New Hampshire

New Hampshire is a state belonging to the United States of America. It was founded in June 21, 1788 and was the 9th state in the Union. It is located in New England and is bordered by Quebec, Canada, Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts.

The state has hills, mountains, woods, lakes and ponds. Large portions of New Hampshire are coastal lowlands in the southeastern part of the state while the Uplands are in the southwest. The White Mountains are in the northern part of the state and include Mount Washington which is the highest peak in the northeastern part of the United States.

Over 1,300 lakes and ponds are located in the state of New Hampshire. One of the largest of these is Lake Winnipesaukee that is over 70 square miles. Rivers that cover the state are the Connecticut, Merrimack, Salmon Falls and Saco.http://www.priweb.org/ed/TFGuide/NE/topo/topo_files2/topo_pdfs/ne_topo4.pdf

Although the first permanent European settlement did not appear until 1623, New Hampshire had been inhabited by Native Americans for centuries and its waters fished by Europeans for over one hundred years. When the first settlement was established, the land had already seen a severe decline in the native population mostly due to European diseases. This new settlement was in the area of present-day Rye. By 1640, there were four towns, then called plantations, on the seacoast of New Hampshire. Most people made a living by fishing, farming, timber, shipbuilding or coastal trade.

Over time people spread throughout the state and built one and two story farmhouse on small lots. Towns often had sawmill, gristmills, taverns, meetinghouses, a store and school.

In the late 1800s, New Hampshire became a major manufacturing state. Rural areas turned to commercial logging with logging railroad built through the forests. Tourism started coming to the state during this time. The natural beauty of the state drew artist, poets, writers, scientist and others.http://www.nh.gov/nhdhr/markers/brief.html

1. Bird: Purple Finch
2. Flower: Purple Lilac
3. Animal: White-Tailed Deer
4. Insect: Ladybugs
5. Butterfly: Karner blue butterfly
6. Fruit: Pumpkin
7. Wildflower: Pink Ladyslipper
8. Tree: White Birch
9. Rock: Granite
10. Mineral: Beryl
11. Gem: Smokey Quartz
12. Soil: Marlow

Construction of the New Hampshire Statehouse began in 1816 with granite cut from nearby Swenson Quarries considerable costs were cut by having the stone cut, shaped and faced by prisoners from the New Hampshire State Prison. The approximate cost of building the statehouse was $82,000.00 and the New Hampshire Statehouse is the oldest statehouse still in use in the United States.

• • Mahalo's Guide to a New Hampshire Vacation
• Official Tourism Site: VisitNH.gov
• Official Site: New Hampshire State Parks and Recreation Commission
• Frommer's: New Hampshire Travel Guide