Concord: Recreation

Sightseeing

Capitol Square contains most of Concord's public buildings, including the State Capitol, a state office building, the state library, the Concord Public Library, the New Hampshire Historical Society, City Hall, the post office, and several churches. The State Capitol, the nation's oldest, features New Hampshire granite and Vermont marble. The legislature still meets in the original chambers of this 1819 neoclassical structure, which also houses 157 portraits of famous native sons. Among the statues and historical markers in the square flanking the Capitol is the Memorial Arch, erected in 1891 to honor the state's soldiers and sailors.

The Pierce Manse, the Concord home of President Franklin Pierce, was built in 1838; it has been restored and is maintained by the "Pierce Brigade." The Conservation Center demonstrates the many uses of passive solar energy and wood-heating energy through a number of exhibits. Among its attractions are an envelope room, a wood-chip gasifier furnace, and fiberglass water tubes.

The Canterbury Shaker Village allows visitors to experience the Shaker way of life at the country's oldest Shaker community. Among its 25 original and reconstructed buildings are an eighteenth-century Meetinghouse and Dwell-inghouse, both intact and on their original sites.

The Christa McAuliffe Planetarium, named for America's first teacher in space, offers expeditions through space at a 92-seat theater with a domed screen featuring the wraparound images and sound.

Arts and Culture

The Capitol Center for the Arts presents touring theatrical groups, dance companies, and musical acts. Concord City Auditorium is home to the Concord Community Concerts and the Walker Lecture Series. The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra, a resident professional group, performs classical works at concerts in the Concord and Manchester area. The Community Players of Concord, a non-profit performing theater troupe, stages its offerings at Concord's City Auditorium. Danse Papillon/Petit Papillon presents holiday performances locally and throughout New England. The historic Never's Second Regiment Band, in continuous existence since 1861, plays military marches, overtures, musicals, pop tunes, and symphonic works. This semiprofessional performing band plays at parks and theaters throughout the state. Other area performing arts groups include the Youth Symphony and the Concord Chorale. The Granite State Symphony Orchestra, which plays at the Capitol Center for the Arts, is comprised of the state's finest professional musicians who play classical music at a cost accessible to people of all ages.

The Museum of New Hampshire History has exhibitions about the state's landscape, people, and traditions. From the world-famous Concord Coach—the stagecoach that won the American West—to superb nineteenth-century White Mountain paintings and rare examples of New Hampshire-made furniture, more than four centuries of Granite State history unfold in its award-winning exhibitions.

The prestigious League of New Hampshire Craftsmen makes Concord its headquarters. Founded in 1932 to encourage the preservation of dying home arts, the League now is nationally recognized, and its craft items are eagerly sought by retailers. The League maintains its own stores throughout the state to sell the items made by members, who are local artisans. Craft items range from glassware and ceramics to leather and wood products, textiles, jewelry, prints, furniture, and jams.

Arts and Culture Information: Community Development Department, 41 Green Street, Concord, NH 03301; telephone (603)225-8595

Festivals and Holidays

More than 80 regional artists and craftspeople display, demonstrate, and sell their wares at the annual Merrimack County Artisans Craft Show in April. The Summer Band Festival, which runs from June through August, features the Historic Never's Second Regiment Band in performances of military and symphonic music. The New Hampshire Folk Festival is held on the last Sunday in August in Concord. Begun in 1958, the August Antiques Show in Concord is cosponsored by the New Hampshire Historical Society and features displays and sales by 75 dealers. Other antique shows include the Tri-State Collectors' Exhibition in mid-October and the April Concord Antiques Fair. Race Fever takes over downtown Concord in early July. The annual Arts and Crafts Fair, held at Mt. Sunapee State Park in Newbury the first week in August, showcases the works of more than 300 craftspeople and artists. The annual Concord Christmas Tree Lighting Event happens at the State House Plaza in November, with a concert, petting zoo, hayrides, a visit from Santa, and other family-friendly activities. New Hampshire's New Year's Eve Celebration of the Arts is held in Concord. Performances of all kinds are held at 30 different sites throughout the city, culminating in a fireworks display.

Sports for the Spectator

Concord is the site of two excellent sports facilities, which makes it a natural choice to host statewide sports meets. Everett Arena, with its indoor ice rink, sees much high-school level hockey competition, while Memorial Field, with its series of playing fields, hosts football, baseball, and track meets. From April through October, area auto racing enthusiasts are attracted to the New Hampshire International Speedway, located in nearby Louden. The 70,000-seat speedway is the largest in New England.

Sports for the Participant

Concord, an hour's drive from the Atlantic coastline to the east and a 90-minute drive from the White Mountains to the north, is a sports enthusiast's paradise. Swimming, fishing, and water sports are popular along New Hampshire's eighteen-mile stretch of ocean coastline, as well as in neighboring Maine and Massachusetts. Premium downhill and cross-country skiing, as well as camping, hiking, and rock climbing can be enjoyed in the White Mountain resort area. More than 1,000 acres of publicly-owned land have been reserved for the future open-space and recreational needs of the community.

Within the city limits are more than 300 acres of well-equipped parks and playgrounds. One municipal and two private golf courses are located in Concord; the city maintains three public swimming pools. Hikers enjoy an extensive trail system. The city's Recreation Department offers tennis, swim, and archery lessons, as well as youth soccer and track and field teams. The Everett Arena hosts an active hockey team and sponsors summer training in the sport.

Shopping and Dining

Concord's main shopping area consists of 10 blocks along Main Street surrounding Eagle Square Park and several adjacent streets downtown. Steeplegate Mall, anchored by The Bon-Ton, Circuit City, JCPenney, and Old Navy, has more than 75 stores and specialty shops. Other shopping plazas in the city feature department, discount, and specialty stores. The most famous of Concord's stores is the Concord League Gallery, operated by the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, which offers crafts fashioned by local artisans. The shop is housed in the five-story former Eagle Hotel and Tavern on Main Street.

New England fare is the standard offering at most of Concord's restaurants, along with fish and seafood fresh from the nearby Atlantic coast, and apple pie sweetened with New Hampshire's own maple syrup. A variety of ethnic cuisine, including Asian, Italian, and Mexican, can also be found.

Visitor Information: Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce, 40 Commercial Street, Concord, NH 03301; telephone (603)224-2508

Concord: Economy

Major Industries and Commercial Activity

Concord, the capital of New Hampshire, is a major distribution, industrial, and transportation hub. As the state capital and county seat for Merrimack County, Concord is headquarters to numerous state, county, local and federal agencies. It is also the site of several major law firms and professional agencies.

While government forms a portion of its economic base, its proximity to highways and railways makes it an excellent site for distributing goods. Many of the products manufactured in Concord are known and used worldwide. The fastest growing segment of the economic base is the service industry, comprising education, finance, and medical services.

More than 5,000 people in are employed in the delivery of healthcare services in Concord, making it one of the largest concentration of healthcare providers in the state. Tourism is important to the city and the region; the New Hampshire International Speedway in nearby Loudon brings approximately $50 million in tourism dollars to Concord annually.

Items and goods produced: printed goods; mobile and modular structures; electric components; electrical instruments; non-ferrous foundry products; heat treatment equipment; architectural and structural granite; communication testing equipment; dictating supplies and equipment; belting, brass, and leather products

Incentive Programs—New and Existing Companies

Local programs

The State of New Hampshire, which levies no state sales or income tax, is considered one of the most favorable climates for doing business in the nation. Because so much is provided at the state level, few incentives are offered at the city-town level. In fact, by state law, New Hampshire cities are prohibited from offering tax breaks to private industry. However, cities such as Concord do aid businesses indirectly by helping to market industrial sites and by promoting available energy/utility savings programs.

State programs

The state's incentives include no general sales or use tax, no general personal income tax, no capital gains tax, no inventory tax, no property tax on machinery or equipment, one of the lowest unemployment insurance rates in the country, investment tax incentives, job tax credits, and research & development tax incentives. In 2004 the State of New Hampshire instituted the Community Reinvestment Opportunity Program (CROP), which offers tax credits that may be used against business profit taxes and business enterprise taxes. Qualifying CROP projects must create new jobs as well as expand the state economic base.

Job training programs

The Small Business Development Center, which is funded by the Small Business Association, the State of New Hampshire, and the University of New Hampshire, offers management counseling, training, and resource information to the state's small business community through six sub-centers. The New Hampshire Employment Program (NHEP) aids individuals in obtaining financial aid to prepare for and find employment. The NHEP On-The-Job Training Program offers employers incentives to hire and train eligible applicants.

Development Projects

The City, in conjunction with the Capital Regional Development Corporation (CRDC), the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce, and other state and federal agencies, recently completed construction of the Corporate Center at Horseshoe Pond. Through the creation of a $5 million Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District, the city was able to acquire and develop the land, which was then sold to the CRDC, who cleaned up the land and marketed parcels to developers. With $4.4 million in private donations, the city was able to construct the Grappone Conference Center.

The cities of Concord and Penacook have partnered as part of a Neighborhood Revitalization Project with a plan that focuses on enhancing quality of life within the two communities. The Revitalization Plan utilizes input from residents and builds partnerships between the city, residents, and civic minded organizations.

Economic Development Information: Concord Economic Development Department, City Hall, 41 Green Street, Concord, NH 03301; telephone (603)225-8595; Capital Region Development Council, 91 North State Street, Concord, NH 03301-0664; telephone (603)228-1872

Commercial Shipping

Concord, located at the hub of several major New England interstate highways, is a center for motor freight activity. Ten carriers service the area. The New England Southern Railroad provides freight service. Freight is also handled at the Concord Municipal Airport, about two miles from downtown.

Labor Force and Employment Outlook

Concord's labor force is described as competent, dedicated, plentiful, skilled, available, stable, and with excellent education and training. Unemployment insurance costs remain relatively low. Recently, Concord was ranked fourth in terms of per capita income in "The New England Rating Guide to Life in America's Small Cities."

The service industry, the fastest growing segment of Concord's economy, is anchored by education, finance, medical services, and insurance. Concord is the headquarters of six insurance companies and the site of several banks. It also is one of the few communities in the state with both industrial park space and construction sites available.

The following is a summary of data regarding the area labor force, 2004 annual averages (Nashua, NH-MA MSA).

Size of nonagricultural labor force: 129,100

Number of workers employed in . . .

construction and mining: 5,900

manufacturing: 26,000

trade, transportation and utilities: 30,500

information: 2,000

financial activities: 8,000

professional and business services: 12,700

educational and health services: 15,300

leisure and hospitality: 10,300

other services: 4,500

government: 14,000

Average hourly earnings of workers employed in manufacturing (Nashua, NH-MA MSA): $15.97

Unemployment rate (New Hampshire): 4.0% (March 2005)

Cost of Living

New Hampshire depends more upon real property taxes for revenue than most states as it does not have general income, sales, or use taxes. Substantial revenue is collected from taxes on gasoline, tobacco, alcohol, and parimutuel betting.

The following is a summary of data regarding several key cost of living factors in the Concord area.

2004 ACCRA Average House Price: Not reported

2004 ACCRA Cost of Living Index: Not reported

State income tax rate: none on salaries and wages of residents; limited tax upon interest and dividends received by individuals, trusts, estates and partners in excess of $2,400. There is a $10 "Resident Tax" on all persons between 18 and 60 years of age with some exceptions. Concord has passed an ordinance eliminating this tax for residents of the city.

State sales tax rate: None (business profits tax is 8.5%)

Local income tax rate: None

Local sales tax rate: None

Property tax rate: $28.07 (Union) or $31.53 (Merrimack Valley) per $1,000 (2003)

Economic Information: Concord Economic Development Department, City Hall, 41 Green Street, Concord, NH 03301; telephone (603)225-8595. New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development, 172 Pembroke Road, Concord, NH 03302; telephone (603)271-2411

Concord: Education and Research

Elementary and Secondary Schools

Notable among the offerings of the Concord School District are the Artist-in-the-Schools Program, which brings professionals into the classroom to teach their crafts, and the Environmental Education Program, which is supplemented by a centrally located Science Center and the thirty-acre White Farms classroom. The Concord Regional Vocational Center is located on the premises of Concord High School. Concord High School/Area 11 Vocational Center offers training in the requirements of high-technology companies. Every classroom in the district, from Kindergarten through 12th grade, is equipped with Internet access.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Concord public schools as of the 2003–2004 school year.

Total enrollment: 5,358

Number of facilities

elementary schools: 9

junior high/middle schools: 1

senior high schools: 1

Student/teacher ratio: 15.5:1

Teacher salaries (2003-2004)

minimum: $29,757

maximum: $52,373

Funding per pupil: $8,593

Concord's parochial facilities include two Catholic schools (one elementary/junior high school and one high school) and a Christian school. Its Episcopal school, St. Paul's Preparatory, is one of the most famous feeder schools for Harvard, Yale, and Princeton universities.

Public Schools Information: Administrative Offices, Concord School District, 16 Rumford Street, Concord, NH 03301; telephone (603)225-0811

Colleges and Universities

Concord is home to the Franklin Pierce Law Center (Franklin Pierce College's Continuing Education campus) and the New Hampshire Technical Institute. Founded in 1973, the Franklin Pierce Law Center's aim is to help students of diverse backgrounds develop as attorneys in a non-competitive atmosphere. The center promotes a strong sense of community responsibility in its graduates. The New Hampshire Technical Institute, a public two-year college, offers associate's degrees in engineering, business, health, and computer science. Manchester-based Hesser College offers courses at its Concord campus in the Gateway Office Center in South Concord. The college is best known for its criminal justice program, in which graduates go on to work in law enforcement, probation and parole or corrections. Other degree programs offered include business, early childhood education and computer sciences.

Libraries and Research Centers

The Concord Public Library system consists of the main library, the Penacook Branch Library, and a bookmobile. The system holds more than 150,000 volumes, which include an extensive periodical collection, DVDs and video recordings, and audio books. The Concord Room at the main library is a research facility with materials about local history. Framed prints, reproductions, and photographs are displayed throughout the library. The library has an extensive children's collection and a youth program promotes reading by the young. Special services for cardholders include interlibrary loans and Internet training.

Located in Concord and boasting more than 500,000 volumes are the New Hampshire State Library, the oldest in the country, and the State Supreme Court Law Library. The Franklin Pierce Law Center Library adds another 220,000 volumes to the area's overall legal holdings. Collections in the State Library cover transportation, pollution, public utilities, and statistical and historical resources. Other special interest libraries in Concord include the Governor's Office of Energy and Community Service library, the New Hampshire Historical Society Library, which specializes in genealogy and rare documents, and the Patent, Trademark and Copyright Research Foundation Library. The Ohrstrom Library on the campus of St. Paul's School is housed in a graceful building that combines Gothic influences with the style of Frank Lloyd Wright. Research centers in the city include New Hampshire Chapter of Nature Conservancy research library which focuses on rare plants and animals, and the PTC Research Foundation of Franklin Pierce Law Center which studies practical problems dealing with industrial and intellectual property.

Public Library Information: Concord Public Library, 45 Green Street, Concord, NH 03301; telephone (603)225-8670

Concord: Population Profile

Metropolitan Area Residents

1980: 98,302

1990: 120,005

2000: 136,225

Percent change, 1990–2000: 13.3%

U.S. rank in 1990: 409th

U.S. rank in 2000: 277th

City Residents

1980: 30,400

1990: 36,006

2000: 40,687

2003 estimate: 41,823

Percent change, 1990–2000: 10.3%

U.S. rank in 1990: 738th (State rank: 3rd)

U.S. rank in 2000: Not reported

Density: 632.9 people per square mile (2000)

Racial and ethnic characteristics (2000)

White: 38,863

Black or African American: 421

American Indian and Alaska Native: 120

Asian: 598

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 591

Other: 139

Percent of residents born in state: 54.2% (2000)

Age characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 2,373

Population 5 to 9 years old: 2,666

Population 10 to 14 years old: 2,717

Population 15 to 19 years old: 2,576

Population 20 to 24 years old: 2,420

Population 25 to 34 years old: 6,176

Population 35 to 44 years old: 7,235

Population 45 to 54 years old: 5,817

Population 55 to 59 years old: 1,854

Population 60 to 64 years old: 1,289

Population 65 to 74 years old: 2,355

Population 75 to 84 years old: 2,086

Population 85 years and older: 1,123

Median age: 37 years

Births (2003) Total number: 445

Deaths (2001) Total number: 400

Money income (1999)

Per capita income: $21,976

Median household income: $42,447

Total households: 16,325

Number of households with income of . . .

less than $10,000: 1,198

$10,000 to $14,999: 998

$15,000 to $24,999: 2,017

$25,000 to $34,999: 2,191

$35,000 to $49,999: 3,183

$50,000 to $74,999: 3,552

$75,000 to $99,999: 1,788

$100,000 to $149,999: 899

$150,000 to $199,999: 251

$200,000 or more: 248

Percent of families below poverty level: 6.2% (16.3% of which were female householder families with related children under 5 years)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: Not reported

Concord

The City in Brief

Founded: 1725 (incorporated, 1733)

Head Official: Mayor Michael L. Donovan (since 2003)

City Population

1980: 30,400

1990: 36,006

2000: 40,687

2003 estimate: 41,823

Percent change, 1990–2000: 10.3%

U.S. rank in 1990: 738th (State rank: 3rd) U.S. rank in 2000: Not reported

Metropolitan Area Population (Merrimack County)

1980: 98,302

1990: 120,005

2000: 136,225

Percent change, 1990–2000: 13.3%

U.S. rank in 1990: 409th

U.S. rank in 2000: 277th

Area: 64 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 288 feet above sea level at the State House

Average Annual Temperature: 45.9° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 50.3 inches of rain; 65 inches of snow

Major Economic Sectors: Manufacturing, government, distribution, transportation

Unemployment Rate: 4% (New Hampshire, March 2005)

Per Capita Income: $21,976 (1999)

2004 ACCRA Average House Price: Not reported

2004 ACCRA Cost of Living Index: Not reported

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: Not reported

Major Colleges and Universities: Franklin Pierce Law Center; New Hampshire Technical Institute

Daily Newspaper: Concord Monitor

Concord: Health Care

Concord is a leading health center for central New Hampshire, providing extensive medical and mental health facilities. Concord Hospital, a regional general hospital, is licensed for 205 beds and is a Level II Regional Trauma Center. Its staff of 360 active, honorary, and consulting doctors includes physicians, surgeons, and dentists. Services are provided in 50 specialties; special centers affiliated with the hospital are the Breast Care Center, Center for Cardiac Care, Center for Orthopaedic Care, the Payson Center for Cancer Care, The Family Place, and a walk-in urgent care center. New Hampshire Hospital, a state mental health institution, specializes in inpatient care of the mentally ill. The hospital has been a pioneer in the development of special treatment programs for mentally ill children. HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital provides inpatient and outpatient therapy and Riverbend Community Mental Health, Inc. serves both individuals and families.

Health Care Information: Concord Hospital, 250 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301; telephone (603)225-2711

Concord: Municipal Government

Concord operates with a council-manager form of government. The mayor is elected to a two year term. Four councilors are elected at large while ten are elected by ward. The at-large councilors serve staggered four-year terms while ward councilors serve for two years. The council appoints a professional city manager who serves under a contract and is responsible to the city council. Local government is said to encourage industrial growth.

Head Official: Mayor Michael L. Donovan (since 2003; term expires November 2005)

Total Number of City Employees: 476 (2005)

City Information: City Manager, Administration Department, City Hall, 41 Green Street, Concord, NH 03301; telephone (603)225-8570

Concord: Introduction

The third largest city in New Hampshire, Concord is the state capital and a major manufacturing, distribution, and transportation center in the south-central section of the state. The home of the Concord stagecoach, U.S. President Franklin Pierce, and Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy, Concord is a city steeped in history. It is a modern city as well, with strong links to the finance and insurance industries. The spotlight shines on the city every four years when New Hampshire citizens vote in the first national presidential primary.

Concord Capital of New Hampshire, USA, on the Merrimack River. Founded as a trading post (1660), it was settled in 1727. It was the scene of New Hampshire's ratification of the Constitution as the ninth and deciding state on June 21, 1788, and designated state capital in 1808. Quarries n of the city produce the famous white granite used for the Library of Congress (Washington, D.C.) and the Museum of Modern Art (New York City). An industrial and financial centre, industries include electrical equipment and printing. Pop. (2000) 40,687.

Concord: Convention Facilities

The new Grappone Conference Center, adjacent to the Marriott Courtyard, has more than 9,400 square feet of meeting space, including seven meeting rooms and the Granite Ballroom. Other convention and meeting facilities are available at various hotels and restaurants throughout the area.

Concord See INDEPENDENCE, AMERICAN WAR OF; LEXINGTON AND CONCORD, BATTLE OF.

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