The building with the golden dome is the New Hampshire State House, one of the oldest state capitol buildings in the country. It was completed in the early 1800s and remains the center of state government today. Directly in front of the State House is the memorial arch seen on the right, dedicated to New Hampshire soldiers who died in military service.
Concord has a population of only around 44,000 people, making it a very small capital city. Its size makes the downtown easy to explore on foot, with many of the important government and historic buildings located close together. Above are the New Hampshire State Library and one of the state’s courthouse buildings.
On the left is a statue of Commodore George Hamilton Perkins, a New Hampshire native who served as a naval officer during the Civil War. Perkins participated in the capture of New Orleans in 1862 and was one of the officers sent ashore to accept the city’s surrender. He became a celebrated figure in New Hampshire, and thousands of people attended the dedication of his statue in Concord.
To the right is a Christian Science church. Christian Science was founded by New Hampshire native Mary Baker Eddy in the 19th century and places a strong emphasis on prayer and spiritual healing. Eddy spent part of her life in the Concord area, giving the city an important connection to the history of the movement.
Concord doesn’t have the major attractions or busy downtown of a larger state capital, but that’s also part of its character. The State House, historic buildings, churches, and monuments are all concentrated within a relatively small area, making Concord an easy city to explore while traveling through New Hampshire.
