican John E. Sununu
for the U.S. Senate in a rematch of the 2002 contest.
The 2008 elections resulted in women holding a majority, 13 of the 24 seats, in the New Hampshire Senate, a first for any legislative body in the United States.
In the 2010 midterm elections, Republicans made historic gains in New Hampshire, capturing veto-proof majorities in the state legislature, taking all 5 seats in the Executive Council, electing a new U.S. Senator, Kelly Ayotte
, winning both U.S. House seats, and reducing the margin of victory of incumbent Governor John Lynch compared to his 2006 and 2008 landslide wins.
Free State Project
The Free State Projectseeks to entice 20,000 individuals move to New Hampshire with the intent of reducing the size and scope of government at the local, state and federal levels. The Free State Project holds the annual New Hampshire Liberty Forum
and the annual Porcupine Freedom Festival, also known as PorcFest.
Highways
New Hampshire has a well-maintained, well-signed network of Interstate highways, U.S. highways, and state highways. State highway markers still depict the Old Man of the Mountaindespite that rock formation's demise in 2003. Several route numbers align with the same route numbers in neighboring states. State highway numbering does not indicate the highway's direction. Major routes include:
-
Interstate 89
Interstate 89Interstate 89 is an interstate highway in the New England region of the United States travelling between Bow, New Hampshire and Highgate Springs, Vermont. As with all odd-numbered primary interstates, I-89 is signed as a north–south highway...
runs northwest from near ConcordConcord, New HampshireThe city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
to LebanonLebanon, New HampshireAs of the census of 2000, there were 12,568 people, 5,500 households, and 3,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 311.4 people per square mile . There were 5,707 housing units at an average density of 141.4 per square mile...
on the VermontVermontVermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
border. -
Interstate 93
Interstate 93Interstate 93 is an Interstate Highway in the New England section of the United States. Its southern terminus is in Canton, Massachusetts, in the Boston metropolitan area, at Interstate 95; its northern terminus is near St. Johnsbury, Vermont, at Interstate 91...
is the main Interstate highway in New Hampshire and runs north from SalemSalem, New HampshireSalem is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 28,776 at the 2010 census. Salem is a marketing and distributing center north of Boston, with a major amusement attraction, Canobie Lake Park, and a large shopping mall, the Mall at Rockingham Park.- History :The...
(on the Massachusetts border) to LittletonLittleton, New HampshireLittleton is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,928 at the 2010 census. Situated at the edge of the White Mountains, Littleton is bounded on the northwest by the Connecticut River....
(on the Vermont border). I-93 connects the more densely populated southern part of the state to the Lakes Region and the White Mountains further to the north. -
Interstate 95
Interstate 95Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and serving some of the most populated urban areas in the country, including Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore,...
runs north-south briefly along New Hampshire's seacoast to serve the city of PortsmouthPortsmouth, New HampshirePortsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
, before entering MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost... -
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...
runs north-south briefly along New Hampshire's seacoast to the east of and paralleling I-95. -
U.S. Route 2
U.S. Route 2U.S. Route 2 is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern Canada...
runs east-west through Coos CountyCoos County, New Hampshire-National protected areas:*Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge *Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge *White Mountain National Forest -Demographics:...
from Maine, intersecting Route 16New Hampshire Route 16New Hampshire Route 16 is a long north–south highway in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. Much of its length is close to the border with Maine. NH 16 is the main route from the Seacoast region north to the Lakes Region and the White Mountains. The section from Portsmouth to Milton is a...
, skirting the White Mountain National ForestWhite Mountain National ForestThe White Mountain National Forest is a federally-managed forest contained within the White Mountains in the northeastern United States. It was established in 1918 as a result of the Weeks Act of 1911; federal acquisition of land had already begun in 1914. It has a total area of...
passing through JeffersonJefferson, New HampshireJefferson is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,107 at the 2010 census. It is home to parts of the White Mountain National Forest in the south and northeast and to two theme parks: Santa's Village and...
and into Vermont. -
U.S. Route 3
U.S. Route 3U.S. Route 3 is a north–south United States highway that runs from its southern terminus in Cambridge, Massachusetts through New Hampshire to its terminus near Third Connecticut Lake at the Canadian border, where the road continues north as Quebec Route 257.In New Hampshire parts of US 3 are...
is the longest numbered route in the state, and the only one to run completely through the state from the Massachusetts border to the Canadian border. It generally parallels Interstate 93Interstate 93Interstate 93 is an Interstate Highway in the New England section of the United States. Its southern terminus is in Canton, Massachusetts, in the Boston metropolitan area, at Interstate 95; its northern terminus is near St. Johnsbury, Vermont, at Interstate 91...
. South of Manchester, it takes a more westerly route through NashuaNashua, New Hampshire-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
. North of Franconia Notch, U.S. 3 takes a more easterly route, before terminating at the Canadian border. -
U.S. Route 4
U.S. Route 4U.S. Route 4 is a long United States highway that runs from East Greenbush, New York, in the west to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the east, traversing through Vermont.In New York, US 4 is signed north–south to reflect its alignment in the state...
terminates at the Portsmouth Traffic CirclePortsmouth Traffic CircleThe Portsmouth Traffic Circle is a four-point rotary in the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.-Description:The southern exit of the circle provides access to Interstate 95 north and south, although only northbound I-95 traffic enters here. The eastern and northern exits are part of the U.S. Route 1...
and runs east-west across the southern part of the state connecting DurhamDurham, New HampshireAs of the census of 2000, there were 12,664 people, 2,882 households, and 1,582 families residing in the town. The population density was 565.5 people per square mile . There were 2,923 housing units at an average density of 130.5 per square mile...
, Concord, BoscawenBoscawen, New HampshireBoscawen is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,965 at the 2010 census.-History:The native Pennacook tribe called the area Contoocook, meaning "place of the river near pines." On June 6, 1733, Governor Jonathan Belcher granted it to John Coffin and 90...
and Lebanon. -
New Hampshire Route 16
New Hampshire Route 16New Hampshire Route 16 is a long north–south highway in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. Much of its length is close to the border with Maine. NH 16 is the main route from the Seacoast region north to the Lakes Region and the White Mountains. The section from Portsmouth to Milton is a...
is a major north-south highway in the eastern part of the state that generally parallels the border with MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, eventually entering Maine as Maine Route 16. The southernmost portion of NH 16 is a four-lane freeway, co-signed with U.S. Route 4. -
New Hampshire Route 101
New Hampshire Route 101New Hampshire Route 101 is a state-maintained highway in southern New Hampshire extending from Keene to Hampton Beach. It is the major east–west highway in the southern portion of the state....
is a major east-west highway in the southern part of the state that connects KeeneKeene, New HampshireKeene is a city in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 23,409 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cheshire County.Keene is home to Keene State College and Antioch University New England, and hosts the annual Pumpkin Fest...
with ManchesterManchester, New HampshireManchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
and the Seacoast region. East of Manchester, NH 101 is a four-lane, limited access freeway that runs to Hampton BeachHampton Beach, New HampshireHampton Beach is a village district, census-designated place, and beach resort within the town of Hampton, in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, located on the Atlantic Ocean. Its population at the 2010 census was 2,275. Hampton Beach is located in Rockingham County, approximately south of Portsmouth...
and I-95.
Air
New Hampshire has 25 public-use airports, four of which have scheduled commercial passenger service. The busiest airport by number of passengers handled is Manchester-Boston Regional Airportin Manchester and Londonderry
, which serves the Greater Boston
metropolitan area.
Public transportation
Long-distance intercity passenger rail service is provided by Amtrak's Vermonter
and Downeaster
lines.
As of 2009, Boston-centered MBTA Commuter Rail
services reach only as far as northern Massachusetts. The New Hampshire Rail Transit Authority
is working to extend "Capital Corridor" service from Lowell, Massachusetts
to Nashua, Concord, and Manchester, including Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
; and "Coastal Corridor" service from Haverhill, Massachusetts
, to Plaistow, New Hampshire
. Legislation in 2007 created the New Hampshire Rail Transit Authority
(NHRTA) with the goal of overseeing the development of commuter rail in the state of New Hampshire. In 2011, Governor John Lynch vetoed HB 218, a bill passed by Republican lawmakers, which would have drastically curtailed the powers and responsibilities of NHRTA.
Eleven public transit authorities operate local and regional bus services around the state, and eight private carriers operate express bus services which link with the national intercity bus network. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation
operates a statewide ride-sharing match service, in addition to independent ride matching and guaranteed ride home programs.
Tourist railroads include the Conway Scenic Railroad
, Hobo-Winnipesaukee Railroad, and the Mount Washington Cog Railway.
Freight railways
Freight railways in New Hampshire include Pan Am Railways, the New England Central Railroad
, the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad
, and New Hampshire Northcoast Corporation
.
Education

High schools
The first public high schools in the state were the Boys' High School and the Girls' High School of Portsmouth, established either in 1827 or 1830 depending on the source.
New Hampshire has more than 80 public high schools, many of which serve more than one town. The largest is Pinkerton Academy
in Derry
, which is owned by a private non-profit organization and serves as the public high school of a number of neighboring towns. There are at least 30 private high schools in the state.
- New Hampshire High Schools and The Towns They Serve
- New Hampshire public schools with a Web presence
In 2008 the state tied with Massachusetts as having the highest scores on the SAT and ACT standardized tests given to high school students.
Colleges and universities
- Antioch University New EnglandAntioch University New EnglandAntioch University New England is a private graduate school located in Keene, New Hampshire. It is part of the Antioch University system that includes campuses in Seattle, Washington; Los Angeles, California; Santa Barbara, California; and Yellow Springs, Ohio.- History :In 1964, Antioch College...
- Chester College of New EnglandChester College of New EnglandChester College of New England is a bachelor's degree-granting college that provides a foundation in the liberal arts and the fine arts, complemented by majors in the professional arts...
- The College of Saint Mary Magdalen
- Colby-Sawyer CollegeColby-Sawyer CollegeColby–Sawyer College is a private, comprehensive baccalaureate college situated on a campus in New London, in the Lake Sunapee region of New Hampshire, founded as a coeducational academy in 1837.- New London Academy :...
- Daniel Webster CollegeDaniel Webster CollegeDaniel Webster College is a for-profit proprietary college in Nashua, New Hampshire with a professions focus.-History:The college was established in 1965 as the New England Aeronautical Institute and was associated with Boire Field...
- Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth CollegeDartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
- Franklin Pierce University
- Hesser CollegeHesser CollegeHesser College is a for-profit college with several campuses in New Hampshire. It is owned by Kaplan, Inc. The college offers associate and bachelor degrees in the fields of early childhood education, criminal justice, general studies, business and various art programs. The college claims a...
- Lebanon CollegeLebanon CollegeLebanon College is a two-year private not-for-profit college located in Lebanon, New Hampshire. The College is approved by the New Hampshire Post-secondary Commission to offer the associate degree, and is certified by the State of Vermont Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary to offer...
- New England CollegeNew England CollegeNew England College is a private four-year college in Henniker, New Hampshire, enrolling a total of approximately 1800 undergraduate and graduate students.-History:The school was created in 1946 for students attending college on the G.I...
- Community College System of New HampshireCommunity College System of New HampshireThe Community College System of New Hampshire is an organization of seven public community colleges located throughout New Hampshire. 95% of enrolled students are New Hampshire residents.The colleges offer over 80 associate degree programs...
:- White Mountains Community CollegeWhite Mountains Community CollegeWhite Mountains Community College is a part of the Community College System of New Hampshire and is based in Berlin with academic centers in Littleton and Woodsville...
- River Valley Community College
- Lakes Region Community College
- New Hampshire Technical InstituteNew Hampshire Technical InstituteNHTI, Concord's Community College is a two-year residential community college located in Concord, New Hampshire. The college is part of the Community College System of New Hampshire and is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges...
- Nashua Community CollegeNashua Community College-Mission statement:The Community College System of NH is committed to providing comprehensive, market-driven, accessible, quality programs of higher education that respond to the needs of students, business, and communities.-Accreditation:...
- Great Bay Community College
- Manchester Community CollegeManchester Community College (New Hampshire)-Mission statement:"Being responsive to the diverse communities we serve, our mission at MCC is to be an accessible, student-centered, comprehensive community college that promotes and fosters the intellectual, cultural, and economic vibrancy of our region."...
- White Mountains Community College
- New Hampshire Institute of ArtNew Hampshire Institute of ArtThe New Hampshire Institute of Art is a bachelor's degree-granting college that provides an undergraduate education in the fine arts, complemented by majors in the professional arts. It is the only independent college of art in the state of New Hampshire...
- Rivier CollegeRivier CollegeRivier College is a Catholic liberal arts college located in Nashua, New Hampshire.-History:Named in honor of the blessed Anne Marie Rivier, foundress of the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary, Rivier College was founded in 1933 by the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary in Hudson, New Hampshire...
- Saint Anselm CollegeSaint Anselm CollegeSaint Anselm College is a nationally ranked, private, Benedictine, Catholic liberal arts college in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Founded in 1889 by Abbot Hilary Pfrängle, O.S.B. of Saint Mary's Abbey in Newark, New Jersey, at the request of Bishop Denis M. Bradley of Manchester, New Hampshire, the...
- Southern New Hampshire UniversitySouthern New Hampshire UniversitySouthern New Hampshire University, also known as SNHU, is a private university in Manchester and Hooksett, New Hampshire. The university is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, and also has numerous specialized...
- Thomas More College of Liberal ArtsThomas More College of Liberal ArtsThe Thomas More College of Liberal Arts is located in Merrimack, New Hampshire. The college emphasizes classical education in the Roman Catholic intellectual tradition and is named after Thomas More. The school has approximately 100 students.-Founding:...
- University System of New HampshireUniversity System of New HampshireThe University System of New Hampshire , established in 1963, is responsible for overseeing the University of New Hampshire, Plymouth State University, Keene State College, and Granite State College. The University System is the largest provider of post-secondary education in New Hampshire...
:- University of New HampshireUniversity of New HampshireThe University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
- University of New Hampshire School of Law
- University of New Hampshire at ManchesterUniversity of New Hampshire at ManchesterThe University of New Hampshire at Manchester was established in 1985 as the sixth college of the University of New Hampshire. Located in Manchester, UNH Manchester provides associate's, bachelor's, and master's, with special emphasis on programs that address urban issues...
- Granite State CollegeGranite State College-History and mission:Founded in 1972, and headquartered in Concord, Granite State College is one of the four institutions of the University System of New Hampshire with a primary mission of being the system's statewide college for adults and college-age students to have access to advanced,...
- Keene State CollegeKeene State CollegeKeene State College is a liberal arts college in Keene, New Hampshire. It is a member of the University System of New Hampshire and of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges....
- Plymouth State UniversityPlymouth State UniversityPlymouth State University, formerly Plymouth State College, is a regional comprehensive university located in Plymouth, New Hampshire and part of the University System of New Hampshire....
- University of New Hampshire
Other publications
- Area News GroupArea News GroupThe Area News Group publishes three weekly newspapers in southern New Hampshire: Hudson-Litchfield News, Pelham-Windham News, and the Salem Community Patriot. The local weekly papers are supported by advertisers and are distributed to town residents free of charge. The company is headquartered in...
- Carriage Towne News (covering KingstonKingston, New HampshireKingston is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population at the 2010 census was 6,025.- History :Kingston was the fifth town to be established in New Hampshire. Originally, it was a part of Hampton, New Hampshire...
and surrounding towns) - The Exeter News-Letter
- The Hampton Union
- Hippo PressHippo PressHippoPress is the publisher of the free weekly newspaper Hippo, based in Manchester, New Hampshire. Hippo, which is independently owned by Jody Reese, Jeff Rapsis and Dan Szczesny, started in January 2001. In 2004 it launched a second edition in Nashua and in 2005 it started a third in Concord...
(covering Manchester, Nashua and Concord) - Manchester Express
- The Cabinet Press
- Milford CabinetMilford CabinetThe Milford Cabinet is the commonly used name for the weekly newspaper The Cabinet, published in Milford, New Hampshire since 1802.- External links :*...
- Bedford Journal
- Hollis/Brookline Journal
- Merrimack Journal
- Milford Cabinet
- The New HampshireThe New HampshireThe New Hampshire, or TNH, is the "University of New Hampshire's student newspaper since 1911," published by the student organization of the same name. The newspaper is published weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays during the academic year, with a printed circulation 6,000...
(University of New Hampshire student newspaper) - Business New Hampshire Magazine
- New Hampshire Business ReviewNew Hampshire Business ReviewNew Hampshire Business Review is a bi-monthly publication, based in Manchester, covering business-related issues in New Hampshire.It is published on newsprint by Pennsylvania-based Independent Publications, which also owns the Telegraph of Nashua, the state's second-largest daily newspaper, and the...
- New Hampshire Free Press
- The New Hampshire GazetteThe New Hampshire GazetteThe New Hampshire Gazette is a non-profit, alternative, bi-weekly newspaper published in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Its editors claim that the paper, published on-and-off in one form or another since 1756, is America's oldest newspaper and has trademarked the phrase "The Nation's Oldest...
(Portsmouth alternative biweekly)
Television stations
- ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate WMUR, Channel 9, Manchester - PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
affiliate WENH, Channel 11, Durham (New Hampshire Public TelevisionNew Hampshire Public TelevisionNew Hampshire Public Television is a television company and public broadcasting state network in New Hampshire, licensed to the University System of New Hampshire and is part of the Public Broadcasting Service...
); repeater stations in Keene and Littleton - MNTV affiliate WBIN, Channel 50, Derry/Manchester
Sports
The following professional sports teams are located in New Hampshire:Club | Sport / League |
---|---|
New Hampshire Fisher Cats New Hampshire Fisher Cats The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a minor league baseball team based in Manchester, New Hampshire. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays major-league club.... |
Eastern League(class AA baseball) |
Manchester Monarchs Manchester Monarchs The Manchester Monarchs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Manchester, New Hampshire at the Verizon Wireless Arena. They have been the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings since 2001.-History:... |
American Hockey League American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
New Hampshire Phantoms New Hampshire Phantoms New Hampshire Phantoms is an American soccer team based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, United States. Founded in 1996, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home... |
USL Premier Development League USL Premier Development League The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid... (soccer) |
Manchester Freedom | Independent Women's Football League Independent Women's Football League The Independent Women's Football League was founded in 2000, and began play in 2001.IWFL founders began with the goal to establish a quality women's football league that would be respected as the top level of women's tackle football in the world.... |
The New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon
is an oval track which has been visited by national motorsport championships such as the NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, the Champ Car
and the IndyCar Series
.
Annually since 2002, high-school statewide all-stars compete against Vermont in ten sports during "Twin State" playoffs. New Hampshire also has two amateur roller derby
leagues with the ManchVegas Roller Girls (USARS) and New Hampshire Roller Derby
(WFTDA).
Culture
In the spring, New Hampshire's many sap houseshold sugaring-off open houses. In summer and early autumn, New Hampshire is home to many county fairs
, the largest being the Hopkinton State Fair, in Contoocook
. New Hampshire's Lakes Region
is home to many summer camps, especially around Lake Winnipesaukee
, and is a popular tourist destination. The Peterborough Players have performed every summer in Peterborough, New Hampshire
since 1933. In the fall New Hampshire is host to the New Hampshire Highland Games
. New Hampshire has also registered an official tartan
with the proper authorities in Scotland
, used to make kilts worn by the Lincoln
Police Department while its officers serve during the games. The fall foliage
peaks in mid-October. In the winter, New Hampshire's ski areas and snowmobile
trails attract visitors from a wide area. After the lakes freeze over they become dotted with ice fishing
ice houses, known locally as bobhouses.
In fiction
LiteratureMany novels, plays and screenplays have taken place in New Hampshire. The state has played other roles in fiction, including:
- PeterboroughPeterborough, New HampshirePeterborough is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,284 at the 2010 census. Home to the MacDowell Art Colony, the town is a popular tourist destination....
is the inspiration for the town of Grover's Corners, in Thornton WilderThornton WilderThornton Niven Wilder was an American playwright and novelist. He received three Pulitzer Prizes, one for his novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey and two for his plays Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth, and a National Book Award for his novel The Eighth Day.-Early years:Wilder was born in Madison,...
's play Our TownOur TownOur Town is a three-act play by American playwright Thornton Wilder. It is a character story about an average town's citizens in the early twentieth century as depicted through their everyday lives...
(1938). - The novel Peyton PlacePeyton Place (novel)Peyton Place is a 1956 novel by Grace Metalious. It sold 60,000 copies within the first ten days of its release and remained on the New York Times best seller list for 59 weeks. It was adapted as both a 1957 film and a 1964–69 television series....
(1956) was inspired by Gilmanton, New HampshireGilmanton, New HampshireGilmanton is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,777 at the 2010 census. Gilmanton includes the villages of Gilmanton Corner and Gilmanton Ironworks...
. - John KnowlesJohn KnowlesJohn Knowles was an American novelist best known for his novel A Separate Peace. He died in 2001 at the age of seventy-five.-Early life:...
based the Devon School in A Separate PeaceA Separate PeaceA Separate Peace is a novel by John Knowles. Based on his earlier short story "Phineas", it was Knowles' first published novel and became his best-known work.-Plot summary:...
(1959) on the Phillips Exeter AcademyPhillips Exeter AcademyPhillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
in ExeterExeter, New HampshireExeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town's population was 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood...
. - The prep school in John IrvingJohn IrvingJohn Winslow Irving is an American novelist and Academy Award-winning screenwriter.Irving achieved critical and popular acclaim after the international success of The World According to Garp in 1978...
's The World According to GarpThe World According to GarpThe World According to Garp is John Irving's fourth novel. Published in 1978, the book was a bestseller for several years.A movie adaptation of the novel starring Robin Williams was released in 1982, with a screenplay written by Steve Tesich....
(1978) was also based on the Phillips Exeter Academy. Irving's stepfather was a faculty member at the school, and Irving is an alumnus; New Hampshire settings are common in his works. - The Hotel New HampshireThe Hotel New HampshireThe Hotel New Hampshire is a 1981 coming of age novel by John Irving and his fifth published novel.-Plot summary:This novel is the story of the Berrys, a quirky New Hampshire family composed of a married couple, Win and Mary, and their five children...
(1981) by John IrvingJohn IrvingJohn Winslow Irving is an American novelist and Academy Award-winning screenwriter.Irving achieved critical and popular acclaim after the international success of The World According to Garp in 1978...
is a coming of age novel.
Comics
- Bob Montana, the original artist for Archie ComicsArchie ComicsArchie Comics is an American comic book publisher headquartered in the Village of Mamaroneck, Town of Mamaroneck, New York, known for its many series featuring the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Jughead Jones. The characters were created by...
, attended Manchester Central High SchoolManchester Central High SchoolManchester High School Central is the oldest public high school in the state of New Hampshire. Located in the heart of Manchester, New Hampshire, over 2,400 students attend from communities such as Auburn, Candia, Hooksett, and Manchester. The name was changed from Manchester High School in 1922...
for a year, and may have based Riverdale High School in part on Central. - Al Capp, creator of the comic strip Li'l AbnerLi'l AbnerLi'l Abner is a satirical American comic strip that appeared in many newspapers in the United States, Canada and Europe, featuring a fictional clan of hillbillies in the impoverished town of Dogpatch, Kentucky. Written and drawn by Al Capp , the strip ran for 43 years, from August 13, 1934 through...
, used to joke that DogpatchDogpatchDogpatch was the fictional setting of cartoonist Al Capp's classic comic strip, Li'l Abner .In Capp's own words, Dogpatch was "an average stone-age community nestled in a bleak valley, between two cheap and uninteresting hills somewhere." The inhabitants were mostly lazy hillbillies, who usually...
, the setting for the strip, was based on SeabrookSeabrook, New HampshireSeabrook is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 8,693 at the 2010 census. Located at the southern end of the coast of New Hampshire on the border with Massachusetts, Seabrook is noted as the location of the Seabrook Nuclear Power Station, the third-most...
, where he would vacation with his wife.
Film and television
- Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth CollegeDartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
is said to be the inspiration for the film Animal House (1978), as one of the scriptwriters, Chris MillerChris Miller (writer)John Christian "Chris" Miller was born in Brooklyn in 1942 and grew up in Roslyn, NY on Long Island. Miller is an American author and screenwriter, most notable for his work on National Lampoon magazine and the movie Animal House...
, studied there. - The character of Josiah BartletJosiah BartletJosiah Edward "Jed" Bartlet is a fictional character played by Martin Sheen on the television serial drama The West Wing. He is President of the United States for the entire series until the last episode, when his successor is inaugurated...
, President of the United States on the television series The West Wing, was depicted as a two-term New Hampshire governor. - The film On Golden PondOn Golden Pond (1981 film)On Golden Pond is a 1981 American drama film directed by Mark Rydell. The screenplay by Ernest Thompson was adapted from his 1979 play of the same title. Henry Fonda won the Academy Award in what was his final film role. Co-star Katharine Hepburn also received an Oscar, as did Thompson for his...
(1981) was filmed and takes place in New Hampshire. - The film What About Bob?What About Bob?What About Bob? is a 1991 comedy film directed by Frank Oz, and starring Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss. Murray plays Bob Wiley, a multiphobic psychiatric patient who follows his successful and egotistical psychiatrist Dr. Leo Marvin on vacation...
(1991) takes place primarily in New Hampshire but was actually filmed in Virginia. - The film JumanjiJumanjiJumanji is the title of a 1981 children's illustrated short story and fantasy story written and illustrated by the American author Chris Van Allsburg. It was made into a 1995 film of the same name. Both the book and the movie are about a magical board game that implements real animals and other...
(1995) with Robin Williams, was filmed in Keene, New Hampshire
New Hampshire firsts
- On January 5, 1776 at ExeterExeter, New HampshireExeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town's population was 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood...
, the Provincial Congress of New Hampshire ratified the first independent constitution in the Americas, free of British rule. - On June 12, 1800, Fernald's Island in the Piscataqua RiverPiscataqua RiverThe Piscataqua River, in the northeastern United States, is a long tidal estuary formed by the confluence of the Salmon Falls and Cocheco rivers...
became the first government-sanctioned US Navy shipyard. - Started in 1822, DublinDublin, New HampshireDublin is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,597 at the 2010 census. It is home to both the Dublin School and Yankee Magazine.-History:...
's Juvenile Library was the first free public library. - In 1828, the first women's strike in the nation took place at Dover'sDover, New HampshireDover is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, in the United States of America. The population was 29,987 at the 2010 census, the largest in the New Hampshire Seacoast region...
Cocheco Mills. - Founded in 1833, the PeterboroughPeterborough, New HampshirePeterborough is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,284 at the 2010 census. Home to the MacDowell Art Colony, the town is a popular tourist destination....
Town Library was the first public library, supported with public funds, in the world. - Finished on June 27, 1874, the first trans-Atlantic telecommunications cable between Europe and America stretched from Balinskelligs Bay, Ireland, to Rye Beach.
- On February 6, 1901, a group of nine conservationists founded the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire ForestsSociety for the Protection of New Hampshire ForestsThe Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests is a private, non-profit land-conservation organization based in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. It purchases or is given easements or outright ownership of undeveloped land, as a way to keep it open, and also performs advocacy and education...
, the first forest-conservation advocacy group in the US. - In 1908, Monsignor Pierre HeveyMonsignor Pierre HeveyMonsignor Pierre Hevey was a leader of Ste. Marie Church in Manchester, New Hampshire in the early twentieth century. He played a key role in the establishment of the first credit union in the United States on November 24, 1908, to help his parishioners save money and access credit at a reasonable...
organized the nation's first credit unionCredit unionA credit union is a cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members and operated for the purpose of promoting thrift, providing credit at competitive rates, and providing other financial services to its members...
, in Manchester, to help mill workers save and borrow money. - In 1933 the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen held the first crafts fair in the nation.
- In July 1944, the Bretton Woods AgreementBretton Woods systemThe Bretton Woods system of monetary management established the rules for commercial and financial relations among the world's major industrial states in the mid 20th century...
, the first fully negotiated system intended to govern monetary relations among independent nation-states, was signed at the Mount Washington HotelMount Washington HotelThe Mount Washington Hotel opened in 1902 near Mount Washington, in the town of Carroll, New Hampshire. The area is better known as Bretton Woods, and includes the Bretton Woods ski resort nearby. It is located at the northern end of Crawford Notch, east of the village of Twin Mountain, New...
. - On May 5, 1961, Alan ShepardAlan ShepardAlan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. was an American naval aviator, test pilot, flag officer, and NASA astronaut who in 1961 became the second person, and the first American, in space. This Mercury flight was designed to enter space, but not to achieve orbit...
of DerryDerry, New Hampshire-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 33,109 people, 12,537 households, and 8,767 families residing in the town. The population density was 924.8 people per square mile . There were 13,277 housing units at an average density of 143.2/km²...
rode a Mercury spacecraft and became the first American in space. - In 1963, New Hampshire's legislature approved the nation's first modern state lotteryNew Hampshire LotteryBegun in 1964, the New Hampshire Lottery is the oldest US mainland-based lottery. New Hampshire's games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Hot Lotto, and numerous scratch tickets.New Hampshire is part of the Multi-State Lottery Association , which it joined in 1995...
, which began play in 1964. - In 1966, Ralph Baer of Sanders AssociatesSanders AssociatesSanders Associates was a defense contractor in Nashua, New Hampshire, USA, from 1951 until it was sold in 1986. It is now part of BAE Systems Electronics & Integrated Solutions, a subsidiary of BAE Systems. It concentrated on developing and manufacturing electronic systems, notably aircraft...
, Inc., Nashua, recruited engineers to develop the first home video game. - Christa McAuliffeChrista McAuliffeChrista McAuliffe was an American teacher from Concord, New Hampshire, and was one of the seven crew members killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster....
of Concord became the first private citizen selected to venture into space. She perished with her six space shuttle Challenger crewmates on January 28, 1986. - On May 17, 1996 New Hampshire became the first state in the country to install a green LEDLight-emitting diodeA light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
traffic lightTraffic lightTraffic lights, which may also be known as stoplights, traffic lamps, traffic signals, signal lights, robots or semaphore, are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic...
. New Hampshire was selected because it was the first state to install the red and yellow variety statewide. - On May 31, 2007 New Hampshire became "...the first state to recognize same-sex unionsLGBT rights in New HampshireLesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons in the U.S. state of New Hampshire only just recently have the same legal rights as non-LGBT residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in New Hampshire, and the state has offered civil unions since 1 January 2008. Civil unions offer the same...
without a court order or the threat of one."
See also
- HampshireHampshireHampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England, which New Hampshire is named after - National Register of Historic Places listings in New Hampshire
- List of people from New Hampshire
- List of places in New Hampshire
Further reading
- Land Use in Cornish, N.H., a 2006 documentary presentation by James M. Patterson of the Valley NewsValley NewsThe Valley News is a seven-day morning daily newspaper based in Lebanon, New Hampshire, covering the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire and Vermont....
, depicts various aspects of the societal and cultural environment of Northern New Hampshire
External links
State Government- Official state website
- New Hampshire Almanac
- Visitnh.gov, New Hampshire Office of Travel and Tourism Development
U.S. Government
- New Hampshire State Guide from the Library of Congress
- Energy Facts for New Hampshire
- New Hampshire State Facts, USDA Economic Research Service
- USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of New Hampshire
Other