Did you know that before his midnight ride, Paul Revere was part of a raid on a fort in Portsmouth? Or that New Hampshire declared itself free of British rule months before the Declaration of Independence? In GRANITE STATE HISTORY MINUTE, a new series of short videos airing on NHPBS, surprising stories like these reveal an unexpected and decidedly local side to our nation’s founding.
The Granite State’s Revolutionary Impact
“New Hampshire has a great revolutionary history, but very few people know about it—maybe because our noisy neighbors to the south get all the credit,” said Mary Adams of the New Hampshire Historical Society. “The first shots fired in the American Revolution were right here in New Hampshire, along with the first time the British flag was taken down by force.”
For Adams, who has shared her talk Redcoats and Rebels in over 100 communities throughout the state, the video series was another chance to do what she’s passionate about. “I love making history come alive for people, helping them understand the ‘whys’ of a story, and taking them to places that matter.”
This story has everything—a rich widow, a crazy inventor, divided loyalties—and who doesn’t love a good Revolutionary spy story?” – Mary Adams
Adams is one of the video series’ featured storytellers, along with Joe Pace of the American Independence Center and Barbara Rimkunas of the Exeter Historical Society. “Partnerships are incredibly important to us,” said NHPBS Producer Ben Sparling. “In this case, we were fortunate to work with partners who not only appeared on camera but also helped shape the stories and contributed to script writing to ensure historical accuracy.”
For a team this enamored of history, getting the facts right was just the first challenge. The harder question was deciding which stories to spotlight. “There were so many great moments to consider that it was a tough choice—so much happened here,” Adams noted. The stories that made the cut highlight either unique contributions made by Granite Staters or share an often overlooked part of our history.
Unsung Patriots and Ingenious Rogues
In one such overlooked story, Barbara Rimkunas discusses the life of Exeter’s Jude Hall, an enslaved man who gained his freedom by fighting for America in the war, only to see his own sons kidnapped and sold into slavery years later.
“When I read or watch anything to do with the Revolutionary War, my mind is always thinking about whether Jude Hall was there,” said Rimkunas. “I wish there was some way we could travel through time to let him know he has not been forgotten.”
Meanwhile, Adams shares the story of Count Rumford, a far less faithful American solider who became a national hero…in Germany. “This story has everything—a rich widow, a crazy inventor, divided loyalties,” said Adams. “And who doesn’t love a good revolutionary spy story?”
Why Local History Matters
By focusing on events rooted in places modern-day Granite Staters still live and work, Joe Pace hopes these videos will remind viewers that history is made by everyday people. “We tend to more readily connect with stories that involve the people and places familiar to us in our daily lives,” said Pace. “If we can do that, if we can appreciate the humanity in that history, maybe we can feel more empowered to participate in the history being made right now.”
Adams concurred. “When you’re in the murky depths of a current event, understanding its history and how people dealt with other past events helps us keep our perspective.”
The GRANITE STATE HISTORY MINUTE series was created as part of NHPBS’ ongoing commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. On July 4th, Adams will spend much of the day working, sharing history with the community, before celebrating with family. “At birthday parties, I usually make all seven of my kids come up with a toast to the person we are celebrating,” she said. “On the 4th, we’ll all toast the United States on this big, beautiful day!”
If you’d like to learn something new about New Hampshire history, all the GRANITE STATE HISTORY MINUTE videos can be found at nhpbs.org/history.