You could call it ground zero for freedom in America. It’s January of 1776, and New Hampshire, one of the original 13 colonies, makes a bold and daring decision to formally declare its independence from England. It would be a full six months later until the Founding Fathers would issue the Declaration of Independence and putting us collectively onto a course that would forever change the colonies and, by extension, the world. New Hampshire is a city that is soaked in history and you can feel it on every corner and street.
Those streets are also home to more than a million registered vehicles. New Hampshire may be one of the smallest states in the Union, but its residents still drive as much (or even more) than residents of states many times its size. On average they drive about 12,631 miles, annually. Dealers are more than happy to accommodate this with cars for sale at more than 600 dealerships, many of which help generate some $4.1 billion in new car sales.
That many vehicles means it’s pretty easy to experience this state for yourself, a state that is home to a plethora of “firsts” for America. For instance, New Hampshire was where the first potato was planted in America in 1719. It is home to the first American to travel in space, Alan Shepard. In 1828 it was the site of the first women’s strike in the United States as 400 mill girls walked out of the Dover Cotton Factory. The first motorized ascent of Mount Washington was accomplished by Feelan O. Stanley, he of Stanley Steamer fame, in 1899. And it was the home of the world’s first alarm clock in 1787.
Just be sure that when you’re in New Hampshire and perhaps driving your car with the windows or top down or even crossing the street, don’t inhale bus fumes with the intent to induce euphoria. That’s against the law.
