Ensuring that Concord Properties Look “Like it never even happened.”

1/13/2021 (Permalink)

Homeowners have to deal with many things which may include storm damage. Don't let the moisture take over your home. Contact SERVPRO right away.

SERVPRO Responds Fast to Restore Concord Properties with Flood Damage

Concord is the county seat of Merrimack County and the capital city of New Hampshire. It has a population of 42,695, according to the 2010 census. A population estimation held in 2019 reported that the city was home to about 43,627 people.

People initially settled in Concord were at Penacook village, situated at the city limits in the northern boundary. The city is the resting place of the 14th President of the United States, Franklin Pierce.

The history of Concord

Originally, Penacook of the Wabanaki Confederacy settled in the area thousands of years ago. The Abenaki Native Americans fished using nets strung at the Merrimack River. The tribe fished for various types of fish, including:

Alewives

Salmon

Sturgeon

The stream also served as the tribe’s route to the Atlantic Ocean from Lake Winnipesaukee, where travelers used birch-bark canoes. The tribe also used the good soil at the Merrimack River valley floodplain to farm gourds, melons, maize, beans, and pumpkins.

The Province of Massachusetts Bay claimed the western territories of the Merrimack River on January 17th, 1725. The Province also granted the area as the Plantation of Penacook. Captain Ebenezer Eastman from Haverhill, Massachusetts, among others, settled in the area between 1725 and 1727. The town’s authorities incorporated the town on February 9, 1734, as “Rumford.” In 1765, Benning Wentworth, the town’s Governor, renamed it “Concord.” That was after a bitter dispute involving the town’s boundary and that of Bow town.

The Governor used the name to reflect the new concord between the two disputant towns. The resulting border adjustments displaced several citizens who were compensated with land elsewhere. In 1779, local authorities granted Timothy Walker Jr and his associates the New Penacook Plantation, which was incorporated as Rumford, Maine, in 1800.

Throughout the 18th century, the city grew into prominence, and the first houses exist at Main Street’s northern end. After the Revolution, the city’s geographical location made it the best choice for the state capital. That was after Samuel Blodget opened and launched the canal and lock system in 1807 around Amoskeag Falls as a passage for vessels connecting Concord with Boston. The local government named Concord as the official seat of state government. The oldest capital in the country is the 1819 State House, where the state’s legislatures gather in the chambers.

Concord is famous for granite quarrying and furniture making. Lewis Downing united with Stephen Abbott in 1828 to come up with Abbot and Downing, a coach and carriage company. The company became famous across the nation after producing the Concord coach, which people used while developing the American West.

The city became the center of the railway industry in the 19th century. The 114-kilometer (71 miles) long Contoocook River powered the textile manufacturing area. Currently, Concord is the hub for several insurance companies and health care.    

The city’s government

A council-manager system governs the city of Concord. The city council has 14 members, where the public elects ten of the members from single-member wards while four are elected at large. The public elects the city mayor every two years.

The city charter, a concept developed during the Middle Ages in Europe, offers the city mayor the opportunity to chair the council that comprises 15 members. Over the day-to-day city management, the mayor has limited formal powers. The city manager oversees the actual operations of the city.

Sites of interest in Concord

The oldest statehouse in the nation is the New Hampshire State House, and the legislature still gathers at its original chambers. Designed by architect Stuart Park, the government built the statehouse between 1815 and 1818. In 1866, the government remodeled the building, and in 1910, a contractor added the west wing and the third story.

The Eagle hotel on the main street across the State House has been the downtown landmark since 1827. The hotel hosted a few dignitaries, including the U.S Presidents Benjamin Harrison, Ulysses S. Grant, and Rutherford Hayes. Franklin Pierce spent the night in the hotel before his inauguration. In 1961, the hotel closed its doors.

South of the Eagle hotel is Phenix Hall. It replaced the previous Phenix Hall after it caught fire in 1893. The two buildings had a multi-purpose auditorium used by residents for theater productions, fairs, and political speeches. In 1860, Abraham Lincoln spoke at the old Phenix hall. In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt spoke at the new Phenix Hall.

The Walker-Woodman House, also called the Reverend Timothy Walker House, is located North on Main Street. It is the oldest two-story building across the city. It was constructed between 1733 and 1735 for Reverend Timothy Walker.

The Pierce Manse is another site of interest. It is a historic home where Franklin Pierce resided shortly before he became president. The home is a tourist attraction, and anyone can visit it. Various displays and artifacts in the house showcase how people lived in the mid-19th century. Original objects and furnishings that belonged to Pierce are also available. Visitors can take a guided tour of the home to learn more about it and President Pierce.

Flooding events in Concord City

Minor flooding occurs around Merrimack River, but on May 15th, 2006, heavy rainfall caused the river to rise over 8 feet above flood stage. The flooding forced evacuations and damaged property, including the sewage pipeline in Haverhill city. Over 1,500 people lost their homes.

A record-breaking flood in Merrimack occurred in March 1936. A double flood or heavy rainfall and melting snow as well as ice swelled the Merrimack river to 20.8 meters and raised it to 3 meters higher compared to the 2006 flood.

How does SERVPRO’s storm flood damage restoration process preserve Concord Properties?

When flooding occurs in your property, it affects various surfaces and damages the structure’s stability, carpet, furniture, among other valuable items. Immediately the unfortunate happens, contact a certified restorer like SERVPRO to help minimize property damage and get your home to its former glory. Before our team gets to your property, avoid the affected area or getting into contact with the standing water. If you must get to the affected area, wear personal protective gear such as:

Gloves

Boots

Respirator

When we get to your property, our experienced flood damage restoration crew can evaluate the affected area to determine the best course of action.

If you delay contacting restoration experts, floodwater can damage various items, including the expensive wood floors. If your carpet is affected, we cannot salvage it. The best course of action is to remove it, dry your flooring, and then install a new carpet. Our technicians use drying equipment such as air movers and dehumidifiers to eliminate moisture from affected areas. We also monitor and document the drying conditions of property regularly. We write down and evaluate readings for temperature, relative humidity, and moisture content to determine if drying goals are being reached.

Also, if floodwater stands for over 24 hours, mold growth can occur. The mold spores may spread to other unaffected areas and cause health effects to your family. At SERVPRO, we use advanced products during our mold remediation process. We can leave you and your family in a safe property.

If flooding occurs in your property after a storm, do not wait long before beginning the restoration process. Contact SERVPRO of Concord at (603) 225-2825 for fast and effective restoration.