Concord is my hometown. It was also the hometown of Franklin Pierce, the only president to hail from New Hampshire. It is also the state capital. Putting a statue of New Hampshire’s only president in the capital city, not to mention the city where that president lived – a no brainer, right? And yet the state went out of its way to avoid putting up a Pierce statue for decades.
Why did New Hampshire hold off on recognizing its ultimate “local boy makes good” moment all that time? Pierce’s largely unsuccessful presidency and its role in the lead-up to the Civil War, mostly – it’s a long story, which you can find in the article “Franklin Pierce: The ‘Buy Local’ President.” But if you’re just looking for the statue, head to the statehouse on Main Street and you’ll find him. Do note, however, that while the state did finally honor Pierce with a statue, they made sure it was technically on city – not state – ground, as if to say, he’s mostly yours, Concord.
