Concord is the capital city of New Hampshire. It is located in central part of the state and is considered part of the Merrimack Valley region. It is situated in the central part of Merrimack County and encompasses a total area of 67.5 square miles, 3.2 of which is water. As of the 2010 United States Census, Concord was home to 42,695 people.
Before its incorporation, the land that comprises Concord was settled by the Pennacook tribe of the Abenaki Indians. In 1725, the area was granted and named the Plantation of Penacook. Settlement began in that year and continued through 1727. In 1734, the city was officially incorporated and named Rumsford. It wasn’t until 1765 that Governor Benning Wentworth renamed the area Concord, after a boundary dispute between Rumford and the nearby town of Bow. The new name was supposed to reflect a newfound harmony with Bow.
Nearly 5 percent of Concord’s total area is made up of water. It includes parts of Merrimack River, Penacook Lake, Turkey River, Contoocook River and Soucook River, and its highest point lies at Oak Hill, where elevation reaches 860 feet above sea level. Over the years, Concord has been called home by a number of notable people, including composer John Adams, playwright Tad Mosel, Union Army General Joseph Carter Abbott, former U.S. President Franklin Pierce, and various senators, congressmen and former New Hampshire governors.
Concord is governed by an elected mayor, city manager and city council. The city boasts a full-time police department, a full-time fire department and municipal emergency medical services. Top employers in the area include the State of New Hampshire, Concord Hospital, Steeplegate Regional Mall, Genesis Healthcare, Sanel Auto Parts, Lincoln Financial, Market Basket, City of Concord, Concord Regional VNA and Havenwood-Heritage Heights. Most children in the area attend schools in the Concord School District, except those from the Penacook village. Penacook area children attend school in the Merrimack Valley Regional School District, which also services Boscawen, Loudon, Salisbury and Webster.