Some state capitols have used the imagery of their statehouse to define the identity of the city, but the New Hampshire State House has been able to use the notoriety of the building and space in a very different way. Located in Concord, the New Hampshire Capital Plaza is literally built around the State House and is home to several statues and memorials. These pieces are representative of and connected to a legacy for New Hampshire in a way that is as unique as it is engaging for both residents and visitors.
Collectively and Individually Celebrating New Hampshire History
The New Hampshire State House was constructed between 1816 and 1819 and like many other capital buildings in the United States, was built in the Greek Revival style. The capitol grounds cover 2.6 acres of land and feature ten distinct monuments, all of which commemorate New Hampshire people or events that are significant to the history of the state. These pieces have been installed at various times beginning in 1886 with the statue of Daniel Webster in the center of the plaza.
The most famous lawyer, orator and statesman of his day, the Daniel Webster statue depicts him in a dress suit standing in front of a stack of books. This style would go on to influence many of the other pieces that would be installed in the complex over the decades.
Statues dedicated to General John Stark and John Parker Hale sit on either side of Webster and were the next to be erected. The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, which was created to honor the Concord sailors and soldiers who served their country in wars up to when it was created in 1892, was a different kind of monument for the space. Statues dedicated to Commodore George Hamilton Perkins and Franklin Piece are similar in style to the three that sit directly in front of the State House.
The Liberty Bell replica that sits near the center of the plaza is connected to a larger legacy for the country but still specific to New Hampshire, as it was one of the fifty-three that were commissioned by the U.S. Treasury in 1950 and given to each state. Near the corner of the plaza is the Veterans Memorial, which features the names of World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War soldiers from Concord who died in the course of duty. The NH Law Enforcement Officers Memorial similarly honors law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. This memorial is adjacent to the plaza, just like the John Gilbert Winant statue, which depicts New Hampshire’s governor during the Great Depression.
These people, events and memorials have a direct connection the past of the city and region, but the way in which they’ve been able to define the community of the present have opened up numerous opportunities all across Concord.
Reflections of the Community
Many of the monuments in the New Hampshire Capital Plaza have been utilized by organizations and businesses across the city to establish a sense of connection to the community. Additionally, Capital Plaza properties have sold for millions of dollars, highlighting the incredible value that the plaza and the monuments it contains has cultivated for the area.
The notoriety of the New Hampshire Capital Plaza has indirectly supported the creation of nearby monuments like Bicentennial Square and Eagle Square. These spaces are within walking distance of Capital Plaza, allowing residents and visitors to easily explore them all to get a true sense of the history and culture of the city.
Many capital sites and historical locations have monuments and statues that are connected to individuals and events, but the statues and memorials at the New Hampshire Capital Plaza are connected to the physical space and culture of Concord in a far more tangible manner. Doing so has allowed these monuments and statues to reflect the community in a way that is connected to a larger legacy for the city that will continue to grow and evolve.
Engaging with the Legacy of New Hampshire
By creating a space that makes it as easy to engage with the legacy of New Hampshire as it is to relax or take a walk, the New Hampshire Capital Plaza showcases what it can mean to bring the history of a region to life in a way that positively shapes a community in the present and future.
