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| New Hampshire State Archives | |
|---|---|
| Name | New Hampshire State Archives |
| Established | 1776 |
| Location | Concord, New Hampshire |
| Type | State archives |
| Director | Division of Archives and Records Management |
New Hampshire State Archives The New Hampshire State Archives is the principal repository for the historical records of the State of New Hampshire. Located in Concord, New Hampshire, the Archives preserves official records from the Province of New Hampshire era through contemporary state agencies. It supports researchers, historians, legal professionals, genealogists, and educators with holdings that document events such as the American Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the development of institutions like the New Hampshire General Court and the University of New Hampshire.
The institution traces roots to early colonial recordkeeping under the Province of New Hampshire and the administration of royal governors such as Benning Wentworth and John Wentworth (governor), with later custodial changes following the American Revolutionary War and state formation under the New Hampshire Constitution of 1784. Legislative acts in the 19th century, notably during governorships like Samuel Dinsmoor and William Plumer, formalized archival custody alongside the creation of state departments including the New Hampshire Department of State and the New Hampshire Historical Society. Throughout the 20th century, the Archives interacted with federal programs such as the National Archives and Records Administration and benefited from preservation movements inspired by figures like Arthur S. Link and agencies like the Library of Congress. Major institutional milestones included relocation to purpose-built facilities in Concord, New Hampshire and programmatic growth under directors connected to professional bodies such as the Society of American Archivists and the Council of State Archivists.
The Archives' holdings encompass executive, legislative, and judicial records from entities such as the New Hampshire Executive Council, the New Hampshire Supreme Court, and the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Manuscript collections include papers from governors including Franklin Pierce, John Langdon, and Merrill L. Seavey, as well as correspondence related to national figures like Daniel Webster and Lewis Cass. Military records document state militia units from the American Revolution, the Civil War, the Spanish–American War, and the World War II mobilization of New Hampshire regiments. Land and property records trace deeds, patents, and surveys tied to the Land Ordinance of 1785 era and local institutions such as Dartmouth College. Vital records, census substitutes, and probate files assist genealogists researching families associated with towns like Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Manchester, New Hampshire, and Nashua, New Hampshire.
The Archives operates within a climate-controlled repository in Concord, New Hampshire with archival storage meeting standards from bodies like the National Information Standards Organization and guidance from the National Archives and Records Administration. Conservation labs employ techniques informed by practitioners associated with the American Institute for Conservation and use materials compliant with the Library of Congress preservation recommendations. Collections are housed in acid-free enclosures, and rare items such as colonial charters, militia muster rolls, and gubernatorial proclamations are stored in cold storage vaults similar to best practices advocated by the Society of American Archivists and the Council on Library and Information Resources.
Researchers may access holdings through the Archives’ public reading room in Concord, New Hampshire, utilizing catalogs tied to metadata standards from the Dublin Core community and discovery tools interoperable with the Digital Public Library of America. Services include reference assistance akin to practices promoted by the American Library Association, reproduction and copying governed by state policy like the Right to Know Law (New Hampshire), and inter-institutional loan coordination with repositories such as the New Hampshire Historical Society, the Dartmouth College Library, and the Pierce Homestead. Educational programs serve audiences from institutions including Keene State College and Southern New Hampshire University, while legal and administrative users rely on certified records for courts such as the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire.
Administration falls under the state agency framework affiliated with the New Hampshire Department of State and follows statutes enacted by the New Hampshire General Court. Oversight, budgets, and policy relate to executive offices including the Governor of New Hampshire and the New Hampshire State Budgetary Office, while professional direction engages networks like the New England Archivists and the Council of State Archivists. Records management responsibilities intersect with statutory requirements such as retention schedules promulgated by the State Records Management Program and compliance standards referenced by the National Archives and Records Administration.
Digitization initiatives have produced online collections accessible via partnerships with the Digital Public Library of America, regional projects involving the New England Regional Fellowship Consortium, and grant-funded efforts from foundations like the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Outreach includes traveling exhibits coordinated with museums such as the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center and public programming during events like New Hampshire Archives Month and collaborations with cultural organizations including the Society for History in the Federal Government.
Noteworthy items include gubernatorial papers of presidents and statesmen tied to New Hampshire such as Franklin Pierce correspondence, early colonial charters associated with John Mason (colonizer), Revolutionary-era documents connected to figures like John Stark, and Civil War muster rolls for regiments raised in Manchester, New Hampshire. Exhibits have showcased artifacts linked to Daniel Webster orations, Dartmouth College founding materials, and maps used in boundary disputes with Maine and Massachusetts; special displays have been organized in collaboration with the New Hampshire Historical Society and the Pierce Homestead.
Category:Archives in New Hampshire Category:History of New Hampshire