Concord tourist information
Concord, California is located 29 miles east of San Francisco, adjacent to beautiful Mt. Diablo. The city covers 30.68 square miles. With a 2000 census count of 121,780 residents, it is the largest city in Contra Costa County.
Neighborhoods are important to the city's family-oriented lifestyle, which balances Concord's gracious early California heritage with vigorous, thoughtful development. Concord offers a range of housing options and prices, from apartments to executive residences. Quiet neighborhoods, numerous parks and large preserves of open space add to the quality of life for all residents.
The City launched the "Concord, Where Families Come First" campaign to raise awareness about family-friendly events, activities, organizations and opportunities.
A dynamic, high-rise business core, regional shopping centers and a vibrant, entertainment-driven downtown have created a strong, sustainable economy. A significant number of major corporations and technology-based companies have chosen to locate in Concord, siting a well-educated workforce, convenient location and employee amenities as driving factors.
Named in 1635, Concord is an old historic town on the western axis of suburban Boston. Located at the junction of the Concord/Sudbury/Assabet Rivers, Concord was settled early by the English as a frontier outpost of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and was the first interior, non-tidal water town in Massachusetts. The community had also been the site of seasonal Indian camps because of the plentiful runs of shad, salmon and herring.
Concord still retains many well-preserved colonial houses, nine of them on or near Concord green and witnesses of the famous Battle of Concord. In this historic battle which ushered in the Revolutionary War, a column of British infantry was badly mauled by colonists during a 16-mile long running battle that saw 273 British and 95 American dead. Concord also has a significant literary history, having been the home of the leaders of the intellectual movements of 19th century America. Louisa May Alcott, Bronson Alcott, Emerson and Hawthorne lived in Concord at one time or another and Thoreau wrote his internationally known philosophical treatise at Walden Pond in Concord.
Concord evolved from a frontier town into a prosperous regional center with a mixed society including small yeoman farmers, affluent gentry and immigrants from Italy and Norway. There are high-style, handsome houses as relics of this affluent society along with some country estates. One of the well-preserved sights in the community is the Victorian Gothic state prison built in 1878 and still housing prisoners.
Skyrocketing land prices in the real estate boom of the 1980's resulted from Concord's proximity to Boston and the 128 technical/industrial corridor, coupled with a vigorous regional economy. Considerable concern is felt by Concord residents about the pressures on the town from its significant tourist industry and suburban development.
Eastern Masachusetts, bordered by Maynard and Acton on the west, Carlisle on the north, Bedford and Lincoln on the east and southeast, and Sudbury on the south. Concord is 15 miles south of Lowell, 18 miles north of Boston, 34 miles northeast of Worcester, and 215 miles from New York City.
Concord's history dates back over 200 years. Back in the late 1700's, it seems there was a disagreement between the German and Scotch-Irish settlements in the area over exactly where the County seat of the newly formed county of Cabarrus should be located. A compromise was eventually reached, and the new city was founded in 1796 on a 26 acre site. The city was named Concord, meaning "harmony," to reflect the spirit in which the issue was settled.
When you look at Concord today and see the wonderful mixture of progress and heritage, the perfect blend of business, industrial, and residential life, you can see that Concord still embodies the meaning of its name - "harmony."
Concord New Hampshire
The City and the surrounding region offers a diversity of tourism destinations. Whether you want to travel in the fast lane at a world class motor speedway, take a leisurely tour of the State House Hall of Flags or President Pierce's Manse, or enjoy a lively evening's entertainment at one of Concord's many fine performing arts facilities, Concord can accommodate you and offer even more.
Historical Landmarks dotted along the Main Street area remind travelers of past times. The buildings and streets of downtown Concord reflect a community steeped in tradition, yet well-adapted to change. In 1803 the First New Hampshire Turnpike opened, linking Concord with Portsmouth and thereby assuring the town's position as an important trading and transportation center. Concord's central location within the state led to its designation as state capital in 1808 and secured the community's role as the heart of political and social life in New Hampshire. In 1842 the railroad arrived in Concord, and the city entered an era of major growth and prosperity, as Concord became the gateway to northern New England.
The New Hampshire State House, with its guilded dome, is the focal point of downtown Concord. The State House was ready for occupancy in 1819, eleven years after Concord had been officially designated the state capital. The State House acted as a magnet, drawing businesses and residences to Main Street, thus creating the beginning of a true downtown area. Designed by architect Stuart Park, after whom Park Street is named, the building was initially only two stories high. It was built of local granite, quarried by prisoners housed at the nearby New Hampshire State Prison.
In 1866 the State House was remodeled with a mansard roof, enlarged dome, and granite portico, all financed by the City of Concord. In 1910 the third story and west wing were added. The present New Hampshire State House is the only state capitol whose legislature still sits in its original chambers--no small feat, since the 424-member New Hampshire General Court is the largest state legislative body, and the third largest legislature among English-speaking peoples. Open to the public.
Concord has been consistently noted as one of the most desirable communities in New Hampshire in which to live and work. Its cultural and educational resources are among the best in the region. Also, its proximity to the Merrimack River and typically-New England rural areas complements the high-quality service of its commercial areas and comfortable nature of its residential neighborhoods.
Concord was first called "Wilson's Corners." When the Township was officially organized in 1822, the name Concord was chosen as a tribute to the Revolutionary Battle Site in Massachusetts, an area from which many of the early families had come. Concord Township was part of Painesville Township until 1822. Many of the early Concord industries were built along Big Creek and its tributaries. Grist Mills, foundries, clock, buttons, and chair factories, woolen and saw mills, tanneries were part of Concord's early history. Most of these were gone by 1908. Concord's most famous industry was the Pease Turning Shop located near the intersection of Girdled Road and Big Creek on Cascade. Their wares were exhibited in Philadelphia at the Centennial Exposition in 1876 and at the Chicago's World Fair of 1896.
Concord aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Concord aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Concord.
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