State Information

New Hampshire was named for Hampshire, England, by Captain John Mason.

Nicknames

New Hampshire has 4 nicknames. The first is the one by which the state is commonly known.

• Granite State: for our extensive granite formations and quarries
• Mother of Rivers: for the rivers of New England that originate in our Mountains
• White Mountain State: for the White Mountain Range
• Switzerland of America: for our beautiful mountain scenery

Capital

Concord is the seat of New Hampshire government. It is centrally located in the state on the Merrimack River.

Statehood

New Hampshire became the 9th state on June 21, 1788. It was one of the original 13 colonies.

Population

1,275,000 (2002 estimates)

Local Government

New Hampshire has 10 counties, 13 municipalities, 221 towns and 22 unincorporated places.

State Seal, Flag and Symbols

New Hampshire has adopted many symbols over the past 200 years, beginning with the first state seal in 1775 and continuing to the most recent symbol, the State Tartan in 1995.

The flag, seal and various symbols are all ways the state identifies itself. They had been adopted by the legislature as symbolic of the state in one way or another.

Motto

Live Free or Die. The motto comes from a statement written by the Revolutionary General John Stark, hero of the Battle of Bennington.

http://www.visitnh.gov/welcome-to-nh/state-facts.aspx