Our Hometown
Nashua | Old Time Downtown Nashua
Clip | 4m 58sVideo has Closed Captions
Deborah Bates speaks about visiting Downtown Nashua, back when she was young.
Deborah Bates speaks about visiting Downtown Nashua, back when she was young, and it was the "Big City".
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Our Hometown is a local public television program presented by NHPBS
Our Hometown
Nashua | Old Time Downtown Nashua
Clip | 4m 58sVideo has Closed Captions
Deborah Bates speaks about visiting Downtown Nashua, back when she was young, and it was the "Big City".
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Our Hometown
Our Hometown is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
My story regarding Nashua starts way back in the forties.
There was a teacher named Mrs. Fizzette who had many students, including young men who volunteered to go into the military to fight in World War Two.
She also had a daughter named Dot and had the addresses of many of these young men and took them with her when she went to Plymouth Teachers College.
One of the young women that got an address was named Shirley, who was originally from Salem.
The young man whose address she got was named Mitt.
Really technically Milton, but went by Mitt was from Nashua.
After his discharge age, they met, fell in love, got married and helped to repopulate the earth, giving birth to six children between April 1951 and July 1963, all born at Memorial Hospital in Nashua.
I have number three of those six children.
Downtown Nashua was our big city.
Merrimack had very few people in it and very few services.
But we would come to downtown Nashua for pretty much everything.
The chiropractor, the dentist, the doctor, the eye doctor.
And I went a couple of years ago.
I was four years old the first time I had my eyes examined.
And I went a couple of years ago to Quimby, and thinking, Oh, it's the daughter of son, it can't.
It was the same doctor as when I was four years old.
He still practicing, Carl Quimby.
I was so excited and there was an optician that was connected to his office who I could walk in, be ready for a new pair of glasses, and he'd know just the right ones to fit my face, which was thrilling.
The library was a big, old, wonderful structure that's on the top of library hall, and there was this smell and a mystique about it.
And even years later, when I substitute taught, I had to apply.
It was the same building, and it still has that venerable quality.
But downtown.
Main Street had all the shops you could want.
There was Miller's where the staff was attentive and readily available, but not staulky, clingy, suspicious in your face.
Kind of personnel like some stores might have.
But they could look at, you know, what size you took, you know, what color was good and help you pick out just the right outfit.
And for the intimate apparel, you know, that lady stuff.
There was Lady Grace and there was a store.
I'm pretty sure, called Marsh Parsons, where they carried Girl Scout uniforms and things.
I washed out of that at a pretty young age.
But the coolest store was Spears.
It was on the corner of, I think, Temple or maybe East Pearl and Main, and it was where my brother's Boy Scout stuff came from.
And they had these things which were just a marvel.
They were pneumatic, I think is the term where they would.
The clerk would put your money & your slip of your purchase in it.
You took <whoosh noise> and thunk it onto a desk up in the balcony and then <whoosh noise> THUNK!
And there was your change and your receipt.
It was so amazing.
Of course, you know, kids today have no sense of wonder because you go to a drive up A.T.M.. That's what happens.
But back then, it was mind boggling.
It was just so cool.
But on the opposite end, the low tech.
If you went to Seminole Plaza, where there was a grocery store and a Bradleys, they had apparently not really filled in the wetlands that it was built on very effectively.
And if you could get away with it and get on the shopping cart and hang on at the front of the store, you could go on the undulating flooring all the way to the back until I got yelled out, whichever came first when I was a little kid.
Nashua was my big thing and I was an exciting big city.
And now that I'm a big kid, Nashua is an exciting little city in other ways.
Warner | Woodworking in Warner
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 10s | Jim McLaughlin shares how woodworking deepened his bond with Warner. (2m 10s)
Warner | Uncovering Warner's Hidden History
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 5m 7s | Discover Warner’s untold Black history with local historian Rebecca Courser. (5m 7s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 6m 22s | Graham Gifford shares how Warner’s telephone museum came to life—surprising all. (6m 22s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 53s | Ian Rogers shares how travel and Warner’s community shaped his independent spirit. (2m 53s)
Warner | Raising Buffalo in Warner
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 47s | Brian & Kira Farmer share why they moved to Warner and raise buffalo on their farm. (4m 47s)
Warner | Painting Warner's Landscapes and Legacy
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 17s | Artist Mimi Wiggin paints her family’s legacy and Warner’s landscapes and traditions. (2m 17s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 7m 57s | Neil Nevins tells about their non-profit, "Main Street Warner". (7m 57s)
Warner | From Train Station to Print Shop
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 5m 56s | Jeremy reflects on the vibrant life surrounding Warner’s beloved train station. (5m 56s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 24s | Nancy Martin shares funny, fishy memories from Warner’s kids’ derby. (2m 24s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 5m 1s | The rich history of Warner's fire department. (5m 1s)
Warner | Fall Foliage Festival
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m | Ray Martin reflects on decades organizing the Warner Fall Foliage Festival and service. (2m)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 3m 52s | Tim Blagden shares how Warner’s abandoned rails became a community trail vision. (3m 52s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 7m | Apryl Blood and Patty Anderson discussing their roles in the community. (7m)
Warner | Cheddah?,... No, Feta
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 34s | Author David Elliott speaks about moving to Warner. (4m 34s)
Warner | A Creative Welcoming Community
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 7s | As a radio guy and author, Matt Esenwine talks about coming to Warner. (4m 7s)
Warner | 4-H Leadership and Community Teaching
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 5m 41s | Susan Jenna and Abigail R. reflect on decades of 4-H leadership and community teaching. (5m 41s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 3m 15s | Dan Salzer and Jonathon Picard talk about Pemi Baker TV. (3m 15s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 3m | Maryann Barnsley tells us about a childhood dream. (3m)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 1s | Katharina Kelsey and her husband made a list, Plymouth checked all the boxes, and so much more. (2m 1s)
Plymouth | The Happiness Quest
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 34s | Dr. Marie Sanders relates what can happen when an entire town works together to discover happiness. (2m 34s)
Plymouth | Memories, Stories and Cake
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 5m 41s | Patricia Hoyt came to Plymouth for college, launched her career here. (5m 41s)
Plymouth | Memories of Plymouth
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 55s | Louise McCormick is a townie. She grew up in Plymouth, and has spent most of her life here. (1m 55s)
Plymouth | Local Foods Plymouth
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 3m 23s | Marianna Evans talks about Local Foods Plymouth, and how the pandemic helped to create a model. (3m 23s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 21s | Carol Dunn tells about how this amazing town bonded together to save her business on Main Street. (2m 21s)
Plymouth | From Minsk to Plymouth
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 3m 41s | Jim Lurie tells us how in 1917, his grandfather travelled from Minsk, Russia, across Siberia. (3m 41s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 34s | Bob Gannett speaks about an interesting story unfolding as he was on the radio. (1m 34s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m | Terry Fifield has lived in a lot of places, but found that the Plymouth area to be the best. (4m)
Plymouth | Community... on Wheels
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 6m 14s | Mike Currier talks about the roots of the Plymouth Skate Park. (6m 14s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 45s | Bill Clark talks about, even with growth and progress, Plymouth is a special town. (1m 45s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 19s | Suzan Gannett talks about Artistic Roots, and the programs and passions that it has inspired. (4m 19s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 31s | John Scheinman shares how the skills needed in successfully coaching can be used. (2m 31s)
Plymouth | A Commitment of Caring
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 5m 1s | Jessica Dutille talks about re-building community, after the pandemic changed the world. (5m 1s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 16s | Yvonne recalls growing up in Berlin, and speaking two languages in school. (4m 16s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 6m 41s | Andre speaks to us about growing up in Berlin. (6m 41s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 12m 40s | Walter tells us about Berlin's Skier/Soldier, Paul Petersen, and a love story. (12m 40s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 3m 36s | Roland talks about working in every aspect of the paper industry, over 4+ decades. (3m 36s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 19s | Renney tells a couple of great stories about growing up in Berlin. (4m 19s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 5m 37s | Berlin has a language all its own, and Rachelle decided to compile a dictionary of words. (5m 37s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 24s | Olive speaks about growing up in Berlin, in a family that owned Bisson's Sugar House. (4m 24s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 3m 5s | Lorna recalls heading into Berlin on Friday nights, for shopping & meeting up with friends (3m 5s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 3m 54s | Moving to Berlin was a dream come true for Haven, as he loved working in the woods. (3m 54s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 43s | Diane talks about going from a 45 year career in the banking industry. (2m 43s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 6m 40s | Dennis tells the story of the history of boy scouts in Berlin, NH. (6m 40s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 6m 12s | speaks about growing up in Berlin, his paper route, and a creative way to make some money. (6m 12s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 7m 49s | Aime tells the story of his immigrant grandfather, Francois Bisson, migrating from Quebec. (7m 49s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 53s | You can spend your life dreaming of visiting exotic places. Sometimes it's better to dream (53s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 42s | Neil Davis says he probably shouldn't have an umbrella that nice, plus another fish story. (2m 42s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 9s | A little yankee math makes the negotiation more fair (1m 9s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship
Support for PBS provided by:
Our Hometown is a local public television program presented by NHPBS