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New Hampshire's
Senate chamber in the Capitol Building in Concord is the oldest
chamber still in use in the nation, having been in continuous use
since 1819, the year the Statehouse opened.
The Chamber is
located on the second floor of the Statehouse and has undergone
several extensive renovations through the years, including in 1864
when the Capitol Building was enlarged, in 1877 when Senate
membership rose to 24, and again in 1909 when the Statehouse
itself doubled in size.
However, changes
made in 1942 created the signature look of the grand room we see
today. That year, artist Barry Faulkner of Keene painted four
linen murals depicting historic highlights of New Hampshire. The
murals stand more than 12 feet tall and are pasted on the southern
wall behind the Senate president's podium. They depict Dartmouth
College's
first commencement in 1771, Daniel Webster reading the federal
Constitution in a Salisbury store at the age of 9, painter Abbott
Thayer explaining his theory of protective coloring in the animal
kingdom, and Gen. John Stark hurrying from his Manchester sawmill
to heroism at Bunker Hill.
The most recent
renovations came in 1974 when the chamber received new carpet as
well as chandeliers that replaced the old fluorescent lighting
system so as to restore the historical quality of the chamber.
Additionally, a complete automatic recording system was installed.
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