New Hampshire State House - Concord, NH
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 43° 12.420 W 071° 32.262
19T E 293847 N 4786928
Oldest State House in Nation, in which Legislature still meets in original chambers.
Waymark Code: WMZZF9
Location: New Hampshire, United States
Date Posted: 01/28/2019
Views: 3
County of building: Merrimack County
Location of building: 107 N. Main St., Concord
Building Built: three building periods: 1816-1819, Stuart Park, master builder; 1864-1866,
Gridley J.F. Bryant, architect, Edward Dow, supervising architect; 1909-1910, Peabody & Stearns, architects
"Constructed of Concord ashlar granite, the
State House actually consists of two abutting buildings, the rear being
slightly wider. Measuring roughly 128 feet across and 168 feet deep, the
building stands three stories high and is topped by a gilded dome set on an
octagonal base, rising 149 feet. The front elevation is nine bays wide, the
center three framed by paired, superimposed Roman Doric and Corinthian
columns supporting a pedimented two tier prostyle portico. The first floor
consists of tall rectangular windows with stone sills which are set in recesses
as are the tall arched windows of the second story. The smaller rectangular
openings of the third floor, like the others, are filled with double hung
windows with six over six sash. A projecting modillion cornice supports a
stone balustrade while quoining articulates the building corners. The carved
tympanum of the denticulated, modillioned pediment depicts the state seal
flanked by acanthus foliage. Supporting the dome, the eight Corinthian
columns of the cupola frame tall arched window openings. The domical vault
with its blind railing and porthole dormers Is topped by an octagonal balconied
lantern on which a gilded eagle is perched.
"The original Federal style two-story structure, capped by a domed lantern,
consisted of a pedimented central section measuring 50 feet by 57 feet with
flanking things 38 feet by 49 feet deep. It appears to have been based in
part on plate 37 in Robert Morris' Select Architecture (London, 1757). The
designer of the structure is not clear. Stuart Park is credited as master
builder of the structure, assisted by Lcvi Brigham on the interior. While
correspondence shox^s Park's plan was accepted by the building committee in
1816, a letter written by building committee member Albe Cady to the
committee claims that Cady "prepared plans for all of the stonework and most
of the other work" as well as supervising construction and paying the bills.
Still visible today behind the portico are the arched windows set in recesses
and indented rectangular panels of the original structure." ~ NRHP Nomination Form