This Day in History: June 21, 1788

New Hampshire, the Granite State, the Mother of Rivers, the White Mountain State, Switzerland of America*

*This state is also called the Switzerland of America, on account of the salubrity of its climate; its wild and picturesque landscapes; its lakes and rapid streams. The celebrated White Mountains, in the northern part of the state, are of great elevation, and afford the grandest display of mountain scenery in our country. [From Hayward's New England Gazetteer of 1839]

http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/New_Hampshire/NicknameNewHampshire.html

Rocky granite gorge in New Hampshire
photo ©Chris Gaw on Flickr -
noncommercial use permitted with attribution/no derivative works.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Hampshire

New Hampshire in Autumn

Did you know New Hampshire was first named North Virginia, and it was once under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts? New Hampshire, one of the original 13 colonies, was the first to declare its independence and adopt its own state constitution. Its spirit of independence is epitomized in the state motto–“Live Free or Die.” The state was named by Capt. James Mason for his home county Hampshire, England.

Aerial America: New Hampshire

Soar over the most independent-minded state in the Union: New Hampshire. Amid its mountains, rivers, and colonial villages exists a community of people who take their motto of "Live free or die" to heart. From an infamous poet who favored the road less traveled, to the founders of both the industrial and fast food revolutions, this state is brimming with free thinkers. Discover the sights and stories of the Granite State, from Concord to White Mountain State Park and beyond.

New Hampshire, one of the thirteen original colonies, was the 9th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution–the final state needed to put the document into effect. It plays an important role in national elections, as it is the first state to hold national primaries, and its primary results are thought to influence those in the rest of the nation, giving rise to the saying “As New Hampshire goes, so goes the nation.” It is the site of the White Mountains and the famed Mount Washington, one of the windiest places in the nation.

[The thirteen colonies were: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts Bay, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]

New Hampshire is a state in the New England region
of the northeastern United States of America.

New Hampshire State Flag

New Hampshire State Seal

Is the Purple Finch truly the color purple?

http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/New_Hampshire/bird_purplefinch.html

New Hampshire State Bird: Purple Finch

Some declare it is not purple at all but rose red. If you pause a moment considering the color purple, it is a secondary color created by a mixture of red with blue where the red is the more prominent color. Royal purple is referred to as crimson, which might be more in line with the color on the Purple Finch. Most people, however, see the Purple Finch as being a raspberry color. Ah-h-h-ha! The wonders of color: so many different perceptions through the eyes of the beholder.

The Purple Finch

Like a sparrow dipped in raspberry juice!

Bugs & insects are often perceived as obnoxious and bothersome.

Not so for the Ladybug...
something special about the Spirit of the Ladybug.
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http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/New_Hampshire/insect_ladybug.html

New Hampshire State Insect: Ladybug

In 1977, New Hampshire designated the ladybug, aka ladybird, lady beetle, or ladybird beetle, as the official state insect. Attribution is given to the pupils of Broken Ground grammar school of Concord NH) for pioneering the ladybug as their state's insect. Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Delaware also designate the ladybug as an official state symbol.

http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/New_Hampshire/flowerPurpleLilac.html

New Hampshire State Flower: Purple Lilac

New Hampshire designated the purple lilac as the official state flower in 1919. The apple blossom, purple aster, wood lily, mayflower, goldenrod, wild pasture rose, evening primrose and buttercup were all considered, but the purple lilac was chosen because it symbolizes the hardy character of the men and women of the Granite State.

http://newhampshire.watchdog.org/5248/nh-house-names-official-state-beverage/

New Hampshire State Beverage: Apple Cider

At the suggestion of a fourth grade class from Jaffrey, a bill enter the New Hampshire House of Representatives to make apple cider the state beverage. Opponents made a case for milk but it was pointed out that New Hampshire would be the first state to choose apple cider as its state beverage and that the inventor of the apple peeler, David Goodell, was a former New Hampshire Governor. The bill passed in 2010.

What is it about the reptiles and amphibians - the chameleons, lizards, newts - that make the average person squeamish? They are truly quite exotic!

New Hampshire State Amphibian

New Hampshire designated the spotted newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) as the official state amphibian in 1985 after a two-year effort by high school students. Very common in New Hampshire, the Union Leader newspaper (April 25, 1985, p. 48) lists the spotted newt as "the perfect symbol for ensuring ecology in New Hampshire, as they exist predominantly in the rain and runoff sodden areas heavily affected by acid rain."

From the video, you get a great perspective of the tiny size of the spotted newt.
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For all State Symbols of New Hampshire click HERE!

State Songs of New Hampshire

1949		Old New Hampshire by Dr. John F. Holmes and music by Maurice Hoffmann
1963		New Hampshire, My New Hampshire by Julius Richelson and Walter P. Smith
1973		New Hampshire Hills by Paul Scott Maurer and Tom Powers
1977		Autumn in New Hampshire by Leo Austin
1977		New Hampshire's Granite State by Anne B. Currier
1977		Oh, New Hampshire (you're my home) by Brownie McIntosh
1977		The Old Man of the Mountain by Paul Belanger
1977		The New Hampshire State March by Rene Richards
1983		New Hampshire Naturally by Rick Shaw and Ron Shaw
2007		Live Free or Die by Barry Palmer