New Hampshire Facts
New Hampshire is a northeastern U.S. state and one of the original 13 colonies.
It’s bordered by Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Canadian province of Quebec.
New Hampshire is the fifth smallest state in the U.S. and the 10th least populous.
It’s best known for its small, picturesque towns and large stretches of wilderness.
Quick Facts
Capital: Concord
Population: 1.4 million
Nickname: The Granite State
Key Cities: Manchester, Portsmouth, Concord, Nashua
Postal Abbreviation: NH
Major Industries: Manufacturing, technology, health care, tourism
History
How did New Hampshire get its name: New Hampshire was named after Hampshire, England by Captain John Mason.
Date admitted to the Union: Saturday, June 21, 1788
Related: New Hampshire State History
Geography
Size: 9,349 sq. miles
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean at sea level
Highest point: Washington at 6,288 ft.
Counties: 10
Famous locations: White Mountains, Mount Washington, Lake Winnipesaukee, Echo Lake State Park, Strawberry Banke, Hampton Beach
Famous People from New Hampshire
Elizabeth Hurley- actress/model
Sarah Silverman- comedian
John Irving- author
Dan Brown- author
Ronnie James Dio- singer
Mandy Moore- actress/singer
Fun Facts
New Hampshire was the first of the thirteen colonies to declare its independence from England (six months before the Declaration of Independence was signed).
New Hampshire is the only state to host the end of a foreign war. In 1905, the treaty ending the Russo-Japanese War was signed in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
On April 12, 1934, wind speeds of 231 miles per hour were recorded on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington.
That’s three times faster than the winds in most hurricanes, and it’s the second highest wind speed ever recorded!
Do you know the song “Mary Had A Little Lamb?” It was written in Newport, New Hampshire by Sarah Josepha Hale.
Well, maybe—the city of Sterling, Massachusetts also claims this nursery rhyme, saying it was written by a man named John Roulstone.
New Hampshire was originally called North Virginia. The state isn’t near Virginia, but it was given the name because of its similar landscape.
The first alarm clock was invented in Concord, New Hampshire by Levi Hutchins in 1787. The state is also home to the first free public library, established in Peterborough in 1833.
New Hampshire has the shortest coastline of any U.S. coastal state, with a length of about 18 miles.
