Franklin Pierce Homestead State Historic Site — Attraction in Hillsborough

8/19/24—We didn’t plan at all to stop at the Franklin Pierce Homestead, but my stepson had an unplanned breakfast party for his friend, so we decided to linger a bit longer before picking him up. I checked Google Maps, and this place popped up. My husband, always ready for an adventure, obliged and took me there—with the dog, of course, because the dog goes everywhere with us in New Hampshire.

On the way, I asked my husband, "You don’t know who Franklin Pierce is?" He said, "No." To be honest, I didn’t know either, but he never asked for details, so I let it slide. When we arrived, I realized this place is really interesting!

As we walked in, we were greeted by a lady—Sarah, I think was her name. She gave us the dos and don’ts: no pictures inside and no drinks allowed. This place has so much history! Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States, had an interesting life and house. One cool fact: he was the first president to have a Christmas tree in the White House. Another surprising fact is that he or his father welcomed the first free Black man in New Hampshire to eat at their dinner table, treating him like family. They even did the same with their help.

The house itself was fascinating. They had a well right next to the house with sliding wooden windows to get water—like their own drive-thru to avoid the cold! The party hall made me imagine all the people they entertained over the years—they were definitely party people.

As we explored the rooms and halls, I couldn’t help but think about how these historic places allow us to live in the past, even if just for a moment. It’s like stepping into a time machine, where the walls whisper stories of days gone by. You can almost feel the presence of those who lived here, their joys, their struggles, and their everyday lives, preserved in the remnants they left behind. It’s a powerful reminder that while times change, the essence of human experience remains the same.

I really love these historic places; you learn so much. There were only a few of us on the tour, and we had to watch a video first, which I could have skipped, but we were there too early and had time to kill. Even the dog seemed interested in checking out the house! I would love to travel back in time just to get a peek at their lives. All we have now are these remnants of things that survived to remind us...

It was very educational. We visited this right after visiting the Calvin Coolidge site since we were in the area.

They offer tours every hour, the tickets are very cheap ($4-$5) and our tour guide had a lot of great energy, made the tour very entertaining and took us right back to the time the pierces lived and what they went through.

My only complaint is that the tour seemed to be more focused on the family. I felt like I learned just as much about the presidents father as I did about him, which wasn't so bad because he was also very interesting, but I did come away feeling like I didn't know a ton more about the actual president. Maybe that was because there's not so much to say about the actual president, he is not remembered very...

Great experience and excellent tour guides!

The visit was a great way to learn about the 14th President, his parents, and daily life in the early 19th century.

The house has been beautifully restored and the furnishings and artifacts in each room tell a unique part of the story.

Really appreciated the tour guides knowledge of the house and history surrounding Franklin Pierce. In spite of the hot day, our guide allowed each of our group to enjoy the parts of each room which was great!

If you have time, Franklin's father a former governor of New Hampshire and mother are buried just up the road and the cemetery...