Concord is not just the capital of New Hampshire. It is the state's third largest city and county seat of Merrimack County, and an interesting character and history go beyond its role in state government.
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Here are five facts about Concord that you may not know:
5. Mornings became jarring, thanks to Concord.
The often hated device of workday mornings,
the alarm clock, was invented in Concord in 1787 by Levi Hutchins.
4. Concord was home to the 14th U.S. president, Franklin Pierce.
The only U.S. president from New Hampshire lived in Concord at the beautiful Pierce Manse. His former residence is maintained today as an excellent example of mid-19th century architecture and lifestyle and is open to the public.
3. The city features a memorial space museum and planetarium.
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
commemorates two New Hampshire residents and astronauts, Alan Shepard and Christa McAuliffe. Shepard was the first American in orbit and was a resident of Derry. McAuliffe was a teacher in Concord who was selected as the first civilian to go to space. She died in the Challenger explosion.
2. An extravagant 19th century carriage was named for New Hampshire's capital.
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The Concord Coach was a custom-made carriage for the very rich. Pulled by six horses and featuring exquisite decoration, it was developed by Lewis Downing, who started designing the luxury transportation item when he arrived in Concord in May 1818 with only his tools and $60 in his pocket, the Concord Historical Society said. This carriage style figured prominently in Horatio Alger's Abbot-Downing story, and Mark Twain described traveling in one in his book Roughing It, published in 1870. It cost between $1,000 and $1,500 at a time when the average worker's salary was one dollar per day.
1. Concord is home to the World's Largest Meatball.
Matthew Mitnitsky, chef and owner of Nonni's Italian Eatery, created
a 222-pound meatball, the New Hampshire Tour Guide reported. It was donated to a non-profit group called The Friendly Kitchen, which serves meals to people in need. Unfortunately, after nine years of operation, Nonni's is now closed.
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