IHoP-NH – In the Hallways of Power-NH

InDepthNH.org’s Paula Tracy talks every week with people from around New Hampshire who come to the State House and Legislative Office Building in Concord about why they do so.

We call her video column In the Hallways of Power, IHoP-NH.

By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org

CONCORD – Bobbie LaBranche of Tilton came to the State House this week with three youngsters to see what there is to see.

“We’ve never been,” LaBranche said, as she and young Hailey, Ella, and Caleb looked around the Hall of Flags in the entrance of the State House.

The New Hampshire State House is celebrating its 200th Birthday this year and there is plenty see and celebrate about the “oldest continuously used legislative chambers in America.”

It’s free to visit and this week with many New Hampshire kids on vacation, the State House is seeing other groups such as LaBranche and her young charges stopping by.

They stopped by the Visitors’ Center to the right of the Hall of Flags and picked up a brochure for a self-guided tour. More information about times and tours can be obtained here.

Volunteers are ready to guide folks through the historic building. They host many fourth-grade tours during school weeks as well.

The building houses more than 200 paintings which are definitely worth a view. They are mostly portraits of statesmen and some stateswomen, but there is also a Civil War mural highlighting Pickett’s Charge on the third and final day of the Battle of Gettysburg.

The Senate chambers was recently restored in honor of the bicentennial.