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Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings

	DANIEL WEBSTER BIRTHPLACE New Hampshire
Merrimack County, just off N.H. 127, about 2 miles southwest of Franklin. Daniel Webster Birthplace

This small framehouse, built by Daniel Webster's parents and dating from 1780, was 2 years later the birthplace of the renowned statesman and orator. In 1801 he graduated from Dartmouth and 4 years later was admitted to the bar. After practicing law at Boston and Portsmouth, during the years 1813-17 and again in 1823-27 he served in the U.S. House of Representatives. During the period 1827-41, as a U.S. Senator, he gained national fame for his speeches opposing the States rights doctrines of Robert Hayne and John C. Calhoun, both from South Carolina. In 1842, while serving as Secretary of State, he negotiated with Great Britain the Webster-Ashburton Treaty, which settled the long-standing Maine-New Brunswick boundary dispute. He served again as Senator from 1845 to 1850 and as Secretary of State from 1850 to 1852. After failing to win the Presidency in 1852, he retired and died the same year.

Webster's restored birthplace is owned by the State of New Hampshire and is administered by the State Division of Parks. It is open to the public. Furnishings include relics and utensils of the colonial period and a few items that belonged to the Webster family.

NHL Designation: 05/30/74