Presidential House Visit: The Pierce Manse

The Pierce Manse
Concord, New Hampshire

If I had to guess which president had a significant following other than the Rushmore set, Franklin Pierce would have been one of the last men to come to mind. Pierce has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the presidents who were in office shortly before Lincoln, whose towering greatness tends to diminish the accomplishments of his predecessors.

But in Concord, New Hampshire, Pierce holds a place of prominence that is unusual among the houses I have visited so far. Concerned citizens of Concord formed the Pierce Brigade in the 1970’s to save the Pierce Manse, the only home Franklin Pierce ever owned, from demolition during an urban renewal project. In order to accomplish this feat they had to physically move the house to a different location from where it originally stood. Those same people are still heavily involved in the running of the house today, and they formed the Pierce Brigade, which keeps the house in running order.

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a lecture at the Pierce Manse given by Pierce biographer Peter A. Wallner. The focus of his talk was on three of the most significant friends of Pierce's life: Daniel Webster, Jefferson Davis, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. The talk was extremely informative as well as interesting; I had always associated Pierce with the depression and alcoholism that historians claim dominated his later life. Hearing about these relationships he had forged and kept for so long made him less a tragic historical figure and more of a man whose life had ups and downs just like everyone else's. That he managed to continue to be a true friend through very difficult times is a testament to his character, and speaks to the best part of a man who doesn't get much respect.