Up for a treasure hunt?  Let’s go to New Hampshire.  Not only is the topography filled with treasures but it is also rumored to be the alleged location of some of Blackbeard’s buried, stolen booty. 

It’s also rumored to house the high school that Riverdale High School from the Archie comic series was based.  Lastly, it is said that Dartmouth College was the inspiration for “Animal House”.  But, enough about the rumors.

New Hampshire’s motto is “Live Free or Die” and its nickname is “The Granite State.” They reflect its geography and  long-standing, continuing tradition of self-sufficiency. It was one of the thirteen original colonies that revolted against British rule during the American Revolution.  It was the first U.S. state to have its own constitution.  Their self-sufficiency and stalwart independence is also evident in that its residents have the 6^th highest personal income in the nation.  And get this; they don’t have to pay any general sales tax or general personal income tax. 

In the last 100 years, the state has had to shift its economic base and continues to try to further economic diversity.  Traditionally, the base was comprised of textiles, shoe-making, and small machine shops.  These drew low-wage workers from nearby farms and even parts of Quebec.  However, their plants became obsolete and even cheaper wages could be paid in the South.  Today’s economy consists largely of industrial machinery, electrical equipment, rubber products and tourism.   Their agricultural products are dairy, nursery stock, cattle, apples and eggs. 

Their politics have also shown a marked change with the shift in the economy.  In the past, New Hampshire often voted Republican.  Since 1992, the state has become a swing state both in national and local elections.  They voted for Bill Clinton twice, John Kerry in 2004, and most recently, Barack Obama.  They broke the string and voted for George Bush in 2000.  On a state level, this last election put women in 13 of the 24 seats in their Senate.  Their current governor is a Democrat.  All but one of the state’s U.S. delegates are Democrats. 

Their state government consists of a governor and their five-member Executive Council.  They vote on state contracts over $5,000.  The legislature is referred to as the General Court.  There are 400 representatives and 24 senators.  Most are effectively volunteers, most of whom are retirees.  To fund the budget, state and local property taxes are relied heavily upon.  They also have a limited income tax but only at 5% on dividend and interest income.  Corporate taxes consist of two brackets with a top rate of 9.25% for income over $150,000.  Their income tax system is one the nation’s most simple and inexpensive to run.

The largest ancestry groups are French, Irish, English, Italian, German and Scottish.  Many of the Irish and French Canadians descended from mill workers and many still live in former mill towns.  As to religion, the largest groups are Catholic (35%), Protestant (32%), and Baptist (6%). 

The state has warm, humid summers, and cold, wet winters.  The precipitation is fairly uniform over the year.  Partly because of seasonal differences, the state is a popular tourist destination, especially for its somewhat unusual events.  They boast some of the usual suspects of ski resorts, summer camps, fall foliage tours, etc.  But, they also host annual spring time “sugaring-off” contests from their many sap houses.  In the fall, they host the “New England Highland Games.”  To that end, they have even registered an official tartan with Scotland and it is made into kilts that are used by police who work the games.  In the winter, you can bundle up and go ice fishing in what are called “bobhouses”. 

To learn about the active adult living communities in New Hampshire, go to our website at http://www.activeadultliving.com.