Skip to Main Content

Pierce home marker and steps.

Doorstep Defended by Franklin Pierce, Vacant Lot Where He Died

Field review by the editors.

Concord, New Hampshire

In April 1865, after Abraham Lincoln had been assassinated, an angry mob gathered outside the Concord home of former President Franklin Pierce (1853-1857), demanding to know why he wasn't flying an American flag in memoriam. Pierce, who was notoriously pro-slavery and anti-war, stood at his doorstep and said that he was just as sad as they were about Lincoln, but that his long history of service to the nation should speak for his patriotism louder than any flag. The mob, surprisingly, agreed and left.

Four years later at the house, Pierce died (Oct. 8, 1869). The house eventually burned down in 1981. Now the spot where it stood is just a vacant lot next to a funeral home -- but the concrete doorstep and front walkway are still there!

Roadside Presidents
Roadside Presidents App for iPhone. Find this attraction and more: museums, birthplaces, graves of the Chief Execs, first ladies, pets, assassins and wannabes. Prez bios and oddball trivia. Available on the App Store.

Doorstep Defended by Franklin Pierce, Vacant Lot Where He Died

Address:
52 S. Main St., Concord, NH
Directions:
South side of downtown. On the west side of S. Main St./US Hwy 3, just south of Concord St. and to the left of The Waters Funeral Home.
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
Save to My Sights

Nearby Offbeat Places

Statue of Franklin PierceStatue of Franklin Pierce, Concord, NH - < 1 mi.
92-Foot-Tall Mercury Redstone Rocket Replica92-Foot-Tall Mercury Redstone Rocket Replica, Concord, NH - 2 mi.
Dress Worn by President Franklin PierceDress Worn by President Franklin Pierce, Concord, NH - 1 mi.
In the region:
Indian Head Rock, Lincoln, NH - 62 mi.

More Quirky Attractions in New Hampshire

Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in New Hampshire.

Explore Thousands of Unique Roadside Landmarks!

Strange and amusing destinations in the US and Canada are our specialty. Start here.
Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Create and Save Your Own Crazy Road Trip! ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

New Hampshire Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

Easter Island Moai in America (Mar 25-31, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings