State Highlight
New Hampshire!
Having the smallest coastline in the nation does not detract from all that New Hampshire has to offer. Each region of this state, which holds 1.3 million people, provides history, industry and refuge in its beaches, lakes and mountains.
Shortly after the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, MA, a group headed north and settled in Rye, NH in 1623. When you drive through the area today, you can still feel the colonial vibe throughout the quaint town though the waves now attract more surfers than fisherman. The Strawberry Banke Museum in Portsmouth also gives you a feel of the history that New Hampshire holds.
Tourism is a big part of the Granite State’s economy as people flock there during the summer to Hampton Beach, the Isles of Shoals, Lake Winnipesaukee, the White Mountains and Mount Monadnock. As you travel farther up into the state, treasures like Ben’s Sugar Shack in Temple show visitors the age old art of making maple syrup. Nostalgia abounds at The Crow Valley Farm in Hopkington where they sell maple syrup, treats and Christmas trees. For the more adventurous types, taking a kayak or canoe down the Saco River always proves for an exciting day as does hiking the many trails that can be found at any of the New Hampshire state parks. Sabbaday Falls, Flume Gorge, Mount Monadnock and Franconia Notch are all breathtaking and can provide the kind of social distancing that we need today.
But tourism is only a part of the draw of New Hampshire. New Hampshire lays claim to many well known residents such as Robert Frost , Astronaut Alan Shephard, writer John Irving (A Prayer for Owen Meany), Statesman Daniel Webster, and President Franklin Pierce. The longest continuously running printed periodical, the Farmers Almanac, has been coming out of Dublin, NH since 1818. We can also thank New Hampshire for the inventions of Tupperware, snowshoes, the snowmobile, and the first alarm clock.
Much more than just a beautiful state, New Hampshire has a little something for everyone!
// did you know?
Did you know that the state of New Hampshire was the first of the thirteen colonies to declare its independence from England - six months before the Declaration of Independence was signed?
