Before European colonizers arrived in the area, modern-day Concord was home to the Abenaki Native Americans for thousands of years. The area was known as Pennacook and provided ample resources to the Abenaki. These peoples fished for migrating salmon, sturgeon, and alewife fish in the Merrimack River and farmed with beans, gourds, pumpkins, melons, and maize. European colonizers arrived in 1659. By 1725, the Province of Massachusetts Bay granted the area as the Plantation of Penacook. In 1734 the town's name changed to "Rumford." Finally, the city was named and changed to "Concord" in 1765 by Governor Benning Wentworth. City officials chose the name to support the intention to strive toward a new concord or harmony. The city continued to expand throughout the 18th century and became the state capital after the American Revolution. Officials chose the town to become the capital due to its central geographical location, which allowed vessels passage around the Amoskeag Falls. The city was named the official seat of state government in 1808. Concord also has the oldest capital in the nation, the State House, built in 1819. The city became an important location for furniture-making and granite quarrying in the following years, which created a developmental, economic, and population boom. By the 19th century, the city had become a hub for the railroad industry.

The city of Concord, New Hampshire, offers a range of activities and attractions, such as:

McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center. The space shuttle Challenger disaster took the life of Christa McAuliffe, a teacher from Concord and the would-be first teacher in space. The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is dedicated to McAuliffe and celebrates aviation, astronomy, and earth and space sciences.

Red River Theatres. The theater showcases independent films, foreign films, documentaries, and short films not shown at mainstream theaters and cinemas. It is also home to the Red River Gallery, which showcases the art of New Hampshire artists.

New Hampshire State House. The State House, affectionately known as the "Golden Lighthouse," was built in 1812 in the Greek Revival style. The State House houses the Hall of Flags, portraits of historical figures, and the original chambers of both houses of the legislature, which are still in use today.

McLane Audubon Center. This center is a place to learn about nature and offers 30 miles of trails in the woodlands, grasslands, and shoreline of the Great Turkey Pond. You will be sure to see birds like the eastern bluebird and American kestrel, cattle on the nearby farms, and even wood frogs and peepers.

Carter Hill Orchard. This farm allows visitors to pick their own fruit and offers the choice between blueberries, peaches, plums, apples, and pumpkins. I.T. I.T. also has a bakery with some of the best-baked goods in the city.