What do most people know about New Hampshire? For one thing, many of the unusual names in the state, like Winnipesaukee, Ossipee and Chocorua, are of Native American, or indigenous, origin, specifically from the Abenaki tribe.

The word “Abenaki” is a combination of two: “Abena” means “flickering light,” and “Ki” means “people.” Put together, it translates into “People of the First Light,” or “People of the Dawnland.” It’s fitting, since the sun rises on the East Coast.

Stefanie Breton, who serves as the public information officer for Concord, N.H., shared a treasure trove of knowledge about the New England capital city.

“Concord is the state capital, the oldest state capitol, where the legislative body still meets in its original chambers. And the capital includes the quaint and historic Penacook Village.”

The Visit Concord blog explained: “Penacook is Concord, but Concord is not Penacook.  It is a sweet village in a city. Originally named ‘Fisherville,’ Penacook is a village inside the borders of the city of Concord, carved out of Concord’s northern quarter. The name comes from the Native American tribe that once lived in the region. ‘Penacook’ (or Pennycook) was also the original name of the lands incorporated into modern-day Concord.”

Canal Street Riverfront Park in Penacook is nearly complete. The 1.5-acre park will be the first new park within the city of Concord since 1988, and it will provide ADA-accessible pathways, overlooks on the Contoocook River, a pavilion and amphitheater for concerts and outdoor markets, lighting and improved parking. A ribbon-cutting is taking place this spring.

Another piece of political history can be visited for guided tours in the months of May through October: the Pierce Manse, which is the former home of 14th President Franklin Pierce. It is a Greek revival home, a definite must-see.

Apart from politics, Concord is or has been home to widely recognizable names, Breton shared. Supreme Court Justice David Souter, founder of the Christian Science Church Mary Baker Eddy, teacher and astronaut Christa McAuliffe, Stonyfield CEO Gary Hirschberg and two-time NBA Championship-winning basketball player Matt Bonner all hail from the city.

McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is a science museum that honors McAuliffe, a schoolteacher who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, and Alan Shepherd, who is from nearby Derry and was the first American to travel into space.

According to the museum’s website, “McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center acknowledges that we live and work on the occupied lands and waterways of the Abenaki, Penacook, and other Wabanaki peoples: past, present, and future. We honor with gratitude this land and our ability to be in relationship with it and each other in this place.” Tours can be taken, or visitors can see planetarium shows; Mrs. Eddy’s home, also a Greek Revival structure, can be toured, too.

If carriages and stagecoaches are of interest, Concord was famous for them in the 19th century, and it showed in one company’s name – Concord Coach. Concord Coaches were high-end, expensive vehicles; the cost was justified by long service life. Concord Coaches employed a style of suspension and construction particularly suited to North America’s early 19th century roads. Leather thoroughbraces suspended passengers, who were in constant motion while the coach was moving. The suspension reduced stresses on the structure at the same time that they improved passenger comfort.

Railroads began replacing stagecoaches in the middle of the 19th century, but Concord Coaches remained in commercial use into the 20th century and continue to be employed in parades and for publicity purposes by Wells Fargo Bank. There are still Concord Coaches on the road today, in a way: Now, the name applies to buses.

Breton noted that Main Street in Concord was redesigned during a multiyear project, completed in 2016, which increased safety, accessibility and vibrancy. “Concord has a bustling downtown with locally owned businesses, a variety of restaurants and arts and culture organizations,” she said. One of the gems the town is proud of is the Eagle Hotel, an historic hotel building at 110 North Main Street that was built in 1851. It is a prominent local landmark and has served as a meeting place for state politicians because of its location across the street from the New Hampshire State House.

There are also numerous opportunities to enjoy and participate in the arts in Concord. Visitors may want to spend time at the Capitol Center for the Arts, where there have been many activities in the past, such as an Epic Scavenger Hunt and Murder Mystery Detective Experience, both of which had affordable ticket prices.

For those who prefer the outdoors and all the natural beauty found in Concord, the New Hampshire Audubon will be a good fit; it’s a nonprofit organization that developed beautiful trails that feature numerous species of birds and other wildlife. It offers educational workshops and nature walks throughout the year. Or visitors may want to check out the Silk Farm Wildlife Sanctuary; in 1835, the land on which the sanctuary is located was the site of a short-lived silk farm.

Breton is proud of the city’s central location in the northeast business corridor and proximity to the coast as well as the White Mountains. She said Concord has been consistently touted as one of the most desirable communities in New Hampshire in which to live and work, and it has consistently been a top real estate market nationally for the last five years.

Currently, more than 2,000 housing units are in development in the city. And there are lots of recreational opportunities and ways to enjoy the outdoors – including more than 80 miles of trails and the Merrimack River Greenway Trail that is in Phase 2 of development and encompasses more than 340 acres of parks with fields, playgrounds, six community pools and a splash pad. Citizens can also check out the Douglass N. Everett Arena, which features ice skating and hockey in the winter and roller skating and roller derby in the summer.

Everyone has to eat, and in Concord, a person can avail themselves of the various breweries, farmers markets and restaurants that exist – perhaps trying things they can’t get at home. Or they could check out the bookstores and other interesting sites and stores. Who knows – they might just make a visitor want to settle right down and never leave.

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