Home
Units of New Hampshire History
Unit 17: New Hampshire Today
Find It! New Hampshire Today

Find It! New Hampshire Today

Listen

All the resources that appear in this unit are gathered here for you—the photographs, maps, objects, audiovisuals, documents, videos, biographies, and vocabulary words. Click on the image below to see a larger view of each resource with more information about each one. On some of the resources you can even zoom in and get a closer look. So go ahead, dive in, and explore. Before you know it, you’ll be thinking like a historian.

Find It! Scavenger Hunt

Can you help Mason find these items on the page and answer the questions?

Scavenger Hunt

Click On An Icon To Find A Resource!

Biographies in this Unit:

Listen

Biography

Dean Kamen

1951–

Caption:

Dean Kamen is an inventor, engineer, and businessman from New Hampshire. He is best known for inventing the Segway, but he has invented a lot of other things too, especially in the medical field. In the 1980s Kamen bought up some of the empty buildings in the Manchester Millyard and used them for laboratory and office space for his company, DEKA. This brought other companies into the Millyard and helped improve the neighborhood. Kamen launched the Segway, a personal transportation device, in 2001. He also invented an all-terrain electric wheelchair called the iBOT, a portable system to purify water, a machine to help people with kidney problems, and a special type of prosthetic, or artificial, arm. Kamen is also one of the founders of the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition, which is in schools all over the country. Have you ever participated in a FIRST Lego League Challenge or Robotics Competition?

Image Credit: Photograph of Dean Kamen at the PTC/User World Event 2007 by Mark Mauno, from flickr.com.

Listen

Biography

Jeanne Shaheen

1947–

Caption:

Jeanne Shaheen is the first woman elected governor of New Hampshire, the first woman elected U.S. Senator from New Hampshire, and the first woman in American history to be elected both a governor and a U.S. Senator. She was born in Missouri but moved to New Hampshire in 1973. She ran a small business and taught at Dover High School. Shaheen became active in politics, especially the New Hampshire primary. In 1990 she was elected to the New Hampshire Senate, and in 1996 she was elected governor. After serving three terms as governor, Shaheen ran for U.S. Senate in 2002, but she lost that election. She tried again in 2008, and that time she won. She was reelected to the Senate in 2014 and 2020.

Image Credit: Official portrait of Senator Shaheen, from shaheen.senate.gov.

Close up black and white photo of Ralph Baer speaking at a podium.

Listen

Biography

Ralph Baer

1922–2014

Caption:

Ralph Baer is known as the “father of the video game.” He was born in Germany but moved with his family to the United States in 1938. The Baers were Jewish and emigrated to escape the Nazis, the group that controlled Germany at that time. The Nazis persecuted Jewish people and took away all of their rights. In America, Baer studied television engineering, which was a new field at the time. He served in World War II and later moved to Manchester and began working at an electronics company. In 1966 he had the idea to add games to television sets. He invented a game system that he called the “Brown Box.” It was the first multiplayer video game system. The “Brown Box” was later sold as the Magnavox Odyssey. It looked very basic compared to the games you play, but it launched the whole gaming craze that is still going on today. There is a statue of Ralph Baer in Manchester.

Image Credit: Photograph of Ralph Baer at the first Gametronics Conference, by Liane Enkelis in Gametronics, volume 1, January 1977, published by Electronic Engineering Times.

Explainer Videos and Virtual Field Trips in this Unit:

Listen

Video

Virtual Field Trip: Mount Washington, Up, Up, and Away!

2023

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Maps & Charts in this Unit:

A colored map of the state of New Hampshire, colored in green. The map is set against a turquoise background and has the title "CITIES OF NEW HAMPSHIRE" featured in the upper left-hand corner. The map has the state's rivers featured in blue, and has several stars placed around the state, each one with a different label.

Listen

Maps & Charts

Cities in New Hampshire

Caption:

There are 13 cities in New Hampshire.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

A colored cartoon drawing of two arrow graphs. Between the two graphs is a circle with a smiling moose in the center. The moose has its arms raised, and is wearing a white beard and a red, white, and blue top hat. Surrounding the moose are the words "TOWN OF/MASONVILLE." The arrow graph to the left of the circle is labeled "Select/Board" in black text and has a group of five moose sitting at a gray semi-circle table. Beneath the table are three arrows pointing to three different sized buildings, which are labeled "POLICE" (in blue), "FIREHOUSE" (in red), and "LIBRARY" (in green). The arrow graph to the right of the circle is labeled "School/Board" in black text and has a group of five squirrels sitting at a rectangular table. Beneath the table are three arrows that point to three different sized buildings, colored in purple. A label beneath the buildings read "SCHOOLS" in purple text.

Listen

Maps & Charts

Town Government Structure

Caption:

New Hampshire has 221 towns. Town government is divided into two parts: the town and the school. Town government is led by an elected select board or town council. The select board oversees the town departments, such as the police, fire, and parks and recreation. The school side of town government is overseen by the school board. School board members are also elected by the people in the town. The school board works with the superintendent of the school district to make decisions about how the town’s schools should be run.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Objects in this Unit:

Listen

Objects

Magnavox Odyssey

1972

Caption:

The Magnavox Odyssey was the first multiplayer video game system. It was invented by an engineer from Manchester, New Hampshire, named Ralph Baer. It was first sold to the public in 1972. The Odyssey hooked up to a television and was very simple, with black-and-white graphics and no sound. But it started the video game craze that is still going on today!

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons user Evan-Amos

A collection of white, pink, blue, and purple colored money, tokens, and playing cards inside a Styrofoam box.

Listen

Objects

Magnavox Odyssey Game Pieces

1972

Caption:

The Magnavox Odyssey was the first multiplayer video game system. It was invented by an engineer from Manchester, New Hampshire, named Ralph Baer. It was first sold to the public in 1972. The Odyssey hooked up to a television and was very simple. In fact, people needed these accessories to play the games!

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons user The History of How We Play

A horizontal base is connected to two large wheels. On top of the base is a vertical bar that connects the base to a set of handle bars.

Listen

Objects

Segway

1999

Dean Kamen

Caption:

The Segway is a kind of personal transporter that was created by Dean Kamen, a New Hampshire inventor, engineer, and businessman. His company, DEKA, is located in the Manchester Millyard. It is an example of how technology companies are using the old mill buildings. The Segway was designed to help people move around cities more easily.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Listen

Objects

Texas Instruments Speak & Spell

2006

Bill Bertram

Caption:

Many factories in New Hampshire shut down in the middle of the 20th century. Near the end of the 20th century, though, people started to find new ways to use these brick mill buildings. Some became apartments, restaurants, or offices. In the early 2000s, a company called Texas Instruments moved into a building that had been part of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company. Texas Instruments makes all kinds of electronics, like calculators and computer chips, as well as educational toys like this Speak and Spell.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Photographs & Prints in this Unit:

A colored photograph of a multi-storied brick building. The building no longer has a roof, and the woods behind the building can be seen through all of the windows. The building sits right on a body of water.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Abandoned Mill

Caption:

Many factories in New Hampshire shut down in the middle of the 20th century, especially textile factories. Many people lost their jobs. Some mill buildings were left empty, and others were torn down.

Image Credit: Adobe Stock user penguincody

woman is sitting in a wheelchair in front of a stone memorial.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Afghan Woman in White Park

2019

Becky Field for the "New Hampshire Now" project

Caption:

Some cities in New Hampshire are part of the refugee resettlement program. A refugee is a person who leaves their home country because they are threatened in some way. The federal government identifies certain cities as places where refugees can live when they come to America, and provides services for them. This woman is originally from Afghanistan, and she is pictured in White Park in Concord.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Now collection, New Hampshire Historical Society

African Burying Ground Memorial, Portsmouth

Listen

Photograph/Print

African Burying Ground Memorial, Portsmouth

2015

Jerome Meadows and Roberta Woodburn

Caption:

In 2003, Portsmouth city workers rediscovered an African burying ground under Chestnut Street. This was a segregated burying ground for Portsmouth's Black community, both enslaved and free. It dated back to the early 1700s, but as Portsmouth grew and developed, it was eventually paved over and forgotten. When it was rediscovered, there was a big community and civic effort to restore and preserve it. In 2015, the African Burying Ground Memorial Park opened. It has sculptures, historic information, granite seating walls, a community plaza, and landscaping.

A colored photograph of a group of Black men playing large drums. They all sit in chairs on a stage. One man dances in front of the group of drummers.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Akwaaba Ensemble

Caption:

Music is a great way for people to share their cultural heritage. There are many different musical cultures to celebrate in New Hampshire—French-Canadian fiddling, Irish folk songs, and Abenaki songs and drumming, to name just a few. The Akwaaba Traditional African Dance and Drum Ensemble was founded in 2002 in Manchester, NH. The name Akwaaba means "welcome" in the Twi language of the Ashanti tribe of Ghana. The Akwaaba Ensemble performs all over the world. Its founder, Theo Martey, is currently the New Hampshire Artist Laureate. This photo shows the group performing at the University of New Hampshire-Manchester.

Image Credit: Photo courtesy of Akwaaba Ensemble, Manchester, NH

A colored cartoon drawing of a donkey and elephant holding signs. The donkey, standing on the left side of the image against a blue background under the title "DEMOCRATS," holds a sign that reads "VOTE/DONKEY." The elephant, standing on the right side of the image against a red background under the title "REPUBLICANS," holds a sign that reads "VOTE/ELEPHANT."

Listen

Photograph/Print

American Political Parties

Caption:

Political parties are a way for people who agree with one another to work together to support each other. By working together, they have a better chance to get other politicians elected who also share their beliefs. Political parties in the United States have changed and shifted over the years. Since 1860, the two major American political parties have been the Democratic party and the Republican party.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Artists from the Nulhegan Band of Coosuk Abenaki

Listen

Photograph/Print

Artists from the Nulhegan Band of Coosuk Abenaki

circa 2000s

Lynn Martin Graton

Caption:

Today, many Abenaki people still live in New Hampshire, as well as all over the world. They make traditional Abenaki crafts, like baskets, as well as jewelry, musical instruments, rattles, clothing, and all kinds of art. This photo is of Bill and Sherry Gould, who live in Warner, NH, and are Abenaki basket makers. Basket making is an important Abenaki art form. The Goulds show their works of art at museums and art fairs all over the country. The Goulds are from the Nulhegan Band of Coosuk Abenaki, a Vermont state-recognized tribe. This photograph was taken at the League of N.H. Craftsmen annual fair at the Mount Sunapee Resort.

Image Credit: Courtesy of Lynn Martin Graton and Bill and Sherry Gould

A colored photograph of a street sign. The top part of the sign is a red semi-circle and is labeled" "MAIN STREET/DISTRICT" in white lettering. The lower part of the sign are two white and black arrows, pointed to the right, which are labeled: "RESTAURANTS" and "SHOPPING."

Listen

Photograph/Print

Berlin Main Street Logo

Caption:

In the 1990s, Main Street programs were created to help support downtown communities. These programs helped to fix up historic buildings and bring businesses back to downtowns. Today there are 19 Main Street programs in New Hampshire, including in Berlin. These programs organize community events, help keep downtowns looking nice, and encourage people to shop at local businesses.

Image Credit: Berlin Main Street

A colored photograph of a cardboard box with fruits and vegetables in it.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Community Supported Agriculture

Caption:

In community supported agriculture (CSA), people buy a share of a farm, and then the farmer supplies them with the products made on the farm during the growing season, usually vegetables. This allows people to buy their food directly from a farmer, and it gives the farmer funding in advance to buy seeds and equipment. Today, there are about 36 CSAs in New Hampshire.

Image Credit: Adobe Stock user Cavan

A colored photograph of men and women dancing in pairs in a large room. At the back of the room is a stage. A musician playing the flute can be seen seated on the stage.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Contra Dance

2019

Mark Bolton for the "New Hampshire Now" project

Caption:

Contra dance is a kind of folk dance that is popular in New Hampshire. People dance together in long lines. A "caller" calls the steps for the dancers. There is live music, usually a fiddle but also other instruments. The songs are often Irish, English, Scottish, or French-Canadian. This photo is of a monthly contra dance at the town hall in Kingston, New Hampshire.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Now collection, New Hampshire Historical Society

A black and white photograph of a man standing on a frozen body of water, dragging pieces of cut ice through the exposed water.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Cutting Ice

1936

Arthur Rothstein

Caption:

Before refrigerators and freezers were invented, people harvested ice from New Hampshire's lakes and ponds and stored it year-round to keep their food cold. This is from a series of photos of an ice harvest in Coos County.

Image Credit: Courtesy of the Library of Congress

A black and white photograph of three white men unloading a truck. One man stands on the truck's bed and hands down a large bottle-shaped container to another man standing just below the truck's bed, while another man stands off to the side. Several other containers, labeled with numbers, sit under a tarp on the truck.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Dairy Farm Workers

circa 1940s

Caption:

After 1850, railroads could bring food from the rich farmland of the Midwest to New England. It was cheaper to do that than for New England farmers to grow food themselves. Many New Hampshire farmers moved to cities or to the Midwest or the west coast. Others shifted from growing grain to focus on other products, especially dairy. Dairy farming continues to be an important part of New Hampshire's economy today.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

A colored photograph of a group of white men and women posed in two rows. The people in the front row are seated, and the people in the back row are standing.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Dawnland StoryFest Storytellers

2022

Caption:

Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth hosts a Native American storytelling festival every year called Dawnland StoryFest. This photo shows some of the event staff and storytellers from the 2022 festival, including Gayle Ross, a member of the Cherokee nation (standing, far right) and Anne Jennison, a New Englander with both European and Abenaki heritage (seated, far right).

Image Credit: Photo courtesy of Strawbery Banke Museum

A colored drawning of children drawn as stick-figures. All of the children hold hands and stand in a straight line.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Diversity

Caption:

Diversity means that people all around the world are different. Your family, friends, neighbors, and classmates may all have different likes and dislikes, may have different talents and abilities, may look different, and have different traditions and cultures.

Image Credit: Adobe stock user hanohiki

Listen

Photograph/Print

Downhill Skiing on Mount Prospect

2019

Fletcher Manley for the "New Hampshire Now" project

Caption:

One way that tourism changed in New Hampshire in the 20th and 21st centuries is that tourists visit year-round. In the winter, many tourists visit New Hampshire to ski. This skiier is enjoying the trails at the Mount Prospect Ski Tow in Lancaster, New Hampshire.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Now collection, New Hampshire Historical Society

A colored drawing of cartoon people, each in their own tan-colored box. The boxes are all connected together with brown lines. On the edges of each box are three green leaves.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Family Tree

Caption:

A family tree is a record of a family. Every person in the family is listed on the family tree, and each part of the family is its own branch.

Image Credit: Adobe Stock user Marta Sher

A colored photograph of two women with their backs to the camera, standing in front of a table. On the table are fruits and vegetables in wicker baskets. A man stands behind the table and holds out an apple to one of the women.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Farm Stand

Caption:

Although the middle of the 20th century was difficult for farmers in New Hampshire, farming made a comeback starting in the late 20th century. More and more people wanted to buy their produce directly from the farmers, instead of at the store. More and more people also wanted to eat produce grown with fewer chemicals, like pesticides.

Image Credit: Adobe Stock user Rawpixel.com

Two musicians standing on a tile floor in front of a stage. Man on the left is bearded, wearing a tweed cap, and playing a fiddle. Man on the right is playing a guitar. Between them is a guitar stand with an additional guitar.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Folk Musicians

2022

Caption:

Folk music is one way for people to remember and share their cultural heritage. Every part of the world has its own folk music traditions. A lot of New England folk music has roots in Scots-Irish, English, and Irish music. The Jordan TW Trio is a popular folk music group from New Hampshire that performs all over the world. In this photo, Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki is performing at the New Hampshire Historical Society with guitarist Matthew Jensen.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

Listen

Photograph/Print

Franco-American Centre Logo

Caption:

In the late 20th century, many Granite Staters decided to learn more about their own cultural heritage and share it with others. For example, the Franco-American Centre, or Le Centre franco-américain, was founded in 1990 in Manchester. Many people in New Hampshire have ancestors who immigrated from French Canada. The Franco-American Centre provides programs like French language classes, lectures, concerts, social events, and festivals such as the annual Poutine Fest. These programs connect Franco-Americans throughout the state, as well as other people of French heritage and anyone interested in French culture.

Image Credit: Franco-American Centre of New Hampshire

A colored photograph of a road with multiple on-ramps. Blurred lines of red and white travel along the road. In the background is a multi-storied yellow building and a triangular bridge. Above the road is a green sign with the words "Concord NH" typed in white text.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Highway to New Hampshire

Caption:

This highway sign in Boston, Massachusetts, directs drivers to Interstate 93 North toward New Hampshire. Many people who live in southern New Hampshire commute to work in Boston. In fact, in 2020, nearly one in five New Hampshire workers commuted to Massachusetts.

Image Credit: Adobe Stock user eric

A colored photograph of a gymnasium filled with people sitting in rows. At the forefront of the photograph is a table, which has three people seated on one side and three people standing on the other.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Hopkinton Town Meeting

circa 2019

Sarah Gibson, NHPR

Caption:

At least once a year, each New Hampshire town is required to hold what is called a town meeting, when all of the voters in the town can come together and discuss the issues they will vote on. People vote at the town meeting in an exercise of direct democracy. This is a photo of a town meeting in Hopkinton, NH.

Image Credit: Image courtesy of <a href="https://www.nhpr.org/politics/2021-01-06/n-h-senate-votes-to-extend-town-meeting-provision" target="_blank"> NHPR</a>

A colored photograph of a white man with a mustache playing a violin. He wears a black bowler hat, a white button-down shirt, a brown and black striped vest, and blue finger-less gloves.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Humanities to Go Presenter

Caption:

Humanities to Go (HTG) is a program through New Hampshire Humanities that brings speakers to communities all over the state. HTG programs help everyone can learn more about the culture and ideas that have shaped New Hampshire. They are an important way for everyone in our community to come together. The HTG presenter in this photo, Woody Pringle, is a musician and educator who performs and teaches about folk music.

Image Credit: Photo courtesy of New Hampshire Humanities

Color poster with the Statue of Liberty in the background of the image. Behind her are tall buildings. There is a rainbow above her. In the foreground, on the left side, is a ship’s prow. On the right side, a man wearing early 20th century clothing faces the viewer with his heard turned to his left and his arm outstretched toward the ship’s prow. He is looking at an older woman, whose head faces the viewer. She is dressed in early 20th century clothing and her head is covered with a scarf. She carries a basket with food in it. Behind these two four people face away from the viewer, toward the Statue of Liberty. One man has removed his hat and is holding it in his hand, his arm outstretched. Another person, behind the older woman, is facing away from the Statue of Liberty. Her head is covered with a blue scarf.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Immigrants Arriving at New York

1917

Original painting by Charles Edward Chambers, published by the United States Food Administration, printed by Rusling Wood, Lithographer.

Caption:

This poster shows a group of immigrants on board a ship arriving at the harbor in New York City. They are greeted by the Statue of Liberty, and probably entered the United States at Ellis Island.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

A colored photograph of a chalk board bordered in an American flag. On the chalk board are the words "Democrat," "Republican," and "Independent." Each word is handwritten in chalk and is placed next to a hand-drawn square.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Independent Voters

Caption:

New Hampshire is known for having a lot of independent voters. These are voters who don't officially belong to either political party. Sometimes they vote for Republicans; sometimes they vote for Democrats.

Image Credit: Adobe Stock user eurobanks

A colored painting of a white woman with short brown hair, dressed in a red jacket and skirt. She stands in front of an armchair and a shiny table.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Jeanne Shaheen Portrait

2007

Ralph Stone Jacobs

Caption:

Jeanne Shaheen was the first woman elected governor of New Hampshire. She was elected in 1996 and served three terms. In 2008 she was elected U.S. Senator from New Hampshire, the first woman in American history to serve as both a governor and a senator. She continues to serve in the U.S. Senate today. This portrait was painted by a New Hampshire artist in 2007 and is displayed in the State House. It is a tradition that New Hampshire governors have their portraits painted and hung in the State House.

Image Credit: Courtesy of the artist and the State of New Hampshire

A colored photograph of a town situated on the banks of a river. There is a large covered bridge that connects the town to the other side of the river.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Littleton, New Hampshire

Caption:

Littleton was one of the first three Main Street communities in New Hampshire. Main Street programs were created to help support downtown communities. These programs helped to fix up historic buildings and bring businesses back to downtowns.

Image Credit: Adobe Stock user J. Delmonte Photo

A colored photograph of a wide street bordered by several multi-storied buildings. All of the buildings and sidewalks are covered in snow. Cars are parked on both sides of the street. There are also some cars driving on both sides of the road.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Main Street, Keene

1950s

Carleton Allen

Caption:

Many towns have a Main Street where most of the shops, banks, restaurants, and other businesses are located. This postcard shows Main Street in Keene, New Hampshire, in the winter. In the late 20th century, a lot of these downtown areas had trouble keeping businesses because large shopping malls drew customers away.

Image Credit: Keene Public Library on flickr.com

A colored photograph of a group of children of multiple races, wearing soccer gear. They stand and sit on a green field with white lines drawn on it. In the background are rows of seats placed in an upward angle.

Listen

Photograph/Print

New American Soccer Club

2013

Caption:

Today immigrants come from all over the world to live in New Hampshire. Sports like soccer can bring people together, even if they don't speak the same language or share the same customs. These kids are part of a soccer club with the Inti Academy in Manchester. Inti Academy was a nonprofit organization that provided soccer clubs, after-school activities, art classes, and other programs for new American kids.

Image Credit: Courtesy of Inti Academy

A colored photograph of a black racing car, decorated with curving red lines. The number "35" is seen on the side of the car in yellow lettering. Behind the car is a large cloud of snow.

Listen

Photograph/Print

New England Ice Racing Association

2019

Mark Bolton for the "New Hampshire Now" project

Caption:

New Hampshire tourism changed a lot in the 20th and 21st centuries. Tourists visit all year round, including in the winter. In the winter they go ice fishing, ski, snowmobile, and all kinds of other outdoor activities. This photo is of a New England Ice Racing Association competition on Northeast Pond in Milton, NH.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Now collection, New Hampshire Historical Society

A colored photograph of a group of white men in white shirts and different colored kilts playing bagpipes. They all stand in three straight lines.

Listen

Photograph/Print

New Hampshire Highland Games

2017

Carol M. Highsmith

Caption:

The New Hampshire Highland Games and Festival celebrates Scottish culture and traditions. Many Granite Staters have Scottish ancestry, because there was a wave of immigration from Scotland in the 1700s. The Highland Games started in 1976 and takes place every year at Loon Mountain. It has bagpiper parades, musical performances, historical reenactments, sheep dog competitions, food and crafts, and lots more.

Image Credit: Carol M. Highsmith's America Project in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

New Hampshire's All-Women Congressional Delegation

A colored photograph of five white women seated behind a table. They are all facing an audience and are smiling and clapping their hands.

Listen

Photograph/Print

New Hampshire's All-Women Congressional Delegation

2012

David Lane/New Hampshire Union Leader

Caption:

New Hampshire made history in 2012 when it became the first state to have all of its representatives in Congress—both U.S. Senators and both U.S. Representatives—be women. Granite Staters also elected a woman to be governor that year. In this picture, left to right, are Governor Maggie Hassan, Representative Ann McLane Kuster, Representative Carol Shea-Porter, Senator Kelly Ayotte, and Senator Jeanne Shaheen in December 2012.

Image Credit: Courtesy of the <i>New Hampshire Union Leader</i>

A colored photograph of an indoor stadium filled with people. They all face a woman who stands behind a podium on a stage.

Listen

Photograph/Print

NH Democratic Party Convention

2019

Gary Samson for the "New Hampshire Now" project

Caption:

A political party is formed when like-minded people come together in a group to work for what they want the government to do. Parties hold a conventions, or big meetings. At the conventions, the party members vote to decide who their leaders will be and what ideas and policies they will support. This is a photo of the New Hampshire's Democratic convention in 2019.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Now collection, New Hampshire Historical Society

Listen

Photograph/Print

Old Man of the Mountain Photograph

1928

Charles H. Sawyer

Caption:

The Old Man of the Mountain was an important New Hampshire landmark. It was a series of five layers of granite that looked like the profile, or side, of a man's face. It became well-known starting in the 1930s and people came from all over the country to see it. It became a symbol of New Hampshire. Unfortunately the granite that made up the Old Man fell to the ground in 2003.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

A colored drawing of a an elephant and a donkey with their heads pressed against each other. The elephant is colored in red and the donkey is colored in blue.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Political Polarization

Caption:

In recent years, Granite Staters have become more polarized, which means Democrats and Republicans are less willing to work together to solve our problems. Instead, they spend their time fighting with one another. This polarization is happening all over the country, not just in New Hampshire.

Image Credit: Adobe Stock user Gstudio

A colored photograph of a group of people wearing helmets, standing on Segways. The Segways have a horizontal base connected to two large wheels. On top of the base is a vertical bar that connects the base to a set of handle bars.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Segway Tour

Caption:

The Segway is a kind of personal transporter that was created by Dean Kamen, a New Hampshire inventor, engineer, and businessman. His company, DEKA, is located in the Manchester Millyard. It is an example of how technology companies are using the old mill buildings. This photo shows tourists taking a Segway tour of Washington, D.C.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons user Xesús Cociña Souto

A giant yellow boot has been made into a home. A yellow bird wearing a top hat flies toward the shoe home carrying a briefcase.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Story Land

1984

John Margolies

Caption:

Tourism has been an important part of New Hampshire's economy since the 1820s. Tourism changed a lot in the 20th century, especially after cars became popular. Granite Staters built all sorts of businesses for tourists, like roadside motels, campgrounds, and amusement parks. Story Land opened in Glen, New Hampshire, in 1954.

Image Credit: John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive (1972-2008), Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

A colored photograph of a Black man and a young Black boy standing in a field of strawberry plants, each holding strawberries in their hands. The strawberries are planted in long rows.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Strawberry Picking

Caption:

Farming became popular in New Hampshire again in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. People became interested in buying their food directly from farms. Restaurants started to include more and more local food on their menus. And lots of people, both residents and tourists, started visiting farms to pick their own strawberries, blueberries, and apples. Have you ever gone to a pick-your-own farm?

Image Credit: Adobe Stock user digitalskillet1

woman takes a selfie in front of Mount Washington on a sunny day. She is wearing a face mask.

Listen

Photograph/Print

Tourism During Covid

2020

Caption:

Tourism is a very important part of New Hampshire's economy today. During the covid-19 lockdowns, people couldn't travel, so tourism was hit hard. Many Granite Staters took "staycations" instead, where they enjoyed local sites. This person is visiting the Mount Washington Cog Railway. Once the vaccine became available, more people could travel again, so the tourist industry recovered.

Image Credit: New Hampshire Historical Society

University of New Hampshire Urban Campus

A colored photograph of several brick buildings and towers. One of the towers has a blue crest on it. The crest has a white background, and the letters "NH" in typed in blue and white letters. Underneath the crest is a sign in white lettering, which reads "University of/New Hampshire."

Listen

Photograph/Print

University of New Hampshire Urban Campus

2015

Caption:

Many factories in New Hampshire shut down in the middle of the 20th century. Near the end of the 20th century, though, people started to find new ways to use these brick mill buildings. Some became apartments, restaurants, or offices. This mill building was originally part of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company. Later, it was the headquarters of Pandora Industries, which made sweaters. Now it is the University of New Hampshire's Manchester campus.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons user Millyard800

Secret Found...
Color Mason The Moose!

GAME SETTINGS

Find It! New Hampshire Today

Find It! Scavenger Hunt

Click On An Icon To Find A Resource!

Biographies in this Unit:

Explainer Videos and Virtual Field Trips in this Unit:

Maps & Charts in this Unit:

Objects in this Unit:

Photographs & Prints in this Unit:

Secret Found... Color Mason The Moose!

SECRET FOUND!

Play the Matching Game with Mason The Moose :)

Select Difficulty level:

GAME SETTINGS

Find It! New Hampshire Today

Find It! Scavenger Hunt

Click On An Icon To Find A Resource!

Biographies in this Unit:

Explainer Videos and Virtual Field Trips in this Unit:

Maps & Charts in this Unit:

Objects in this Unit:

Photographs & Prints in this Unit:

Secret Found...
Color Mason The Moose!