Concord New Hampshire’s State House – Celebrating 199 Years

Posted on 25 March, 2014 by Janice Brown

The original title of this story was “Concord New Hampshire’s State House – Celebrating 187 Years,” and it was first published on November 2, 2006. In 2014 I have updated the article, and again in 2018 since the building is now celebrating its 199th year (and 200th next year in 2019!!).

Prior to the American Revolution, Exeter was the undoubted “capital” of New Hampshire. In 1778 New Hampshire’s first Constitutional Convention was held at Concord, New Hampshire’s Old North Church for a total of seven sessions. It was the meeting place of the legislature in 1782. By 1788 Concord had become the generally acknowledged capital of New Hampshire.

Photograph of the meeting room for the house of
representatives of New Hampshire’s General Court,
taken by Ron Cillizza.

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Posted in History, N.H. Historical Markers, Structures, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Gordon’s Fried Sea Food and Other Shops at 215 Hanover Street in Manchester NH

Posted on 20 March, 2014 by Janice Brown

Yes, I realize that “Gordon’s Fried Sea Food and Other Shops at 215 Hanover Street in Manchester NH” is a long title for a blog post.  However it is very fitting, because my 215 Hanover Street, Manchester NHresearch took me on a long, convoluted, and interesting journey into the past.

My adventure started off with an Ebay purchase of three photographs and a menu from Gordon’s Fried Sea Food.  With  my usual knack for tangential discoveries, I began to track not only the aforementioned restaurant but all former owners of this shop at 215 Hanover Street in Manchester, New Hampshire.  Since I had no memory of Gordon’s existence, I inquired on the “Things I Remember Growing up in Manchester, NH” FaceBook page whether anyone remembered this place.

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Posted in History, N.H. Missing Places, New Hampshire Men | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2014

Posted on 17 March, 2014 by Janice Brown

HLDY14

May you always have walls for the winds,
a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire,
laughter to cheer you, those you love near you,
and all your heart might desire.

– New Hampshire’s Irish Myths and Legends

– A New Hampshirite’s Irish Surprise

– What My Irish Heritage Means To Me

– A New Hampshire Irish Christmas Carnival

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Sixteen Completely Free Ways to Research Your Family Tree in New Hampshire

Posted on 13 March, 2014 by Janice Brown

GP12Certain expensive, pay-to-use genealogy corporations are using mass media in an attempt to convince us that we need their services in order to research our personal family histories.  TAINT TRUE!  You don’t need shaking leaves to point you in the right direction, or to perform genealogical research. People (including myself) were effectively researching our genealogies long before the internet, and those corporations existed.

Here is a list of some of the FREE and EASY ways to research your family tree.  Most of these apply to people everywhere, not just in New Hampshire.

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Posted in Current Events, Genealogy, History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Celebrating Women’s History Month in New Hampshire 2014

Posted on 7 March, 2014 by Janice Brown

March is Women’s History Month–when we have thirty-one days to celebrate women’s contributions to history.  In the case of this blog, it is the stories of New Hampshire women that I mostly share.

Mattie (Kilborn) Webster, Merrimack's first historian, and my grandmother.

Mattie (Kilborn) Webster (1885-1964).  Merrimack, New Hampshire’s first historian, my grandmother and inspiration for much of my research of women’s history.

Why is women’s history important? Because women have been, and still are equal contributors to every historical event in our world history.  No noted military officer could have gone off to war without someone (usually his wife, mother or sister) at home to look after his children, farm his land or otherwise tend his property.  No writer or inventor could have dedicated the time he did without someone to make his meals, tend to his household, and often act as sounding board and inspiration for him.  No noted businessman could have built his empire alone.

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Posted in History, New Hampshire Women | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments