CONCORD, the capital of New Hampshire, U.S.A., and the county seat of Merrimack county, on the Merrimack river, near the centre of the southern part of the State. It is on Federal highways 3 and 4; is served by the Boston and Maine Railroad; and has a municipal airport. The area is 64 square miles. The population was 22,167 in 1920, of whom 4,039 were foreign-born white; and was 25,228 in 193o by the Federal census.
Concord has broad, well-shaded streets, several parks, and many fine public buildings. The State capitol is an impressive structure of fine-grained white granite from the neighbouring quarries. The State hospital for the insane and the State prison are situated here, and there are several homes and hospitals founded by private philanthropy. St. Paul's school for boys (Protestant Episcopal, 1853) is 2m. W. of the city. There is abundant water-power. The factory product (with textile manufactures and printing and pub lishing leading) was valued in 1927 at $12,468,108. Large quanti ties of granite are shipped from Concord.
A trading-post was established here about 166o. In 17 2 5 Massa chusetts granted the land to some of her citizens, who established a settlement called Pennycook (the name of the Indians who had formerly occupied it) , but New Hampshire in 17 2 7 issued an over lapping grant, and the conflicting claims gave rise to a celebrated land case. The settlement was incorporated by the Massachusetts general court in 1734 as Rumford, and the settlers finally (17 5 5 ) were confirmed in their possession, but under the jurisdiction of New Hampshire. In 1765 the name was changed to "the parish of Concord," and in 1784 the town of Concord was incorporated. A city charter granted in 1849 was accepted in 1853. In 1778 and again in 1781-82 a State Constitutional Convention met in Con cord; in 1782, the first State legislature; and in 1788, the conven tion which ratified the Federal Constitution. The State capital was definitely established there in 1808. The New Hampshire Patriot, founded (1808) and for 20 years edited by Isaac Hill, was a leading exponent of Jacksonian democracy in New England. Concord was the home of the picturesque and versatile Benjamin Thompson (Count Rumford) and of Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the Christian Science movement. The site of Mrs. Eddy's home is occupied by a home for aged Christian Scientists.