WELCOME TO NEW HAMPSHIRE!!

New Hampshire was named by Captain John Mason for Hampshire, England.  It was part of the original 13 colonies, and became the 9th state in the country on June 21, 1788.  We are one of the six states that make up New England.  New Hampshire was the first state to declare its independence from Great Britain, and it was the first to set up its own independent government, having done so in January 1776.  That fierce independence that NH natives are known for was shining through way back then!

"The Granite State" is one of 4 nicknames that New Hampshire is known by, and it's also the one most people know of.  This nickname came about because of the enormous amounts of granite formations and quarries throughout the state.  The other nicknames are "Mother of Rivers", for the five great rivers of New England that originate in NH's mountains; "The White Mountain State" for the White Mountain Range; and "Switzerland of America" for the beautiful mountain scenery.  Our state is certainly a very beautiful state!

Our state motto is "Live Free or Die", and most New Hampshirites take that motto very seriously.  This motto is relatively new, having been adopted by the General Court in 1945.  According to some, our motto is probably the best-known of all state mottos because 'it speaks to an aggressive independence inherent in the American dream, and partly because of its contrast to the mild sentiments usually found in most state mottos'.

This phrase came about from a letter General John Stark wrote on July 31, 1809.  He sent his toast via letter to an anniversary of the Battle of Bennington, in which he wrote:
                   "Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils."

To learn a little about our logo in the middle of our state seal, "The Old Man in the Mountains", visit my friend Monika McGillicuddy's blog - we're missing him more each day!!

                                    

Our state seal is the broadside view of the frigate "Raleigh", with a granite boulder in the foreground, and a beautiful rising sun in the background.  A laurel wreath surrounds the picture.  The ship signified the state's emergence as a major shipbuilding center during war years.  New Hampshire's state flag has the state seal centered on a blue field surrounded by laurel leaves and the nine stars for NH being the 9th state in the country.   

                      The very fragrant purple lilac is our state flower.  Oh they smell so 
                      heavenly, too!!  Our lilacs come in a variety of colors, but the purple lilac
                      is the one that is most prevalent here in NH.  When they're in bloom, I
                      like to grab a bunch of them and bury my face in them so I can inhale
                      that heavenly scent.......if you've never smelled fresh lilacs, you're really
                      missing a real treat of Mother Nature!!

These are just a few historical tidbits about my state of New Hampshire!  Check out the links I included to learn even more, and even better - watch my blogs for more posts about this place I call HOME - Portsmouth New Hampshire!!   

Ann Cummings
http://www.portsmouthnewhampshirehomes.com/