Native American Concord, NH's Indigenous Peoples

Before Columbus, and before the arrival of the French and English,  Algonquian-speaking Abenaki tribes called New Hampshire home. Both the Androscoggin and the Pennacook nations lived along the rivers and forests of the Granite State. Although they spoke similar languages, they had unique cultures and faiths from other Algonquian peoples. The descendants of these people divided into smaller groups. Among them were the Pennacook, Winnipesaukee, Pigwacket, Sokoki, Cowasuck and Ossipee peoples.

The land that would become Concord was originally settled thousands of years ago by an Abenaki people called the Pennacook. That tribe fished for  salmon, sturgeon, and alewives with nets in the swift seasonal rapids of the Merrimack River. They traveled in birch bark canoes, going from Lake Winnipesaukee to the Atlantic. The rich soil of the Merrimack River Valley floodplain helped them grow beans, gourds, pumpkins, melons and corn.

But with the influx of Europeans, their existence was severely impacted and their cultures suffered. These cultures are a legacy to New Hampshire, one that is increasingly celebrated today – and they were unique.  The history of Native American culture in NH goes back millennia. Much of the archaeological digs done in NH today is related to Native American artifacts. Native American culture, art, faith and traditions are here to discover at the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum in Warner. The museum is dedicated to connecting people with ongoing American Indian cultural expression and encouraging responsible environmental practices.

They define their mission as: “Through partnership with Native peoples, exhibits, and workshops, Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum serves as a living center for artistic expression, traditional values, and contributions from past and contemporary Native life. The Museum embraces cultural diversity and encourages environmental action based upon respect for nature and a deeper understanding of Native cultures.”

Before Columbus, and before the arrival of the French and English, Algonquian-speaking Abenaki tribes called New Hampshire home. Both the Androscoggin and the Pennacook nations lived along the rivers and forests of the Granite State. Although they spoke similar languages, they had unique cultures and faiths from other Algonquian peoples. The descendants of these people divided into smaller groups. Among them were the Pennacook, Winnipesaukee, Pigwacket, Sokoki, Cowasuck and Ossipee peoples.