Concord is a city in the northeastern United States, the capital of the state of New Hampshire and Merrimack County. Population - 42.7 thousand people (2010).
Concord has many attractions and other attractions for tourists.
Probably the largest of these is the New Hampshire State House, which
was designed by architect Stuart Park and built between 1816 and 1819.
This is the oldest building of its kind, in the premises of which
representatives of the state legislature meet. It was rebuilt in 1866
and a third floor and west wing were added in 1910.
Directly
opposite the House of Representatives is the Eagle Hotel. Presidents W.
Grant, R. Hayes and B. Harrison stayed here. Other notable guests
include Charles Lindbergh, Jefferson Davis, Eleanor Roosevelt, Richard
Nixon and Thomas Dewey. The hotel closed its doors in 1961.
South
of here on Main Street is Phenix Hall, built on the site of the old
Phoenix Hall building that burned down in 1893. Here are the premises
used for a variety of purposes - from political speeches to theatrical
performances. In 1860, Abraham Lincoln spoke in the old building, and in
1912, Theodore Roosevelt delivered a speech in the new Phoenix Hall.
Other important sights of the city are the Walker-Woodman House,
Pierce Manse, New Hampshire Historical Society and others.
Before the arrival of the whites, the territory of present-day
Concord was inhabited by the Abenaki Indian tribe, whose main occupation
was fishing.
The province of Massachusetts Bay, which laid claim
to all territory west of the Merrimack River, founded the Penacook
Colony. It was settled between 1725 and 1727 by the inhabitants of the
town of Haverhill under the leadership of Captain E. Eastman. In
February 1733, the colony received the status of a city, named Rumford,
from which the title of Benjamin Thompson, Earl of Rumford was derived.
Rumford was subsequently renamed Concord in 1765 by Governor Benning
Wentworth due to a bitter dispute over the boundaries of Rumford and the
city of Bow. The new name was meant to reflect the new peace and harmony
between the competing cities. The townspeople who lost the trial were
given lands elsewhere as compensation.
The city grew throughout
the 18th century, and some of its early buildings still stand on the
north end of Main Street. In the years following the Revolutionary War,
the favorable geographic location in the center of New Hampshire made
Concord the most likely candidate for the state capital, especially
after Samuel Blodgett opened the canal and lock system to ship passage
in 1807. This connected Concord to Boston. In 1808, Concord was named
the official seat of the state government. Built in 1819, the New
Hampshire State Capitol is the oldest surviving capitol in which
sessions of the state legislature take place in the original boardroom.
In the 19th century, the city became an important railroad junction, as
well as a well-known center in the United States for the production of
furniture and textiles. At the moment, Concord is a center for
healthcare, insurance and publishing.
According to the US Census Bureau, the total area of the city is 175
km², of which only 8.3 km² is water. The water supply system of Concord
is closely connected with the Merrimack River, in the basin of which the
city is located entirely. The river flows through the city from
northwest to southeast. The eastern border of Concord is formed by the
Sukuk River, a tributary of the Merrimack. The Terki River flows through
the southwestern part of the city. To the west is Lake Penakuk. The
highest place within Concord is Mount Oak Hill, which has a height of
260 meters above sea level.
Concord neighbors the cities of Bow
to the south, Pembroke to the southeast, Loudon to the northeast,
Canterbury, Boscawen and Webster to the north, Hopkinton to the west.
The city lies in the temperate continental climate, moderated by the influence of the Atlantic. Winter is long, cold and snowy, summer is hot and rainy, spring and autumn are short.
According to the 2010 census, 42,695 people lived in the city, there
were 17,592 households and 10,052 families.
The racial
composition of the population:
white - 90.7%
African Americans -
2.2%
Asians - 3.4%
Hispanics - 2.1%
The average annual per
capita income is $29,296 (one of the highest among state capitals). The
average age of citizens is 39.4 years. The crime rate is below the US
average but above the state average.
Like most state capitals, Concord's economy is based on the
government, healthcare and education sectors. The city's largest
employer is the government of the state of New Hampshire (about 6.5
thousand jobs).
In the private sector, the leading positions are
occupied by insurance and retail trade. Concord Litho is one of the
largest independent publishers in the United States. There are also
small enterprises for woodworking and processing of agricultural
products. Tourism plays an important role in the city's economy.
The nearest airport (about 40 kilometers south) to Concord with
regular passenger traffic is Manchester-Boston (IATA: MHT, ICAO: KMHT)
with a passenger turnover of 2.8 million people per year (2010). The
airport has flights to most major US cities except the West Coast. The
main destinations are Baltimore, Philadelphia, Chicago, Orlando and
Detroit.
Major roads through the city: Interstates I-89 and I-93,
US 3 and US 4.
Public transport is provided by 3 bus routes
operated by the Concord Area Transit organization (from Monday to
Friday, from 06:00 to 18:30).
Concord is governed through a mayor-council system of city government. The city council consists of 14 members, 10 of whom are elected from districts with 1 elected deputy. The mayor is elected every 2 years.