Yester-Heroes: The Saga of the Eastern Mint Company

read more…: Yester-Heroes: The Saga of the Eastern Mint Company

On March 25, 1930, in the United States District Court D of New Hampshire, a lawsuit is filed between Charles B. Ross, of Grantwood, Bergen County, NJ, doing business as the Eastern Mint Vending Company (plaintiff) against Nashua Police Chief, Irving Goodwin, Manchester Police Chief, Michael Healey, Richard M. O’Dowd, sheriff of the county of Hillsborough, NH and John L. Sullivan, solicitor for the county of Hillsborough, NH.

Yester-Heroes: First NPD Line-of-Duty Death: Patrolman James Roach, after ‘duel with a bandit’

read more…: Yester-Heroes: First NPD Line-of-Duty Death: Patrolman James Roach, after ‘duel with a bandit’

At that moment, Roche figured he had disabled Kelley. He turned his back to the prone man for a brief second to sound his police whistle signaling for assistance. While Roche’s back was to Kelley, Kelley gathered the strength to fire from beneath the lilac bushes; five bullets finding their mark. Roche collapsed, paralyzed. 

Hold the (cell) phone

read more…: Hold the (cell) phone

Most of it was pretty boilerplate Republicanism – lots of language about parental rights, sanctuary cities, a universal education voucher program, reducing government spending, and…banning cell phone use in classrooms? My response was immediate…

Yester-Heroes: Parades, musters, and a new engine house

read more…: Yester-Heroes: Parades, musters, and a new engine house

On September 2, 1893, a huge fireman’s muster was held in Milford, NH, featuring fire apparatus and personnel from Nashua, Milford, Goffstown, Pepperell, MA, Groton, MA, and Ayer, MA.  Non-competing firefighters attended from as far away as Lowell, MA.  The festivities were started with a huge parade through Milford where “the houses were finely decorated.” 

From a Nashua living room to the front line of the Cold War, a personal appreciation of President Jimmy Carter

read more…: From a Nashua living room to the front line of the Cold War, a personal appreciation of President Jimmy Carter

One of the great privileges of living in New Hampshire is the front-row seats the Presidential Primary gives us for national politics. My folks took every opportunity to get to candidate events and to expose their kids to the experience.  They were not activists or party operators.  They just believed in the process of Democracy and there was no better place to witness it.

Yester-Heroes: Nashua Police in the mid-1920s and the end of the Main Street Bridge

read more…: Yester-Heroes: Nashua Police in the mid-1920s and the end of the Main Street Bridge

On December 11, 1924 the Main St. bridge, which was then constructed of wood, burned in a spectacular fire crippling Nashua’s north/south traffic. The bridge burned all the way through, collapsing into the river sending what was described as a “fountain of sparks hundreds of feet into the air.”