[VIDEO] New Hampshire: Granite, Ghosts, and Quirks in the Granite State

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Weird & Interesting State Facts Playlist

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Weird & Interesting State Facts Playlist

Nevada: New Hampshire: Granite, Ghosts, and Quirks in the Granite State

Transcript:

Welcome to New Hampshire—the Granite State! Famous for its rugged White Mountains, autumn foliage, and the motto “Live Free or Die,” New Hampshire is also full of odd laws, unusual landmarks, and fascinating history that make it one of the quirkiest corners of New England.

Let’s start with some weird laws. In New Hampshire, it’s illegal to tap your feet, nod your head, or keep time to music while in a tavern. That’s right—dancing was once banned! Also, you can’t sell the clothes you’re wearing to pay off a gambling debt, and until recently, it was technically against the law to carry away seaweed at night.

Now for some unusual landmarks and stories. New Hampshire was once home to the Old Man of the Mountain, a natural granite rock formation that looked like a giant face. It collapsed in 2003, but it remains such an icon that it’s still on the state quarter and highway signs. The state also boasts America’s first free public library, founded in Peterborough in 1833. And if you like mysteries, New Hampshire is the site of one of the first widely publicized UFO abduction stories—that of Betty and Barney Hill in 1961.

What makes New Hampshire truly unique? It was the first state to establish its own constitution independent of British rule in 1776. It has no general sales tax or state income tax, making it one of the most tax-friendly states in the country. And for thrill-seekers, it’s home to Mount Washington, which once recorded the fastest wind speed on Earth at 231 miles per hour.

From UFO abductions to outlawed tavern toe-tapping, New Hampshire proves that small states can pack in big weirdness, like, comment, and subscribe for more weird and interesting facts from all 50 US states.