CONNECTIONS
NOV 2022 VOL. 10 NO. 11
NOTES FROM NOTTINGHAM OUR HOMETOWN returns to New Hampshire PBS this November, with a program highlighting the Rockingham County town of Nottingham. The program, a favorite of NHPBS viewers, highlights the unique histories and cultural distinctions of our state’s 221 towns and 13 cities. Established in 1722, Nottingham is celebrating its 300th anniversary this year. The town boasts more than a dozen lakes and ponds, borders scenic Pawtuckaway State Park and was the hometown of four Revolutionary War generals. Program host Rebecca Rule resides in Northwood, the next town over to the north. Despite 45 years living in the area, the visit to her neighboring town still yielded surprises. “There’s a four-sided granite monument in the middle of the town, with the names of four residents of the community — all Revolutionary War generals — represented on that monument,” said Rule. “But – here’s the twist — their names are all inscribed on the sides of the monument facing the houses they once lived in!” As with all episodes of OUR HOMETOWN, the program was researched at length to better understand the community’s history and current issues and to reveal its character. Rule and producer Schuyler Scribner spent their time in Nottingham listening to stories from a range of residents: librarians, authors, activists, students, town and school officials and small business owners. “We know it’s really the people that make up a vibrant small town,” observes Scribner. “Nottingham may not have a physical downtown or traditional Main Street, but we still found a welcoming gathering space in
one local business that we explore in the episode: Liar’s Paradise General Store & Pizzeria.” Viewers will also learn more about a fully volunteer-run food pantry that assists Nottingham residents in need of supplemental food. [FULL DISCLOSURE: Scribner brought a firsthand perspective to this episode, as a Nottingham resident himself.] Rule found Nottingham contains several neighborhoods and smaller areas with a sense of having something in common. “I think it’s true of a lot of towns; you may be a bit isolated from the rest of the world, and so people find a way to get along,” she says. “It’s very quaint and a bit old-fashioned to have that sense of community, but it surprised and pleased me to see Nottingham has those pockets of community.” Beyond the 30-minute episode, airing November 17 at 9 PM, other stories about Nottingham are presented via shorter digital features, all available online. “The digital content is really designed to be a time capsule of that moment in time and of the stories people want to tell,” said Scribner. Rebecca Rule concurs that these personal and unique stories are the essence of the program. “I’m always gratified by the welcome we receive wherever we go in the state,” she said. “People are happy to connect us with their community members, allow us to use local facilities for filming or interviews, or even drive us around to local spots. People are tickled that we are there, and they want to share the stories of their communities.” Viewers can see all the OUR HOMETOWN episodes and expanded digital content at nhpbs.org/hometown. The next installment of OUR HOMETOWN, airing in spring 2023, will focus on Nashua.
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